Firewood season

[r.man]

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]

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]

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]

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

[uplander]

 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]

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]

 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]

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]

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]

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]

Firewood season.....

...Another opportunity to build and evaluate machinery.



 



 



 

[beenthere]

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

[r.man]

All that just to crush one can.

[glassman_48]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

I bumped my price 5 bucks per face cord.

[Ken]

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]

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

[OldMeridianMaples]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[WVhunter]

I have about 4 cord cut and stacked, still a lot more to do. Getting hot here fast.

[thecfarm]

WVhunter,welcome to the forum. Starting to get warm here too.

[bigbuckhughes]

What is a gasser?  I have an outdoor burner and went through about 10 cord last winter.  Have about 20 cord stacked and split and ready to go for the coming season.  Can't be screwing with my bow hunting this fall and I hate working in the heat, so turned on the jets as soon as I could get into the woods this last spring.

[bigbuckhughes]

Me again.  What is a processor??

[beenthere]

bbhughes
Gasser refers to a wood burner that is set up to convert wood to gas that is ignited usually in a second chamber for more heat energy from the wood (rather than unburned gases going out the stack).
A processor (for firewood) usually refers to a machine that bucks logs, and splits the short lengths into firewood that is elevated to a pile or maybe right into a truck or trailer.

[r.man]

I suppose the full term would be " Gasification Wood Burner " and this type of wood burner has the added feature of also igniting and taking the heat from the burnable gases that are in the smoke that is given off when wood burns. This added heat that is gained should drop the volume of wood needed to heat the same space by 25 to 50 percent depending on who you ask. The downside is that unlike your regular OWB which will burn wood that is considered green the gasser does not perform well with wet wood and is generally finicky compared to a "normal" OWB.

[North River Energy]

Almost 'done'. 

The can is safe.

For the moment, at least...



 

[thecfarm]

Looks like a car motor? I see you tested it out. All went well,I hope?

[r.man]

I have to get back to cutting wood, work got busy and some honey-do stuff got done but the wood cutting stalled completely. I really need a lift on my splitter but I haven't had the time to build one so I may have to go old school with a ramp or a tractor or some other temporary method for this year. My target date was July 1st and I could still make it if I can get some time in this week end and maybe take a day next week. Too many things, too little energy although I was cutting my brothers grass last night at 9:30.

[North River Energy]

^
^That's a Saab V4 driving a backhoe pump.  Probably more motor than necessary, but a crime of convenience, if you will.
Have a few details to work out with the pump drive gear ratios and control systems, but otherwise seems to do what it's supposed to.

[r.man]

The big engines and pumps are nice for power and speed but not for gas usage if you are running them a lot. I have known two people to switch to modern small engine splitters and comment on how little fuel they use.

[North River Energy]

I'll have a better idea on fuel use v. production once I get the hour meter hooked up.
At the moment it's running with a set throttle position (probably 1200rpm) on account of no governor.
Also, the gearing needs to be changed to better balance the available horsepower and actual pump/valve flow capacity.
And the wedge will become adjustable 4-way.
Etc...

http://youtu.be/-ydM4TpAP8o

It's a little odd going from the auto-cycle valve on the processor to a double-detent.
http://youtu.be/xxZPCDCZmK4

[glassman_48]

bigbuckhughes,
welcome to the forum, I live in kalkaska, if your ever up this way I can show you my firewood processor. 

[r.man]

North, what are the tongs you are using in the second video.

[North River Energy]

Huskqvarna modified with a trigger. Better than a pocket on a shirt.  Almost as good as an opposable thumb.


 

[r.man]

Thanks for the picture, what purpose does the trigger serve compared to a non-modified set? I think whining time is over, I am going to get back to cutting wood this morning.

[North River Energy]

^
A gain in dexterity, in that the tongs can be held open with the one hand on approach to the block.  With practice, smaller blocks can be thrown, and if you have an easy means of holding the tongs open, either end can be used as a talon to flip or rearrange material with less effort.

Akin to a track-hoe with a hydraulic thumb v. one without.  Both are useful, but one is more useful than the the other.

Wouldn't want to do firewood without a set.

[r.man]

Thank you, very helpful and confirmed my guess.

[North River Energy]

Youbetcha.  Got saw chips stuck to your socks yet?

[r.man]

Yes, but not many. I am trying to cut for an hour in the morning before it gets hot but I am not going to make my date of July 1st for having it all done. Shouldn't miss by much so that is alright. Leaving in about five minutes. (I slept in)

[r.man]

Shouldn't have slept in, my wood pile goes to full sun on one end by 8:20. Had to move to the shady end to finish my shift or die from sun and sweat.