how much

[fbelec]

with only at most 2 months left in the burning season, (feb+march) how much wood have people burned? and how much do you have left?

i burn to mid march. my stove is way to big for heating this small house.
in one more week i've burnt 2 cord and have 1 more cord left.

 

[MarkM]

Probably about the same, burned about 2 cord. Have a couple cord left. Usually we use about 4, but January was so mild we didn't burn as much. I've got about 4 cord of green 18" rounds ready to split for next year. Also have about 8 cord of log length wood I need to cut and split and sell. Hoping to get some more out but the ground has been way to soft. Crazy weather this winter.

 

[carpniels]

I have used about 2 cords (I am bad at guessing but it was stacked in 5 rows of 15 ft and 3 ft high) and I have used 4.5 stacks. The last bit should last me until march 1st.

Then I have to go into the woods and plunder my 2006 pile of wood. Thank God it is over 1 year old.

Carpniels

PS. since I am new at woodburning, for the last 3 seasons I have always run out of wood. The first year I ordered. Now I work harder to cut, split and collect. This year I hope to have the time and manpower (a 3 year old) to gather more wood than I will need for next season. Lets see next year this time

 

[Eric Johnson]

I've probably burned about 8 so far. That's less than I expected, but it's been pretty balmy around here this winter. I'll probably burn another 5-7 over the rest of the season, leaving about 20 for next winter.

 

[Rhone]

This was the first year using a new insert. I'm still learning what it likes and how it operates but burned 3 cords so far and have 1 more left. If I could go back in time and know my unit like I do now I'd probably be somewhere around 2 cords as I wasted wood until I learned how it likes to run.

I still probably won't purchase anything less than 4 cords.

 

[elkimmeg]

I know the warmer weather has reduced the demand on my supply. I move and gather year round, so there is never a set
pile to get a good estimate. I think I have burned over 2 cords but estimate it should be 3 plus by now. Now the cold has returned I am consuming more running 2 stoves. No complaints if I end up burning a cord less. I am just in better shape for next year.
Another factor this is my first year with a VC Intrepid cat stove my second stove. It is a lot more efficient than the old 1985 steel plate stove it replaced. If one has a good draft, and does not mind fussing a bit more, Forget dissing cat stoves. This experience has changed the way I look at cat stoves I wish my main one was. With replacement combustors at $60 and only 2 screws to remove
Its not the horror story I believed.

 

[Corey]

My hat is off to you guys that gather, split and burn multiple dozens of cords of wood per year! I've attached a couple of photos of my stash "in the beginning" and a photo I snapped just today. As far as numbers. I measure the original stack (and I use the term "stack" loosely here after seeing others "rank-and-file" arrangements of wood) at about 18' x 6.5' x 2' thick, so I will call that about 1.8 cords. As of today, I have my rack at the back door full 4' x 6' x 2' (3/8 cord) and the little pile of wood in the photo which I'd estimate at 1/4 cord.

So far I have probably burned more this year than any other because we actually started with the chilly nights back in October, then hit everything full bore for Nov, Dec, and Jan. Hoping to make it all the way through February and a couple of weeks in March with the remaining wood. May have to find some standing dead wood for suppliment if we get an extended cold spell into April. Or see if the furnace still works. Last time we actually had it on was when we were gone over Christmas.

Corey

 

[paulgp602]

This was the first year with the new insert, and I have already burned about 2.5 cords. I figure a 1/2 cord was wasted because I burned it in October when it was still 50 out during the day! Like a kid with a new toy I guess. I also burned it full open before I learned about choking it down for a longer burn. I have about a cord left. I will order 3 cords for next year and that should last.

 

[Rick]

I'm at about 2.5 as well. I became a bit lax during our warm spell a few weeks back, but I'm burning full time again now. I have about 2 cords left for this year that I hope to burn because it's stacked right outside my back door. If I don't, I'll be moving it again.

Rick

 

[crow]

I didn't get my stove installed until mid dec. so it's hard to judge ...
& I am heating evenings and weekends. would love to do more , but with a small fire box, doesn't behoove me to burn when i'm not here.
Started with 2 cords. Got aprox. 1 left. definitely a more noticable consumption of wood now that the temp. has dropped considerably.

 

[carpniels]

Hi Eric,

I don't understand how you can burn 8 cords already. Most guys have burnt 2 -3 cords and even Elk has only burnt 3 cords or so while running 2 stoves. I cannot imagine you burning 4 stoves at the same time. So what is the secret? Do you have a wood furnace? Do you have a very inefficient stove? It is much colder high up hte A'dacks so you must start burning sooner and keep going continuously?

Please explain as I am curious.

Carpniels

PS. Thanks for the offer for the help and pickup truck. I wish you lived 5 minutes away. I could use a pickup every other week or so as I see another tree down along the road or people advertising: free wood, you pick up. I have a Geo prizm (me) and a Saturn wagon (wife) and neither is a wood hauler although I have moved up to 1/2 face cord at a time in the Geo !!

 

[Eric Johnson]

I'm over in Clinton, Carpniels, so only about 15 minutes away. I work in OF, but only go up there 3 days a week. Always bring back a load of wood starting in April and ending when the snow starts to stack up in Nov. or Dec. That works out to about 20 full cords over the course of the summer.

Yes, I have a big, old boiler that we use to heat our house (3,000 sq. ft. with the original part of the house built circa 1865). It's a whole different deal, but it's central heat and I save a fortune on the gas bill. My set-up has some built-in inefficiencies, but I'm always fooling around with it and it's getting close to being right. If I can get my wood consumption on a typical winter (not like this one) down to about 15 cords, that would be great. We lived in Old Forge for more than 20 years, heated entirely with another wood boiler, and burned about 10 cords annually.

Obviously, you wouldn't do this if you didn't like to cut, split, stack, haul and burn wood.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

WOW, thats a lot of wood. I dont think i would have the energy in one summer to harvest and process 15 cords from standing dead to the woodpile. I dont think it would be possibe for me, it the short time that i have for summer.

I have almost burned 4 cords this year through my hearthstone hearitage. I think i will have to process 2 more to get me through this year. I usually only burn 4 a year max. Im home alot more so i guess that makes a difference. I start burning full time in mid september and stop in may-june. It woundt be uncommon for me to make a fire on any given summer evening, the temps at night in the summer are commony in the 40's. So i think i do pretty well burning 4 cords. A few neighbors burn 10 + cords in there older fisher style stoves to heat a smaller space. Im amazed at the efficiency that these newer stoves get. The bad news is the only wood avalible is pine. And i have lots and lots of pine.
I would love to buy a few cords instead of digging wood out of the snow. Decisions decisions.

 

[carpniels]

Hi Eric,

Clinton?? You are almost around the block. I like your system of collecting wood. I would end up with too much wood that way. But then again, you can never have too much firewood!

I actually go in the woods behind the house and cut up and take the trees that fell over. I am scared of felling my own trees. There are plenty on the ground, just hauling them after cutting is a pain.

Do you actually know what the law is about taking a tree that fell over and you see it along the road? Can you cut that up and take it? Who do you ask if it is state/city/government land? Start cutting and wait until someone says something? Work quickly and get out?

What would you get to haul your firewood out of the woods if you cannot drive there? now, I pull a garden cart by hand, but it kills me. I thought about an ATV but they are too expensive used. How about an old riding mower? are they good?

Since you have a really old and possibly less efficient boiler, would it be worth it for you to replace it with one of those wood gasification boilers like a TARM? It costs quite a bit, but you will need less that half the wood and be more comfortable. I saw a lightly used one from 10,000 for 3,500.

Thanks and good luck with the boiler.

Carpniels

 

[Eric Johnson]

An old guy I know in New Hartford "mined" a piece of property of fallen and "junk" wood adjoining his that belonged to the local Catholic parish. They never bothered him, but maybe he will have to pay for it all in the afterlife, lol.

The rule on firewood is: If you don't own it, don't take it. It's stealing. Sometimes if you ask, they are happy to let you take it, but you don't know until you ask. Government entities are probably going to say "no" as a matter of policy. You might want to check out the Oneida County Municipal building on Route 233 just north of the Rt. 5 intersection. They have lots of logs sitting there that look like they came from county tree removal operations. Ask one of the gravel truck drivers if it's OK to cut some up and take it home.

I like my modified two-wheel wheelbarrow for serious wood hauling. Once you get in shape for the equipment, it goes pretty well.

If I had to buy my wood, getting into a Tarm gassifier or some other high-efficiency unit would make sense. Since I basically get the wood for free, I don't have much incentive. I paid $280 for the boiler on Ebay, put another $2,500 into getting it all hooked up, and it saves me somewhere around $4,000 in gas bills every winter, so I can put up with some inefficiencies. If it ever cashes it in, then I'll certainly look to upgrade.

Anyway, a 150,000 btu/hour boiler is going to eat some wood, any way you look at it.

 

[joshuaviktor]

Eric,

What kind of boiler do you have? Got any pics? Just curious.

Thanks
Joshua

 

[Eric Johnson]

Here it is last summer as I was in the middle of building a new boiler room.

It's a Royall 6150, circa. 1980, I believe. Them still make 'em just like this, although they cost a little more than I paid.