What I now do on vacation...

[velvetfoot]

...look at heating systems! We just took an overnight trip to Garnett Hill, a old cross country resort in the Adirondacks, and I'm checking out the heating distribution. Each room had its own thermostat and had FAT-finned baseboard that also had a return pipe. Kept the drafty room plenty warm even though it got down to 5 or so, and that's balmy for up there. Four-inch baseboard has to help. Plus, the end caps of the baseboard had hinged covers which revealed at least on coin type air vent.

 

[peakbagger]

I did a trip to New Zealand a few years back and did a guided hut to hut trip. One night I stayed at a brand new hut which was way off grid and serviced by helicopter. They had a diesel power plant which supplied all the heat. I had some spare time and got a very detailed tour on the entire system and the construction challenges of building the system so remotely from the guy who planned and built it

Maine Huts and Trails is a similar trip in Western Maine. They have an optional sustainability tour after supper in the evening that goes through each huts systems. One hut has a hydroelectric system and most have solar. They also have wood boilers which run underslab heating systems. If you are into luxury hiking or skiing they are worth a visit and really aren't that pricey ( al lot nicer than the AMC huts in NH).

 

[flyingcow]

I'm kinda the same way now velvetfoot. Always curious about the heating systems.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

I'm kinda like you, I'm looking at the woods looking for wood...... All the time......

 

[Karl_northwind]

I spent 3 weeks in Europe this fall with my lovely wife, and in between touring Windhager (austria), Heizomat, (germany) and Effecta (Sweden), every place I was in, I looked for and checked out the heating system. Panel Radiators everywhere, small Mod-con Boilers, small chip and pellet boilers everywhere.

The thing that perplexed me was that in Germany, all the firewood on rural farms I saw was in long (1 meter? ) lengths, stacked crib-style nicely. I was trying to figure out what sort of equipment they had to burn it, and it turns out they cut and split it in 1 meter lengths, and then cut it to 1/2 or 1/3 meter lengths for burning,

karl

 

[Fred61]

The thing that perplexed me was that in Germany, all the firewood on rural farms I saw was in long (1 meter? ) lengths, stacked crib-style nicely. I was trying to figure out what sort of equipment they had to burn it, and it turns out they cut and split it in 1 meter lengths, and then cut it to 1/2 or 1/3 meter lengths for burning,

That may be a timesaver, don't know but what I do know is that when I'm wrestling the butt end of a 22 inch diameter log on to the splitter, I prefer the 1/2 meter length. I have a splitter that will split 4 foot wood but in all the years I've had it 2 feet of it's capacity has been wasted.

 

[velvetfoot]

4 foot!

 

[pbvermont]

4 foot!

yes, the length used for burning in a sugaring arch.

 

[NE WOOD BURNER]

I have a 4' splitter. Its faster to buck up later when you have many hands.

Years ago it was faster to split 4' lengths green with an axe and stack. buck it up later. farmers cut off the back of the tractor with a big blade and table. Vey fast!

 

[Fred61]

farmers cut off the back of the tractor with a big blade and table. Vey fast!

Aka "saw rig" in these parts. Had one on a Farmall C.

 

[NE WOOD BURNER]

Ah yes. Leave it to Fred61 to take the bait! 1-lungers before that too.

Everything was a "rig" back in the day! And you could "dub" with it as long as you wanted. But never too long: you would become a "Dubba"

 

[Fred61]

Ah yes, one lungers. Ever see one of those flywheels come off and head for the woods. Before heading out to look for it you first went in the house and packed a lunch because you knew it was going to go some distance before it came to rest and it probably would be close to milking time before you found it and brought it back.

 

[velvetfoot]

They look quite harmless at fairs.