Work Done 2024

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Got home a little early yesterday from my date with the crane. 2 red maple removals in 2.5 - 3hrs.
Ran a few errands after and then, backed up to my pile of splits. 2 heavy loads thrown down in the basement. About a cords worth. With the bed packed high I'm about a half cord. Wife helped me unload the 2nd. She got home while I was in progress. The other 2 adults hibernated in the house. Parasites .....

Today I get to play Jenga. Moving the wood across the basement to stack. Bilco doors got loaded up good and tight yesterday.
 
Could you po[ themoff and stuff a pice of 1/2'' foam board in them? Or, even a couple layers of cardboard?
I could, just don’t know if the effort is worth it. It’s just a small area of cold with them closed. With them open you can feel the cool draft.
 
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I could, just don’t know if the effort is worth it. It’s just a small area of cold with them closed. With them open you can feel the cool draft.
You do have the King....
In my case, every little bit helps.
 
You do have the King....
In my case, every little bit helps.
Here, every bit does help with the king taking care of 3ksqft and lots of windows! Everything else is modern, insulation, windows etc. a lille fresh air isn’t a bad thing when the house is closed up all winter.
 
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Got around to bucking up the last trailer load I received from my wood guy. He texted me earlier today asking if I was ready for more wood which motivated me. He put aside in his lot a delivery of straight red oak that he’ll deliver once I clear some space for him.
 
We had a warm spell so I figured it was a good time to go up and check the flu. Looks like I flew a little too close to the Sun with this warmer weather trying to keep the stove dialed back and had a little buildup. Quickly dropped the baffle in the kuma and ran the eater all the way up cleaned up nicely.
[Hearth.com] Work Done 2024
[Hearth.com] Work Done 2024
 
Refilled the on deck rack again. This lasts me about a week. Also restacked my 3+ year seasoned stuff and put that all together, then moved some oak I split in the spring out in a better wind spot. To the right of the oak in the photo is hickory, should be ready by next season.

Side note this last pic is an opportunity for free wood, but it’s a 75 minute drive. Anyone think that’s worth it for hickory? Hickory is very hard to find in my area.
 

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We had a warm spell so I figured it was a good time to go up and check the flu. Looks like I flew a little too close to the Sun with this warmer weather trying to keep the stove dialed back and had a little buildup. Quickly dropped the baffle in the kuma and ran the eater all the way up cleaned up nicely.
View attachment 333205View attachment 333206
How tall is your chimney? What is it the majority that you burn?
 
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How tall is your chimney? What is it the majority that you burn?
Around 18-20 feet, mostly silver maple this year testing around 18% on room temp fresh splits. I just know that during the start of Burning Season I was having fires when it was about 50° out and really trying to dial things back and not overheat so I probably ran into issues there. Also my catalyst is starting to get towards the end of its life I did the vinegar bath and I'm noticing better performance from it now that I did that but likely a new Catalyst next year
 
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Refilled the on deck rack again. This lasts me about a week. Also restacked my 3+ year seasoned stuff and put that all together, then moved some oak I split in the spring out in a better wind spot. To the right of the oak in the photo is hickory, should be ready by next season.

Side note this last pic is an opportunity for free wood, but it’s a 75 minute drive. Anyone think that’s worth it for hickory? Hickory is very hard to find in my area.
I wouldn't drive more than 2 hrs (total) for that.
Unless you use it for cooking.

Oak and black locust are as good (more or less).
 
Around 18-20 feet, mostly silver maple this year testing around 18% on room temp fresh splits. I just know that during the start of Burning Season I was having fires when it was about 50° out and really trying to dial things back and not overheat so I probably ran into issues there. Also my catalyst is starting to get towards the end of its life I did the vinegar bath and I'm noticing better performance from it now that I did that but likely a new Catalyst next year
Get a new one in early summer, lower prices, and if there is a backlog, you have time.
 
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Spent the morning splitting and stacking about half of my last wood delivery (maybe 3/4 cord). With my wood guy setting aside that red oak I realized I was a bit out of space. Spent the afternoon moving three pallets of shorties to another area in my yard and then configured three more pallets for the rest of this last delivery and now somewhat prepared for that red oak delivery.
Backyard now setup to hold about 15 cords with another 4,75 that I store under the deck for the current burning season and another 2 cords I store in another wood shed beside the driveway.
 
I wouldn't drive more than 2 hrs (total) for that.
Unless you use it for cooking.

Oak and black locust are as good (more or less).
I have plenty of access to oak. I have a lot of that too as is. Locust and hickory are rare to find as firewood around here. Can’t ever find locust on marketplace, hickory rarely. I will travel for hickory or locust when I see it, but this is right on the edge of the max distance I’d see worth it

Reason for hickory is that it seems to season faster than oak
 
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Got started with this winter's firewood making yesterday! And with cold weather we had recently I was able to get into one of my 'winter trails' that are too wet until we get some good freezes. Nice load of ash, yellow birch, and some maple! Now stacked, It will be heat in 3 or 4 years!

[Hearth.com] Work Done 2024
 
Refilled the on deck rack again. This lasts me about a week. Also restacked my 3+ year seasoned stuff and put that all together, then moved some oak I split in the spring out in a better wind spot. To the right of the oak in the photo is hickory, should be ready by next season.

Side note this last pic is an opportunity for free wood, but it’s a 75 minute drive. Anyone think that’s worth it for hickory? Hickory is very hard to find in my area.
I'd travel an hr plus 15mins for that. Especially when it's hard to find for you. From the pic, it looks to be about a half cord? Loves hickory. Dries decent and is up there on the BTU chart.

But, it'd really suck if you got there to find it gone or someone else loading it.
 
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Today I plowed snow for 3hrs. Ran an errand while I was down in the valley, and stopped at the hardware store near home. Grabbed more supplies to make more interior window storms. Since we don't use our front door during winter, I'll make an exterior storm for there. Tightening up this old house little by little. When I got back here, I loaded another half cord in the truck. It's already in the basement and have begun stacking it. I hate the effort needed to heat this house. Way to much work .... can't wait for an OWB.
 
Took advantage of the nice weather this weekend and did some final yard clean up. Had a large pile of brush(not in pic) to burn from all the winds we got over the last week to burn up. Also filled up the "pine " tote.
[Hearth.com] Work Done 2024
 
Put the MS261 and the Fiskars to work today. A friend of mine is an arborist and gave me right of way to some free red oak. Have plenty of it although would prefer hickory or locust but oak is still oak.
 

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