Wood Heat Thread ~ post pics

Was NOT cheap if you paid for it. The Vineyard is 75% woods. I had cleared for my 500' drive, house site, & then pasture, that covered 7+ yrs or so. I built a good covered wood rack. Add there was a lot of building...lot clearing, going on too. My construction co, was building a house a house kiddie corner to my place 1990s. Boss said to crew, come cut(were a few using wood 1990s). Nobody did. Finally, he had to PAY the crew to cut the trees down. The closest place to haul? My place!!!! Nice 4' lengths!! Never paid for heat for 15+ yrs.

 

I've only bought wood for one year since moving to my homestead. I was laid up with back problems from building a log shop without a loader tractor. 35 years of cutting on my own property...4-5 cords per year. I can't keep up with the growth put on by everything (85 acres of mixed hardwoods). No way I'd have some0ne cut on my place...too much mess left behind by high-grading loggers (i've seen the results).

 

You are so right. I did cutting down of the trees on my 1st place. As I knew what I wanted left, what could come down later, etc. The place I bought here WAS TRASHED as you said. Only 5 acres, but, I'm still, after 9 years cleaning up the mess. Many single 100+' trees left standing alone, 1/4 had snapped off tops already, I took 65+ down so far, more to go.

 

My wife's parents were away at a funeral (California, we're in Ontario Canada), and the "loggers" came and said that they had permission (did) and proceeded to high grade Hemlock and whatever else they could snatch. Tops untouched...you couldn't walk in the woods for 20 years afterwards. Bastards! The kids were teenagers, runing the dairy op on their own and going to school too. Pops was upset, but hadn't prepared the kids for what was supposed to happen. Live and learn.

My first and only logger experience here was sad. Local almost welfare case with a tractor and truck. The 3/4 mile trail was trashed...soft, not frozen, truck to the hubs with the tractor pulling it along. I could drive a Corolla down the trail in the summer, the first summer. There's still ruts he left behind 35 years later. I have to time my extraction for September/October, the only months I can get my JD 1830 down the trails without getting stuck.

 

Looks like a rattle snake rattle

 

Picked up a bed full of oak chunks that the town road crew left on the side of the road . Once split probably enough for a weeks worth of firewood next year !

 

I can finally join this thread..Almost. I'm building a house and they just installed my wood stove earlier this week. Blaze King Boxer 24. Probably won't do the inaugural burn in till next winter but it's something to look forward to.

 

It's only February; plenty of winter left to go yet. Besides, if you do the inaugural burn sooner rather than later, you'll know it's all good to go for next season.

 

Very true. I'm still about a month away from moving in but I could always fire it up as I'm working on the place.

 

Be ready to open windows for the first burn. Paint vapours, machine oil or whatever, really stinky and smokey!

 

Which, frankly, is another good reason to do the initial burn before you move in, lol.

 

A little homemade hack that has worked well for me.

No matter how well designed or used you will get smoke and dust inside the home if you burn wood. Last winter I tried sitting a simple cheap box fan near the wood stove with one of my home air filters sitting behind it. Works great, and virtually no cost. The air is much cleaner and with the fan positioned just right it helps move the warm air into the rest of the house.




About time for a new filter.

 

Thought I’d add my little guy going in my camper. It’s a Cubic Mini, about a 3-4 hour burn time. Can’t think of anything cooler to have during a rainy day at camp. Learning a lot and making sure I have all the clearances, heat shields, and flue length correct.

 

I have a temperature controlled duct system rigged up for mine, but I use a filter as well. I usually change it a couple of times a winter because it gets nasty looking.

 

Here’s our little unit. It’s not a primary heat source and has a small fire box, but it heats out 1000sqft home quickly when we do use it. It’s a guillotine glass opening, sides also open for easy cleaning.






I think this was our first burn. We’ve had it for 2 seasons now, burn about 1/4 cord a season.

 

How does the glass raise and lower?

 

Most of them are counterweighted with the cables, pulleys, and weights hidden in the surround. There's a grab handle at the lower front of the glass, and you just have to lift it. Similar to an old counterweight window.

 

That looks really close to the back walls. Combustable walls?

(Not inexpensive) We use Vornado fans, and 2 Vornado 2 stage filters. 24/7 they exceed the 5 year warranty periods.

 

Not too close apparently. Fits right in with the manufactures specs. It only needs 2.5" of clearance on the sides too.

 

Wow.