Running out. Try gathering limb wood or buy "seasoned" wood?

[wahoowad]

I expect to run out of seasoned wood by the end of next weekend. I want to burn through most of March, evening and weekend fires to keep my cold-natured family room comfortable. My 2 cords of oak, hickory amd cherry isn't anywhere near ready to burn.

Option 1: Spend next Saturday cutting some trees that have been down for several years. Probably focus on limb wood as the trunks could still be wet once split (been there, done that). I have not seen the trees but have a lead on some I can get at. Situation unknown.

Option 2: Try again to find a local wood merchant with seasoned wood. Problem is I have yet to meet someone around here with the same definition of "seasoned" as me. They consider trees bucked last year and split recently as seasoned.

Option 3: Pallets. I tried this and found the effort/reward not worth it. Burns exceptionally fast. Absolute last resort.

Saturday I either need to be meeting a wood dealer and inspecting his "seasoned" wood, or out gathering limb wood from old down trees. Do you think limb wood (3" to 6") could go from woods to stove right away if it isn't punky? Or might it still have some dampness from being out in the elements? Whaddya think?

 

[BrotherBart]

Saturday I either need to be meeting a wood dealer and inspecting his "seasoned" wood, or out gathering limb wood from old down trees. Do you think limb wood (3" to 6") could go from woods to stove right away if it isn't punky? Or might it still have some dampness from being out in the elements? Whaddya think?

For more years than I care to count every limb I could get my hands on has been the March firewood around here. Looks like I won't have to do it this year since I cut one more cord than usual this time.

Or you could check Fed-Ex Freight prices and sweet talk Eric Johnson.

 

[nshif]

Perhaps a mixture of the 3. Start with some pallet wood, add some limb wood, then some somewhat green splits. Might get you through the rest of the year.

 

[budman]

Saturday I either need to be meeting a wood dealer and inspecting his "seasoned" wood, or out gathering limb wood from old down trees. Do you think limb wood (3" to 6") could go from woods to stove right away if it isn't punky? Or might it still have some dampness from being out in the elements? Whaddya think?

For more years than I care to count every limb I could get my hands on has been the March firewood around here. Looks like I won't have to do it this year since I cut one more cord than usual this time.

Or you could check Fed-Ex Freight prices and sweet talk Eric Johnson.

Hey,BB is that a flame in that avtar or a face.?????????

 

[BrotherBart]

Saturday I either need to be meeting a wood dealer and inspecting his "seasoned" wood, or out gathering limb wood from old down trees. Do you think limb wood (3" to 6") could go from woods to stove right away if it isn't punky? Or might it still have some dampness from being out in the elements? Whaddya think?

For more years than I care to count every limb I could get my hands on has been the March firewood around here. Looks like I won't have to do it this year since I cut one more cord than usual this time.

Or you could check Fed-Ex Freight prices and sweet talk Eric Johnson.

Hey,BB is that a flame in that avtar or a face.?????????

Took a quick shot yesterday of the NC-30 yesterday during an experiment. That is full broil secondary combustion. At a stove top temp of 185 degrees.

 

[Roospike]

Saturday I either need to be meeting a wood dealer and inspecting his "seasoned" wood, or out gathering limb wood from old down trees. Do you think limb wood (3" to 6") could go from woods to stove right away if it isn't punky? Or might it still have some dampness from being out in the elements? Whaddya think?

For more years than I care to count every limb I could get my hands on has been the March firewood around here. Looks like I won't have to do it this year since I cut one more cord than usual this time.

Or you could check Fed-Ex Freight prices and sweet talk Eric Johnson.

Hey,BB is that a flame in that avtar or a face.???????

It looks like red broccoli or else he is now lighting off nuclear fire starters in his stove.
BB are you using dem dare nuclear pellets in yer stove ?

 

[bruce56bb]

wahoo, if you've a lot ash trees around, see if you can find a dead or semi-dead one. that is what i've resorted to doing. i have even thrown a few freshly cut ash splits in the stove, they seem to burn ok but do hiss some. you gotta do what ya gotta do
bruce

 

[BrotherBart]

Saturday I either need to be meeting a wood dealer and inspecting his "seasoned" wood, or out gathering limb wood from old down trees. Do you think limb wood (3" to 6") could go from woods to stove right away if it isn't punky? Or might it still have some dampness from being out in the elements? Whaddya think?

For more years than I care to count every limb I could get my hands on has been the March firewood around here. Looks like I won't have to do it this year since I cut one more cord than usual this time.

Or you could check Fed-Ex Freight prices and sweet talk Eric Johnson.

Hey,BB is that a flame in that avtar or a face.???????

It looks like red broccoli or else he is now lighting off nuclear fire starters in his stove.
BB are you using dem dare nuclear pellets in yer stove ?

You know how it works Spike. Burn'er down to a stash of hot coals in the middle of the stove, place a big split on each side and one on the top with room for the gases and flame to go out the back of the pile and aimed right at the secondary air manifold in the back.

Hooya! Turbo city.

You asked me when I bought the stove about that little "doghouse" sticking up in the front. That is the only primary air inlet in the front of the stove other than the airwash. In the pic it is aimed right in the middle of the pile and right at the secondary manifold inlet.

 

[northwinds]

Saturday I either need to be meeting a wood dealer and inspecting his "seasoned" wood, or out gathering limb wood from old down trees. Do you think limb wood (3" to 6") could go from woods to stove right away if it isn't punky? Or might it still have some dampness from being out in the elements? Whaddya think?

I'm about in the same boat. I'm quickly running out of really nice three year old hardwood. I tried burning some of the eight-month old oak from my land, and it's still pretty wet...foaming up at the ends. However, if I start a fire with some of the old stuff and then feed it the eight month old oak, there are no problems keeping the hot flames going. Maybe you can do that with what you have/pallets and then the limb wood.

I've got a source for purchasing dry seasoned wood, but temps are supposed to warm up here, and I'm hoping for an early spring. With 10 acres of newly acquired forest, and several cords cut (but not ready until next year), I can't force myself to buy wood. I was surprised how wet the oak was. It was split, stacked from downed trees in May.

northwinds

 

[Roospike]

Saturday I either need to be meeting a wood dealer and inspecting his "seasoned" wood, or out gathering limb wood from old down trees. Do you think limb wood (3" to 6") could go from woods to stove right away if it isn't punky? Or might it still have some dampness from being out in the elements? Whaddya think?

For more years than I care to count every limb I could get my hands on has been the March firewood around here. Looks like I won't have to do it this year since I cut one more cord than usual this time.

Or you could check Fed-Ex Freight prices and sweet talk Eric Johnson.

Hey,BB is that a flame in that avtar or a face.???????

It looks like red broccoli or else he is now lighting off nuclear fire starters in his stove.
BB are you using dem dare nuclear pellets in yer stove ?

You know how it works Spike. Burn'er down to a stash of hot coals in the middle of the stove, place a big split on each side and one on the top with room for the gases and flame to go out the back of the pile and aimed right at the secondary air manifold in the back.

Hooya! Turbo city.

You asked me when I bought the stove about that little "doghouse" sticking up in the front. That is the only primary air inlet in the front of the stove other than the airwash. In the pic it is aimed right in the middle of the pile and right at the secondary manifold inlet.

Yep , I think that scenario qualifies as nuclear bro !

If ya need some avatar photoshop-n done just PM me a pic , I can resize , light-n , dark-n or whatever fer ya.

 

[begreen]

Took a quick shot yesterday of the NC-30 yesterday during an experiment. That is full broil secondary combustion. At a stove top temp of 185 degrees.

Ha, and they said it couldn't be done. Oh ye of little faith.

 

[Roospike]

I guess it goes to show you can have a smaller fire in a big stove to heat ones home and the stove dont have to be 550° all the time. That is how i do it in the spring and fall when the temps are in the 30°~50° s and normally a stove top temp of 320° ~ 375° with secondary combustion. Plus get the benefit of heating the whole house with the bigger stove when it gets down to 15° below zero .

 

[ozarkjeep]

no way!

It wont work, the thermal mass of the flu is scientifically engineered for the given volume of the ash pan.

there is no way a small fire in a big stove would work.

I guess it goes to show you can have a smaller fire in a big stove to heat ones home and the stove dont have to be 550° all the time. That is how i do it in the spring and fall when the temps are in the 30°~50° s and normally a stove top temp of 320° ~ 375° with secondary combustion. Plus get the benefit of heating the whole house with the bigger stove when it gets down to 15° below zero .

 

[Roospike]

I yeah , i forgot about that.

****************** :lol: ***********************

 

[BrotherBart]

I guess it goes to show you can have a smaller fire in a big stove to heat ones home and the stove dont have to be 550° all the time. That is how i do it in the spring and fall when the temps are in the 30°~50° s and normally a stove top temp of 320° ~ 375° with secondary combustion. Plus get the benefit of heating the whole house with the bigger stove when it gets down to 15° below zero .

Yeah I chuckeled and shook my head when you suggested the "tunnel" thing a while back. I had been wrestling with getting decent smaller burns in the 30-NC with side to side loading. When I saw your post I said "Well hell, that is the way I burned the old stove for its whole life." and blew off side to side and went back to North/South the way I have always done it. Heck the reason I bought this darn stove was the firebox depth so I could do that in the first place. Getting a side to side load up to speed has to be the biggest pain in the butt in the world.

When I tried North/South before it was before I plugged that air leak in the back. Without the leak it burns real sweet turned the way God intended firewood to be turned in a wood stove.

 

[Roospike]

Awesome ................

Your story reminds me of the new Mustang with old school design. Hell if it works , dar ya go.

The stove will learn ya how to run it. I'd say its the user that has to change as the stoves dont change so well.

 

[WarmGuy]

Pallet burning is my strategy if I run out of firewood.

I've probably burned about 100 pallets in the last few years. I don't mind the way they burn -- very fast, but they get the stove temp quickly and the fan gets the heat into the room.

But I find that cutting them up gets very tedious. Here's what I do to make it better:

If you use a circular saw, make sure the depth is adjusted so that you don't have problems with the saw guard getting stuck.

Sometimes I use my Bosch jigsaw, which, although slower than the circular saw, is easier to use.

Always check for nails in saw path (duh).

Strategy 1: Clamp one pallet on top of one of those folding Black and Decker Workmate. Then put the pallet to be sawn on top of this one. That way, it's at a good height and you can slide it around conveniently.

Strategy 2: Start by cutting the pallet in two. Lean it against something, and saw off (up to down) the thin planks on one side of the center stringer. This gives you two pieces that are easier to work with (less leaning).

 

[sgcsalsero]

Is there any way to query what forum members are in VA (or MD?). Just like we are pitching in to help Corie should there be a way to identify the gen'l geographic of where members are at (for those who want to disclose) and then connect the dots for a local need (extra firewood to help someone else, help for a big scrounge, etc.). I got a real good source for firewood for my father in law recently by accidently 'bumping' into another member who is local, and sent him a PM. I know there is a separate articles for sale/wanted forum, just seeing if there is anything here with making connections in a more neighborly way.

 

[Roospike]

Is there any way to query what forum members are in VA (or MD?). Just like we are pitching in to help Corie should there be a way to identify the gen'l geographic of where members are at (for those who want to disclose) and then connect the dots for a local need (extra firewood to help someone else, help for a big scrounge, etc.). I got a real good source for firewood for my father in law recently by accidently 'bumping' into another member who is local, and sent him a PM. I know there is a separate articles for sale/wanted forum, just seeing if there is anything here with making connections in a more neighborly way.

Post your question in the "The Suggestion Box" thread from the main page ot just start a new thread. Its a good idea and i thought someone started a map of such but dont think it got off the ground floor.

 

[Works4me]

I'm running low on dry wood also, went to the stave mill to pick up a load of roads today but the pile had been rearranged with an end loader numerous times and there was mainly large pieces mixed in with mud and sawdust. I usually run out this time of year and cut small elms that have died of Dutch Elm disease. This year I had shoulder surgery in Dec. and have restrictions from the Doctor so I might have to run the propane furnace. :ahhh:

 

[Roospike]

I'm running low on dry wood also, went to the stave mill to pick up a load of roads today but the pile had been rearranged with an end loader numerous times and there was mainly large pieces mixed in with mud and sawdust. I usually run out this time of year and cut small elms that have died of Dutch Elm disease. This year I had shoulder surgery in Dec. and have restrictions from the Doctor so I might have to run the propane furnace. :ahhh:

Welcome to the hearth forum Works4me.

Be careful with the foul language and wording in this forum. "Run the furnace" :grrr:

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I've been burning free pallets lately. I have some seasoned wood left, but I figured I'd save it. The pallets are the right price, the air movement in them keeps them dry, and process easily.

 

[Works4me]

I'm running low on dry wood also, went to the stave mill to pick up a load of roads today but the pile had been rearranged with an end loader numerous times and there was mainly large pieces mixed in with mud and sawdust. I usually run out this time of year and cut small elms that have died of Dutch Elm disease. This year I had shoulder surgery in Dec. and have restrictions from the Doctor so I might have to run the propane furnace. :ahhh:

Welcome to the hearth forum Works4me.

Be careful with the foul language and wording in this forum. "Run the furnace" :grrr:

LOL Sounded bad to me when I said it also. Have about 2 weeks of wood left , hopefully the Doc will cut me loose to do some cutting with the Stihl

 

[Hogwildz]

I'm running low on dry wood also, went to the stave mill to pick up a load of roads today but the pile had been rearranged with an end loader numerous times and there was mainly large pieces mixed in with mud and sawdust. I usually run out this time of year and cut small elms that have died of Dutch Elm disease. This year I had shoulder surgery in Dec. and have restrictions from the Doctor so I might have to run the propane furnace. :ahhh:

Welcome to the hearth forum Works4me.

Be careful with the foul language and wording in this forum. "Run the furnace" :grrr:

OIL OIL OIL & Heating oil! LOL nanana, like running with scissors

 

[Gooserider]

I think I'm going to be (barely) OK for wood, thought I'd have overkill based on what I used last year, but I think my efforts to run the stove hotter burned more wood than I thought it would. I've also been filtering out alot of the kindling that I had mixed with the splits, as I find that I'm not using anywhere close to the amount of kindling I was expecting to - now that I'm burning more seasoned wood it is easier to get lit so I don't need as much kindling... I just started into the taller half of my nominal 6 cord wood shed this afternoon, so I'm guessing I've got about 3 cords left, maybe a bit more. That's also not counting some of the oddball chunks that I had in the pile but haven't been burning - probably have a day or two worth of those.... Hopefully we won't have to wait as long for spring as we did for winter, and things will start warming up again within the next few weeks.

I haven't had to cut pallets for burning, but when I have needed to cut them for other stuff, I've always found the best tool to be a sawzall / reciprocating saw... They beat you to death, but cut fast across the thin planks in a pallet, and are one of the few power tools I know of that don't care about nails - get the blades billed as being for "Nail Embedded Wood" and go right through them.... I had a bunch of old half rotted lumber that I needed to get rid of, and the sawzall made short work of cutting it into short enough lengths that I could feed it into the barbie and turn it into ash....

Gooserider