For the wood-burners, how's the season going?

[philoshop]

The problem I have with coal and pellets is that you're still chained to a fluctuating market where someone else has control over the cost and availability of your fuel supply. The only serious expense I have is when buying gas for the truck if I decide to travel for the wood, and I rarely have to travel very far. The beer and pizza I mentioned a while back in this thread adds up a lot faster than the actual costs that go into the wood production, but that comes back when, in turn, I help out one of those friends and get free beer and pizza.

[Adkhunter1590]

The problem I have with coal and pellets is that you're still chained to a fluctuating market where someone else has control over the cost and availability of your fuel supply. The only serious expense I have is when buying gas for the truck if I decide to travel for the wood, and I rarely have to travel very far. The beer and pizza I mentioned a while back in this thread adds up a lot faster than the actual costs that go into the wood production, but that comes back when, in turn, I help out one of those friends and get free beer and pizza.

I had the same thought cross my mind before we tried coal. But honestly, I think I’ve seen bigger price swings in wood vs coal in the last 8 years or so. Coal hasn’t taken any major swings in price in quite awhile unlike pellets that swing all over the place. Less people use coal so you’ll likely never see the prices sky rocket during harsh winters when a lot of suppliers run dry or low on wood pellets.
Cheapest way to burn with coal is to order tractor trailer loads straight from the mines in PA if you have the space to put it. Great thing about coal is that storage is simple, just pile it up on the ground lol. I’ve seen quite a few people online use stacked jersey barriers on concrete pads to store coal like you would sand or gravel. Buying in the big amounts like that can get you down to around $100 a ton. Hard to beat that price.

[philoshop]

1 hour ago, Adkhunter1590 said:

 

 

I had the same thought cross my mind before we tried coal. But honestly, I think I’ve seen bigger price swings in wood vs coal in the last 8 years or so. Coal hasn’t taken any major swings in price in quite awhile unlike pellets that swing all over the place. Less people use coal so you’ll likely never see the prices sky rocket during harsh winters when a lot of suppliers run dry or low on wood pellets.
Cheapest way to burn with coal is to order tractor trailer loads straight from the mines in PA if you have the space to put it. Great thing about coal is that storage is simple, just pile it up on the ground lol. I’ve seen quite a few people online use stacked jersey barriers on concrete pads to store coal like you would sand or gravel. Buying in the big amounts like that can get you down to around $100 a ton. Hard to beat that price.

 

 

On the other hand, had Obama's anti-coal policies been able to continue...... Just sayin'.

I know several people who heat with coal, and they love it. I'm not arguing that point. If I had to buy my firewood I'd switch to coal in a heartbeat. As it is it costs me less than 50 bucks a year to heat my little place with wood, so that's what works for me.

[wolc123]

3 hours ago, philoshop said:

Up until recently I never minded doing all the work; from felling to bucking to skidding to splitting and stacking. Now it hurts more than it really should so I generally ask for help. It's amazing how much faster splitting and stacking goes with two people, one loading and operating the splitter and the other stacking the splits. It's not twice as fast, but more like three to four times as fast.

Splitting and stacking goes pretty fast by myself.  I use a small tractor with 3 point carryall on the back and hitch on the front to move the splitter.   I unhitch the splitter near the chunked up logs and back the carryall up next to it, tossing the split pieces into it as I go (holds a little over 1/2 face cord).   When it fills up, I drive it over to the storage area/shed and stack it.   My splitter operates horizontally (for smaller stuff) or vertically (for big stuff), so very little manual lifting is required.   The base is low enough, in the vertical position, that I can roll the big stuff onto it and sit on a chair while splitting and never need to lift anything heavy.  The tractor's hydraulics lifts the carryall up to the perfect height, so no bending over is required to unload it.      

At 53, I can still split and stack all day long for days on end with very little or no pain, but chunking up the big stuff with a large chainsaw does bother my back more than when I was younger, if I push it too long.   I minimize that pain by doing all the limbing, chunking up the smaller stuff, and even the finish cuts on the big stuff after rolling, with a smaller, low-vibration saw.   I also break up the chunking  job with frequent splitting and stacking breaks.   I have made adjustments to minimize the pain and that keeps the job of processing the wood fun.  When it stops being fun, I may stop doing it and start using more natural gas for heat.   My favorite part of firewood production is dragging the logs out of the woods with the tractors (antique tricycle-front in the summer or modern wide-front 4wd in the winter), but splitting and stacking is a close second.     

[Five Seasons]

14 hours ago, philoshop said:

On the other hand, had Obama's anti-coal policies been able to continue...... Just sayin'.

 

there really is no reason to burn coal. Y'all have no idea how bad that stuff is for the environment despite what your blogs tell you. But as an environmental engineer with a decade plus worth of air permitting... what do i know?

13 hours ago, wolc123 said:

Splitting and stacking goes pretty fast by myself.  I use a small tractor with 3 point carryall on the back and hitch on the front to move the splitter.   I unhitch the splitter near the chunked up logs and back the carryall up next to it, tossing the split pieces into it as I go (holds a little over 1/2 face cord).   When it fills up, I drive it over to the storage area/shed and stack it.   My splitter operates horizontally (for smaller stuff) or vertically (for big stuff), so very little manual lifting is required.   The base is low enough, in the vertical position, that I can roll the big stuff onto it and sit on a chair while splitting and never need to lift anything heavy.  The tractor's hydraulics lifts the carryall up to the perfect height, so no bending over is required to unload it.      

At 53, I can still split and stack all day long for days on end with very little or no pain, but chunking up the big stuff with a large chainsaw does bother my back more than when I was younger, if I push it too long.   I minimize that pain by doing all the limbing, chunking up the smaller stuff, and even the finish cuts on the big stuff after rolling, with a smaller, low-vibration saw.   I also break up the chunking  job with frequent splitting and stacking breaks.   I have made adjustments to minimize the pain and that keeps the job of processing the wood fun.  When it stops being fun, I may stop doing it and start using more natural gas for heat.   My favorite part of firewood production is dragging the logs out of the woods with the tractors (antique tricycle-front in the summer or modern wide-front 4wd in the winter), but splitting and stacking is a close second.     

it's all about time. I actually enjoy wood prep. It's kind of the same reason I like mowing the lawn. Outdoors, exercise, productive. But time is the issue for a lot of us. More precious than anything.

[chas0218]

For any of you that split by hand here are some pointers if don't already do this. First and foremost look into the Fiskars splitting axe X27, I have one and splitting anything 21" long and 24" across is one hit split kind of stuff no lie and I'm not a big guy. Also throw a tire on top of your splitting block so you aren't bending over picking pieces up, the bigger the rim size the better. And lastly split stuff when it isn't wet. The ash I split that is 18" across isn't a problem until I get into the knotty stuff. Then I break out the wedges and 8lbs. maul. Also if possible split next to where you are stacking, the less time you spend walking around the less time it takes you. I can usually split 2 cords (not face cords) by hand and stacked it in 2.5 hrs. My whole winters supply splitting and stacking can be done in 1 day if I stay at it. The hardest part is dropping the trees and bucking to length that alone takes the longest amount of time.

Edited March 12, 2018 by chas0218

[philoshop]

9 minutes ago, chas0218 said:

For any of you that split by hand here are some pointers if don't already do this. First and foremost look into the Fiskars splitting axe X27, I have one and splitting anything 21" long and 24" across is one hit split kind of stuff no lie and I'm not a big guy. Also throw a tire on top of your splitting block so you aren't bending over picking pieces up, the bigger the rim size the better. And lastly split stuff when it isn't wet. The ash I split that is 18" across isn't a problem until I get into the knotty stuff. Then I break out the wedges and 8lbs. maul. Also if possible split next to where you are stacking, the less time you spend walking around the less time it takes you. I can usually split 2 cords (not face cords) by hand and stacked it in 2.5 hrs. My whole winters supply splitting and stacking can be done in 1 day if I stay at it. The hardest part is dropping the trees and bucking to length that alone takes the longest amount of time.

The only problem I have with your post is waiting for the rounds to dry before splitting. If they're split immediately they dry much more quickly.

But you're right about the Fiskars and the tire trick.

For anyone not aware of this site, arboristsite.com has an excellent section on everything related to finding, harvesting and burning firewood. Lots of helpful and friendly people from all over the world, if you stay out of the politics section.

[Dinsdale]

3 minutes ago, philoshop said:

 Lots of helpful and friendly people from all over the world, if you stay out of the politics section.

I find this to be the case with any forum.

[chas0218]

24 minutes ago, philoshop said:

The only problem I have with your post is waiting for the rounds to dry before splitting. If they're split immediately they dry much more quickly.

But you're right about the Fiskars and the tire trick.

For anyone not aware of this site, arboristsite.com has an excellent section on everything related to finding, harvesting and burning firewood. Lots of helpful and friendly people from all over the world, if you stay out of the politics section.

Sorry I guess I should have elaborated, I let them sit around a little so they aren't dry for burning when split but the ends are dry. They seem to split easier when the ends are dry. The splitting axe and maul don't seem to bury themselves less.

Edited March 12, 2018 by chas0218

[philoshop]

6 minutes ago, Dinsdale said:

I find this to be the case with any forum.

Quite true.

I spend some time in the politics section there because I respect many of the posters and enjoy hearing their views from around the world on different current topics. Without media filtration.

Enough with the politics, back to the wood-burning.

[crappyice]

My latest pick ups for an outdoor fire pit - recreational burning only



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[chas0218]

On 3/11/2018 at 5:00 PM, philoshop said:

The problem I have with coal and pellets is that you're still chained to a fluctuating market where someone else has control over the cost and availability of your fuel supply. The only serious expense I have is when buying gas for the truck if I decide to travel for the wood, and I rarely have to travel very far. The beer and pizza I mentioned a while back in this thread adds up a lot faster than the actual costs that go into the wood production, but that comes back when, in turn, I help out one of those friends and get free beer and pizza.

Exactly, I spend about $50 for gas in the truck and chainsaws not to mention any chains and whatever. I haven't bought a new chain in years and sharpen them myself so no added cost there. I usually get about 2 face cords in the trailer and truck. This last time I got close to 2.5 so I spend about $25/face cord doing my own wood. I can't get a green face cord for under $75 in my area. Seasoned I'm looking at over $100 I would still be ahead compared to fuel oil but I like to chop wood and taking down all the old dead trees on my parents farm is a win win for me and them.

[chas0218]

What are your guy's tally now? My seasoned wood is about gone so I will be burning fresh ash (around 25% moisture content) or just calling it quits and firing up the fuel oil furnace. I have gone through about 6 cords of wood this season burning non stop from the beginning of October to now.  I need to build up next years supply if it is going to be anything like this year. My plan was to have 4.5 cords for each year but I'm thinking I should plan on 6 at a minimum.

[GreeneHunter]

I find it kinda funny how a lot of people on Craigslist are trying to give away free firewood , usually still standing on their property and Pine !

[chas0218]

9 minutes ago, GreeneHunter said:

I find it kinda funny how a lot of people on Craigslist are trying to give away free firewood , usually still standing on their property and Pine !

Yeah I see it all the time or a pile of 16" logs that claims 2 cord and it is maybe 1 face cord. Sad part is people fall for it. I'm not against burning pine but I'm sure not dropping a tree for someone else to collect for firewood. If I have a pine fall at my house I split it for campfire wood not for heating firewood.

[Rebel Darling]

I ended up buying another cord to add to the wood I felled, bucked and split, which put me at around 4-5 cords for the year. I've burned a quarter of the new cord.

I have a bunch of trees I dropped in January, but the snow pack from February and March prevented me from working on them. Tomorrow is day one, in what I expect to be a busy next few months for splitting.

I'd like for the house to be more efficient, so I think more insulation in the crawl space is a good idea for a spring or early fall rainy day project.


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