Jack Wagon said:
So I was sitting in the living room this winter with the thermostat set at 58 thinking if a wood stove would work for us. Now it is March and we are due to have a stove installed in a couple of weeks and enter the world of wood heating. On Friday I noticed a bunch of wood sitting in the yard next to my kids preschool and asked if it was available. It was cut in lengths but now I need to split it. So I got a maul and a sturdy hunk of metal (called a 'wood grenade' i think) which is now stuck in the mddle of the cut wood about a 1/2" below the surface.
So I have a couple of questions. Is it easier to wait for the wood dry out before trying to split it? For the big pieces should I try to chip out parts from the edges (I was just trying to split down the middle). and will it be worth it to get a chain saw at Home Despot?
BTW we have ordered a Avalon Arbor.
Welcome to the forum Jack! Also welcome to the wonderful world of wood burning.
You'll get lots of help on this forum and most of it is great. There will always be a little conflicting opinion on some things so take that into consideration.
Congratulations to you on starting to get your wood supply. That is or should be the very first order of business when preparing but sadly most folks think of the wood only after the stove has been installed and they are ready to burn the wood. Sadly, that is when they get a real wake up call. Most think there is something wrong with their stove but 99% of the time is simply is poor fuel.
You will also learn very quickly that all wood is not created equal. By the sounds of things, you may have found some elm which is about the toughest type of wood to split that there is. Then there is white ash, which is plentiful in most places now because we have the Asian Ash Borer that is killing all the trees. That wood splits so easy a child can do it. But do take time to start learning the different types of wood. You will also notice that some wood burns longer than others so you get more heat from, say, oak vs. elm or soft maple.
I would also recommend that you get some regular steel wedges (2 minimum; 3 is better) rather than the gernade. The gernade will work good for some wood but not all.
No matter what wood you get, it will not start to season until you get it split. So the first order of business is to get the wood and get it cut to length. Then get it split and then stack it. Make sure you stack it off the ground else it will trap moisture. Wood needs good air circulation in order to season properly. So stack it off the ground (a few inches), stack it out where it will get some wind. Some sun is good too but the wind will dry it faster.
There is lots of opinion on if you should cover your wood piles or not. Some do and some don't. We cut our wood in the winter, split it in the Spring and stack it immediately after the splitting. We then leave it uncovered through the summer and fall but if we have a wet fall I would not hesitate to cover it. But we normally cover it about the time snow starts to fly. Most important though is that you cover only the top of the pile. Never cover the ends or sides.
There is much to learn but I've typed enough for you right now. Please do not hesitate to ask questions as there is much knowledge on this forum and there are many good folks who are willing and able to show you the right way to do things. That is why most of us are here. Good luck to you.
