Down to the dregs (another premature-end-of-season retrospective)

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Jon1270

Minister of Fire
Aug 25, 2012
2,048
Pittsburgh, PA
www.workbyhand.com
A few weeks ago I hit the end of my dry firewood. Since then I've been over the stacks of damp stuff more than once, tapping everywhere with a ball peen hammer and listening for the few dryish splits -- generally either ash or poplar slabwood, or something that was standing dead when it was cut. I've scavenged hardwood lumber scraps from my shop and managed a few more fires for ambiance, but my first wood heating season is effectively over. I've learned a lot along the way.

Most of the wood I burned this season was low-rent stuff, all bought too late. I got ripped off by a dishonest seller in September, then bought too little from an honest guy who had run out of the better stuff by the time I tried to get more later in the season. So, what went in the stove had MC's often in the high 20s or low 30s, much of it low-end species or punky. I had to clean my clogged cap twice, and brushed the whole chimney once mid-season. I went through a little less than 2 cords, and made a significant dent in my natural gas bills; I haven't tried to calculate that amount, but my next bill will be almost twice the January bill despite much warmer recent temperatures.

I've learned that wood is, in my area, surprisingly easy to scrounge. I've brought home a couple of cords of black locust, mulberry, cherry, oak, ash, elm, juniper, soft and hard maple. I enjoy the finding and cutting and splitting enough that I have to restrain myself from acquiring more wood than I can possibly store. I feel like volunteering to cut wood for other people, just for the fun of running my chainsaw and swinging the axe. Actually, I did just that the other day -- saw a neighbor splitting wood, pullled on my gloves, picked up the Fiskars, walked over, introduced myself and helped out for an hour or so. My stacks are more than full and my secondhand Husky 350 runs fine, yet I find myself watching for scrounges I have nowhere to put and shopping the classifieds for chainsaws I don't really need.

My plans for the summer include insulating above my block-off plate (an oversight that I think wasted a lot of heat this year), and building larger outdoor wood racks so I can keep about 2 years' worth on hand, which is probably the most I can hope for where I live. I also hope to improve the attic insulation; though I am enjoying the game of firewood acquisition and management, I dislike waste, and having to find and carry and split and shelter and carry again and clean up after every BTU makes me more aware of my energy consumption than I ever was when the most tangible indicator I had was a monthly statement from the gas or power company.

For the first time ever, I am looking forward to next winter even as the current one is ending.
 
I have been burning some less than perfect wood too. At least up until the cold snap that we are experiencing drove me back to the good stuff. For shoulder, especially on the "Right side" shoulder, I am comfortable burning some uglies and maybe a bit wet or above 20% wood for a few weeks mixed with high octane stuff because I know the flu is clean and I will be shutting it down and doing my spring cleaning soon. Mostly to get rid of some of the junk and let the good stuff get "gooder"!!

Running out is a whole nutha story. That would scare me!!
 
I officially had to tap into next year's wood last night. It is some black and white oak that was c/s/s in November of 2010. It is hard to get started compared to what I'm used to burning. Hopefully I'll only need about 1/3 cord of this stuff for this winter...I'll just have to deal with it. #$%!$ oak!!!
 
Hey Jon, you are 100% right that it is easy to scrounge around Pittsburgh! Thats where I get 100% of my wood from, in the past few years I have scrounged around twenty cords of locust/oak/cherry/maple/walnut. Craigslist is a great way to find the wood, I found a farm that was logged and the tops left on there, and I have been getting as much oak and cherry as I want for over a year now.

Good recap for this year, sounds like you learned quite a bit!
 
Jon - Kinda in the same boat -been picking through and burning stuff I cut for next year since 3 weeks ago. Now that my wife is getting into working the stove, she is piling it on like she's running the boiler on the Lusitania! Need to get her to help haul some wood in this weekend...>>

Love my old 350 also. Hangs with my larger CC 290 quite well - might port the 290 over the summer, it's newer and "EPA constricted". When I go back to McKeesport, I seem to see free wood everywhere. Lots of locust and mulberry in the 'burbs- grab as much of that as you can.
Good Luck!
 
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I'm somewhat amused when I read many times from many folks about having to tap into next year's wood. I've somehow never experienced this. When one stack of wood is gone I just get from the next and the next then the next etc. I've never thought about having a certain wood for one year and a certain wood for another.
 
I have a month's worth of 'this year' wood left, and 9 cord of two-year seasoned wood, and around 8 cord of one-year seasoned wood......I don't want to have to use next years' wood yet, though.
 
I am NOT liking this two year old oak. Was hoping I wouldn't need it until next year....but ya burns what ya gots. Hope its better next year.
 
Oh the pleasures of being many years ahead!! In much of life I have believed in quality over quantity. But here on Hearth it is:

Quantity of quality!
 
I have 3 years worth...smooth sailing once that oak gets with the program.
 
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I'm somewhat amused when I read many times from many folks about having to tap into next year's wood. I've somehow never experienced this. When one stack of wood is gone I just get from the next and the next then the next etc. I've never thought about having a certain wood for one year and a certain wood for another.

Our property is so small I tend to think in terms of years to make collection a bit easier for me. Growing up on the other hand drop it split it light it heck we didn't even have a pile for more than a month at a time. How stupid we where back then.

Jon I wish you luck on the scrounge if you where closer I would help you scrounge. Being ripped of always sucks and usually only happens once before you learn that annoying lesson. Defiantly do the block off plate it will help a lot.

Pete
 
We always plan on burning X amount of wood each year, but if this cold weather went into May we still would be okay for seasoned wood. Some guy on here always said it was a good idea to get ahead on your wood supply. ;lol Savvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
 
I'm somewhat amused when I read many times from many folks about having to tap into next year's wood. I've somehow never experienced this.

I suspect you've got a couple things to be thankful for there besides wisdom: a decent amount of land, and having lived (and expecting to live) in the same place for a long time. Absent either one of those, the large, long-term reservoir of wood is pretty hard to maintain.
 
Spring is here ?? Where ??? not here 17 out side, where is global warming ??
Dipping into my little stash of oak right now, lookin at the saws I don't need ;lol
 
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I feel like volunteering to cut wood for other people, just for the fun of running my chainsaw and swinging the axe. Actually, I did just that the other day -- saw a neighbor splitting wood, pullled on my gloves, picked up the Fiskars, walked over, introduced myself and helped out for an hour or so
Your ticket to So. IN is in the mail....but I have to say, there's a bit more than an hour's work here. ==c
I'm somewhat amused when I read many times from many folks about having to tap into next year's wood. I've somehow never experienced this. When one stack of wood is gone I just get from the next and the next then the next etc.
Oh sure, Dennis, just rub our noses in it. :rolleyes:;);lol
I am NOT liking this two year old oak. Was hoping I wouldn't need it until next year....but ya burns what ya gots. Hope its better next year..smooth sailing once that oak gets with the program..
Doooode, I thought you were miles ahead...
I'm in the same boat; A shirtload of Oak stacked. Had plenty of dry wood to wait out the Oak....until the Buck 91 drew a bead on me. :oops:
 
I didn't have a set "this years" wood. I did think I'd be between 8 and 10 cord.. Which is where I am right now. A lot of it was hemlock.. so pretty light.

I had an idea in the stacks where I HOPED I would be done. I've got about 5 or 6 pallets left till that point. It should be close.. as it's all ash now. I'm thinking since I'm sitting on about 600 gallons of grease now.. I'll make some biodiesel and let the buderus eat this summer. Gallon and a half a day is just under 2 bucks. Maybe I'll do a fire or two a week. we'll see.

jP
 
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