Saturday with Hot flame

[elkimmeg]

When I helped Hot Flame with his install 2 weeks ago, I left a couple tools behind. He brought them over today.
He got to try a couple of chain saws use my Electric splitter, and went home with some cherry, apple, cedar, maple, oak
Beech, and we split the dreaded elm.

 

[Sundeep Arole]

It was a great day. Just got home after spending the evening shopping with the wife. Starting a new fire with some of the cedar right now - what a awesome smell. Plan to throw in some of the cherry in soon. What a large mount of wood, and a place to store it all. Really enjoyed the house tour what a incredibly efficient house - amazing how the whole place can be heated with such ease. Sunlight everywhere - nice solar gain during the day. Thanks for the chainsaw lesson and the splitter demo - already thinking about where I can set up in my yard to process wood for next season.

 

[got wood?]

Sounds like a fun time...got any pics? I'm curious about this `wood processing' you speak of. For me, it's an old stump near the racks and enough space for flying splits not to hit the house. Are the racks separated by species as well as age?

 

[elkimmeg]

The wood processing is not for next year but the year after. There are 5 cords stacked split and ready. An aditional 7 cords that are split cut down last year but have to be trimmed (shortened) and stacked. Another cord or two recently gathered green, that is in 4-6' lengths that have to be processed. 6 chain saws here and 2 mauls and the 16 ton electric splitter. Yesterday was the first piece that stopped the electric splitter. We chose the nastiest knuckled 16" oak piece we could find. Tried to split in half and stopped the splitter 1/4 way threw. That did not mean we did not split it. I positioned as such as not to take as big a bite. That piece is completely split up a in managebale pieces. I wanted to show Hot flame the power but in the end it split it, philosphy being, know how to determine the task at hand and your tools abilities.

As for separating species of wood, what ever I grab split and stack is the order. I have been wood burning a long time grew up with woods all around me. Over the years, thousands of trees cut, miles of roads and over 100 house lots cleared, one can identify wood types. I figure in that time I have burned 150 cords or more. One never has enough wood. Cost of wood never paid one cent, though a lot of hard work and sweat.

If we ever get together I save some American Rock Elm for the occasion. Won't make and difference 6 lb 8 lb mauls, just plain nasty to split. It rejects all mauls equally.

 

[Sundeep Arole]

The wood I got from elk is so dry it puts anything in my purchased wood pile to shame. Goes up in flames real easy and generates a lot of heat. No smoke at all thru the chimney. In a sense I am glad I installed my stove late, the unburned wood will have another full season to dry out.

Wood processing is not as easy in my yard as it is in elks, so I have to think a little bit how to do it. I have a much more open lot, not as wooded, so hard to hide all equipment so neighbors stay happy. Even if I end up buying wood every season, I still need to worry about making sure it is dry enough to use (store two years worth at a time), Re-split some huge pieces (some in my pile are just big half rounds), and re-cut some so they are short enough to fit in my stove (some pieces in my pile are 24" lengths.)

 

[got wood?]

that sounds pretty impressive Elk! I've been burning for 2 years now and only last year started processing my own wood (had a decent wood supplier first year, but too expensive now!). My operation is quite a bit smaller scale than what you've got going. I've got about 2.5 cords split/seasoned/racked and a little more than 2 bucked/racked to be split this spring (didn't have time after felling to split this fall). I've got two other buddies near me (Acton, MA) who have joined me in processing our own wood...one was so gung ho, he's got about 3 cords and is still waiting for inspection of his first stove (it's torture for him and pure comedy for us ;-) ).

I'm not nearly as educated in wood species as you folk are, but I'm learning...I wouldn't know American Rock Elm if the tree fell on me, but I can ID trees better than I've ever been able to in my life.

HotFlame, I hear ya loud and clear about keeping things tidy for the neighbors. I've gone to some great lengths to make sure my stacks are not eye-sores for the 2 neighbors that can see them out their back windows/porches. Makes me wish I purchased brown tarps instead of electric blue, oh well!

 

[elkimmeg]

The way I go about is to pick at it an hour at a time. Makes using an electric chain saw and splitter ideal for my setup.
Naturally, I do not used the electric chain saw for anything other that trimming up what I have cut and already brought in.

News Flash to Hot Flame you know that yellow Macoluch !966 10/10 chain saw. Started it up to day and trimmed out that side pile
That's right, a working 40 year old saw. Noisiest saw ever made, still cuts great. Recommend it to no one, no safety feachers, you need ear protection so the ringing does not last for days. I'ts my museum working saw. I wish I had saved My grandfather's 1948 two man Ranger saw 5'6" bar. Damn was that dangerous to use. One had to wind the rope around it to start for every pull. Heavy, two man probably about 75 lbs, could have been more.

Hot Flame forgot to ask, how did the inspection make out?

 

[Sundeep Arole]

The inspector came out Monday. Measured all clearances, checked block off plate was metal, checked harthe pad had right material since I made it myself, asked about the liner, and then passed the inspection. No issues at all.

I'm just impressed a 40 year old saw could run that long. These days, they just don't make stuff like they used to.

 

[elkimmeg]

Part of its longevity is the person doing the fixing and the other part is knowing how to take care of it. Storage requires a little additional work. Drain or run the gas out add a cap full of oil in the carberator and remove the spark plug pull the starter a few times
add a cap full of oil to the spark plug hole attach the spark plug finger tight pull it a couple more times. Remove it a couple more strokes. fingertighten it again. The oil displaces the gas and lubricates the carb and the rubber diaphram. It also coates the piston and their seals and berings. The worst thing one can do is leave fuel in it. Fuel goes stale after 30 days and if left in there turns to gum and varnish. Which plugs fuel lines and carberator jets and needle valves, not good for the diaphrame either. The nunber one reason I get chain saws given to me, simply they will no longer start. So I rebuild the carbs and replace fuel lines.
I also fiired the old Stihl Fram boss another saw 28 years old cutting as it did when new. The Craftman you used, mid 80's saw seen little use. The electric you used,in its 3th or 4th year lost a little but serviceable for another year. I usually get 4 years out of the cheap 3 hp ones