Cordwood

[billbill1]

Here's what I use

 

[dmccarty]

My first two burning seasons, I would split the wood downhill in front of the house. The split wood was stacked on pallets I had left over from the house building or bought real cheap. I was going to build a structure on the pallets to help hold the wood in place but I found out that putting a tarp over the wood and tying it down worked pretty good.

Our roof overhands the back porch by about four feet. Its perfect to store the wood pallet that we are using to run the stove. The problem with the pallets where MICE. The little %^&* build nests in the stacked wood and pallets. Then they got into the house.....

Also due to soil wetness I could not always run the tractor to pick up the pallets. And we had to look at the piles of wood which was not good. Since I could not always use the tractor, I would have to use a wheelbarrow a couple times of week to bring the wood to the house. Uphill.

We deemed this system to be not optimum.

This year I moved the wood splitting operation to the back of the house. This is uphill from the house. So I just fill up the wheel barrow and take the wood out of it to feed the stove. This has worked well since its easier to get the wood to the house and no mice.

The wood I'm burning this year I cut into rounds in the woods and then moved back to the splitting area. I think that was a mistake. Too much work moving the rounds. This year I plan on cutting the trees into 6-8 foot lengths and hauling them out to be cut and split. A lot easier.

The 3ph log splitter really is better than splitting with a maul....



Later,
Dan

 

[jeffinsgf]

... This year I plan on cutting the trees into 6-8 foot lengths and hauling them out to be cut and split. A lot easier.

Depending on your equipment and your woods, 6-8 might be a challenge. The length you bring out of the woods needs to be a multiple of your preferred stove length, manageable to get it loaded, and it can't hang up on every sapling between your woods and your splitting area. 4 foot fills those requirements for me, and I always figured there was a reason that a "cord" was based on a length of 4 foot.

 

[scott_vt]

Depending on your equipment and your woods, 6-8 might be a challenge. The length you bring out of the woods needs to be a multiple of your preferred stove length, manageable to get it load

Mornin Jeff,
Real good point ! The bigger logs I will tow to the house if I can and cut and split their rather than handle it extra ! Thats definitely the name of the game.

 

[dmccarty]

Depending on your equipment and your woods, 6-8 might be a challenge. The length you bring out of the woods needs to be a multiple of your preferred stove length, manageable to get it loaded, and it can't hang up on every sapling between your woods and your splitting area. 4 foot fills those requirements for me, and I always figured there was a reason that a "cord" was based on a length of 4 foot.

Jeff,

The tractor is 5 feetinsh wide and with the box blade its 6 feet. So six feet of log is will work. Eight feet might be interesting. Some trees are going to be in the open so 8-10 feet of log will work. Others six feet might be a challenge to get out of the deep woods.

For how we run the stove, I don't care that much about the log length giving me a certain number of rounds. Our stove is wider than it is deep. I need a certain number of "long" pieces compared to "short" pieces. I have been trying to figure out the ratio without much success.

Somone mentioned a log buck. I built a log bench years ago to help me cut the log into rounds. It worked ok but in the end it just seemed easier to cut the log on the ground. Right now the bench is a canoe holder and needs some repairs to use it again to cut logs. The bench or a buck would make it easier to size the rounds....

Not sure what I'll do for next season... Need to get started though.

Later,
Dan

 

[turnkey4099]

How many times? A bunch. But then I look at it as my physical exercise as otherwise I would be sitting on my rear doing nothing. Lets see.

Cut rounds
Split down to loadable size and load on PU
Unload
Split
Stack for drying outside for at least a year.
Move to woodshed
Move to back porch for active use
Carry to stove

Then there is the falling, brushing out (limbing/stacking/cleaning up), burning. I figure I spend a lot more time just doing the 'brushing' than I do actually making wood.

Harry K

 

[jcotta]

What I would really like to see is some pics of posters Wood Sheds or methods for stacking,storing and covering cordwood.

 

[jcotta]

What I would really like to see is some pics of posters Wood Sheds or methods for stacking,storing and covering cordwood.

Sorry about the first post operator error.

Chris a friend mine worked for a material handling company and had racks custom built to move bolts of cloth after they were dyed. The company he built them for went broke, and he got stuck with the racks. I going to put a plywood base in the bottom of the rack. The racks have steel slots for a forklift on the bottom for easy moving. He gave me a couple which I am going to use to store wood next to my bbq smoker. I had my wood stacked between two trees six feet high. We got a good wind storm last fall 50+ mph winds, and 3/4 of the wood fell on the ground. He was some left that could be probaly had cheap. If interested send me a pm. Year round residence in Pawtucket RI.

John

 

[450EXC]

I used Chris's BTU/fuel oil and efficeincy ratings to try and figure how much a cord is worth b/4 it's better to just turn the thermostat up.

1 cord dry oak = 159 gal oil.

woodstove @ 50 % efficeincy = 2 cord & boiler @ 80 % = 200 gal oil. Is that right ?

1 cord = 100 gal @ 2.60/gal = $ 260.00

face cords are more common up here which would be $ 86.00 / face cord.

I jot down good bits of info from post for future reference. I had a note that said 1 cord = 100 gal oil. After Chris's post I crossed that out and wrote in 181 gal. then I crossed that off and wrote 1 cord DRY oak = 159 gal. Now after using Chris's efficeincy ratings I'm back to the original 100 gal.

Oh, and by the way, 2' of elevation = 1 psi and 1' of baseboard = 580 btu.

 

[cmhyland]

Well the 80 effeciency of the boiler is the burn chamber efficiency. Then convert that heat to the cast iron and lose some, then to the water and lose some, then to the pipe and lose some, then to the fin-tube and lose some then to the air and lose some...


Wood stove convert to cast iron and lose cast iron to air and lose some and done. I have a Jotul stove... Se the efficiency below... Not too far off the boiler.

Technical data for Jøtul F 600 Firelight CB



Maximum heat output: 81,500 BTU/hr
Heating capacity: Up to 2,500 sq.ft
Overall efficiency: 71%
Log length: 24"
Burn time: Up to 10 hours
Finish options: Blue/Black, Ivory, and Jøtul Iron™ Enamel, or Matte Black Paint
Flue outlet: Top, and rear
Flue size: 6"
Weight: 465 lbs
Accessories: Fire screen, Floor bracket kit, Bottom and rear heatshield
Jøtul has a policy of constant improvement and upgrading. Products therefore may differ in specification, design, material or dimensions at any time without prior notice.
Technical documentation for Jøtul F 600 Firelight C