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OWB vs wood stove

Started by Alcranb, January 11, 2014, 02:06:37 PM

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SwampDonkey

Well, I'd have no idea about their knowledge of installation or operation or who even installed them. There's a lot of Do-it-yourself kind of stuff that goes on around here. Learning takes better when serious mistakes are made. :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)))

doctorb

Quote from: thecfarm on January 13, 2014, 06:53:25 PM
Just to be clear my is cords. I almost think that face cord is like grits. More of a southern thing. I never heard of a face cord until I heard it on here.

In southern Ontario, all of the wood we have purchased for our Spring and Fall cabin use the last 25+ years has been face cords, though they often call it a "cord".  They're not trying to jip ya', it's just the way they have always done it.  Nice folks, too.
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."

thecfarm

How about if I say cords is a Yankee thing?   :D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

SwampDonkey

Face cords is not unheard of up here. But if they say it's a cord for sale it has to be 128 ft3 or it can be reported to weights and measures Canada. I know of a few people that don't know what a cord is, and were sold face cords as being full cords. Got ripped off, they did.
"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

A cord has been around long before a yankee .I think it goes back to merry olde England before they jumped ship and went metric .
Aha found it--
Using the word as a unit of measurement, "cord" is traced back to the 1610s when wood was sold in bundles tied with a, you guessed it, cord. Today, it is well recognized that a cord of firewood must take up 128 cubic feet, traditionally in a stack 8′ x 4′ x 4′. As with other units of measurement, the size of a cord of wood is typically regulated, either by a state or national government.




doctorb

SD-

Because we are not at the cabin full time, even in ther warmer months, we have a local neighbor that helps us "keep an eye" on it.  He also is our connection to get some gravel down on the driveway, let in a contractor to do some work, and, yes, he's the one that usually calls when we need more wood.  So I don't know the exact verbiage used, and maybe it's he who is mis-speaking, but he says he'll order us another cord, and a face cord gets dumped.   :D  The price is not full cord price, but appropriate for a face cord.
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."

Dusty Rhodes

To the OP.  I have an OWB.  Heat a 2000 SF house and use 8 cord of wood per year. That is 8 full cords. (4 *4* 8 ) of good seasoned hardwood.  Our climate gets moderately cold in the winter. I am in Central PA.  I also have a loop that runs a forced air hot water heater in my garage that I use occasionally during the winter and my OWB supplies my domestic hot water in the winter time. Compared to using over 1000 gals. of fuel oil to heat the house my payback on the OWB was at most 3 years.  I am on year number 5 with the OWB and love it. The tradeoff is the cutting, splitting and stacking the firewood.  Not to mention going out to feed the unit twice a day during the winter.  I burn it from the beginning of November to about the 1st or 2nd week in April.  I enjoy getting the firewood and have free access to it so that is not a big issue for me.  Rather save the $3000 plus a year on the oil savings.  I will add that my system is hot water baseboard heat so if my wife did not know better she would never be able to tell the heat was from wood and not from oil. I have never owned an indoor wood boiler so do not know the difference in wood consumption vs OWB.   

r.man

There is nothing wrong with dealing in face cords but the length of the wood needs to be specified. As long as the seller is upfront about it there are no hard feelings. Most of the time shorter lengths are more expensive because of the increased cutting to process a bush cord of wood. Where is your cottage Doc?
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

doctorb

r.man - On the Rideau Canal, Near Westport.  And yes, you're right about the length.  The vast majority of our wood is 16".

Dusty -  My wife loves the real hot DHW.  She knows when the OWB is all fired up!.
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."

SwampDonkey

Actually the legislation says cord or fraction of cord is to be used. The most common length of firewood up here is 16", and usually 3 ranks to the full cord. Or 3 face cord. Thus, your getting a 1/3 of a cord from most face cords. When your getting 20" wood and the seller figures it's close enough to 24" for two face cord for one full cord, the buyer is not getting 1/2 a cord per face. Reminds me of the old days of cutting 4' pulp, the mills wanted an extra 4" for free beyond the 4 feet. It's pulp, not lumber. ;)
"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)))

r.man

I think that the majority of misunderstandings about wood volume comes from people shortening everything to the minimum. In the case of firewood though face cord very often becomes cord and bush cord becomes cord as well. Personally I tend to say face and bush and hopefully people know I am talking about firewood.
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

WmFritz

Quote from: r.man on January 13, 2014, 09:41:55 PM
In the case of firewood though face cord very often becomes cord and bush cord becomes cord as well. Personally I tend to say face and bush and hopefully people know I am talking about firewood.

I do now. I never heard the term bush cord before. I tend to say face or full.

When people talk about the number of cords to heat their home, my mind automatically thinks bush cords. If they're buying campfire wood, I think they may be talking about faces.

There's so much diversity from members living all around the globe. One of the things I enjoy is trying to decypher how words get used, with a meaning unfamiliar to me. It took me awhile to figure out  hydro means electricity in Canadian.  :D :D  Somebody was talking about sawing up hydro poles and I couldn't fathom what they is talking about.  ;D
~Bill

2012 Homebuilt Bandmill
1959 Detroit built Ferguson TO35

SwampDonkey

What'cha use hydro for in MI? Fish ponds? ;) ;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)))

AnthonyW

Quote from: thecfarm on January 13, 2014, 06:53:25 PM
Just to be clear my is cords. I almost think that face cord is like grits. More of a southern thing. I never heard of a face cord until I heard it on here.

I don't think so. Mostly I hear of half and full cords especially in the rural areas. Once I get in town, it seems that people with fireplaces buy face chords. A single stack of 16" pieces 4' high and 8' long.
'97 Wood-Mizer LT25 All Manual with 15HP Kohler

r.man

Hey Fritz do you know what a toque is? It is not firewood related and is pronounced " tuke " .
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

LeeB

In my neck of the woods 16" x 4' x 8' is called a rick. I always thought a face cord was the same thing as a rick, three of them to a cord.
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

AnthonyW

Quote from: LeeB on January 14, 2014, 08:34:26 AM
In my neck of the woods 16" x 4' x 8' is called a rick. I always thought a face cord was the same thing as a rick, three of them to a cord.

Hadn't heard of a rick, but you would be correct.
'97 Wood-Mizer LT25 All Manual with 15HP Kohler

Rockn H

LeeB, we're pretty close to same place, here a rick was half a cord.   When everyone had older fireplaces and wood stoves that would take a 24" piece of wood, that's what you got.  A stack of wood that was 4'x8'x24".   Then folks started needing 16" wood so they got 4'x8'x16", and it was still called a rick.  Somewhere along the way some people started complaining that it wasn't a full rick.  I remember the first time I heard the term "face cord".  I was in the parts store, listening to one of the company foresters that also sold firewood.   A new forester, straight out of college, was upset because this forester had sold his mother a 4'x8' rick that was only 16" and that wasn't a "full rick".   One of the other "coffee pot" patrons mentioned that he should just call a 16" rick a face cord.   I hardly ever hear the term rick anymore.  It's a face cord now.

LeeB

'course I don't think anybody around the house ever actually measures it. It's usually just a long bed pick up load.
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

petefrom bearswamp

A cord of wood contains 128 cubic feet of wood AND air.
depends entirely on the stacking.
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

WmFritz

Quote from: SwampDonkey on January 14, 2014, 03:28:57 AM
What'cha use hydro for in MI? Fish ponds? ;) ;D

SD- yup... fishponds and floating our boats.  :D
~Bill

2012 Homebuilt Bandmill
1959 Detroit built Ferguson TO35

WmFritz

Quote from: r.man on January 14, 2014, 08:33:34 AM
Hey Fritz do you know what a toque is? It is not firewood related and is pronounced " tuke " .

:D :D  got my thinking toque on!  smiley_dunce
    ( big fan of Bob & Doug McKenzie) eh?
~Bill

2012 Homebuilt Bandmill
1959 Detroit built Ferguson TO35

beenthere

Quote from: LeeB on January 14, 2014, 08:34:26 AM
In my neck of the woods 16" x 4' x 8' is called a rick. I always thought a face cord was the same thing as a rick, three of them to a cord.

I believe "rick" is another term that has a "local" floating definition these days and no "standard" other than what might be popular at the time and locality.
Years back, rick was the term used when wood cutters in the south cut 4' wood and stacked it by hand. When measured, the rick was the face measurement of the stack of 4' wood and a 4'x4' face area of 16 sq.ft. was a rick.

Obvious why the state commerce people came up with the standard definition of a cord and didn't venture into a standard for a rick, face, etc. So best to add some type of modifier to the name "cord" if not the standard unit (or leave it up to someone's guesstimate as to what it is). :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

SwampDonkey

The neighbors were hauling some more green wood in today off the stump. Raining to, so it's good and wet, best kind. :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)))

Don_Papenburg

Then they don't have to run the humidifier
Frick saw mill  '58   820 John Deere power. Diamond T trucks

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