What happened to it? If wood went bad from being "too old" (when top covered) there would be no 100-200+ YO wooden homes/barns. Now then, I have had wood go bad from sitting stacked in the woods...no top cover and the leaves/etc worked their way down in and held moisture...no good.
On the three year plan now and going for 5 when it cools off this fall. Wife likes the security of knowing that she has several years worth of winter heat stockpiled if something happens to me. Gives me peace of mind knowing that my family will be provided for for years to come, even if I’m not around.
At nearly 7yrs ahead right now, I'm picky on what I keep. Namely oak, hickory, locust.....they're ones I hoard and refill my stacks with. Yes, having a 3yr plan helps you become more selective on what you keep for yourself. Not that softer woods aren't useful (I still have plenty of that stuff too) especially for shoulder seasons and the firepit. A steady diet of locust in Oct/April can cook you out of the house!
Before it got too hot today I finished refilling the empty bin from last winter. What I call a bin holds 2.6 cords. What I brought in had been cut and stacked outside back in 2020. Another 3 years under cover and it should be good to burn.
Another benefit to the three year plan, is that rounds don't need to be split quite as small for drying purposes. When I'm tired, I can split larger pieces, when I'm fulla energy I'll make toothpicks. When the big knotty pieces cant be split, they'll season a few years....no need to toss them out because they wont be seasoned in time (as large or dense as they are. Related to that last, "Heavy Hotties" are dense heavy pieces of crotch and branch, that take years to season, and burn very hot in the stove. I whole-heartedly agree with helping others out, and having enough to get her by should I conk out, or enough that I can take a year off from hoarding. Yeah....right. But, there will come a day when I cannot hoard. When that day comes, if I have 5 years supply on hand, I can buy wood here and there and stretch out my supply....just hauling it up to the house and stacking (no more felling/bucking/splitting). Sca
On the 7 year plan here. Can choose what wood I want to cut and when. Wood is the driest I’ve ever burned. No creosote in the chimney either. Now I only cut enough to replace what I burn each year.
Envy envy....a 7 year plan. Wow. Thinking. . . . .im not yet sure where I would stuff 21 ish cord right now. Giving me something to shoot for. Sca
Yeah! I kinda already do that, most stacks here are closing on 5' tall. Open to ideas of course. However...... Im hoping to build a retaining wall here, to bring some unuseable space up to level. I could begin bringing next winter's wood up, 7 cord or so, freeing that much space on the stax. Then move the shoulder season wood, extend 2 of the shorter stacks by 2 cord each....(11 cord worth of space right there.....) then a couple more at a friend's place.... More figuring is needed. As is more time. Sca
I’m working towards a 3 year plan but burn 24 + cords a year in an OWB definitely makes it a challenge!
We have 3600 ish sq ft. Somewhat insulated 2x4 construction. 6 cord. You use 4 times that? That much wood IS my 3 year plan! Sca
Yeah the OWB heats two houses & the domestic water for a milk house 80 gallon water heater. Does a fine job but it’s a hungry stove!
Yes. Looking at Heatmaster & Polar gasification units. I’ve read some positive stuff about Polar but don’t have any first hand information from people I know like I do on the Heatmaster. I believe you were one of the people who spoke positively about the Heatmaster. Correct? Any new information you’ve picked up? Thanks
No processor & it does require a whole lot of my time. And I get a bit older I’d say it’s wearing on me .
Yes, that was me. Nothing new, other than my brother said that after the full first winter he can say for sure that their wood usage was cut by at least 50%...and that was with the "new appliance" learning curve, and using up some junk wood...we are thinking that with proper fuel, and replacing the known faulty underground line before next winter, the usage should be able to be cut another 10-20%...so just as a reminder, that was an average of 22 cords per year before, and this winter he says it was more like 10-12 cords...he is hoping to be about 8-9 cords total per year after everything is all said n done...totally doable to get 3 years ahead at 8-9/yr...not so much at 22! I guess there was one thing that I recently found out from another guy that was looking at the Polar's and the HM...he said the Polar's do not have an O2 sensor, like the HM does, so no active fuel/air ratio control like the HM has...I thought they had that, but I guess not...he went with the HM G4000 then...being installed this summer.
