Second chance shed

[SolarAndWood]

Typical morning here at the second chance shed where we don't discriminate based on too long, too short, too wide, too narrow, too light, not straight grained, a little punk or anything else that people look down upon but is more than capable of keeping the family warm. A few weeks under a roof has it bone dry and lights off easy when you fill the box NS, EW, NNE, SSW or whatever it takes to fill the firebox.

 

[LLigetfa]

I just don't have shed space for the uglies. Out on the heap it just rots and a few weeks under a roof would not make a difference. I tried burning uglies in my outdoor pit but the wife complained about the punky stench so I guess it's destined to go on the big brush burn pile eventually. Last month when I was giving away Aspen to the indigent neighbor, I asked her to take whatever she wanted off my growing uglies pile. She didn't take much. Seems I can't even give it away.

In my woodshed, I top off the rows with uglies but that barely puts a dent in my ugly heap. I guess what I need is a big second chance shed.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I stopped putting anything less than ideal in the burn shed last year but then we got 6' of snow early and the uglies got buried. Figured with them under a roof, they will get used up this year.

 

[stejus]

I move my uglies to the top row of my drying piles. They get the most sun up there for a couple years so they are dry come burn season. I just toss them into a bucket on my deck when I bring them up to load the covered deck with wood. Like you Dennis, I look at wood as free fuel so I'll burn it wisely depending on heating needs.

 

[babzog]

I see nothing wrong with uglies or chunks even of they do pose a storage challenge. I just toss mine on top of the rows in the woodshed and pull them down as I empty the rows.

 

[SolarAndWood]

A few here or there aren't a problem but all of my wood is urban scrounge so I get a lot of it. Like maybe a third of my stock. That shed is 20x9 and it is heaped over 6' high. There was probably 4 cord in there when I started. I have been burning 24/7 for 2 months out of it already.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

Wow, you almost have more "uglys" than I have wood.
I don't really get any "uglys". I cut all my wood out in the bush from straight trunked trees, anything that is too short has some other irregularity that might prevent it from stacking properly gets left in the bush. I generally even cut the felling wedge cut off the bottom of the tree to make it nice and straight before I start cutting the rounds to length. Not trying to be anal, but because of my limited property I just don't have anyplace to store my wood other than my woodshed.
That's the main reason I don't cut apple wood. We live in orchard country and there is always some orchardest ripping out fruit trees and they often let people take the wood if they want it. But because of the way they prune the trees, it's so twisted that even after you cut it to lengths it's still just a bunch of twisted chucks and pretty much unstackable. Lots of BTUs in apple wood, but not worth the time or space.

 

[Flatbedford]

I don't have any room for uglies either. I am actually experiencing a shortage of shoulder season wood. Had to go right to the good stuff. I'll try to bring home some junk some time.

 

[pen]

Nothing wrong w/ uglies.

WOW that's a packed stove! :gulp:

pen

 

[thewoodlands]

Typical morning here at the second chance shed where we don't discriminate based on too long, too short, too wide, too narrow, too light, not straight grained, a little punk or anything else that people look down upon but is more than capable of keeping the family warm. A few weeks under a roof has it bone dry and lights off easy when you fill the box NS, EW, NNE, SSW or whatever it takes to fill the firebox.

Filled to the gills, great title Solar.


zap

 

[bogydave]

Load that puppy up, it'll burn it.
I use uglies & mis-fits during the day burn when it's cold outside, for the shorter afternoon load.
Just not quit a full of a load as in the pic.
Great picture!

 

[red oak]

Second chance shed - love the title! I don't even have a first chance shed but I do have a separate pile for the chunks and uglies. What doesn't get burned in the campfire goes into the stove, usually in the fall, on those days when I want just a bit of a burn during the day or after I go to sleep. Here in Va we're transitioning to the time when I don't like to use them in the stove because I want to fill that sucker up now. The shed is a good idea because I'm sure it dries out faster than mine just sitting in a pile.

 

[WoodpileOCD]

Nothing wrong w/ uglies.

WOW that's a packed stove! :gulp:

pen

+1 on that.

 

[aussiedog3]

He he he he You pack that pooch just like I do.
I burn every shape and size too.
If my saw and hands touch it, it's going in the stove.

Nice work.

 

[SolarAndWood]

The shed is a good idea because I'm sure it dries out faster than mine just sitting in a pile.

It has been sitting out in the heap for at least 2 years now. As I'm pulling splits off to fill the burn shed, I chuck the less than desirables into the second chance shed that is adjacent to the heap.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Filled to the gills, great title Solar.

lol, we all need a second chance every once in a while.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Nothing wrong w/ uglies.

WOW that's a packed stove! :gulp:

pen

+1 on that.

Gets packed like that every time I load the box starting in late September until I shut her down in early May. The only thing that varies is the quality of the fuel depending on the weather and how long of a burn cycle I need.

 

[Battenkiller]

That's the main reason I don't cut apple wood. We live in orchard country and there is always some orchardest ripping out fruit trees and they often let people take the wood if they want it. But because of the way they prune the trees, it's so twisted that even after you cut it to lengths it's still just a bunch of twisted chucks and pretty much unstackable. Lots of BTUs in apple wood, but not worth the time or space.

If I had a source for gnarly old apple I know what I'd do. I'd build me the finest second chance apple shed your eyes ever did see, that's what I'd do. :cheese:

 

[SolarAndWood]

No doubt. Might be a PITA to deal with and you can't get a whole lot in the stove, but Apple burns sweet.

 

[firefighterjake]

I tend to burn my punks, chunks and uglies early in the season . . . often save them for when I'm home on the weekend . . . then again I don't have quite so many . . . I like it though -- Second Chance Shed.

 

[thewoodlands]

Filled to the gills, great title Solar.

lol, we all need a second chance every once in a while.

We have a lot of White Pines around the house so once the cold & snow start coming, the woods holds both until late April, sunsets we never see.


Zap

 

[Coach B]

One advantage of having both an OWB and nice stove inside is that all punks and uglies get tossed in the OWB's mammoth firebox. If it'll go in the door it'll burn. All the good stuff goes in the pretty stacks to feed the Jotul.

 

[Constrictor]

I move my uglies to the top row of my drying piles. They get the most sun up there for a couple years so they are dry come burn season. I just toss them into a bucket on my deck when I bring them up to load the covered deck with wood. Like you Dennis, I look at wood as free fuel so I'll burn it wisely depending on heating needs.

thats exactly what i do. the unglies usually are a big knot or crotch and are very dense wood. they need extra time to dry since they arent split. stack em on top the stacks and they are the best wood you got when dry!

 

[SolarAndWood]

I knew I had a lot of less than ideal wood because of where I get it and how much I pay for it, but had no idea there was this much. Been burning out of this for over two months now and I still had to add a retaining fence this week to deal with overcrowding.

 

[ohlongarm]

Still got some room left pack that mofo full.