My other neighbor is lined up to get a new Hearthstone installed in the next few weeks. We've been chatting and talking about running the stove, air movement in his home and putting up wood. He called our neighbor down the street, who is a wood cutter, for a delivery. The wood is not seasoned, but I mentioneded to get it now and put it up as soon as possible. Since this winter has been mild, I have burned way less than a half cord. So I offered to trade my neighbor about a half cord of some nicely seasoned wood. I chose a stack that has been put up close to a year and a half. It is a mix of elm, sugar maple and black birch. He already built a rack and filled it and is making a second one. While we were moving the stacks to his house, I was showing him the different species. I ended up getting back a mix of oak and locust. I grabbed a lot of the bigger pieces that will fit in my stove. I think based on the time the stack he got was put up, it will be well below 20% mc. He is really looking forward to getting going. The install is probably in a few weeks. I figure if it is put in by the 1st of February, he should have just enough to get through the winter burning evenings and weekends. Here is the stack he got. Here is what I got in return. He has a good location to separate the oak into it's own rack near his house to get the heat reflecting off in the summer. The smaller splits in his delivery were picked and set aside for possible burning next winter. I let him know about FHC, so maybe he will lurk and get some great information here.
He is going to be squared away real well. He's asked a lot of questions and is getting things done. We'll have some good conversations down the road. He was talking saws too. Heh heh heh.
His research on stoves landed him elsewhere, but I put him here, to be on the right path for all things important. Oh, I mentioned stove top cooking. Soups, chili and things.
Good job Jon! Your a good neighbor. Nice plug for FHC, I hope he joins. Maybe you will get a wood cutting buddy down the road?
I think so. He has all ready taken notice of wood that he can burn. He has a great interest in starting out right.
Good deal for both of you. I learned everything I know about the whole process from cutting to burning here on FHC. Hopefully he joins and learns as I did. One heck of a good group here
Good deal. The best way to have good neighbors is to be one. You started this off right, I admire you for being willing to teach a beginner.
Having some first hand knowledge with marginal wood I say he may never know what a help that dry wood will be.
Good for you Jon. Sounds like a good teacher and a good student. That should make a great pair and let us hope his heating goes well.