I'm new and already introduced myself on Another new guy post. I'm definitely feeling like one of those fellas who has gotten his feet wet but probably hasn't bucked like the best of them. First of all my name, doesn't pay homage to my girth but rather the girth of this large boiler type firepit at an ocean camping lot owned by my family. This thing is a sight to behold especially when the fire is burning. Id say most of my wood-burning happens here since logs are loaded two feet long and a foot in diameter in half isnt uncommon in the fall. Loading up on wood is simple: trip to the beach with the trailer. Wonder if any other Washington folks are on here, where are you at and the like? I'm likely considered a Pine-burner to you hardwood headies here but I'll get around to burning my recently cut black locust when it finally seasons in 2020. Honestly the way it rains around here, I'm getting more invested in this "build your own wood storage shed" business. I know I've got the wood and other sundries for that project. Looking forward to summer for that project to happen... Happy Burning!
Welcome, but stay off that beach. Beach wood is full of salt from the ocean and that can definitely ruin any wood stove.
Sorry to confuse you. Oldman! this wood stove I meantioned at the ocean we have is purposefully built for that reason. We don't move any ocean-borne wood further than the lot that we burn it at(Which is literally a walk from the beach). The nice part of the wood is that timing it right, it can be so plentiful our storage gets too full! If I found a picture and showed it on here, you'd see what I mean. All wood at my house has not been moved more than 20 mins from where I have obtained it so no ocean wood is here and that is against the law here in Evergreen state.
Welcome FatBoy85 This is a great site to get most of your wood burning questions answered and a good place for you to help the others on here as well. We love pics. Pics of your saws and other wood processing equipment is a must.
I'll get along to processing that later.but My saw is a 026 Stihl. It's a bit of a bogger but I can't complain when it takes care of my large rounds waiting for the stacking. As for equipment, you're talking a few axes ( one is a felling axe ) mauls and wood splitters. I hope this grows from here. Maybe a log splitter for that matter.
Another Eastern WA hoarder here. There is also Elderthewelder and a couple of others around. Look at the member map Members Map | Firewood Hoarders Club not everyone is on it, but it is a start
Thanks for the tip! This site has been my attention most of today! Lots of good information tidbits and wood porn. Who doesn't like seeing fresh load of wood in a truck or the like??
Welcome FatBoy85 - You're gonna like it here, I guarantee it! We like pics, dogs, beer and spending your money on toys for you to further your addiction, er, I meant supplement your supply-we will counsel (see enable) all facets of your newly acquired and life-long affliction,,,so you got that going for you right off the bat... Again, nice to meet you
Honestly I stumbled on this on accident while learning about certain types of wood. Locust was in my search and this forum came to my glance. I thought immediately "sign up, you know what you are" Luckily I fell right into the best wood hole. Well lets get some of my Pictures up to start with now that I have time. Had to pull tarps off everything today at dawn and started stacking like crazy. The corner of my yard where the stacks are up are advantageously put because the sun hits that corner first part of the day. Summer was amazing for wood drying but Rains came on me too quick and I bungled a bit so wood was half wet. Plus a lot of this birch you see here was a bit of a fail in the first place. After I heard about birch it was a bit of a toss up if I was going to get it split or not. Might be useless as firewood now but the rounds actually work well for splitting blocks. Plus it was free so its truly no loss to me and if it dry/rota out I got a place for it. The pace that this is going at is every other day Im picking up some kind of wood. Who knew?
You're well on your way FatBoy85 , just strap in and hold on...we'll get you there...and there is with more, drier and better wood...glad you found us! And we have a guy up in Alaska that will educate you quick on the birch...now lets see the stacks-rain does not adversely affect your wood if split and stacked off the ground btw...
I wish I took a picture of the fresh stacks today I had stacked two last night and moved one this morning. They are off the ground. But this birch I read to keep dry, like super dry. Tarp it down if you have to. Had a really wet stretch of rain from october to now. Not many sunny days. Today was a lucky one but short lived. Enough for me to get some overdue organization that will help in the long run as spring will come flying in the door. Everything that is considered good at this point is off the ground. Between having father duties then winter having less daylight, crept on me quick so I focused on what I could get done possibily. The spring is probably at the time I will likely succeed in finishing my "clean up" as I'll call it. A lot of the wood I have is in mill-cuts, that down the axis of the tree cut to become square beams then to lumber. I was so fascinated with it because this was just cool looking wood in the first place (mostly trashed because cuts were uneven and now Im hoping to find an actual mill that will supply more!) and second of all and I mean most of all: all of this was free! I had these opportunities to fill a trailer 3 times. Problem was, I should have kept cutting the logs up and getting them to more firewood type pieces before I got more. Now its the point where I'll likely have another rack of the stuff when Im done with it. Its a bit of an oddball scheme here, but preference that Any wood Im coming upon has been already cut down for me and Im just making a collection of it.
I have about a cord of birch, a bunch of big leaf maple, some black walnut,cherry,American holly,black locusts and of course Doug fir that is all css and top covered to keep the rain off it. I top cover my stacks during the seasoning process than move it into my covered shed
The shed idea is looking more and more feasible as I see it. Even looked up simple diagrams for it. Really just need the posts and some fountational bricks.
Nice pics! Sounds like a big firepit you have there; on the ocean too? Man oh man! One word of caution while you are using it though.....being as large as it is, try not to over fire it as any ship steaming past may alter their course once they see it!
I will try and get a picture of it next time I go soon. I swear seeing this thing going full bore, youd think it could heat the water for the town. The smoke stack reaches about some 15 feet on top of this thing and yes the flames get that high(conditions permitting) It gets really pretty when its just a star filled night and no other lights on. Couldn't tell you what ship the boiler was from but it is from the NAVY PSNS yard that is responsible for dismantling the old battleships, submarines and air craft carriers in Bremerton. So their internal stuff makes it to a nearby metal salvage, that's how my father came upon it. Really makes it a neat piece, the joy is starting the fire in it and then load it up in a downpour. You'll find that if its hot enough, the rain doesn make it to the ground much. Not kidding, this thing has about 3/8 inch steel and has pulled creosote as a bubbling smelly mess from the railroad ties that we keep as a pit barrier because of hot spots. Truly is one of my favorite places to be.
