Just keep in mind you may have to increase the nitrogen a bit when doing this. Also many times you have to increase the lime.
Good reminder here Matt. In the meantime, sit down carefully for a few days. I've got whacked a couple times over the years and have had bruise spots to prove it.
I learned that as the chain saw ages, it gets much heavier and harder to start too. For some reason that pull rope just doesn't seem to come out as quickly. Our water pump will freeze when the outdoor temperature reaches -20 degrees. If I don't get out to cut, buck, split, etc., it just doesn't seem to get done. Just because most folks burned more wood during any one winter does not mean that you will. It does pay to fix heated handlebar grips when they stop working. One never has enough wood put up.
I learned that I need to leave more of my firewood a bigger diameter to get through the colder nights with less filling.
New this year... -Moved the near-house wood rack about 20 feet further from the bird feeder, and (coincidence or not) had much less squirrel trouble. Will probably make this the permanent winter home. (Rack gets put away in summer). - Oil furnace failed for good in January. Found we could heat the house like you other folks do; with just wood. Replaced furnace after 6 days. Grandma was afraid to let the stove go out, (she's very cold-averse), so we had the hottest indoor temperatures of the winter in the week the furnace was out. (true!) Potential separate threads that I'll never create: 1.How to keep squirrels off the feeder..... 2 How do you like the new oil/electric hybrid heat system? (only $500 additional)....
I've learned how to take 10,000 pictures of stumps n firewood n dirt n stuff without the neighbor's seeing me... I think... I've learned that I actually can work slower than "deadstop" and "sight by a post", slow... I've learned it's impossible to get on the computer and not have FHC be the first site up (pops right up)... how's that happin... I've learned that firewood hoarders, all over the planet, are powerful good folks ...
Using a scale I learned that splits when brought inside a few days ahead of burning and stacked near the stove will lose an additional point or two of moisture. I'll take advantage of that. With an 8 pound piece of wood at 20% an ounce (2 tablespoons) is a little more than one point of moisture content.
I will second that big time, it's nice to have a wood burning site where the mods dont seem to have a agenda of some sort or another.
Paul, unless my sister's hereI always keep at least a day's firewood by the stove. It serves the double function of warming/slightly drying the wood and keeping children, animals and my handicapped brother away from the stove front. Downside, doesn't look to pretty. OK by me, unless I have my neatfreak sister here.
What have I learned this past winter? You can never have too much cut, split and stacked firewood drying under cover. Always have a spare circulator pump because they tend to die on the coldest days of the year. You can drop trees and buck in the woods during "mud season", but don't bother trying to collect the wood until the ground dries out. When in doubt, split it. Standing dead ash trees and pallets can be used in a pinch to supply heat.
I've learned that I really like my Tommy Lift for the big stuff. Also learned that good friends are very hard to come by.
What I have Learned in the last month the condensed version 1.8 cubic foot fire box is too small to be on 3 year plan I either need to be hoarding corelone or move south I want a vertical splitter, and a truck! i am too sober to take pics of how I make it work there is a lot of great folks on FHC to teach me my wife might be right, I'm a little nutz, most people don't put 11+ cord thru a nc-13 nah don't sleep much
Here's a nicer version, "your wife might be lucky to have a husband that puts 11+ cords thru NC13" Hubby has a hobby and she ALOT warmer than so many. Win-Win
It was my first year of burning any substantial amount of wood, and I learned a lot. Some of the most notable things I learned are: 1. Burning wood is a lot of work. For the most part, I enjoy it. I could cut and split every weekend (which I have) and have a great time. Getting the wood back to the shed and stacking it, on the other hand, sucks. I spent hours this weekend loading, hauling, and stacking. Never touched a maul or saw. 2. I need to make more uniform cuts. I have bee more careful lately, but some of my earlier cuts varied too much in length. Maybe a mingo marker is in my future. 3. Burning unseasoned wood sucks. I'm trying hard to get ahead but there's only so many hours in a weekend. Cleaned the chimney this morning and it was a disaster. Standing dead ash varies greatly in moisture content. 4. I am thankful for the help of the true experts, the people on this forum who take the time to share their knowledge. I am learning a lot and having fun, too.
wildwest wife says you are sweet! she loves our woodstove and living room, that was never used in cold til we moved stove into it. now it's our favorite spot her with her glass of wine shopping me researching next plan and check in out FHC! but she still says I'm a little nutz and but she knew it when she married and loves me the more for it. I am a lucky man and I might be nutz but am happy loved and really well fed too!
I should add it's amazing how much more wood a neighbor can use when you open up most of your north property line for them to use vs. filling his rack during the winter. Also how nutty some of the FHC members are.
Frank and Beans, Those are pretty impressive stacks, especially for a newbie to burning. Congratulations.
