Done for the year

[Elle]

I froze a bit a few days ago, but I'm done for the year. Just not building a fire mid April. Here are some pics of the chimney for the year. I think I cleaned it in November, or maybe December and got a bit of stuff out, but this is the final product. Have to say I'm quite pleased. My wood was not the best but following all the info on this site made me a better burner than I thought. Here are some before and after shots. I literally only got about a handful of flakes out of the chimney. So a big thanks to everyone. Looking forward to insulating the house a bit more and having another fun year burning next winter-which hopefully will be a bit less frigid

Ended up using about 4.5 cords of wood I believe. Mixture of oak, ash, cherry, maple and whatever else was laying around....some pine as well. Hoping to use less next year, but I'll be ready if I need it. Probably paid for itself already this winter.

Oh and Happy Easter everyone

 

[begreen]

Looks good. Next year will be even better!

 

[toddnic]

Your chimney looks great! I will be cleaning mine sometime next month. Hope it looks as good as yours. We burned about 3.5 cords this winter and already have 2 cords put up to replace it use a few years from now.

 

[BCC_Burner]

Looking good! I imagine I have another 2-3 weeks of daily burning (morning and evening fire, not 24/7) then the occasional one after that. Going to come in right around 5.5 or 6 cords burned this winter.

Now that I'm into shoulder season I've been re-splitting a lot of my splits to allow me to have shorter, hotter burning fires and to get a cleaner burn with the reduced draft and heating demands of the season.

 

[begreen]

Started a fire this morning. It was 42F and predicted rainy all day. I put in half load of wood and in about 15-20 minutes it was going good. Sun came out a couple hours later, but now it's on and off showers with hail, then sunny again. Temps outside are swinging wildly from about 46 to 53F. Inside has been a steady 72 throughout the house and 75 in the living room. There are still some nice glowing coals 8 hrs later. Who says one can't burn comfortably in a big non-cat stove in mild weather?

 

[HotCoals]

Started a fire this morning. It was 42F and predicted rainy all day. I put in half load of wood and in about 15-20 minutes it was going good. Sun came out a couple hours later, but now it's on and off showers with hail, then sunny again. Temps outside are swinging wildly from about 46 to 53F. Inside has been a steady 72 throughout the house and 75 in the living room. There are still some nice glowing coals 8 hrs later. Who says you can't burn comfortably in a big non-cat stove in mild weather?

I'm curious,were the secondary's firing at all?

 

[begreen]

Yes, quite well actually. I only watched it while having morning tea, so I'm not sure how long they kept up. They were still going strong when I left. I burnt a combo of doug fir and locust. The fir gives quick heat, the locust gives the long burn. It's now 12 hrs later and the house is still at 72. Back down to 46 outside.

 

[HotCoals]

Yes, quite well actually. I only watched it while having morning tea, so I'm not sure how long they kept up. They were still going strong when I left. I burnt a combo of doug fir and locust. The fir gives quick heat, the locust gives the long burn. It's now 12 hrs later and the house is still at 72. Back down to 46 outside.

Very good!

Mines cruising right now at 500f right above the glowing cat,40f out.
I'm like 3 hours in and the house temp is 74,I'll load again about 8 tomorrow night.
Cool nights for the next week or so yet anyways.

 

[begreen]

I timed it today to check. The secondary burn started about 10 minutes after fire start. I was starting to reduce air about 5 minutes later and the secondary burn was robust again 5 minutes later. Dry wood is the key. Super Cedar starting makes it easy.

 

[Woody Stover]

Super Cedar starting makes it easy.

Do you just toss a whole one in, chop 'em up, or what? If breaking/chopping, what do you do with the crumbs?

 

[begreen]

I use 1/4 of the puck at a time and snap it by hand, stretching the wrapper, but not breaking it. Then I open the wrapper inside the firebox. The crumbs fall on the kindling. No mess, no fuss. It is done faster than it took me to type this.

 

[Woody Stover]

I use 1/4 of the puck at a time and snap it by hand, stretching the wrapper, but not breaking it. Then I open the wrapper inside the firebox. The crumbs fall on the kindling.

I've got the bulk box, so I've been holding 'em inside a ziploc bag to break. When the crumbs build up, I take a couple scoops and dump into a "V"-trough made with two kindling splits. I thought of heating the crumbs and forming them into SuperBalls or SuberCubes but it seemed like it would be too much work, taking away valuable time that could be productively spent on internet bulletin boards.

 

[toddnic]

The gas furnace kicked on for 1 1/2 minutes this morning I'm definitely done Total propane burned this year....30 gallons. Total propane burned last year 700 gallons. It's been a great first season with the Progress Hybrid!

 

[red oak]

I've built a fire the last two nights and will probably build a few more before the season is totally done. Not liking the gas heat and not liking being cold leaves one with few options.

 

[blades]

Getting to be a long shoulder season, really don't mind, soon enough will have to switch over to AC and nasty bills. Rather have the shoulder season, no big bills, no skeeters. temps hanging on the 40-50 range with off/on rain all week.

 

[BCC_Burner]

Got 13 inches of snow Sunday night and it was 6 degrees when I woke up today. That should be the last substantial snow for the winter, but it isn't over just yet.

 

[begreen]

 

[BCC_Burner]

I had my deepest powder turns on skis this season yesterday evening after work 3 miles up the road from my cabin, and 10 miles down the hill the trees are fully leafed out, grass is green and the flowers are in bloom. Elevation is a pretty wondrous thing.

 

[TradEddie]

I thought I was done, but I relented today and burned up some old cherry that was just waiting for weather like this (45F and raining). Partly it was to check that my new cap wasn't going to cause any unforeseen problems, but I had enough draft today, so it should be good for winter weather.

TE

 

[Halligan]

It's in the 40's and damp in Southeast Mass so I lit off the stove yesterday. Just loaded and lit it today as well. This will probably be it though.

 

[Woody Stover]

Getting to be a long shoulder season, really don't mind, soon enough will have to switch over to AC and nasty bills. Rather have the shoulder season, no big bills, no skeeters. temps hanging on the 40-50 range with off/on rain all week.

Some people get fed up with feeding the stove at all, but I don't mind lighting a short load once a day. Got one more night in the 40s here, then some 80s set in! I've still got a lot of wood to cut so some more cool weather would be great, but I think this is it for us.
We never had AC in Mil-town but I don't think I ever saw it get very close to 100 back then, either. I thought it was humid there, though....until I moved here. Still don't have AC yet....
That reminds me of a funny story my MIL has. Some relatives visited here from Canada one summer. All they had was wool clothes, and the house had no AC back then. They spent most of their time in the basement. I'll have to ask, but that might have been the summer of '36, which still holds some of the records here. It hit 106 one day...

Got 13 inches of snow Sunday night and it was 6 degrees when I woke up today. That should be the last substantial snow for the winter, but it isn't over just yet.

Oof! The only white stuff on the ground here is Dogwood and various other petals.

Super Cedar starting makes it easy....I use 1/4 of the puck at a time and snap it by hand, stretching the wrapper,

I've got the bulk box,

Do I get a trophy for out-greening begreen for once?

 

[woodsman416]

I froze a bit a few days ago, but I'm done for the year.

Why are you done for the year? Especially if it's cold?

 

[begreen]

Do I get a trophy for out-greening begreen for once?

Here ya go!

 

[Woody Stover]

Here ya go!

Thanks, I'm positively bursting with pride! Is it non-combustible? I'd like to hang it on the stove...

 

[Elle]

Why are you done for the year? Especially if it's cold?

it's the principle :-/ I wasn't going to start a fire mid april....I won't......I won't!!