Out of wood, shut insert down, and then it snowed.

[Hogwildz]

Welp ran out of seasoned wood. Had to shut down the Summit this weekend, and as Roo pointed out last time, then it snowed.
Got about 3". Called my wood man, got another load, and he was kind enough to throw some splits in with the cuts. Summit is up & cruising, and now I expect the snow to be melting soon Lots of wood here, but most won't be ready till next year.


Mostly OAK

 

[Shane]

I'm out too. The wood stove at the shop is eating the last of the wood that we have. We have more it's just sitting in 20' lengths covered in a couple foot of snow. Have to get it all this spring. Wont screw around we'll buck it all this time.

 

[wahoowad]

Wha??? That's like shutting down the refrigerator just because you drank all the beer. Now you know you're gonna get some more beer!

 

[carpniels]

HI shane and neanderthal,

Like some guys here have in their signature: YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH WOOD!!.

I used to run out every march or so for the first 2 years. The november before I though: WOW, that is a large stack of wood. Surely it will last me until next april. WRONG! And after being wrong for 2 years in a row, I learned the above mentioned rule. That is why I now have INSANE amounts of wood stacked everywhere, but sure enough, half of that is almost gone now and we still have 2 months to go.

Learn from my mistakes: Get twice as much as you think you need and that will probably be enough.

Carpniels

 

[Hogwildz]

This is the first year for a wood burning appliance for me. Just moved here last July. With all else that was going on, wood was the last thing on my mind. Of course then it got cold, then wood was important LOL. Had to tear out the old insert, put in new last month, so far bought $450.00 worth of wood, but received around 9-10 cords worth or so. And just started scrounging the forest around my house for felled wood now that the ground has frozen finally. Burned through 2 cords between old insert & new, another wet cord in barn. Another roughly 2 wet cords in almost finished Holz Hausen, another 3 wet laying in piles. Another 1/2 wet stacked next to garage. LOL ALOT of green, wet stuff. The new delivery is nice dry oak. Thank god he through some nice dry oak splits in with the cuts. I'll be splitting the remainder this week/weekend.
I'm going to need a tractor or beat up cheap 4x4 truck for the yard/woods for scrounging. Theres alot down a hill, the hill is farily steep and long. No carrying. I bet theres 10-20 cords & more laying felled all around the property. Plus I talked to the neighbors, and they said take whatever I want. I live near the base of a mountain, all forest & wooded. Hopefully after this year I won't have to purchase any more. But for what I did buy, I got some really great deals. The previous owner forested out 1/2 the property, so not alot on the front 1/2. I found some big felled pines. But will only mix that with the oak. There are so many felled trees here I go nuts everytime I see it.
I am hoping two cords comes close to getting me through the rest of this winter. If not I'll buy one more load. Next year. I'll be all ready. Just have to figure out how to get it up the hill. I wish I had a laddervator about now. That would be perfect!

The oil furnace was constantly running, and it really seems the insert heats the house more evenly and it just feels warmer even at same temps as oil heat. But seems like the heat from the insert heats everything up, and the oil forced air just heats the air. I love the insert, and feel its one of the best purchases I have made ever.
Not to mention it brought me here, and this forum is by far the nicest, most helpful & informative, than any other I have belonged to.

TOO MUCH WOOD IS NOT ENOUGH lol. ain't that the truth

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

I only split 2 cords this year, im still working on it. I have been burning super conservative. One firebox load a day. Nothing at night. I still have about 3 cords in reserve, but there unsplit and buried under 6 feet of snow.

 

[kregars]

MSG,

Do you ship to the east coast? If so, we'll happily take a couple feet of that snow you have. <GRIN>

 

[begreen]

Don't ya just hate that. Hog you're lucky you have a straight shooter for wood supply. If I got wood mid-season I could probably wring out the moisture by hand.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

if you want to bring a shovel, you can have as much as you can take

 

[Hogwildz]

I only split 2 cords this year, im still working on it. I have been burning super conservative. One firebox load a day. Nothing at night. I still have about 3 cords in reserve, but there unsplit and buried under 6 feet of snow.

MSG, how can you possibly get by on 1 firebox a day? What about the rest of the time? Alternate heat source? Keeping it in the 50's? How are you doing it?

BeGreen, yeah I am lucky. It just happened when I moved I used the girl at Wachovia that got me my equity line loan at my old place, for connections up here for my new mortgage. Her parents live a couple towns away, and her dad is my firewood deliverer. I had lunch with her & her parents, met them, was mentioning firewood, and he said he had tons. Hes in excavating. And does firewood alos from the trees he clears. He gives me about 2-3 cords a load for $150.00, and throws in about 1/2- 1 cord split oak seasoned and ready. Very nice guy. I get a lil better price being I know his daughter. Would still be a heck of a deal at $175.00 the normal price.
Just got done splitting by moon light. 90% white oak so far. Pulled a few arm muscles tearing the stringers apart. No pain, no gain

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

super duper insulated house, firebox last me 8-10 hours. I sleep cold at night (54*) house stays at 64-67* after initial warm up in the morning. I do have a furnace, its set at 56*. Trust me, compared to outside temps, my house feels balmy.

 

[Hogwildz]

super duper insulated house, firebox last me 8-10 hours. I sleep cold at night (54*) house stays at 64-67* after initial warm up in the morning. I do have a furnace, its set at 56*. Trust me, compared to outside temps, my house feels balmy.

Dayum man, your ready for the polar bear club

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

dont forget that there is ZERO humidity here. Cool doesnt feel as cool as it would seem. I havent even fired up the stove yet today and its 64* in here and im practaly in my birthday suit.

 

[Hogwildz]

dont forget that there is ZERO humidity here. Cool doesnt feel as cool as it would seem. I havent even fired up the stove yet today and its 64* in here and im practaly in my birthday suit.

Good point. 20° feels like 20° here to me Especially with wind action on top.

 

[kevinmoelk]

HW... a former roofer and no beater rig? That's a new one for me, LOL

There was an article in Mother Earth News that had a fellow pulling logs with some clydesdales... powerful, quiet, and beautiful. Anyway, I'm wondering if you could just get a winch with a long cable and attach that to the back of your rig and just yank the logs up the hill? Or maybe a 4 wheeler with a winch? How about some block and tackle? Wait, I got it... a rope attached to the sissy bar on the Hog and then a whole shot up the hill! Or better yet, some cheap immigrant labor. Rut roh, here comes INS!

-Kevin

 

[Hogwildz]

HW... a former roofer and no beater rig? That's a new one for me, LOL

There was an article in Mother Earth News that had a fellow pulling logs with some clydesdales... powerful, quiet, and beautiful. Anyway, I'm wondering if you could just get a winch with a long cable and attach that to the back of your rig and just yank the logs up the hill? Or maybe a 4 wheeler with a winch? How about some block and tackle? Wait, I got it... a rope attached to the sissy bar on the Hog and then a whole shot up the hill! Or better yet, some cheap immigrant labor. Rut roh, here comes INS!

-Kevin

All I have is my 2wd ford ranger, would prolly pull the ranger down the hill LOL. The hill is pretty steep, I was thinking winch, but think the logs will lodge into the hill before they would come up. I could prolly fab a ramp of some sort. I did find a lil road in the woods, kinda steep, but might be able to get down. Will have to clear some growth. And pary I can get the ranger back up. LOL One way or another, I'll get to em, and get em up here.

 

[kevinmoelk]

How about building a sled? Take a pallet, and build some rails on the bottom with the rails turned up at the front so they won't dig in the hill? Then just yank it up with the ranger. Course you'd have to cut it into rounds down below, but then could just load up the sled. Just brainstorming here. Do you have a tractor? With your property and the work you do, I'd think a little tractor with a loader and bucket would be a great investment.

-Kevin

 

[Hogwildz]

How about building a sled? Take a pallet, and build some rails on the bottom with the rails turned up at the front so they won't dig in the hill? Then just yank it up with the ranger. Course you'd have to cut it into rounds down below, but then could just load up the sled. Just brainstorming here. Do you have a tractor? With your property and the work you do, I'd think a little tractor with a loader and bucket would be a great investment.

-Kevin

After I finish the addition, tractor is on the list, I will build a nice size trailer for it also.
Money is a lil tight, so one thing at a time.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

well i just put my truck into a tree coming down the driveway, no more mirror of front right quaterpanel. im goin diggin, be back later

 

[begreen]

Ouch! Man MSG, that driveway sounds deadly. You're running out of vehicles.

 

[BrotherBart]

well i just put my truck into a tree coming down the driveway, no more mirror of front right quaterpanel. im goin diggin, be back later

Damn! Three bangs now. Your driveway sounds like mine. 878 feet downhill of S curves. Don't have the snow ya got but when the ice storms hit aiming that 7200 pound Suburban down it is a ***ch. Oh, did I mention the telephone pole right next to the outside of the first curve.

Be careful guy. Mirror can be replaced. Only one MountainStoveGuy.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

Hmm, should i drop the tree that im up against or just try to get off of it. If i drop it, its all down hill, if i dont, i could take the rest of the front of my truck off. Damn, the car is still stuck from three weeks ago. DAMN DAMN DAMN.
Thanks for the concern guys, this sucks in single digits and in the dark. I gotta get out or we make no money tommmorrow.

 

[begreen]

Do you have a winch or a come-a-long and some stout rope? If yes, is there another tree uphill you can anchor to and inch it out? Barring that I'd call a tow service. With one call they can extract 2 vehicles.

 

[Hogwildz]

Man MSG, if thats the same tree for those other instances, you might have the right idea to get it out of the way for future slides.
Sorry to hear your bad luck man.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

its out. Thanks for the support. Im feeling ambitious now, i think im going to dig out the car, its the reason i got stuck in the first place, i have to manuver around the car to get the truck down the drive. The car has been there for three weeks. Im goin for it LOL