End of the season chat...

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My Oslo heats my home

Minister of Fire
Sep 20, 2010
1,584
South Shore, MA
I haven't been here in some time now. Today I read some posts on how slow forum is becoming and the thanks to all from the moderators, very nice touch. Thanks to them very much, some great advice when I needed it, no doubt.

This is my second favorite time of the year, not so much for the burning but for the prep work for years to come. I usually get a grapple load of hardwood every other year and this year was it. Just spent the last 3 weeks bucking, splitting and stacking 8 cords for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 burn seasons. As I have read in some posts today, the fuel prices are making an impact on next years winter already. I'm happy to say it cost me a total of $350.00 to heat my home this year, 24 hr burns using 5 cords, down 1 cord from last year with some improved techniques (forum tips). Thanks to all who responded to my questions and thanks again to the moderators with their dedication to this forum.
 
My Oslo heats my home said:
I haven't been here in some time now. Today I read some posts on how slow forum is becoming and the thanks to all from the moderators, very nice touch. Thanks to them very much, some great advice when I needed it, no doubt.

This is my second favorite time of the year, not so much for the burning but for the prep work for years to come. I usually get a grapple load of hardwood every other year and this year was it. Just spent the last 3 weeks bucking, splitting and stacking 8 cords for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 burn seasons. As I have read in some posts today, the fuel prices are making an impact on next years winter already. I'm happy to say it cost me a total of $350.00 to heat my home this year, 24 hr burns using 5 cords, down 1 cord from last year with some improved techniques (forum tips). Thanks to all who responded to my questions and thanks again to the moderators with their dedication to this forum.

Hello M. Oslo,
Where do you get your wood from? Would they deliver in central Mass?
 
VC, I get my wood from Marquis Tree out of Lexington in the offseason. His grapple loads over the last 3 deliveries have been consistently between 7-8 cords per load. Just be advised that he delivers city trees and some of them do have issues such as disease, bugs etc. Also, the tree length rounds are generally quite large, upwards of 36" in some cases.
 
I'm still burning and also working on next years supply. After several heavy snow storms this Winter and many downed trees and branches, I have enough down wood available for several years. I just need to cut, split and stack it. Good exercise. I heated my house entirely with wood this Winter and saved hundreds of dollars over using my LP furnace.
 
Wood Heat Stoves said:
I'm still burning and also working on next years supply. After several heavy snow storms this Winter and many downed trees and branches, I have enough down wood available for several years. I just need to cut, split and stack it. Good exercise. I heated my house entirely with wood this Winter and saved hundreds of dollars over using my LP furnace.

I'd almost venture to say you may have saved thousands on LP (not natural gas?)
 
Hey Oslo, we're glad you came back. It's good to hear you are ahead with your wood supply too.
 
Now is when we let the stove run cold and the chainsaw run hot. Always good to hear about someone else getting ahead. Now I need to get working on my 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 wood. What a great forum with some great folks. I hope that some day I can go to a Hearth.com gathering. Thanks to all here, and see you in the woodshed.

Shawn
 
Today will be my last day of stacking for awhile. I was able to move the 2011-2012 wood supply into place where this years wood came from last year, the old 'switch-a-roo'. The fella that helps me split on occasion thinks I'm weird when I hold up a piece of split wood and stare at it. Sometimes split wood reveals different things that are worth looking at (ie: a nail found towards the center of a tree from 20 yrs ago, or an odd grain pattern etc..). Before you know it, it will be October and the process will repeat itself again. Stacking wood onto the attached covered porch and cleaning the flue.

Thanks Dennis, glad to be back...
 
My Oslo heats my home said:
Today will be my last day of stacking for awhile. I was able to move the 2011-2012 wood supply into place where this years wood came from last year, the old 'switch-a-roo'. The fella that helps me split on occasion thinks I'm weird when I hold up a piece of split wood and stare at it. Sometimes split wood reveals different things that are worth looking at (ie: a nail found towards the center of a tree from 20 yrs ago, or an odd grain pattern etc..). Before you know it, it will be October and the process will repeat itself again. Stacking wood onto the attached covered porch and cleaning the flue.

Thanks Dennis, glad to be back...

Guessing he would think I am way off my rocker if he saw me splitting my wood and then sniffing it . . in fairness I only tend to do that with the apple . . . and cherry . . . and cedar . . . I know my wife has yelled at me, wanting to know what in Tom Hill I was doing sniffing the wood.
 
Guessing he would think I am way off my rocker if he saw me splitting my wood and then sniffing it . . in fairness I only tend to do that with the apple . . . and cherry . . . and cedar . . . I know my wife has yelled at me, wanting to know what in Tom Hill I was doing sniffing the wood.[/quote]

I have to tell you FFJ, I'm in the backyard with a wheelbarrow full of wood, I'm stacking it. I hear my cell tone.. that I have a message, I go to read it and it's your reply on how you sniff certain split wood. I laughed my ass off...too funny!

As the breeze was blowing this morning, the smell off the green splits was very enjoyable...gotta love it
 
Shawn, I like your quotes...esp the Mark Twain one. Thanks
 
So there is nothing wrong with starring at wood or even sniffing it. Certainly better than sniffing glue!
 
The burn season came to an end two weeks ago. I too am cutting and splitting wood. Next year is done and I am workin for 12-13. Scrounging has been feast or famine. Right now I am working wood cut from my yard in order to improve the landscaping. All oak. Jake, don't think that sniffing wood is strange. The smell of wood to me is a real memory trigger. I sniff it all the time. My grandfather built clocks by hand and his workshop always smelled so good. One of my best memories of childhood is being taken with the men when I was about 8 years old when they went to cut wood. I was pissed that they would not let me run the saw. I guess I understand it now. Just to be a boy among men was cool. As far as the forum slowing down, I will still check regularly.

Forrest
 
I sniff my splits as well... LOL I thought I was insane !!! If only I could be as good as Al...

Couldn't get it to imbed... Darn it...

http://youtu.be/O2K6P8DbluQ
 
I have begun gathering my wood for next season also. This was my first year burning and it was less than enjoyable at times, mainly because I was stuck trying to find "decent" wood right smack dab in the middle of winter. So far i have about 1 cord of seasoned Osage and almost a cord of Ash. Due to all the rain and storms we've had here the last few weeks, a 40' wild cherry(so I'm told) fell at/on my parents house. I plan on cutting her up this Saturday, but not sure if it would be ready for next season. Hopefully I will have some better luck (and experience) next season. I am now ready to go boating, hope everyone has a great summer!
 
egclassic said:
I have begun gathering my wood for next season also. This was my first year burning and it was less than enjoyable at times, mainly because I was stuck trying to find "decent" wood right smack dab in the middle of winter. So far i have about 1 cord of seasoned Osage and almost a cord of Ash. Due to all the rain and storms we've had here the last few weeks, a 40' wild cherry(so I'm told) fell at/on my parents house. I plan on cutting her up this Saturday, but not sure if it would be ready for next season. Hopefully I will have some better luck (and experience) next season. I am now ready to go boating, hope everyone has a great summer!

Get that Cherry split up and stacked off the gound ASAP and it will probably be ready for this winter.
 
Well my moisture meter arrived today.
It seems I was burning with a MC of 15-18%..better then I thought.
Tested some old kindling and found that to be 8-10% MC.
Not sure how accurate this 60 dollar meter is but I'm hoping it will give me a reference at the least.

Some wood I just bought off a guy was cut last fall but just recently split..it's reading 25-above 30%.
This meter only reads to 30.
Cardboard gives me a 8% reading..kinda strange..lol.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
So there is nothing wrong with starring at wood or even sniffing it. Certainly better than sniffing glue!

Dennis, Dennis, Dennis . . . everyone knows you're supposed to eat glue . . . not sniff it. ;)
 
Hey Jake, I learned another use for glue. When I had the hip replacement, rather than stitches or staples, they glued be back together. It went well too and no stitches to remove.
 
That glue is some good stuff. My wife works in the health care business and we have a good supply of that stuff at our house. She knows I won't go to the doctors if I need stitches. I should of had a ton of stiches in my life so far. If I cut myself pretty good a quick wash and a squirt of that glue and back to what I was doing. Funny how I hate doctors and I'm pretty much married to one. Here is the last time I was at the doctors. 2005 Sheet metal is sharp. Cut both tendons 95% and verve 100% 6 hours of surgery and alot of rehab. It's 95% of what it was.
 

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That glue must be some really good stuff! You show a scar but it really does not look that bad. I hope my hip heals that well. As for the marriage, love knows no bounds.
 
The glue sounds like it would make for a perfect field FAK. Imagine not having to go to the doctors and getting right back to the log splitter with no delays.
 
Do you think it might also replace locktite?
 
certified106 said:
egclassic said:
I have begun gathering my wood for next season also. This was my first year burning and it was less than enjoyable at times, mainly because I was stuck trying to find "decent" wood right smack dab in the middle of winter. So far i have about 1 cord of seasoned Osage and almost a cord of Ash. Due to all the rain and storms we've had here the last few weeks, a 40' wild cherry(so I'm told) fell at/on my parents house. I plan on cutting her up this Saturday, but not sure if it would be ready for next season. Hopefully I will have some better luck (and experience) next season. I am now ready to go boating, hope everyone has a great summer!

Get that Cherry split up and stacked off the gound ASAP and it will probably be ready for this winter.

Got all the cherry C/S/S this weekend. I wish all wood was that easy to split, it was actually enjoyable.
 
I had some cherry last year and I have to say it was one of the most enjoyable burning wood scents that I have ever had. Not to mention the cherry burns nice and hot too
 
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