It's Here!!!!

[Corley5]

After waiting patiently for 3 months my new toy errr I guess I should say peice of equipment has arrived 8) 8) 8).  It spent last night in Gaylord on the truck and was delivered to me this morning at 7:30 AM.  We got it off the truck and I processed a couple face cords for at my buddy's place where we unloaded it and I'm quite pleased with its performance thus far .  Of course I was in a hurry and didn't bring the camera but here it is safe at home in the yard.









Better get some firewood ads in the papers 8) 8) :D :D :D ;D ;D ;D

[farmerdoug]

That is a great looking toy err piece of equipment there, Greg.  We know what you will be up to for awhile.

What is the min/max log size and length capacity of your new processer?

Have fun until it gets to being like work.

Farmerdoug

[Corley5]

It's rated for a 12' log 14" in diameter however it does have a 20" bar and one sugar maple I cut up today was close to 18".  The bar just cut all the way through it ;)  Min size appears to be about 2.5" but at that size the stick has to be all the way to one side for the clamp to hold it.  There was one stick about 10" in diam and 12' or so long and it was just right ;D

[Burlkraft]

Corley,

That's a NICE lookin' rig.....

I've been thinkin' about building one for a long time now. But now I see that the prices are in line where you almost can't afford to build one. I gotta get my mill first....Then a processor will be next 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

Congrats

[Murf]

Ewww, kewl, a log junker........  8)  8)  8)

I wanna build me onna dem, but without the chainsaw thinga-ma-bobble, too complicated.

What's it got fer a motor?

[Corley5]

What's it got fer a motor?

25hp Honda V-Twin. 

[SwampDonkey]

She's a dandy Corley  8) 

May the wood chunks fly.  ;)

[beenthere]

Video time comin up, I hope.    Anxious to see that big boy in action (the splitter too  )

[Modat22]

I'm not all that sure how that thing works but it sure looks purdy and manly!

[Corley5]

My plan is to be setup and running by Saturday afternoon.  The elevator needs a bit of tinkering and I need to put tire chains on a loader tractor.  I'll get more pics when it's completely operational.  I placed adds in the local papers this afternoon and after placing an ad at one the gal on the other end said she and her parents were close to being out of wood and would be calling me 8) 8) 8) 8)  It looks a bit odd in the pics with the live deck folded up and the chains blowing in the breeze .  Blockbuster has been super to deal with.  They sent two extra saw chains, an extra bar and sprocket, a dozen files and guide, hats, pens and key chains.  I also got free delivery as part of the show special at the Logging Congress 8) 8).

[SwampDonkey]

Real cool.  I'de like to order 20 cord, but the logistics would make it impossible.  ;)

[farmerdoug]

SD,

I am sure Greg would be willing to come and cut up your logs for a price for you. :

Greg,  What price did you settle on for a face cord of seasoned wood? ???

Farmerdoug

[hawby]

Corley,

Bring that puppy righton down here and try it out. I got 110 tops we can shove right through her.

Congrats man!

[swampy]

Nice toy Greg, When you come down to Fl. in the spring bring it with and we'll throw one of them big ole cypress logs on there and cut a bunch of table slabs if you can run just the saw and not the splitter. ;) ;) :D :D Ed
   We may need to put a longer bar on it though. ;) ;)

[Skytramp]

Congradulations;
     Wow am I jealous,  after perusing one of my lumber checks today I am not sure but what I shouldn't following suit.
     I am with BeenThere, gotta see a clip.
Skytramp;

[Jeff]

Greg will go almost anywhere for the right deal.  Got a free manure spreader in Texas? He's THERE! (No Staples, I aint talking about you this time)

[Frank_Pender]

C5, that is a great new Christmas present.   I would sure hate to even get the thing dirty.   That red sure pretty.   Congratulations on the new tool. 8) 8)

[farmerdoug]

Jeff, with that processer Greg may be cutting up everything right to your place and then he will make you an offer on your mill that he will not let you refuse. :D :D

Farmerdoug

[Corley5]

Jeff's right.  If the price is right I'll go anywhere;)   The free manure spreader in TX though......  It is pretty and I am concerned about the paint ;)  There was some on the wood I ran through it today ;)  As soon as we get a day when the pavement is dry I'm gonna take it to the car wash and clean off the road grime and salt from its trip.  Don't want any rust ;D  I looked at the other ads today and none were under $60 and one was at $65 so I went with the 60 for this go round.

[OLD_ JD]

nice rig corley 8)
ure sure will like that...faster then smiley_chop
what size of chain it run 3\8 or 404  ???

[Coon]

Corley5--  What is the brand of the processor?  Looks like a sweet piece of equipment and should keep you busier than a beaver after you've blown its dam to pieces. :D :D  I got plenty of wood to push throught that thing but......  the price tag on something like that holds me back.  Gonna have to stick with my chainsaw and Case DC tractor with buzz saw. :-[

[Corley5]

It's a Blockbuster 14-12.  It uses 404 chain 

[Ernie]

So, I gather that you drop a log on the machine, what do you end up with, I've never seen anything like it.  got any pics of it in operation?

[Corley5]

Put logs on one end and cut and split firewood comes out the other.  Gonna take a video clip of it in operation to post here.  The company has four machines operating in New Zealand and they just loaded one into a container bound for Denmark 8)

[OLD_ JD]

i run on 404 chain too...it work great ;)

[Paschale]

Hey Corley, nice looking rig!   8)

[UNCLEBUCK]

That is awesome Corley , will it cut and split crooked hardwood limbs ? I notice in the pictures alot of tall straight trees , is that the kind of logs you will be putting through it?  What is a "face cord ?  Is there a website ? I really like it alot .

[Corley5]

http://www.blockbuster-inc.com/  I processed a couple crooked sticks and some top wood with it and it did OK.  The teeth on the chain need to get a get grip in a couple spots to pull the log ahead.  Long straight pieces do work best.  A face cord has a "face" = to 32 square feet  I.E. 4'X8'  The length of the pieces of wood is usually sixteen inches.

[UNCLEBUCK]

Well i know what a face cord is now , thanky !  ;D  I hope you have alot of fun this weekend with it . What a invention !

[Corley5]

OLD_JD what make is your processor or is it something you conjured up   What size type of engine is that ???  Got more pics ???  Table slabs with a firewood processor hhmmmm...  Bar's way too short and them big old heavy cypress would probably be the end of the poor little machine ;) ;D ;D but I'm sure it could be made to work ;) ;D 8) 8)

[OneWithWood]

Congrats, Corly.  Making firewood just got more fun!

[OLD_ JD]

Corly,that a super beaver processor made in B.C. ..run whir a 4 cyl ford diesel engine 192 cubic inch....can take up to 20' long log and saw bar is 26" long ;).Cutting big hard maple of that size in about 1 inch/per sec...processe about 4-5 corde per hour...not bad for a old rig ;D ;D  :D :D

[Corley5]

 

Corly,that a super beaver processor made in B.C. ..run whir a 4 cyl ford diesel engine 192 cubic inch....can take up to 20' long log and saw bar is 26" long ;).Cutting big hard maple of that size in about 1 inch/per sec...processe about 4-5 corde per hour...not bad for a old rig ;D ;D :D :D

8) 8)  Sounds like quite a machine 8) 8)  Shouldn't lack for power  eh?

[SwampDonkey]

I was out driving with the folks awhile back and stopped by the house of my firewood cutters. Didn't know I was gonna end up there, well....no camera. It can take some pretty small tops. It was all hydrolic and I didn't take note of the engine. He told us it was a $75,000 machine by the time he got it home from the states. 

[OLD_ JD]

 ;D ;D :D.....funny  eh?....i pay only $3,000 for mine ( in can foud  ;D) :D :D

[SwampDonkey]

I here ya JD. I'de be thinking long and hard about spending $75,000 , especially if I had to buy stumpage to keep it fed. That's just insane.

[OLD_ JD]

if so...you realy have to go in VERY large volume ;)
i know pep's who buy per truck load..they work whit two 10 weeler's  full time to make a living...processe about 8,000 corde per year's

[SwampDonkey]

These guys do 400-500 cord per year and are also loggers. I agree JD, I can't justify the cost. It don't add up.  There are some people that like to go lavish, when a 'less lavish' model will do just fine. :

[Captain]

Now Corley, that's just way too cool!!  Looking forward to more reports!!

CAPTAIN

[Norm]

Cool new toy Corley! I'm looking forward to the action shots.

[Corley5]

I took more pics but something malfunctioned and this was the only one I was able to retrieve.  I cut enough to fill the order for a single face cord today.  Worked great, way less work and much more fun than using a chainsaw.  It took me longer than expected to get everything around and setup.  Winter sucks!!!  But once it was all in place it was like clock work.  Gotta reposition the elevator a bit and add an old mudflap at the bottom to keep wood from rolling to far down and jamming and still gotta put the tire chains on the H but otherwise it's  8) 8)  Replacing the clutch in the forklift so I can use it for handling logs will make things easier also. 

[UNCLEBUCK]

I was wondering how you did today with your new firewood processor and it looks like you did good. I see the open flight elevator that takes the firewood over and dumps it into the customers trailer .   How do you know when you have done a cord or a face cord if it gets dumped into a trailer?  My mind is just a buzzin looking at how nice of a set up this is . I have a old 65 pull type jd combine that I think I might de-capitate someday because I have never seen anything like this .  Were you nervous cutting and running all the levers or did ya take to it right away?

[Corley5]

I go by 180 cubic feet of "thrown" wood equals 128 cubic feet of stacked wood.  The trailer holds just over 2.5 16" face cords when full.  The folks today got their moneys worth.  I was having fun cutting wood and didn't want to stop 8)  I always tell people if the wood doesn't stack up to what they paid for to call me and I'll bring them more.  Nobody's called 8)  The machine has five levers.  One for the splitter, one for the saw and clamp, one for the log trough, one for the log deck and another to adjust the height of the splitting wedge.  Not too bad to keep track of although I do forget to return the ram on occasion and have pulled the splitter lever thinking it was for the saw and clamp.  Still on the learning curve ;D ;D

[UNCLEBUCK]

Well that is a bunch of levers isnt it . I hope you keep showing action pictures of this machine . I like it ! Be careful and I hope you get to cut firewood every day !  8)

[Corley5]

I had one curious individual stop today to see what was up.  He's an old pulp wood cutter from WAY back ;) ;D ;D 8)  He was pretty impressed but didn't figure he'd like standing out in the cold running it.  At least with a chainsaw you stay warm ;D ;D  I'm thinking I should move the operation behind the barn so no one else gets any ideas about buying one

[farmerdoug]

So Greg, how is the wood splitter working?  Has it wore you out yet? ;)  Let us know what your opinion is now that you have a few cords through it.

Farmerdoug

[Corley5]

I've ran 22.5 face cords through it and it beats the heck out of a chainsaw and a splitter. 8) 8) 8) 8)  No real complaints about the machine thus far.  Crooked sticks will cause a bit of frustration at times but nothing a little patience and a cant hook won't fix.  Bigger pieces, 15"+, with knots need to have the knot rolled to the top before splitting otherwise it'll spring the sides next to the wedge when the block spreads apart.  I can process a 2.5 face cord load in around an hour with Dad running the tractor to keep the live deck full.  By myself it takes a bit longer.  My old elevator threw a bearing today >:(.  Gotta get that fixed before I can do anymore.      I've got orders for 10.5 more cords and the shopper papers came out today so I'm expecting more calls.  It was pretty crazy for couple days last week taking orders and keeping them straight, and processing and delivering.  I ordered some more wood Thursday and was able to get ten cord of dry maple for sure and there may be another ten and there's a state thinning going on just down the road that I'm going to be able to get some green wood from on special because it's so close 8) 8)  I'm off and running ;D ;D ;D  I may have created a monster.  I hope ;) 8) 8) 8)

[farmerdoug]

Sounds like the MDNR may have lost you.  Our Gov sure put a hurt on the dnr staff here too.  They are going from 8 to 3.

Glad to hear you are working so hard.

Farmerdoug

[Corley5]

Sounds like the MDNR may have lost you.  Our Gov sure put a hurt on the dnr staff here too.  They are going from 8 to 3.
Farmerdoug

The sad part about it is that is just what they want.  Get rid of us so they can hire people at 7.50 an hour for 719 hours, no unemployment that way, no bennies and have them do what we do. >:( >:( : :.  We were hired because they couldn't keep good people around for those wages.  How fast they forget :   

[farmerdoug]

Government is what causes history to repeat itself over and over. :

Farmerdoug

[Corley5]

I just tallied my firewood production as of this evening and it's right at 80 16" face cords 8) 8)  I let my ads lapse week because I was getting low on wood and what I had wasn't as seasoned as it should have been.  I had one complaint and quit selling it.  I checked with the other customers I sold some of it to and they were happy.  The retired Catholic school teachers (nuns) were more than happy with it and said that the guy that complained must not know how to burn wood ;) ;D   He did say that he had a real good stove and the wood just sizzled.  Didn't bother to tell him to give it some air.  I did tell him I had different wood coming that was drier and offered to take him a face cord free of charge and he told me not to bother if it wasn't any drier than what he'd already gotten.  I guess he's not getting anymore :  I was by his place today and there was smoke coming out of his chimney so he must be getting along with it ;D  One observation that I've made is most people don't know what a cord (face cord or standard) is and have been taken advantage of.  When I deliver a two cord load I quite often have the buyer tell me they've never gotten that much wood before : ;D 8)  I backed into one guys drive with a load and he came out and looked in the trailer and asked "So how mucha that goes here ???"  "All of it" was my reply ;D  "Oh, OK That'll last us a couple years" he replied.  At another place they wanted a single cord but I told them it was gonna cost them more so they ordered two.  When I got there they had a SMALL blue tarp laid out between a couple trees beside the garage where I was supposed to throw it off :  I'd told the guy that it was coming in dump trailer and asked about access etc and was assured that it wasn't problem.  He of course wasn't there which I think was planned so I had to deal with her.  The driveway was a semi circle that was downhill on both ends, there were scarred trees at both ends because it was so narrow and 5 inches of wet snow to boot.  After much discussion with her I convinced her to let me dump it where they'd been pushing snow but she only wanted me to dump one face cord : :  I explained to her that I couldn't just dump one and they'd ordered two and it was a long trip for only one anyway.  The compromise came in the end I dumped about 1.25 cords and charged her for 1.5 but then the weight was all on the back of the trailer and it took some effort to get out of the driveway.  I thought I was gonna have to throw the remaining wood back to the front of the trailer to put the weight back on the truck but I made it out after roughing up the ice and snow in front of the tires.  She was still very pleasant as 98% of the people I've dealt withhave been thus far.  The only time I felt that I was taken advantage of was when I dumped the load and was informed that I'd quoted them the price to include stacking.  She didn't speak real good English or wanted me to think that and had, I feel, used that to her advantage : :( She's the one that told me that someone else had called back and would deliver and stack for $50.00 a cord.  I told her they'd better buy from him next time ;)  I agreed to stack it.  It was the only way I was gonna get paid, but her old fat husband had to help me.  I just about worked him to his end and it was only 1 face cord ;D ;) 8)  It only took an extra 15 minutes but just the same that wasn't the deal I'd made.  Chalked that one up as learning experience ;) ;D  Most people have the money in hand as soon you get there.   I've only had the one bad check and I got my money anyway, most people pay in cash 8) 8) 8) 8)  A lot of what I've sold is destined for fireplaces.  I've had different customers tell me they don't burn wood for heat they burn it because they like to watch the fire 8) 8)  I'm enjoying myself thus far.  Expenses are high for 100", and fuel for the machines and truck but it's still worthwhile and I'm working for myself not someone educated beyond their intelligence.  As soon as spring breaks I'm going to start producing my own wood to process and sell green and to stockpile for next winter.  I'd like to go into next years heating season with 120+ pulp cords in the yard 8) 


Here's Mark Everingham of Everingham Enterprises of Afton Mi unloading the second of two loads for the day.  The wood came from a new homesite and is mixed sugar maple, beech and ash.  It isn't quarantined ash ;)  Mark's a good operator.  The site was less than ideal and not plowed as well as the owner said he'd have it but we got in and out twice with about 15 cords total.  The truck is Western Star and he normally pulls a pup but left it at the shop for this job ;)  Payment for the wood is a portion processed into firewood and three black cherry logs cut into 1X.  Works for me.


Bob Lashuay delivering  the last of three  three cord loads today.  Quite a difference between the two trucks  eh?  ;D  I just happened to drive by this pile of wood last week that had been cut for several months and after a couple attempts caught up with him Thursday.  He started delivering Friday.  He's got four stakes on the back of the dump bed.  Two are wood two are steel.  Since by law you can't use wooden stakes.  He pulls the steel stakes as they don't touch the load and cuts the wooden ones with a chainsaw and jumps back  ;D  Then tips the bed.  Another operator used the same system around here years ago.  It wooks


My log yard as of this evening.  There's 35+- cords and I've got another supplier bringing in another ten.  That should get me through the winter ???  Mark also told me he may be able to get another load (10cord) of stained dry maple saw bolts






I checked the hours on the engine tonight and there's 51.7 on it.  I guess it's broken in   I changed the oil and filter at 20 hours per Honda's recommendation.  No problems at all with machine just me :  I had one big log with an even bigger knot coming ahead on the chain and just as it got to guard over the saw it rolled and the knot caught the guard beding it before I could get it stopped :(  Not a big deal to take it apart and straighten it but just them same.  I also spread one of the sides next to the splitting wedge.  A buddy stopped and I was talking and operating at the same time and a piece got a little sideways : :.  Some people shouldn't talk and operate at the same time


Of course the Logrite 30" cant hook and matching hookaroon have become indispensible parts of the operation.  The canthook is much handier than the 48" wooden handled one I've got and the hookaroon is great to straighten out the log piles and level off the wood in the trailer.

[Paul_H]

Good write up Greg I'm glad to see it's all coming together for you with the processor.Nice Farm too!

[Fla._Deadheader]

Sure looks great, Greg.  Beats Hammer and Wedges and Mauls, EH ???

[Tom]

Go gett'em Chief!   You make seem almost fun.   It's hard for a customer to complain when you "nice'em" to death, eh?   Keep a little book so you know when they talk to you next time.  To some folks, that "use you up" attitude is a lifestyle.

[SwampDonkey]

Wow, that's quite a bunch of firewood processed. I was reading and grinning over all your adventures with the buyers and suppliers.  ;D   8)

[Captain]

Jeez, Corley.  This thread just came back to the top...and I'm trying to hide it from my wife.  She is the firewood processor now  ;D  and would want one of these contraptions in a heartbeat....congrats and it is looking good.  Seriously, keep up the reports.

Captain

[Norm]

Thanks for the great write up and pictures Greg.

[Coon]

Sounds like you have upped your production since you got the machine.  I would love one of em but..... the $$$ is hard to come by.  Keep up the good work.  Remeber you just can satisfy all customers no matter how hard you try.  Next time one of b***h's about it tell them to go cut their own and haul it home, somebody else would be more than happy to buy it.  Keep that lil black book at hand and doulble the price for them the next time they call.
Brad.

[OLD_ JD]

way to go Corley5 ;) 8)...sound like u having good time 8) ;)

[Corley5]

Thanks guys 8)  I am having a good time and that's the best part ;D ;D ;D ;D  Every load delivered is an adventure.  I've been doing some more figuring today both in my head and on paper and the outlook for the operation isn't bad 8)   Buying the logs to feed it is profitable but costly.  I need to move a larger volume to make more $$$$$$$ but it's hard to be cost competive when you're paying 65-70 dollars a cord trucked in especially with fuel costs and there's always one guy........  The last couple weeks I've been the only one in the Gaylord shopper papers 8) 8).  This week I'm the only ad in one but the other has two other ads one for the same price as mine and the other @ 45 bucks a face cord delivered in Otsego County : : : :  What an idiot ;)  He's fifteen bucks less than the rest of us and could get $55 just as easy as 45.  I'm sure he's doing it with a chainsaw and a pick up and man!! that's a lot of work for not much money.  He'll sell out quick ;D if he can keep up ;) and there's a bunch of heating season left here ;D   March'll be good ;D  I quit wasting my money advertising in Petoskey's papers as there were five other ads advertising the same thing at the same price as me.  In the latest edition one of them dropped to $55.00.  Wonder who's selling wood over there this week ???   I'm still the only ad in the Cheboygan papers.  By harvesting my own wood from the farms I can be MUCH more competive.  Depending on demand this summer I'll see how it figures out.  Is it more productive to produce the firewood logs myself or would that time be better spent processing purchased wood ???  My plan as it is now is to cut our own properly managed wood to pay for machine.  After that is accomplished and my market is better established I'll go back to buying pulp wood.
  One wish I have is for a regular firewood conveyor.  The old hay elevator is working but it really isn't made for firewood ;) and can be a PITA at the worst times >:( ;)  I've got a lead on an old coal elevator that looks like it would work better but is a bit narrow.  If it was setup inline with processor I think it'd be alright.  I also know of several more old hay elevators around the country ;).  I can buy a bunch of old hay elevators for the cost of a new or even used one built for firewood.  There is also a LOT scrap from the operation.  The .404 X .080 chain makes big piles of sawdust pretty quick, and there's always lots of slivers, splinters, bark etc.. to shovel out from underneath the machine.  After the Big Rush it was easier to pull the machine ahead and use the loader bucket to scoop up the pile.  There were several buckets ;D   
  I've got tenative plans to do some bundle wood for some of the local stores but that won't be til next year and with a State Forest Campground just down the road a few piles of dry firewood in the yard with a sign should do good ;).  The State Parks also let bids for firewood supplies.  I'm investigating that market as we speak   Ya, I'm having a good time.  Especially doing what I want and acting on my own ideas rather than acting out someone else's.         

[DoubleD]

Corley that's a really nice processor, I really like those american style firewwod processor. I see in the pic a lot of wood in your yard  You could have a lot of fun 8) 8) 8)

[Corley5]

Had another 10 cords come in tonight.  This batch is 90% sugar maple and appears to be nice and dry 8) 8) 8)  Jaroche Bros supplied this load.  It came out of Mike's personal stash 8) 8)  This should get me through the season especially since we're headed south for a bit in few days;) and provide lots more fun.  The wood and the trip ;) ;D  I've got orders for 9.5 face cords currently and some guys who are doing a winter camping excursion in the Pigeon River SF may pick up a cord Friday.  Don't understand why you'd want to camp in the winter but if that's what you're into and you buy firewood from me  8) .  I don't like horses either but like people buying hay from me to feed them ;).  I looked into the Scandinavian processors namely the Hakki Pete and they seemed like a good machine but I just wasn't sure.  The price was comparable between the Block Buster and the Hakki 1X Easy.  I was talking to Jerry from Block Buster a few days ago and he said they've sent 2 18-22 processors to Denmark to a guy who was former dealer for Hakki ;)  

[DoubleD]

 I was talking to Jerry from Block Buster a few days ago and he said they've sent 2 18-22 processors to Denmark to a guy who was former dealer for Hakki ;)

Thank you for the advice one of this Block Buster is on my wish list ;D  8) ;D 8)

[Weekend_Sawyer]

When I sold Firewood I kept a book with coustomers Name, Phone, Address, A tick mark for each cord they bought and an X if I would not sell to them again.

I have to write everything down. The first page of my book had my notes to the buyers.
Went something like this.

I sell only TRUE half or full cords. Price.

I deliver and dump where I can get my truck.

I don not stack.

My wood is all hardwood, seasoned and split to 18" unless otherwise requested.

Every now and then someone would want to argue about stacking or price and I would show them the first page of my book.  Like you said earlier, a lot of times the coustomer would be surprized about the amount of wood saying "We only got half that from the last guy." and I would inform them that they had been took.

I only advertized for the first 2 years, after that it was all word of mouth.
I still enjoy cutting and splitting wood but I don't do it for profit anymore.

Good luck, looks like a great machine.
Jon

[Corley5]

I delivered 2 face cords yesterday and the guy was really pleased with the wood and the amount of it 8)  He then proceeded to tell me about the last bunch of wood they bought.  It was six cords of wood that was so damp it wouldn't burn so he left it stacked to dry to burn this season.  Once dry it burned up fast.  He had a little bit left and it was nice dry basswood ;D  I've got a delivery tomorrow and the woman was very concerned about the size of the cord.  I told her it was a stack 4' high X 8' long of wood 16"s in length, that she'd get enough wood to make two of those stacks and if it stacked up to less to let me know and I'd make it up.  She then told me that the last wood they bought came in two single cord loads from the same guy and the "cords" were different sizes.  The 2nd one was much smaller :(

[UNCLEBUCK]

When I would drive across the u.p. in the winter I always liked to crack the window a hair and smell the woodsmoke coming out of peoples homes . Pine was the best smelling . Everyone seemed to have a woodpile somewhere near their homes. Get over my direction and it is not as common as its all farm fields . Glad to hear your wood chopper is working good for ya Corley .  My dad is burning basswood right now and it works but a cold arctic snap I heard is a few weeks away so I guess it will be time to get some ash scrounged up.  Be careful so you dont get your boot laces caught in that monster !

[crtreedude]

When we were first married (like more than 20 years ago) we heated with wood. This was in Ithaca NY. I used to put up 8 full cords a year. I really prefered a mix. Most of it was oak, maple and ash - but I always liked to have some lighter stuff for getting the fire going quick and to take the chill of the house in the spring and fall.

I really did enjoy cutting wood and such. A local man had 200 acres of forest, and he had people come in and just drop trees to improve the lot - as long as I shared wood with him I cut, there was no problem. We would go up there and camp for the weekends while I cut. He had a nice bass pond too.

It is interesting - but in my software job, there were many many experiences that I had that I can vaguely recall - but those times working out in the woods are very clear to me.

8 full cords of wood was something like 3 small pickup truck full if I remember correctly. That was a lot of wood!

[SwampDonkey]

They was the smallest cords of wood I ever heard tell of. :D :D

[Murf]

I think I like Fred's definition of a "pickup truck" if he can get 8 cords of wood in 3 loads.

Dat sounds like a real truck, da kinda ting dat would make Tim Taylor proud.  :D