My current piles

[Holzstapel]

The splitting was done 2 weekends ago and the pile sat in the driveway while we regained our strength and the weather cleared up. This past weekend we stacked! I haven't measured anything yet, but every stack you see is 2 deep, except for the tall one between the trees.

I cut down several small saplings to open up the area and allow more sun and wind in.


2 weekends ago...


The piles on the left are all oak and there is still more in the neighbors yard to get.



These piles are mixed: Birch, ash, maple, tulip.

We finished stacking it all on Sunday and then swam in the lake to cool off. I have already started gathering more rounds of birch (which you can spy in this photo) and met another person in the neighborhood with a downed oak up for grabs.

Life is good!

 

[Applesister]

Nice landscape...it has an inviting feel to it. Do you have a Yurts tent?

 

[TimJ]

Nice stacks..................its good to see a a hardworker in action

 

[red oak]

Looks great! Hard work in this heat, but worth it!

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

What's the latest with getting the stove? All that wood and no stove? Great job!

 

[Holzstapel]

What's the latest with getting the stove? All that wood and no stove? Great job!

We havent pulled the trigger on the stove yet, but we really like the Jotul F55. Its oversized for our house, but the hearth size is just right. Figure if the house gets too hot, then we open some windows. We have also looked at the Jotul F45, but it seems small for what we want it to do. I really should do a heat-loss calc on the house...

 

[bogydave]

Nice stacks
Like $$ in the bank ;

 

[Gark]

'Slottawood! Good job.

 

[ScotO]

Looking great! Lots of good wood, lots of variety. And lots and lots of hard work. When you get your stove installed and you are sitting in front of that cozy fire, you'll also be warmed with the memories of all the hard work you did to get this wood gathered and processed. One of my favorite parts of being a woodburner is the recollection of the work.....makes you feel satisified and valued when you see your wife and kids enjoying the warmth of the fireplace or stove...

 

[Plow Boy]

Nice job Holz, you are in a lot better shape than we were when we got our stove last year.

 

[red oak]

Looking great! Lots of good wood, lots of variety. And lots and lots of hard work. When you get your stove installed and you are sitting in front of that cozy fire, you'll also be warmed with the memories of all the hard work you did to get this wood gathered and processed. One of my favorite parts of being a woodburner is the recollection of the work.....makes you feel satisified and valued when you see your wife and kids enjoying the warmth of the fireplace or stove...

Exactly! Couldn't have said it better myself!

 

[MrWhoopee]

We havent pulled the trigger on the stove yet, but we really like the Jotul F55. Its oversized for our house, but the hearth size is just right. Figure if the house gets too hot, then we open some windows. We have also looked at the Jotul F45, but it seems small for what we want it to do. I really should do a heat-loss calc on the house...

I oversized my stove, now I regret it. I can't run it efficiently. When it's hot enough to fire the secondaries, it will run you out of the house. It might as well be a smoke dragon.

 

[osagebow]

Nice setup - way to get ahead of the curve!

 

[Woody Stover]

Nice stash!
What kind of Birch have you got? I've only burned River Birch, and like it a lot. I've got to take down the rest of that tree this year. That stuff dried super-fast even though it was soaking wet when cut.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We havent pulled the trigger on the stove yet, but we really like the Jotul F55. Its oversized for our house, but the hearth size is just right. Figure if the house gets too hot, then we open some windows. We have also looked at the Jotul F45, but it seems small for what we want it to do. I really should do a heat-loss calc on the house...

I oversized my stove, now I regret it. I can't run it efficiently. When it's hot enough to fire the secondaries, it will run you out of the house. It might as well be a smoke dragon.

Holzstapel, MrWhoopee has a good point. This is another good case for the cat stoves and especially the soapstone stoves. There definitely is a difference in the feel of the heat from the soapstone vs cast or steel. We keep our house really warm in the winter but it never feels like a harsh heat; just a soft comfortable heat and with the catalyst, we can turn it down really low and it will still throw good heat but not so much that you have to open a window.

 

[paul bunion]

Nice yard. I'd guess you have somewhere near 4 cords there maybe more. You are going to be very happy come a cold winter day with whatever stove you decide to get.

One question though, why isn't that smoker running?

 

[Holzstapel]

Nice stash!
What kind of Birch have you got? I've only burned River Birch, and like it a lot. I've got to take down the rest of that tree this year. That stuff dried super-fast even though it was soaking wet when cut.

I have no idea what kind of Birch it is. It has the silver colored bark and smells like Birch Beer when split. hahaha I'm looking forward to burning it as I have never burned it before.

 

[Holzstapel]

Holzstapel, MrWhoopee has a good point. This is another good case for the cat stoves and especially the soapstone stoves. There definitely is a difference in the feel of the heat from the soapstone vs cast or steel. We keep our house really warm in the winter but it never feels like a harsh heat; just a soft comfortable heat and with the catalyst, we can turn it down really low and it will still throw good heat but not so much that you have to open a window.

I'm going to start looking at other stoves that done require a large hearth. The reason we like the F45, F55, etc. is the small hearth size compared to other Jotuls that would take up more floor space. I could be mistaken, but none of the dealers we visited sold catalytic stoves. That and my wife really likes the Jotuls due to prior experience with her family and their Jotul.

 

[Holzstapel]

Nice yard. I'd guess you have somewhere near 4 cords there maybe more. You are going to be very happy come a cold winter day with whatever stove you decide to get.

One question though, why isn't that smoker running?

I had a feeling that someone was going to point that out. My father said the same thing when I sent him the photo.

It's been awhile since I fired her up.

 

[paul bunion]

I have no idea what kind of Birch it is. It has the silver colored bark and smells like Birch Beer when split. hahaha I'm looking forward to burning it as I have never burned it before.

That would be Black Birch

 

[Woody Stover]

That would be Black Birch

I was going to guess Yellow, since he said "silver bark." It has a little bit of that wintergreen smell, from what I'm reading, but not as strong as the "Black" Birch. Apparently, Sweet, River and Water all have the nickname "Black" but Sweet is the one with the wintergreen smell. Either Yellow or Black would be great firewood. Yellow has the heat output of White Ash, and Black is better yet, up in the primo category.

http://mb-soft.com/juca/print/firewood.html

 

[paul bunion]

I was going to guess Yellow, since he said "silver bark." It has a little bit of that wintergreen smell, from what I'm reading, but not as strong as the "Black" Birch. Apparently, Sweet, River and Water all have the nickname "Black" but Sweet is the one with the wintergreen smell. Either Yellow or Black would be great firewood. Yellow has the heat output of White Ash, and Black is better yet, up in the primo category.

http://mb-soft.com/juca/print/firewood.html

A photo can solve this. I was thinking a dark silver and the fact that Black Birch is real common around here, hence my guess. It is great burning wood, equal to Black Locust for btu. It just has that bad habit of rotting out almost instantly.

 

[Holzstapel]

A photo can solve this. I was thinking a dark silver and the fact that Black Birch is real common around here, hence my guess. It is great burning wood, equal to Black Locust for btu. It just has that bad habit of rotting out almost instantly.

I posted some photos of my wood in this thread https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/wood-id-please.110739/

I think it's Birch...

 

[paul bunion]

I posted some photos of my wood in this thread https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/wood-id-please.110739/

I think it's Birch...

Black Birch for sure in picture three.

 

[Woody Stover]

Black Birch for sure in picture three.

Ya, the Yaller would be more "silvery" I believe.

It is great burning wood, equal to Black Locust for btu. It just has that bad habit of rotting out almost instantly.

Hmmm. Does it hold up pretty well if it's top-covered?