In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Matt's Wood Burning Adventures

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by CtRider, Nov 13, 2016.

  1. CtRider

    CtRider

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    As some of you know, I was fortunate to purchase a new home and I thought keeping a journal of sorts of my wood burning adventures might be fun to keep and get new ideas from the group.

    Where do I start? Quick inventory:

    Previous owners wood pile:
    [​IMG]

    Found a decent sawbuck behind the wood pile:
    [​IMG]

    Stove:
    Vermont Casting sitting in the fireplace (photo coming soon) House is primarily oil with forced hot air.

    Some To do's
    - clean chimney - did this yesterday, forgot to take a picture

    - clean stove out

    - gather up downed trees from power company

    - setup wood processing area - have a cement slab close to the wood pile that might work well

    - build indoor firewood rack, thinking something like this:
    [​IMG]

    We have a sliding glass door to the porch so that'll be easy access to wood so the indoor rack would allow me to stock up with going to the porch every time I need a log and give it time to warm up. Do I need to be concerned about bugs coming in too?

    In order to get wood onto the porch/deck, I need to add another opening or door as you can only enter from the far side.

    If not entertaining for you all, I think it'll be fun to keep track of everything here.

    Thanks!
     
  2. Drvn4wood

    Drvn4wood

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    That's an awesome setup! Only thing I might do moving forward is start stacking on pallets to get the wood off the ground. I'm a top cover guy but I suppose it isn't totally necessary.
     
  3. Ralphie Boy

    Ralphie Boy

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    Wow! A wood pile and a sawbuck! The former owner has you off to a great start! With that pile if wood I'd start working on my 3 year plan if I were you.

    Got saw? What kind? Not that the brand matters, just curious. How about a splitter or at least a maul, sledge and wedges?

    Given your location I'd think you would want to make sure you wood gift was well off the ground and top covered, at least for for the winter.

    I think if you suffer from the same affliction as the rest of us that wood pile will expand rather quickly while the small stuff, inside and outside storage, will naturally evolve with the expansion of of the wood supply.
     
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2016
  4. CtRider

    CtRider

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    Yep! Already have the pallets :)

    Long term plan is to get a tractor with forks so I can just drive a pallet over to the deck
     
  5. Ralphie Boy

    Ralphie Boy

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    There's a man with a plan!:thumbs::thumbs:
     
  6. yooperdave

    yooperdave

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    Good start. Pics, we like pics.
    Even when you add the door, pics.
     
  7. CtRider

    CtRider

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    You guys are good! He left some tarps I have to dig out and get on the pile.

    Would you restock his pile on pallets or just anything new?

    For now using my dads "wild thing" Poulan and a maul and sledge with wedges. Plan is to get a 550xp 18" once the financial dust settles of moving in knowing there will be some unforeseen expenses. Have a great Husky dealer right down the road I already got a backpack blower and used snowblower from them.
     
  8. Ralphie Boy

    Ralphie Boy

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    Yeah, I think I'd take the time to restack your existing wood off the ground otherwise you may have a lot of loss.

    It sounds like you have already been bitten by the 'bug'. I hate to tell you this but there is no cure for your ailment! But don't worry you're among friends here. Friends who have the same problems and we are here to help you with yours!:rofl: :lol::rofl: :lol::rofl: :lol:
    I also see a serious case of CAD developing!:dex:
     
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2016
  9. Mitch Newton

    Mitch Newton

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    Maybe even re-stack out of the woods.
     
  10. Ralphie Boy

    Ralphie Boy

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    Also a very good suggestion. :thumbs: Wood needs air flow and sunlight to season and you may not get enough of either in and around the woods.:BrianK:
     
  11. Horkn

    Horkn

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    Nice! We like pictures, if you didn't hear;)

    I like the pipe wood rack. I need to make something similar, although mine will be lower as it will go under the TV once the TV hutch fits into the other room, and we hang the bigger TV on the wall. We've been upgrading/ doing a makeover for the stove room.

    I too have a sliding patio door, and I bring most of my wood in that way.

    Yes, you'll get bugs in on the wood. Not much to do about that I'm afraid. As the wood warms, the bugs will wake up. It's best to only use wood that's "clean" in that regard. You'll still get an occasional fly though. If in doubt, throw any suspect piece right in the fire as soon as you bring it inside.

    Bugs have btu's too. :whistle:
     
  12. bogydave

    bogydave

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    You are having a lot of fun !
    Just don't tell people how much fun it is, :)

    Keep us posted with your progress
     
  13. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    CtRider, you have a wonderful time ahead of you!

    Comment on your comment about bringing wood inside and giving it time to warm up. Huh? Stick it into the stove and it warms up really quick. We've done that even at well below -20 degrees and see no reason to change. Someone made a comment once about cold wood cooling the stove. Well, is there a big difference between wood warming outside the stove vs inside the stove? Doesn't take about the same amount of btu to warm that wood either way? So I see no difference and just stick the wood in the stove and let the fire warm it. Works very nicely.

    Concern about bugs? That is one of the biggest reasons why we leave the wood outdoors before putting it into the stove. Sometimes we do bring in enough wood at night for the morning fire and when we do, it seems almost every time we'll get some millers flying around or worse. Bugs are okay but they belong outdoors. Also, there is no way I would go to the problem of debarking wood before bringing it indoors. Uncccessary labor for sure. And if you've cut dead wood and the bark is gone, you can usually count on some bugs being inside that wood and as they thaw our, bingo! They have a nice warm house to live in now. Do you want that?

    As for beginning, I would definitely begin by re-stacking that woodpile and make sure it is all good. It does not appear it was top covered and where you live, that would definitely be a no-no. So re-stack and get it top covered ASAP is my humble advice.
     
  14. CtRider

    CtRider

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    Thanks guys. You know I thought about the energy to eat the warm next to the fire vs in the fire a good bit as well as loss heat from opening the door to get more wood off the deck. Prolly more thought than what's warranted haha
     
  15. CtRider

    CtRider

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    Went to drop off the keys to our old apartment and there was some mint condition pallets at the nearby plumbing store so I had to stop and grab those! [​IMG]

    And here is the stove
    [​IMG]
     
  16. Mag Craft

    Mag Craft

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    Did you get your moisture meter yet. Pretty handy to have when working with wood and have not any idea on how long it has been split and stacked or what kind of wood it could be.
    I still use mine once in awhile just to make sure on some species.

    Nice start you have going there. No pictures of your saws, axes, splitting mauls, or hydraulic splitter yet.
     
  17. Shawn Curry

    Shawn Curry

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    Nice setup! FYI - your sawbuck is laying on it's side. The "toothed" part should be up. It looks a little short too - if it's not already at waist height, you might want to consider some way of raising it up.

    Wood is always going to have bugs in it. If you or the wife don't want them inside the house, consider locating your rack on the porch, and bring in only what you need to reload the stove each time. If you leave the door on the stove open too long, occasionally one or 2 might awaken and escape, but otherwise they burn pretty good. :fire:

    These work great for carrying a stove load of splits inside - they can be purchased but my sister made this one for me for Christmas a few years ago:

    IMG_1822.JPG
     
  18. savemoney

    savemoney

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    I hate to tell you how much I dislike have bugs in the house. I love my dogs and cats, but NO to bugs. Too many bad experiences with bug bites etc.
     
  19. Scotty Overkill

    Scotty Overkill Administrator

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    Talk about getting a clean handoff with an open field down to the end zone! Looks like the PO has you off to a great start!

    I'd second getting that wood off the ground, maybe stack on skids. And personally, I'd top cover it. Makes it easier to deal with when it's snowy outside and keeps the leaves and junk out of the stacks....

    As for keeping wood in the house? Maybe a split or two here and there, but wifey don't like spiders and other bugs so the wood gets stacked (a weeks worth at a time) on a stoop I built in the garage just for firewood.....
     
  20. CtRider

    CtRider

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    Thanks guys. Of course we got 2 inches of rain today before I got a tarp on the pile. As for the moisture meter, I have one in my cart on Amazon, just haven't purchased it yet. Right now everything would read soggy haha.

    As for the sawbuck - yeah I figured it out once I realized what it was (post photo). I was walking the property looking for old 2x4s to make one and walked behind the wood pile and hmm what's that? I think that's a "real" saw buck!

    Maybe I can do another lap looking for a maul and find a hydraulic splitter haha