Any Gen-X’ers heating with wood?

[fiasco]

Born during the 1973 oil embargo. Raised in a house that burned several cords of wood a winter to keep the oil bills down. Now I keep an old Vigilant going as a member of the "up from 65" club, but when things like the 2008 ice storm and the Halloween 30" snow dump take power down for a week, I'm warm even if the generator craps out from Corn on the Carb.

In a perfect world, I'd have either an OWB or a Tarm boiler in the cellar, but again, without a generator, they aren't much use.

I'd rather have petroleum power cars and chainsaws than my furnace.

 

[Husky Man]

I'm another '65 Model, er, make that Edition, I've Never had anyone offer me Money to "Model", maybe Leave, though.

I grew up running my Dad's old Mac SP 60, bought my first saw of my own, "Ol Reliable" a 266XP, in '91, and still have it

I do appreciate the Newer saws, the 390XP and 550XP are great saws, and the 353 pulls it's weight, but picking up the 266, is like a day in the woods with an old friend

I've burned wood on and off over the years, we bought this house in May of 2016, and although a Realtor would say that Forced Air Electric is our "Primary Heat Source", that is a Budget Buster, and the Wood Stove is in Reality, our Primary Heat Source.

I had a bit different experience "Wood Cutting" as a Kid, the Vast Majority of our firewood was acquired "Boat Logging", been driving "Log Dogs" and using "Pike Poles" since before I was 10. There were/are some Pile Wing Dams near where our boathouse was moored, they caught a lot of "Strays" from a Log Dump operation just up river from the wing dams. The dump operators never seemed to bother rounding up the strays, and weren't around much on the weekends, when we would go "Round Up". There was always some place to tie off some logs until we would skid them up the boat ramp, and saw them up in the parking lot to haul home, and some to the boathouse for the Franklin Fireplace in it. We skidded them out of the river with a 69 Ford wagon with a 390 and a tow pkg. When the Logs got really Big, Dickey would bring his Late 60's/Early 70's Chevy Wrecker, pick up the butt end, and there wasn't anything that old wrecker couldn't drag out of the river.

Burn about 10 Cords/year now, and we are Finally getting ahead on our wood stockpile, Fortunately, we have been able to get a lot of standing dead, and Douglas Fir, White Fir and Hemlock Season pretty quick, if we get them CSS early, we get some High 90's and low 100's weather in July, August and September


Doug

 

[James Miller]

Anytime my wife's pulls the "you're crazy" card, I kindly remind her that she married me, which brings into question the consitution of her own sanity.

My wife just doesn't ask anymore.

 

[fulladirt]

'76 here (never even knew I was "Gen X" till I just googled it, thanks a lot svk ) and been heating with wood since I can remember but I started helping my dad with firewood duty in probably the 2nd grade stacking and whatnot. We lived in Maine until I was halfway through high school and heated with wood gathered from our property and delivered logs, guessing around 8-10 cords/yr. When we were done with our own wood my dad would send us down the road to the neighbors so we could help him get split/stacked. Just seems I've always been doing it lol.

There was, and still is, a learning curve when I started doing it on my own though. See my dad would never let me touch a chainsaw even in high school so when I bought my first saw, a Poulan Wood Shark 14" guess about 10-12 yrs ago, I just headed out in the woods and let er rip....chain would get so dull smoke be comin off the bar, and trees would get hung up ALL the time don't know how I even made it this far! Only got knocked down once by a tree hit me in the head sprained my ankle, threw the saw before I hit the ground.

But I've gotten a lot of help from this site, I read WAY more than I post but nowdays I can "pretty much" get trees to fall where I want safely. I can put a correct notch and correct back-cut, hell I even bore cut one dead red oak a couple weeks ago buried the 32" bar you oughta heard that thing chattering! My chains are always kinda sharp and I have pro saws comin out my ears running somewhat fresh mix. The fun parts of it are mainly the falling/bucking--running saws--and rounding up my 3 boys get them busy so that they learn the meaning and see the results of hard work. The bonuses are not having to pay the electric man, being more self sufficient and secure should the electric go out, and it's a pretty good workout. Also I feel more connected to family/friends I've lost that I used to do firewood with, it can be therapeutic in a way. Thanks.

 

[milkie62]

I am just shy of 61 yrs of age. Grew up with a wood stove. I built my house back in 1987 and did not put any provisions for heat other than a wood stove. Since I built without a mortgage nobody could say otherwise. Put a Classic CL 40 outdoor boiler in 1995 when I added a 1200 sq ft addition. Thirty years of living like Daniel & Becka Boone has not really bothered me much. It has had its ups and downs like no Florida vacations during the winter but my neighbor has an outdoor boiler and we do watch each others when we take off on long weekends. The only issue now is mine did finally after 24 yrs spring a leak but it looks like my repair guy got it taken care of. My woodstove is only rated for 1800 sq feet and we have close to 3000 sq ft of living space so I am starting to worry slightly since I want no part of these new gasification setups--way to much maintenance compared to my Classic.

 

[DoB]

'76 here also - Burning lots of wood up here in northern NY every year

 

[macattack_ga]

'73. Burning 24/7 for 100% of our space heating needs in a pretty dense neighborhood of Northern Virginia (liberal DC 'burbs).
No complaints from neighbors so far.
Actually, many neighbors have called me to cut or haul off wood.

We replaced gas fireplace about 10 years ago, that required electricity to operated, after a snowstorm knocked the power out.
First time living with a wood burner.
I'm hooked on the sense of independence burning wood gives me and the wife likes the 78 degree living room.

 

[lindnova]

I'm from '77. My first house in 02 it had a BIS insert and I loved it and that got me started with a poulan wild thing that I couldn't even sharpen (the things I could tell my younger self to do different!). When I build my house in 06 put in a Heatmor outdoor furnace and also have a PE super stove in the basement. Warm house, warm garage and no gas bill. Allowed me to acquire some nice saws and justify them and my little tractor.

I used to get all the wood I wanted from land clearing at work, but after changing jobs I don't get as many opportunities for easy oak downed and loaded by an excavator or loader. I have enough acres of wood for forever though. Can't even keep up with all the dead elms, oaks and downed wood. I am building trails and every new trail opens up a new world of firewood access. I love working in the woods. It is a break from the stress of work for me.

 

[Jakers]

Not an X'er here (1984) but I have much more in common with the X's than my "Millennial" labeled generation. I've been heating with wood for about 20 years. I manage to cut, split, and burn about 12-15+ cord every year by myself. This is heating both the house and a 40x60 shop. I'm single so how much I burn is really dependent on how busy my work schedule is in the winter months. If the weather is warm, I'm busy cutting down trees for people. If it's snowing, I'm out plowing. The only time I'm home much is when its well below 0F.

 

[Richard_]

1965

 

[MechanicMatt]

‘81
Grew up in a wood heated house
First house I had after one winter put in a stove
Second house..... a stove is on its way. Figured next winter so I’m working my tail off this winter to “get a year ahead”.
Last house I could never get ahead, I burned way too much green wood and had to constantly sweep my chimney just so I could rest easy at night. This new house, I plan on having all my wood done the previous year!!

 

[OnTheRoad]

Genx here. We didn't have a wood burner growing up except the coal stove my grandma had. Dad used to bring her coal from a long abandoned railyard where he worked (train coal supply).

We save about $800 a year over what we paid for gas, BUT the house is 5 or 6 degrees warmer so instead of being an icebox, it's toasty warm. If we kept it this warm with gas heat, it would be $1,200 a year more. It's nice knowing we aren't burning fossil fuels too.

 

[Cambium]

Born in 74' and yes Firewood is my main source of heat. Love every aspect of it

 

[Be Stihl]

1979, grew up with a fire place as a kid. At 37 bought a home with gas logs in a masonry chimney. Last year I purchased an old Jotul, been cutting wood every chance I get. It gets me out in the woods, saves $$$ each month and feels so good. Plus my children will have those memories I had, and learn a work ethic.


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[Torch68]

Born in 68' grew up in Northeastern PA we burned 12 tons of pea coal a year with our EFM stoker, all the hot water and heat you could want. Mom would get pissed though when the ashes were overfull or we didn't fill the hopper and the fire went out, wrath of a Lithuanian woman....ouch! But with 6 kids in the house it didn't happen often. Now we live in Connecticut go through 6 -7 full cords a year trying to keep the oil man at bay. Most of our wood comes from the local tree service companies or the town when they are cutting.....all logs delivered for free.

 

[Bob95065]

'72 vintage here. We heat 100% with wood I scrounge for free. I heard the furnace run twice; once when we looked at the house and the second after I finished renovations before we painted the walls. I'd rather hear nails on a chalkboard than hear that furnace run again. Come to think of it most millenials wouldn't know what the phrase "nails on a chalkboard" means.

I am a mechanical engineer and a weekend firewood cutter. I rebuild small engines, repair cars and trucks, woodworking projects and work on our house in my spare time. I don't sit around much. I love cutting my own firewood and heating our home with wood I've processed. I have no plans to stop anytime soon.

 

[Durtyd16]

'72 vintage here. We heat 100% with wood I scrounge for free. I heard the furnace run twice; once when we looked at the house and the second after I finished renovations before we painted the walls. I'd rather hear nails on a chalkboard than hear that furnace run again. Come to think of it most millenials wouldn't know what the phrase "nails on a chalkboard" means.

I am a mechanical engineer and a weekend firewood cutter. I rebuild small engines, repair cars and trucks, woodworking projects and work on our house in my spare time. I don't sit around much. I love cutting my own firewood and heating our home with wood I've processed. I have no plans to stop anytime soon.

Born in 94 here. So millennial. Probably one of very few planning on adding an outdoor boiler. It's old but it's free from the father in law. I remember growing up and burning wood. Now that I'm older and moved out. Wanting to burn wood for a supplement the propane. Test the waters and see if I really want to go all in on swallowing the big "pill" and realizing I don't want to do it. I have 20 acres of hard woods and helps make me clean up the place every year.

 

[lohan808]

Vintage 1970. Gen X as can be. Parents were medical types from West VA and NYC. Thankfully my step father was a resourceful guy and bought a beautiful wood burner placed in the loft of our suburban home. We took the time to redirect the return duct work and drew our heat from the fireplace. I was blessed to learn about chainsaws, splitting wood, and the joy and satisfaction of honest hard labor after a tornado ripped our back yard to bits. Looking back those were some of the best days ever. These days I suffer from CAD, and have a small Stihl arsenal for every occasion. I do tree work for the elderly at reduced prices or free if there is a need. I am currently working on starting a firewood ministry and do it because it brings back such good memories.

 

[LondonNeil]

I've missed this thread until now somehow!! Class of '73. London born and bread, never experienced anything other than mains gas central heating until my brother for married and moved to the countryside and a oak beam thatch cottage heated with a wood stove. It was another 25 ish years before I got mine.... Then I got my second the next year and I'm five winter's under my belt with basically no gas burnt for 4. I like much about it, but actually enjoy the saws and axes more than sitting Infront of the roaring now!

 

[jollygreengiant]

Born in 94 here. So millennial. Probably one of very few planning on adding an outdoor boiler. It's old but it's free from the father in law. I remember growing up and burning wood. Now that I'm older and moved out. Wanting to burn wood for a supplement the propane. Test the waters and see if I really want to go all in on swallowing the big "pill" and realizing I don't want to do it. I have 20 acres of hard woods and helps make me clean up the place every year.

Born in '90 here and would live to go to all wood heat. Problem is I have no Woodlands of my own. I do live in rural farm country though, so I'm hoping I can find a farmer or two in the future and keep their wood lots trimmed back in exchange for the firewood.

Our house is currently heated exclusively by oil. It's not a big house but it still costs us $300-$400 a month for heating oil. I want to go wood someday but I'm not sure which way to go.