Stay tuned for later today… there’s more to be revealed I understand your stance. It’s one that I adopt cyclically. Right now I’m in the mood to hoard junk. In the spring, I might be turning my nose up at red maple and going for nothing but black locust and white oak. Whatever floats your boat
I hear ya, I’m rather snobby myself. I’ve come a long way from picking up anything made of cellulose and burning it in the stove. That said, some people like to separate their woods by season, outdoor temps. And as I discovered one winter when all I had was Tulip these lessor woods can really heat the house better than the heavy hitters as long as you’re there to keep stuffing it in. No coaling stage, just constant fire. And that being said I’ll mix a little in with general cordage wood but that’s about it. Helps get a stove running out of coals back up and running faster.
That's what I do with pine. Always heats up the room better than harder woods. I'm burning in an open fireplace and can really feel the heat off pine.
This has been an interesting thread. Th log pile I have been referencing in other posts is mostly TOH. It’s free and a 1/2 mile drive, just cut and quarter for OWB. But I’ve heard people say to be careful burning it inside ??? My OWB doesn’t care and so if it’s free, in it goes. But let me know if anyone has heard reason to be cautious burning inside. And if your in central PA and want a load, come help me and you shall have all you want.
I had zero issues burning it in my woodstove last winter. The worst thing I'm aware of is that it burns fast and leaves no coals. It'll do the job though.
I’ve never understood all that. Just how leaky is the stove those people are using? I never smell any wood burning unless I open the door too fast. I also have a poor sense of smell so there’s that.
Exactly! Unless burning in a fire pit, or poorly drafting open fireplace, you should never smell it...
I was referring to an open fireplace or firepit. When I burned my insert I never smelled anything burning unless I did like you said.
A fun test ahead when I fire up the OWB I’ll likely load two full wheel barrows in, full draft for multiple hours, thankfully all outside I’ll let you know!
watch for water boiling out. Be interesting to see what you find. How long has it been down? Covered? Split?
It's getting to be a long trip down those basement stairs for re-fills. I once had a dog I tried to train to re-fill but was unsucessful. Aspen, Ailanthus, AM Elm, Boxelder, Cotton and Bass I wouldn't step over a twig for. Silver Maple, Poplar and Sassafrass only if it literally falls in my lap. The light wood is like hanging out at the horderves counter when they are plating steak at the tables.
It certainly is a long trip. And Black Locust is heavy. Some day I’ll have a tractor with forks,,,,hopefully, and that will change how I do things.
Oh I only have to carry myself. There is a chute in one of the window wells. (I'm plenty heavy on my own lol)
Ahh, we’re talking reverse trips I still store a winters worth of wood in the basement even though I moved the heat upstairs 10 years ago. Still find it the easiest way to do it. Get it all in, dry, no covering and when winter comes it’s ready to go. I only stack one short wall between two lolly columns. The rest I just toss in a pile. Used to have to stack everything tight and full feeding the wood furnace. Consumption has been greatly reduced.
Yep, mine's outside (right beside the window well). Usually toss in about a week to week and a half worth at a time. Seems like I tend to put more in during Janruary trips. Good days the stove gets relit frm coals when I get up, packed before work, fed after work, packed at bedtime.
JOH Ive been cutting has been down two years. Today I got a load of locust and maple mainly with small amount of black walnut, shared with friend who cuts with me
