We Have a New Wood Burning Stove

[MossRoad]

My wood burning in-laws came over last night. They decided I needed much more wood. So my father-in-law and I took their short bed pickup truck with cap over to someone they know that has a tree service. We loaded that truck to the top of the cap completely full with 1 year old oak. $30.00!!! For split oak. One whole truckload for only thirty bucks! It took us about 20 minutes.... I can't do it myself for that price.

 

[dmccarty]

You got SPLIT ready to burn oak for $30?

That was stealing! I know some of the tree companies might give you cut wood but not split. I was talking to a local guy who does small scale land clearing and he said he could not give away free wood cut into rounds. People would call up and ask if the wood was split. He would say no but you can the cut wood. They would hang up.

Can't imagine selling split wood for $30. Even if you only go half of a cord that is a good price.

A couple decades ago I worked on a farm and a big part of what I did was split wood. He and I would sell the wood door to door. And then deliver. That firewood never warmed me by burning but it sure warmed me but splitting, stacking, loading into the truck, loading out of the truck, loading the truck back up for delivery, and finally stacking at they buyers house. Really surprised that I heat with wood after that year. We sold a cord for $65.

Later,
Dan

 

[3RRL]

30 bucks is a fantastic price !!
I was just talking to my buddy in Montana and he told me he just paid $130 for a cord delivered to his place.

Joe, your wood stacking job is impeccable !! Awesome man.

 

[WayneB]

30 bucks is a fantastic price !!
I was just talking to my buddy in Montana and he told me he just paid $130 for a cord delivered to his place.

Joe, your wood stacking job is impeccable !! Awesome man.

Not sure if you are talking about a full cord for $130, but around here the cheapest you will find a cord of wood for would be around $250, most of the listings are over $300 a cord.

Price of wood is just gone sky high not sure if people can justify burning it at these prices. Lucky I have my own wood and enough cut and split to last about three years now.

 

[Highbeam]

Looks like your set...

Did the kids stack the wood so neatly? It was always my job growing up to keep the wood pile orderly.

The kids did help somewhat with the stacking by bringing old dad the pieces as I stacked them. I've got 3 and 5 YO girls that I want to keep involved without hurting them too much. Of course the stacks are now covered with plastic on top and about a foot down each side.

 

[DennisArrow]

Congratulations upon your foresight as to cutting the utility costs for your home. We have been using a "Waterford Ashling" going on 7 seasons now. This totally heats our 2800 ft 2 story home with NO problems. We have 10 acres of oak/hickory that more than supplies us with our needs. In fact, due to the long term drought here in N.W. Georgia, I currently have 8 at least 24" trees that are dead and need dropping and splitting. That's a bunch of wood to add to my already curing 4 cords.

For starting I once used twigs gathered from around the house. For the last few seasons though, I just use some of those fire starter splits that you can buy from lots of places. Just easier, and actually, once the season starts the fire actually never goes out. I scrape the ashes/coals into a little pile over the ash clean out grid, open the ash door, put in some logs and off it goes. The stove easily burns hot the whole night with coals left in the morning.

In the past, I have used a portable 10 inch fan blowing across the top of the stove to distribute the heat. This season, I got a fan from the manufacturer that is specifically for the stove. A TRUE DIFFERENCE...........I barely have to keep the fire going to get this place downright hot............

Best part............My electric bill drops by at least $150 per month from the summer/winter heat pump useage..........

Oh........this season we invested in a 35 ton splitter from TSC....Wish I had done this years ago. My wife and I can split and stack a TRUE cord in 4 hours. Oh so much easier........
Anyway, God has blessed me with the wood and am thankful I am able to use it for my needs..........Dennis

 

[MossRoad]

I took home 10 wood skid tops from work (yes, I asked ) that are just 1/4" by anywhere from 3-6" wide wood. About 9 pieces on each top. I sat in the basement and busted one up last night with a small hatchet. One of them filled a 14" x 14" X 18" box with splintered up scraps. I think I have enough kindling to last me a few months now.

I set two logs side by side about 2" apart, crumbled up 4 sheets of newspaper and stuck that loosely between the logs. Then I put about a half dozen pieces of kindling across the logs, then another layer perpendicular to that, etc... I had 3 or 4 layers. Lit the papers and the kindling lit right up. Once it got going I set another log on top and it took off nicely.

Before bed I put an 8" very solid locust log on there and watched it light up. This morning, my wife said there was still one large log left. I went down to look, and there was nothing but a few coals and ashes. I asked her if she was sure? She said yes. We went down and looked and she said, "Well, it was there a minute ago!" She said it was all orange and glowing. The best thing we can figure is the log held its shape all night and turned to embers and probably fell apart after she saw it but before I could get down there.

Anyhow, the house was warm and toasty last night. The oak that I got for $30 is still a bit damp, as it sizzles when you put it in the stove. He has more oak that is more gray in color so I will go back this weekend and get another truck load of that to use while the other stuff dries for a couple more months.

I also found some slavaged 5" AC powered computer rack fans. I will use one to circulate the air out of that room and into the other half of the basement. That should warm up more of the house.

 

[MossRoad]

Lots of you folks heat non-stop with wood. Do you leave it burn while you are gone at work? I am a bit hesitant to do that. I guess it is just that you can see the fire VS it being hidden inside a furnace. I suppose I could get it going early in the morning and just shut the air control down to low before I leave. That is what I have been doing at night while we are sleeping, only I leave it on 2 or 3 depending on how well it is burning.

We have an automatic set-back thermostat on our furnace. I have it set to 65 or lower while we are away. Most times during the past winters if I come home for lunch the house is still above that temperature so I know the furnace never came on during the day. I was planning on leaving it that way and not burning while I am gone, but now wonder if it is common practice to burn when not at home.

Any thoughts?

 

[SnowRidge]

I usually build a three log fire. Two logs with some crumpled newspaper between them. A few sticks of kindling on top of that, then a third log over the kindling and laying in between the first two. When the fire starts, it is more or less contained between the three logs, which reflect the heat back into the fire area, which helps keep it going until the logs themselves are burning nicely.

 

[MossRoad]

I usually build a three log fire. Two logs with some crumpled newspaper between them. A few sticks of kindling on top of that, then a third log over the kindling and laying in between the first two. When the fire starts, it is more or less contained between the three logs, which reflect the heat back into the fire area, which helps keep it going until the logs themselves are burning nicely.

Yep. I just have to keep experimenting with how far apart to put the bottom two logs. Too far and the top falls through. Too close and there isn't enough room for air. I also found that my locust logs are pretty much straight and exactly round, just like manufactured fence posts. So the top log pretty much seals off all air flow when it finds its way down onto the side logs. Good grief... perfect logs!