My intro and some pics of the wood piles

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ErikR

Burning Hunk
Oct 12, 2013
152
northern WI
I found this place a few weeks ago and I really like what I see. I'm kind of a novice at wood burning and currently only have an inefficient fireplace. The kind the builder throws in when you're buying a home. I hope to some day replace it with a wood stove.

So, before that day comes, I've been busy gathering wood where I can. My sister has a cabin near by and wants some Maple trees removed. The neighbor is building a new garage and offered his Oak, Maple and Poplar trees to me. The vacant lots near me have produced a lot of dry Oak (with neighbors permission).

I don't have near the wood piles that most of you guys have. I count mine by face cords, 4'x8'x16". I've been keeping it off the ground on pallets. I used some lumber that was in the garage to make roofs for the pallets. Some of the material was free out of the iron box at the dump.

19' x just about 4' in the garage.
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2 rows 4'x8'
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I'm working on another 4x8 rack for the dry oak...
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You certainly will be ready when you do get one, that's for sure......
 
I particularly like the rack you have covered by the clear rigid material. My one suggestion though is to turn that one around so that it drains & drops the snow off the back side of the rack instead of the front. This may also allow you to stack a bit more wood in the front under the slant.

I have been considering building a roof like that over a couple of my stacks...
 
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Nice kayak rack! It's so nice to see someone doing things in the right order, wood before stove. I wasn't so lucky as to know I was getting a stove, before I got one.
 
I particularly like the rack you have covered by the clear rigid material. My one suggestion though is to turn that one around so that it drains & drops the snow off the back side of the rack instead of the front.


I put the roof on that way was to try and take advantage of some passive solar gain.... The front of that rack(low roof end) faces south. I don't know if it will have any effect or not. Maybe I was over thinking it!
 
I put the roof on that way was to try and take advantage of some passive solar gain.... The front of that rack(low roof end) faces south. I don't know if it will have any effect or not. Maybe I was over thinking it!

Hmm... enclose the faces and bottom, add a solar exhaust fan to pull air out the bottom and vents around top and you have a solar kiln there? :) Might work... then again, might be a big waste of time. Over thinking is what a lot of us do here.
 
Don't burn the kayaks....

Nice stacks and welcome to the forum
 
Hmm... enclose the faces and bottom, add a solar exhaust fan to pull air out the bottom and vents around top and you have a solar kiln there? :) Might work... then again, might be a big waste of time. Over thinking is what a lot of us do here.
Kind of contemplated something similar a while back but after reading a few articles studying this type of solar kiln they were a wash - especially with the cost of a solar vent fan
 
Welcome Erik. Is the stack in the garage seasoned?
 
Welcome Erik. Is the stack in the garage seasoned?


Thank you. Yes, the stack in the garage is ready to burn. In fact, some of that wood is in the fireplace now! The front row of the large rack and one of the small pallets is also ready to burn.
 
Welcome to the forum Erik. For sure when you upgrade to an insert or free standing stove, you will find you need to dry your wood longer. In a simple fireplace, you can burn pretty much wet wood if you can get it started. That won't work with a good stove though. You may have noticed on this forum we recommend the 3 year plan. That is, get 3 years ahead on your wood supply and that will solve well over 90% of all wood burning problems. In addition, we wouldn't think of burning oak until it has been split and stacked for 3 years at our place. In a dry climate, some can get by with 2 years but it is tough in most areas. Oak simply does not give up its moisture easily. It takes time. Shoot, once you get 3 years ahead, you might decide to go for more! That's good.
 
Welcome. Looks like you need to pick out a stove. Nice pics!
 
You certainly will be ready when you do get one, that's for sure......
That being said..... I would start looking for your new wood stove or insert.... It is a shame to see your beautiful wood only to go up a fireplace, at minimum an insert deserves to be there, learn all you can and get what you want......IMHO
 
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