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How many cords burned so far, OWB

Started by Ohiowood, January 14, 2013, 08:35:11 PM

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Sonofman

Unfortunately I am one of the ones that is not counting the time till payback, as this OWB will never "payback". It does not get cold enough long enough here. My electric bill in the winter runs about $250. With the OWB online and heating DHW, that drops to about $50. So $200 at best for at best 4 months out of the year, but more like 2.5 or 3 in reality, it will take a while to pay back the original cost of install of my 4030 if it ever does. I figure I have 7 grand in the OWB and material, not counting labor.

If I count my labor, the labor of cutting wood, the cost of wear on my equipment, oil, and gas, it never does payback for me. However, I have made the committment to heat with wood, and this is what I need to do it properly. I have a fireplace insert, but my house is a fairly long and narrow ranch style. The heat never got to the back bedroom if it was below about 45 outside, and just created a cold draft in the rest of the house, cold low from returning air and warm up high from heated air going to the back of the house. Needless to say, with the OWB, my house is warm all over and draft free, and I do not miss the dirt and bugs staying outside where they belong.

I have decided to heat with wood, whatever comes. I had to replace my heatpump Christmas of 2011, so I have that cost I could factor in. I work for a major HVAC company, so I got a real good deal on a new package unit, this unit replaced the split that was here and was a about 22 years old. The new package unit just made it easier to mount the water coil, and gave my cats a new place to hang out in what passes for cold weather here.

I like the exercise I get cutting and hauling wood. I do not have a problem getting enough trees to cut, just having the time to get to it to cut it up can be difficult sometimes. I cut wood for an older family in my church as well, and he lets me use his Tahoe to pull my trailers.

I've used about a cord this year so far, and am still getting used to the new OWB, but my only regret is that I did not do this sooner.
Located due west of Due West.

JuniperBoss

I can cut a cord and haul it to the shed spending less than 12 dollars total. Including gas to haul, gas and oil to run the saw, oil for the bar, wear on the chain, wear on the truck (tires, oil, etc.), but this doesn't count the labor, which is a lot. Still, my labor is nothing to think about. Wood heating is a very cheap way to go. I must admit that I don't have a stove or burn wood at all, but I cut and sell and my cost to cut and haul are very little. It's a great way to go and I completely plan to have a wood stove in the future.
"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense." --- Thomas Edison

DDDfarmer

Adding up the piles that used to be in the woodshed it would be roughly 50 cords to date.  Yet that is heating a large 1940's farmhouse and a large 2000sq' duplex. Neither building insulated very well. 
Treefarmer C5C with cancar 20 (gearmatic 119) winch, Husky 562xp 576xp chainsaws

SwampDonkey

Insulation is far cheaper in the long run than burning extra wood. You shouldn't have to burn more than 16 cords for both buildings combined, and that's on forced air. I would be saving up for a remodeling.  Lordy, do some math. ;)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Logging logginglogging

I would die if i burned 16 cords...let alone 50... thats insaine.... I wouldnt have time to process 50 cords a year..

Logging logginglogging

what kind of stove is that and how often do you have to fill it?

SwampDonkey

My neighbor burns over 30 cord of green hardwood in his OWB and he also has a shed full of mill cut offs for the house on real cold mornings it seems. At least that's when I see them burn in the house stove, must not be putting out enough for the house on those days.  Or maybe they like it 100 degrees, who knows. A lot of wood anyway and it's all purchased wood.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

DDDfarmer

Stove is called the outhouse and can be filled 3 times on a -30/-40 day.  Main problem is that I can fill the stove before I go to work and then it can be allowed to burn out and cool down before I get home.  Then more wood has to be used to bring the temps back up.

Another thing is I dont have the same high BTU woods that most of you folks have.  Here is a list of what I have been burning in the order of most to least. 

Balm of guidion( not sure of the spelling), poplar,  spruce (white and black) ,  balsam, birch, tamarack

Insulation in the old farm house....  well according to my 92 year old grandfather its good enough and is better than what it used to be.  If you want to try debating with him go ahead. :D
Treefarmer C5C with cancar 20 (gearmatic 119) winch, Husky 562xp 576xp chainsaws

DDDfarmer

By this time next year I am hoping to be in the 8- 12 cord range.  Bought the house accross the road and planning on the walls to be built to R42 and the ceiling to be R60.
Treefarmer C5C with cancar 20 (gearmatic 119) winch, Husky 562xp 576xp chainsaws

SwampDonkey

I think the old man needs some convincing. Around here, when stuff needed done, it got done.  8) The last three days have been so mild that I've only tended a fire 3 times. With forced air, I have heat right away, no water to heat up. :)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Al_Smith

Wow that's a bunch  of wood all right . Makes sense though trying to heat a barn will low btu stuff it would take a lot especialy in the land of snow and ice .

petefrom bearswamp

My OWB is a 2005 classic 4436 which I load 2 times a day around 8AM and 5 PM.
I have my jacket temp ranging from 165 to 175, but it is sometimes higher and sometimes lower ranging at the time of loading from a low of 154 one morning to a high of 186 one evening.
I have just completed a non-scientific study over the last 8 days.
Outside temps have ranged from a low of 3 degrees F to a high of 45.3.
I weighed each charge on my UPS recommended scales.
I loaded a low of 6 pieces weighing 55 pounds to a high of 12 pieces weighing 113 pounds.
Total measured cordage on my Kubota RTV with 35" racks was .36 cds, weighing 1,423 pounds.
extrapolating this measurement from November 15th to the present yields 3.96 st cds used do far.
My wood measured from 18 to 22 percent moisture content., 99.9 percent Ash split and stacked outside for 1 year and in my woodshed 2 years.
I thought the MC might be lower.
I'm on my way to the woodshed for another load now.
Pete
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

bull

I burn about 5 cord for the entire year, indoor NewYorker boiler/forced hot water.......  takes about 12 hours to put up that wood..... I'm worth $30.00 per hour  ($360) I pay myself well....  I borrow the tractor,truck,and firewood processor from my buisness for 2 days *( Freebee)*...
Fuel cost ($75.00).....  my wood cost $ 87.00 per cord..............  my boiler cost $1400.00 brand new 8/10/1992 - to date that would be a $70.00 per year cost !!!   In 20+ years of burning wood I have KEPT over $25,900.00 in my own pocket *( not buying oil )*.... doing the figures using averages " w/ or w/o fuzzy math "!!
Feeding the furnace may take 2-5 minute 2x per day = 4 hrs ish per month @ $ 15. per hr  $60. per mo = $720. yr x 20 yrs $14400.00, Net return over 20 yrs for burning wood  11,500.00  after paying myself a laborers rate for keeping and maintaining furnace..  this was averaged over 12 months..... average burning season is 7 months....

doctorb

bull-

Thanks for the calculations.  I am curious how you can purchase wood at a rate of $87.00/cord.   Is that a face cord?  Man, that is very cheap wood!
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

beenthere

Drb
I read Bull as saying he makes his own wood and that is what it costs him.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

doctorb

OK, I'm a little slow.  Thanks, beenthere.  You would think that something that doesn't make sense to me would occasionally make me think of other explanations!
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

JuniperBoss

I used to sell for about that price. I'm up to a whopping 100$ now :D. But it certainly doesn't cost me 80$ to cut and haul a cord! No more than 20$ max. I'm lucky that way though and I don't really have to go anywhere to find trees to cut.
"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense." --- Thomas Edison

Al_Smith

I was getting 80 a cord in the late 70's .It's at about 140-150 now locally .So figuring  late 70's prices in 2013 it really hasn't escalated in price like gasoline and home heating oil .

bull

I start selling firewood in September and keep jacking up the price thru february !! todays price is $300.00 picked up and 350.00 delivered we only deliver in town !! We are a local company !!

JuniperBoss

Wow, you must conduct business in a very good area for people that are willing to pay a lot. You must sell very good hardwood too. I've heard of people paying $300 a cord for good dry and split hardwood delivered. I'm always kinda surprised when the big boys are selling and getting good business for $300 or more a cord and you still can see small guys selling for less than $200 :D. I guess that's the whole thing of reliability. People don't want a pickup truck and questionable cord measurements. Wet wood when dry is asked for really ticks them off. Anyway, sounds like you're making it pretty good and have a good reliable product.

My wood is all softwood and usually sold in rounds. I sell for too cheap but I am trying to win more business right now. Split and delivered I ask $140. Anyone else sell for that? Am I selling too cheap still? I'm fairly new so it would be good to know what others think.
"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense." --- Thomas Edison

SwampDonkey

The cities here get more for price to. But in the rural areas, folks have access to woodlots.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Al_Smith

You can see extremes .Back years ago we could get double if we wanted to haul to Columbus Ohio  rather than locally .

There is some clown locally who sells by the face cord and it fetchs 90 bucks per which is 270 a cord .People who buy it by the face usually just burn a fire on the week ends for the ambiance rather than the heat .

Without going into details as comparrison to the aura of a nice wood fire there isn't much romance in staring at the heat register from a heat pump .Now on that I might be old now but I was young once and have a pretty good memory . ;)

SwampDonkey

I think some people watch too much old movies and Lawrence Welk. In my memories, the heat of passion had nothing to do with a wood fire. In fact, the whole notion of fire building and fireside chat'n was skipped all together and more important things gotten right down to business. Sorry to pour water on the fireplace. :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Al_Smith

Okay Cassinova tell the rest of the story . :D

DaleK

I'm at about 4 cords in an Empyre 250, 2200 square foot house, 6 years old. My father has used about 10 cords in an unknown maker's 20 year old burner, 130 year old barely insulated 1200 square foot house. All wood we can't sell as firewood, mainly basswood, Manitoba maple and poplar.
Hud-Son Oscar 330
Wallenstein FX110
Echo chainsaws and a whole bunch of tractors

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