It is that time of year again.

[trail twister]

Time to gather fire wood to heat the house with this winter. I am not a fan or finger printing fire wood like some I know. I have Emerald Ash Bore killed Ash trees in my woods standing dead for many years for the last 25 years or so. I cut all I need for a winter and leave the rest to stay standing and drying.

Last year I did things different than I have in the past. I skidded whole logs in the size the tractor could handle to a stageing area in the field. then I cut it up as I had time once I got a good supply ahead.



It worked except for one thing. Mud from dragging the logs thru the creek got pasted on the logs inside the bark and stuff. the chain on the saw was good for about 15 feet of tree and then I had to resharpen them.

So this year I will go back to cutting into the size I need for the furnace and hauling it a trailer load and bucket at a time.

Nothing like a nice fire in the furnace to keep the house cozy.

Al

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Yep, we used to do that. Had a wood burning stove in the basement for years. Husbands job all summer was to find "free" wood, and to split it with our splitter and stack it. My job was ---in the winter to cart it over to the basement step outdoor area. We would not really start a fire till December. But that stove was then on 24/7. it would keep a nice ember bed through the night for the next morning feed. The floors in the house got warm from it, as did the walls. But husband got tired of it all and it is now gone. Keeps the house cleaner now.

There is a story that goes with our Splitter. My husband had a friend name Jack, and he and Jack would together find wood all summer, some for Jack's house and some for our house. They decided to buy a Splitter together and travel it back and forth to each other's property to use. They also developed a letter, that if one dies, the other gets it. One day, husband found out that Jack had passed on three weeks ago. Lucky for us the splitter was on our property at that time, as Jack's sons we knew were just out for any money Jack had. Son's never knew about the splitter. One day we need to sell it, as its not needed.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

I like the smell of a wood fire but keeping one going is hard work. We have neighbours with woodburners who are forever looking for wood to burn; we've given wood away by the car load mostly fresh felled just to dump it; at one point a near neighbour collected seven car loads in one day; a few days ago I dropped four bags of hardwood from a staircase I'd cut into fire sized pieces at a neighbour's house.

We don't have and possibly never will have a wood burning stove; it's so convenient to switch on the gas fired central heating and at night to settle in front of the TV with the front room gas fire giving out a warmly glow.

How much wood do you get through each winter trail twister?

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

How much wood do you get through each winter trail twister

I recall we put up 8 cords of wood each season. But again did not start till December or maybe January when it was freezing or below. And had some left to mix with new for the next year. It was a large square one with oxygen dials on the front, not a pretty thing, but very efficient. When it was going the house was 75 degrees.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Time to gather fire wood to heat the house with this winter. I am not a fan or finger printing fire wood like some I know. I have Emerald Ash Bore killed Ash trees in my woods standing dead for many years for the last 25 years or so. I cut all I need for a winter and leave the rest to stay standing and drying.

Last year I did things different than I have in the past. I skidded whole logs in the size the tractor could handle to a stageing area in the field. then I cut it up as I had time once I got a good supply ahead.



It worked except for one thing. Mud from dragging the logs thru the creek got pasted on the logs inside the bark and stuff. the chain on the saw was good for about 15 feet of tree and then I had to resharpen them.

So this year I will go back to cutting into the size I need for the furnace and hauling it a trailer load and bucket at a time.

View attachment 57411

Nothing like a nice fire in the furnace to keep the house cozy.

Al

Use a pressure washer. No reason to not use what is given for heat and I could use the ashes.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks Esther.

I'm unfamiliar with cords of wood so being nosy I've just had a look;

https://www.hunker.com/13416125/what-does-a-cord-of-wood-weigh

Before retirement one of my departments was the timber department and I used to order timber on behalf of the company by the cubic yard so in order for me to understand how much wood you use in cubic yards;

It's amazing what can be learnt from these useful forum threads/replies.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[trail twister]

I burn on adverage 12 face cords of wood. Face cord is 1/3 of a cord ruffly.
Full cord is 4'x4'x8'
Face cord is 4'x4'x18"

Can't use a pressure washer out in the field and don't want to tear uop the yard skidding to where I could hook uo to water.

Our wood furnace is a England brand 28-3500 model. has ducts that hook into thr duct work installed for the to expencive to use electric forced air furnace. We rarely turn on the blower to force the heat thru the ducts. Enough is made to keep the basement warm and heat radiates thru the floor to keep the whole house toasty warm.
Homes builder didn't want a propane tank in the yard for so worked a deal with the electric company for cheaper electric rate.

We used the electric furnace for a couple months and found we were working in the winter to pay for just electricty.

I grew up with wood heat, My mom even had a wood burning range to cook meals on. So it was and still isn't a big deal to cut fire wood. We have our own wood lot.


Al

 

[Esther Knapicius]

We have an outdoor basement entrance that is the Bilco door type (google for picture if needed) anyway there are 7 steps to go down it to open another door to the actual basement. So my job, in the winter was to pay attention to the weather first off, and then to lug wood with a wheel barrel from the outside stack area over to stack them on the steps, giving myself a narrow center space. The steps are wide enough to stack lots of wood on each side all the way up. When fully stacked there was plenty for a week. That area remained cold so no bugs would come alive to get into the house as the door to the actual basement was thick.

 

[trail twister]

We have a straight walk out basement. I mostly leave a the wood out side and bring in a bit to fill the furnace as needed.
But I do stack some, enough for about 2 weeks inside behind the furnace just in case it is raining out and I don't want to go out in it.

Yes I keep a big pot full of water on the furnace too to help with the humidity. there is also a humidifier in the heat ducts too.

Al

 

[Esther Knapicius]

@trail twister , me-- I would just worry about any heat to wake up insects in the wood, get in the house. and rain is not the issue. its finally the snow blizzard.

 

[DirtMechanic]

LOL humidity...we run dehumidifiers 10 months and sometimes 11 months out of the year.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

LOL humidity...we run dehumidifiers 10 months and sometimes 11 months out of the year.

with a wood stove it drys out the house.

 

[La Garden]

Some of that wood looks spalted. Would make something interesting.
,..........................Never get into wood working, you look at stacks of wood as potential projects.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Some of that wood looks spalted. Would make something interesting.
,..........................Never get into wood working, you look at stacks of wood as potential projects.

I could say something like that about composting.