I do not post a lot but read this forum every morning. I've learned quite a bit from all of the members here! I'm 66 years old and have been burning wood since my mid 20's I began burning with a Franklin stove in 1976 that only lasted 2 years. Then a new company called Vermont Casting made a highly rated stove called the Defiant. I bought one and was very happy with it. This company in their early days was great. They had newsletters, summer get togethers, great guarantee - even mailed me a new fireback and parts to install it when mine cracked- no cost I scrounged wood split it and tried to stay a day or two ahead. A week ahead was rare. I remember coming home from work and splitting wood to burn that night. I knew the water was bubbling out of the ends of the wood and the fire always seemed to burn better with the side door cracked open just a little. This went on for years and years. I knew standing dead and barkless dry logs burned better but nothing really clicked about doing things differently. Then in 2008 I bought a Ford 1920 tractor. Wanted a new wood stove so I started researching and found the other forum hearth . com where I read about different stoves and loved the Jotul Oslo. The forum members even wrote about a place in Conn. That had the best prices. I even learned about a 2009 $1500.00 tax credit.note I lurked on this forum for 3 and a half years before joining and posting Wow. Used the tractor to unload the stove from my Tacoma. I read postings from Backwoods Savage and everything he said clicked with what I had been noting in the previous 30 years of wood burning. I was sold on the 3 year plan. First year I had the tractor I started building sides for pallets based on pallets I saw in blue stone quarries, only larger. I haven't scrounged since hurricane sandy in 2012. I live on Long Island NY. I'm about 8 years ahead on wood mostly red oak. Got over 30 cords stacked and covered. Will be burning Sandy oak this winter. I hooked up with a tree company who texts me asking if I want wood and cuts it to 20" length for me. They dump in my yard. Don't use my saws much because of this. I must note many forum members disappeared a few years ago and when I finally searched I found this forum and have been here since. Everyone has a system for managing wood that suits their circumstances. There is no one way to do it. What works for me may not exactly work for someone else. There are some really important concepts to incorporate though. This forum is wonderful place to learn what others are doing and modify things to make life better, easier, more efficient etc. I don't have a traditional firewood shed. I want to move wood as little as possible. I have portable firewood roofs made of hot tub pallets 8'x 8' or 4'x8' when cut on half. Covered by metal roofing or pool cover tarps. I move these with my tractor to cover stacks. No walls but I add 4x4 supports as I start removing wood. Things I've learned from the forums 1) age your wood before burning. Each wood type takes a different amount of time to dry properly. Keep it off the ground too. 2) get 3 years ahead with wood - thanks backwoods savage 3) top cover wood in fall for the season. I top cover after 1 year in sun 4) material for top covering wood -metal roofing,rubber roofing, plywood, tarp, plastic 5) dollar bill test for stove gaskets 6) stove temp --- where to measure and how - stove dependent 7) different ways to manage wood outside, wood racks, pallet storage, bins 8) home made tools - cross buck, ash rake 9) using ash to clean glass 10) group support and ideas for scrounging wood 11) specialty tools pickaroon, fiskars axe, log splitter 12) 8 gauge seamless stove pipe from stove to chimney Every day I read and learn from the members here. I'll try to add some pics, I know we all love them Thank you to all for the great forum. Mike Ward View attachment 100702 View attachment 100702
What a great post Mike. Sold on the 3 year plan, even if it took 30 years.......we're never too old to learn, eh?
Life just gets in the way. When I was younger with the little kids I just lived day to day. Working, hustling with side jobs for extra cash. Now I'm working smarter with a little help from the forum
Mike, it looks like you worked hard and busted your butt through life, and now, hopefully, you can enjoy things. Staying far ahead in wood makes things a lot simpler and easier. Thanks for sharing that great story. Hope you'll write more often.
Well, you're from Long Island, and everything we Long Islanders do, we do extra-gooder..... Glad your here mikeward
Good post mikeward and thank you for the kind words. I do remember a couple of your posts and wondered why you didn't post more. Now we know; you've been busy with 30 cord of wood! That is great you can move the wood around using the tractor. They can be a big time saver. We've been thinking about getting one lately. Haven't used a tractor when getting wood for too long now. The last time we used a tractor was an IH Super M and after moving wood to a buzz pile, our 2 sons and I buzzed wood on a Thanksgiving weekend in the snow. After that, the boys moved away so no more buzz saw but now we have a nice atv and trailer and it works well. As you so wisely stated, there is no one system that will work for all. If we lived somewhere else, we'd probably have to change how we do a few things; nothing drastic but situations change. And as you no doubt are finding out, age can change things a bit too. If you keep on, you'll catch me in that category! I also see you learned well how to split wood; vertically, the same way God grows the wood. Are you reading this Ashwatcher? It surely is great you get wood delivered to you and not only that, but cut to length too! That is service! Glad to see you back posting Mike.
I also see you learned well how to split wood; vertically, the same way God grows the wood. Are you reading this@Ashwatcher? I'll admit that round is approaching vertical worthy, but..."Ode to my splitter"
Great post Mike , I remember you and your top covers from over there . Good to see ya on here , 30 cords is a good hoard of :stacke::stacke: I've learned more on here than I can even think of, off the top of my head
That's gotta be one of the finest first post I've ever read! Welcome to FHC mikeward ! I really like your portable roof idea!
Ohhhhh. From your first post I thought you bought a tractor made in 1920! I wanted to see that thing! Just my poor reading and subsequently poor attempt at humor. Very cool tractor you have though. I like Fords. Nice set up and system you have. Nice amount of wood. How many square feet are you heating with your stove? Nice hobby to have. Isn't it? All while keeping the heat bills down or non existent. And if all power is lost, we're still warm!
Great post Mike. Looks like you've figured it out. I too burned for over 30 years "just like dad and grandpa did it". Yeah it will keep you from freezing to death. But life is so much better with good Dry wood and an efficient stove. Bring it on Old Man Winter.
Hey Gas, if ya like "old" tractors... fox9988 has a 1720! (to be honest, I thought he meant age at first too)
