New to Forum - Here's My Splitting Area

[woodsman416]

Hey Folks,
I'm new here but not new to burning wood. Just new to burning it efficiently.

I grew up in a house with a fireplace and as a teenager cut and split wood we'd burn all winter.

In my 30's I bought a townhouse with a zero clearance fireplace. I'd cut a little wood on some land I hunted on have some fires though the winter.

Five years ago, I sold the townhouse and bought a large ranch on some acreage. The main part of the house has an open floorplan with a large fireplace in the center. It has two heatilators in the sides of the brickwork and did a pretty good job of heating that area of the house.

This year I picked up a Lopi Freedom insert (free). I replaced bricks that were missing or broken, repainted it and installed it in the fireplace. I can't wait to get this sucker fired up!

My land is covered with mainly hickory and oak. We sustained a lot of tree damage in the early snowstorm on October 28th, 2011 and Hurricane Sandy on October 29th, 2012. I've got about five cords split and stacked and ready for winter. bring it on!

 

[Standingdead]

Welcome!! Land full of hickory and oak sounds like a Woodaholics heaven on earth

 

[webbie]

NJ, my home stomping grounds!
(Medford - Hainesport)
Welcome to the forums!

 

[Defiant]

Nice digs! Welcome aboard

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Welcome to the forum Woodsman. I like the name too.

Sounds like you have some great firewood. Just be aware that you have some wood that gives up its moisture a bit slow so if possible, get on the 3 year plan. That is, be 3 years ahead on your wood pile. The benefits are fantastic!

 

[Paulywalnut]

Welcome Woodsman. Nice display of wood. Hope some of that is ready for you. I share your hope for some cold weather. My buddy's nick name happens to be woodsman. He's a throw back to Jerimiah Johnson.

 

[JOHN BOY]

Looks great , welcome to the forum .

 

[BIGDADDY]

Nice stacks. Mostly hickory and oak sounds wonderful. I'm pretty sure you and yours will be warm this winter.

 

[lazeedan]

Welcome. Sounds like you belong here. Nice working area!

 

[Beer Belly]

not too shaby.....and land full of hardwood to boot

 

[930dreamer]

X2 on being the firewood tender in my youth. Sounds like a nice place and the free is a plus.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

That's nice, really nice...

 

[CenterTree]

Nice setup going there....

Did ya split ALL THAT with that AX??

 

[Woody Stover]

A free Freedom?? Can't beat that!

 

[bogydave]

Nice stacks
Nice pictures

5 cords of hickory & oak ready to burn, "priceless"

 

[red oak]

Welcome! Sounds like it'll be a warm winter in your house!

 

[PSYS]

Good God that is awesome...

 

[woodsman416]

Thanks for the welcome. This really seems to be a first class forum.

The wood I have split is as old as four years and as new as trees that came down a year ago. I'll be burning in the order that I put it up. If I should run out of "dry enough" wood I have a couple of standing "ironwood" oaks back in the woods. I could fetch them up pretty easy when the ground is frozen. Well, I guess "easy" is a relative term.

Centertree,
Yup, I split only by hand. I use a splitting axe for most wood. I have an 8 lb maul for tougher stuff and a 15 lb Truper maul for really tough stuff.

I really lucked into the Lopi thing. I was talking to a friend of mine who lives north of me. He has a farm stand and does a lot of bartering for things. He told me he had traded for the Lopi but his wife has allergies so he couldn't put it in the house. Too much dust. Instead he stuck it out behind his shop for year or two. "It's yours if you want it" he says. Of course I said yes! It was solid but pretty ugly when I got it. Lots of surface rust, the blower assembly and the brass trim along the ash shelf were crushed. Bricks missing and broken. One hinge pin was missing but everything else was there. I cleaned it up and painted it, straightened out the damaged parts, got some new bricks at TSC and cut them to fit. It's sitting in my fireplace now. The chimney company is coming on Friday to install the pipe. I have a trim panel kit and an etched elk door glass on order. Thay should be in on Friday too. I can't wait!

 

[Beer Belly]

Thanks for the welcome. This really seems to be a first class forum.

The wood I have split is as old as four years and as new as trees that came down a year ago. I'll be burning in the order that I put it up. If I should run out of "dry enough" wood I have a couple of standing "ironwood" oaks back in the woods. I could fetch them up pretty easy when the ground is frozen. Well, I guess "easy" is a relative term.

Centertree,
Yup, I split only by hand. I use a splitting axe for most wood. I have an 8 lb maul for tougher stuff and a 15 lb Truper maul for really tough stuff.

I really lucked into the Lopi thing. I was talking to a friend of mine who lives north of me. He has a farm stand and does a lot of bartering for things. He told me he had traded for the Lopi but his wife has allergies so he couldn't put it in the house. Too much dust. Instead he stuck it out behind his shop for year or two. "It's yours if you want it" he says. Of course I said yes! It was solid but pretty ugly when I got it. Lots of surface rust, the blower assembly and the brass trim along the ash shelf were crushed. Bricks missing and broken. One hinge pin was missing but everything else was there. I cleaned it up and painted it, straightened out the damaged parts, got some new bricks at TSC and cut them to fit. It's sitting in my fireplace now. The chimney company is coming on Friday to install the pipe. I have a trim panel kit and an etched elk door glass on order. Thay should be in on Friday too. I can't wait!

Good lookin' stove....you do good work, should serve you well. Glad to hear you're good on wood.....#1 priority

 

[Hills Hoard]

awesome spot!

 

[jeffesonm]

welcome... I'm just a bit south of you outside of Hopewell

 

[teutonicking]

Hey Folks,
I'm new here but not new to burning wood. Just new to burning it efficiently.

I grew up in a house with a fireplace and as a teenager cut and split wood we'd burn all winter.

In my 30's I bought a townhouse with a zero clearance fireplace. I'd cut a little wood on some land I hunted on have some fires though the winter.

Five years ago, I sold the townhouse and bought a large ranch on some acreage. The main part of the house has an open floorplan with a large fireplace in the center. It has two heatilators in the sides of the brickwork and did a pretty good job of heating that area of the house.

This year I picked up a Lopi Freedom insert (free). I replaced bricks that were missing or broken, repainted it and installed it in the fireplace. I can't wait to get this sucker fired up!

My land is covered with mainly hickory and oak. We sustained a lot of tree damage in the early snowstorm on October 28th, 2011 and Hurricane Sandy on October 29th, 2012. I've got about five cords split and stacked and ready for winter. bring it on!

Welcome to the forum. Nice splitting area. I wish I had that much land to use for my hobby. I like the fire pit--it sort of reminds me of Stonehenge.

 

[BrotherBart]

Welcome. Glad to see I ain't the only one with a cement block fire pit.

Great job keeping a good heater in business.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Keep us posted and the the pictures coming as you finish it......

 

[Missouri Frontier]

Welcome woodsman nice stacks. Hardwood growing in the back yard is like owning your own bank. Congrats.