Firewood season

r.man · June 10, 2014, 10:12:54 PM

Firewood season can now begin, I have just run out of excuses. So far I have been too busy, true, and there was an undiagnosed problem with my Husquavarna 266. Turns out the 266 has a scored piston and a seized ring so for the time being it is shelved. Today I bought a used, slightly refurbished 2171 Jonsered and I couldn't be happier. It is bigger and stronger than the 266 and practically fell through the three test logs I cut up before dark. Nothing will make firewood cutting fun but this will go a long way to making it a faster torture.

doctorb · June 10, 2014, 10:23:29 PM

Right there with you. Putting up wood for the 2015-2016 winter, as I try to stay at least one year ahead. This was a cold winter. My stove worked well, but I burned more than usual. So it's out to the woodpile to clean up all those limbs/trees that came down in our early spring ice storm. We'll see how much I need to top off the firewood stacks after that.

r.man · June 10, 2014, 10:36:14 PM

I meant cutting wood for the upcoming year Doc, I would love to be a year ahead and it is what I am now aiming for but I expect it to take a couple of years before I get there. This year might be a bit of a problem since I am switching to a gasser but I am almost sure I can temporarily convert to standard burning if I need to and I am hoping to get my wood piled facing the south in one long pile before July 1st. With a bit of luck it should be dry enough for the gasser and that should save me wood which will put me closer to being a year ahead.

thecfarm · June 11, 2014, 07:53:49 AM

r.man,Sounds good.
By the way,switching to a gasser?? What kind? Good luck with it.

uplander · June 11, 2014, 09:49:21 AM

I am perhaps close to 2 years ahead at this point. I would like to get three years ahead. That would make me feel really good!
I hate cutting and splitting in the Indiana heat and humidity of summer time. I try to get most of it done as soon as the weather starts to break after winter, Some years I am more successful than others. ;D

I estimate that I burned 2 years worth of wood heating this past winter so if we have another one like we just had I am not going to be as far ahead as I thought.

We are heating with a fairly efficient indoor forced air wood furnace that I am fairly happy with.

Uplander

r.man · June 11, 2014, 12:46:09 PM

I am switching to a 4 yr old Empyre gasifier. It is bigger than I need but it was free and only needs some minor repairs. I need to get it swapped out with my old OWB but it will be a bit of a challenge since it is twice the weight at about 3800 lbs dry. I think most people burned more wood this past winter than the few previous ones but I hope with the gasser my wood use will drop some.

uplander · June 11, 2014, 02:43:35 PM

Is that Empire going inside? I'm not familiar with them. If it is, it sounds like you have your work cut out for you at 3800#s
Gasification does sound like the way to go and I bet you get the most btu's out of your wood compared to other methods.
I wish I had known what I know now when I purchased my system. I probably would have done things a little differently.

Uplander

lynde37avery · June 13, 2014, 01:05:46 AM

I love cutting and splitting firewood, nothing torture about it. but that's just me. I did 30+ cord last year for customers. this year looking over 50+ cord. no one bothers me when I cut/split and I make sweet cash $$$ from it. its peace for me.

r.man · June 13, 2014, 08:15:36 AM

Lynde, there is no reason for you to go on like this in todays world. There is professional help available, counselling and the such. The first and hardest step is admitting you have a problem and we will support you as much as we can.

jargo432 · June 13, 2014, 09:29:37 AM

I do my firewood cutting from Feb to April here in Texas for several reasons.

1. The grass is dead so easier bucking.
2. The trees are in their dormant stage so no leaves and drier wood.
3. Cooler weather. (no Texas heat to deal with)
4. Longer drying time for the wood. (about 10 months)

Once it starts getting hot here I'm in the wood shop or mowing.

North River Energy · June 13, 2014, 02:56:32 PM

Firewood season.....

...Another opportunity to build and evaluate machinery.

beenthere · June 13, 2014, 03:28:52 PM

I'd like to see a video of the big boy splitting wood. Any time soon?

r.man · June 13, 2014, 11:12:36 PM

All that just to crush one can.

glassman_48 · June 15, 2014, 06:54:19 PM

r.man,
Believe it or not, I did a pulp cord this morning (fathers day) and ran it over to my buddy who ran out last winter. He is a golfing buddy and has a bad ankle and back. He was so neat-o happy to get his first load. He did not like running out of wood last winter. I have a processor so its not nearly so hard for me all summer long I can run trailer loads of wood.

clww · June 15, 2014, 07:38:55 PM

Funny thing, as I just came inside and logged on the FF. I've been outside running my log splitter for the past hour. :D I guess it really has officially begun.

Corley5 · June 15, 2014, 07:41:00 PM

We've ran 200 face cords or so since the middle of May. There's another 60 on order but they don't want it until mid July.

Firewoodjoe · June 16, 2014, 10:09:57 AM

I'm about the same ball park Corley. If u don't mind saying did you raise your price this year. My supplier raised mine so I had to raise my end also.

DeerMeadowFarm · June 16, 2014, 11:51:45 AM

I'm trying to get a year ahead as well. Last year I burned a lot more than normal. Here's my father's day work. I did 2 loads like this. I'm up to about 10 cord split and stacked with a lot more to go!

Corley5 · June 16, 2014, 12:44:31 PM

I bumped my price 5 bucks per face cord.

Ken · June 16, 2014, 07:15:20 PM

The calls for firewood this year have been plentiful. Last years harsh winter combined with a shrinking amount of private sector loggers will lead to a shortage of firewood available this year. Several larger producers have called looking for tree length but I already have more orders than I can handle. Cut, split and delivered orders are also very strong. Will need to look at a firewood processor in the next couple of years. :P

r.man · June 16, 2014, 08:15:52 PM

Ken, when you say large producers do you mean people with processors and would that be the competition if you had a processor?

OldMeridianMaples · June 17, 2014, 07:55:16 AM

Between heating the house, the shop and cooking maple syrup we went thru a ton of wood last year. We almost have the wood shed full again and can get on to other fun things.

thecfarm · June 17, 2014, 08:56:21 AM

OldMeridianMaples,welcome to the forum. That looks like quite the set up you have there with the tractor and forwarding trailer. How many hp is that tractor?

OldMeridianMaples · June 17, 2014, 11:24:41 AM

It's a New Holland TC45, 45 horse. It's perfect for the trailer. Both are narrow enough to get into most places in the woods. The hitch on the tractor is a little low, I am going to have to engineer something to get it up a little higher.

Ken · June 17, 2014, 06:20:20 PM

Quote from: r.man on June 16, 2014, 08:15:52 PM
Ken, when you say large producers do you mean people with processors and would that be the competition if you had a processor?

Yes. As I see my basket of wood increasing dramatically over the next few years, due to nearly 20 years of silviculture work, the reliability of sourcing wood for my own processor should be a non-issue.