I am new to the site but hardly new to wood butchery and heating, I have been heating almost exclusively with wood for well over 35 years now. I live in the middle of a 40 acre mixed hardwood stand, 15 are mine. I have been using a majestic insert which I built a stone hearth and surround for (6 feet wide 3 feet deep and 10 feet tall with the masonry chimney running up the center, about a 30,000 pound thermal mass. I virtually never cut a live tree and prefer red elm, barkless. I use Stihl saws and used an old home built splitter for over 30 years until a week ago. I recently purchased a chainsaw "sawmill" and have some slabs air drying, we will see how that works out. As I go, I will post more.