It pains me to watch...

[svk]

People who get a load of green logs delivered in July, cut/split/stack in September, and start burning in November.

I know that if you have an OWB it doesn't really matter what goes in, but to do this with an indoor stove is so inefficient, not to mention unsafe with all of that extra creosote.

Just get a year ahead and make life so much easier!

 

[zogger]

Apparently that is similar to what most people do around here.

I just can't see burning just barely one summer old wood, let alone just late summer/early fall time frame, nuts. But..people do it. There is absolutely no way in heck the oak and hickory around here will be dry in just a couple months, not good dry anyway. And I see guys hauling loads around in the fall and winter, that stuff is still squirting green to my eyes. Not a hint of gray to the ends at all.

Now my wood, it's gray and deep checked. High pitched clanks.

I say oak, unless you have amazing drying, needs two summers to be ready to rock, three is even better.

 

[pennsywoodburnr]

People who get a load of green logs delivered in July, cut/split/stack in September, and start burning in November.

I know that if you have an OWB it doesn't really matter what goes in, but to do this with an indoor stove is so inefficient, not to mention unsafe with all of that extra creosote.

Just get a year ahead and make life so much easier!

I think you'll see this more and more as people come to the realiziation that winter is knocking on everyones door. Those who didn't plan ahead are probably in "oh s--t"-mode by now. I'm sure firewood will be short this year too. I'm almost done wrapping up my CL scrounge. I'll throw up a couple photos to show you guys what I got.

 

[haveawoody]

I think people forget that an OWB isn't that different than a woodstove.
Burning less that cured wood in either is going to cause the same problems.

Burning less that dry wood is also less that efficient, more moisture less heat as the fire has to drive off moisture before the wood burns.
OWB's also have chimney fires and since so much junkie wood is usually put into them at a much higher rate that woodstoves do.

 

[Marshy]

I think people forget that an OWB isn't that different than a woodstove.
Burning less that cured wood in either is going to cause the same problems.

Burning less that dry wood is also less that efficient, more moisture less heat as the fire has to drive off moisture before the wood burns.
OWB's also have chimney fires and since so much junkie wood is usually put into them at a much higher rate that woodstoves do.

That's the reason the EPA is cracking down on OWB is because they are smog pumps from the people who cut down and burn on practically the same day. I tried to tell my coworker it would be more efficient if he seasoned his wood but all he did was shrug and say it holds coals longer if it's green and burns better if it's green. Trying to educate people is very a hard task and then convince them the extra work is worth it is like pushing rope.

 

[Streblerm]

My neighbor just had a load of green silver maple dropped off. I'm sure he'll be burning it this year, probably within the month in his indoor wood stove. Even when he has seasoned wood he dampers it down so that it smokes something fierce. I can only imagine what it will be like this year.

 

[mikey517]

People who get a load of green logs delivered in July, cut/split/stack in September, and start burning in November.

I know that if you have an OWB it doesn't really matter what goes in, but to do this with an indoor stove is so inefficient, not to mention unsafe with all of that extra creosote.

Just get a year ahead and make life so much easier!

For some of us, getting a year ahead is a dream that is easier said than done, espically if one is severely limited space-wise. But I'm not as bad as described above.

I'll start around mid to end of October with about 3/4 cord mix of oak & ash that's been s&s for the last 2 summers.

Starter wood

After that, it's on to about 3 cord of ash & oak that's been down and bucked since hurricane IRENE, but split and stacked this past March. The back end is about 2 cord of the same ash & oak, but s&s from August to present. For end of season emergency, I've got a cord + of fresh downed red maple and white birch that I'm s&s now.

Most of the ash & oak is reading around 26% (give or take) when fresh split. It ain't perfect, but it's the best I can do.

Wish I had the room to stockpile...

 

[Marshy]

More like time, I wish I had the time to process enough to get that far ahead. I ordered 12 cord of logs in February and cut and had 6 cords cut and split and in a pile on top of the remaining logs since the end of April. THat will be this winters fuel. I will finish the remaining 6 cord before the snow flies this year and place it in my barn to season up for next year. I plan to order another 6 or 12 cord again in Feb '15 and repeat. I figured with the logs and other wood I scrounge I will eventually be able to get to season my wood for 2 years. The difference is dramatic and makes the burning process much cleaner. Its nice to throw wood onto the coals and watch as it lights like paper and the whole thing becomes chared in a minute as apposed to boiling water off first...

 

[38f20]

It would almost impossible for me to get a year ahead, let alone several. That being said I don't usually cut green wood and I have a central boiler owb. I usually scrounge all dead and dry oak, between 10 and 15 cords a year. As it is it seems firewood takes up too much time and I couldn't get a year ahead unless I bought several tri-axle loads. I figure if I have to buy my wood what is the advantage over say buying wood pellets. As was said above burning unseasoned wood in an owb is not a good idea because of the smoke issues, and the need to burn so much more for the same btu output of dry wood.

 

[tooold]

It takes energy to turn water to steam where that energy could be heating your house. Why go through all the work of cutting, splitting, and stacking just to boil water out of green wood?

 

[Marshy]

It takes energy to turn water to steam where that energy could be heating your house. Why go through all the work of cutting, splitting, and stacking just to boil water out of green wood?

Because OWB owners dont usually split of stack their wood. They cut it to the largest possible size they can move into the stove and usually leave it in piles or what ever is conveient.

 

[CTYank]

Because OWB owners dont usually split of stack their wood. They cut it to the largest possible size they can move into the stove and usually leave it in piles or what ever is conveient.

Say it like it is. Just a common human trait. Intellectually and physically LAZY. Get me a beer while ye'r up, willya?

 

[Marshy]

Say it like it is. Just a common human trait. Intellectually and physically LAZY. Get me a beer while ye'r up, willya?

I agree lol. I dont burn wood because it's easier than the alternatives, thats for sure. Im also a tight @zz so I like knowing Im getting the most of what I pay for so why someone would burn green wood vs seasoned when they have the time, space and $ to do so is beyond me. Lazy sums it up well.

 

[olyman]

It takes energy to turn water to steam where that energy could be heating your house. Why go through all the work of cutting, splitting, and stacking just to boil water out of green wood?

people may not have the time,,or the room..............

 

[haveawoody]

Marshy,

You got it, tough to educate that green wood = smoke, glazed creosote, low efficiency and chimney fires.
I always hear green wood burns longer is the main reason people don't worry about cured wood in a OWB.
With a good reason it burns longer, it's green and wastes 1/2 it's heat making itself dry enough to burn.

 

[haveawoody]

Streblerm,

Get yourself a long stick and some nice marshmallows and just wait for the chimney fire.
Win win for you with free marshmallows toasting, neighbor might be a bit upset when the OWB burns to the ground but that's what lazy gets him.
I'm sure on the second 10k install he will be more informed as long as the fire stays confined just in the OWB.

 

[Marshy]

This is entertaining. hahaha

 

[svk]

Good to see I'm not alone here.

I guess I should revise my first statement. In some cases I know it is not possible to be a season ahead but wood definitely should be split and stacked by the beginning of summer for softwood or two years for good hardwood. The people that I watch do this every year and live in the country so storage isn't an issue. Although it is funny to watch the pile turn from logs to stacked splits within a week as soon as the first frost rolls around. I just can't imagine having to rekindle a fire each morning with WET logs like that.

 

[Marshy]

Good to see I'm not alone here.

I guess I should revise my first statement. In some cases I know it is not possible to be a season ahead but wood definitely should be split and stacked by the beginning of summer for softwood or two years for good hardwood. The people that I watch do this every year and live in the country so storage isn't an issue. Although it is funny to watch the pile turn from logs to stacked splits within a week as soon as the first frost rolls around. I just can't imagine having to rekindle a fire each morning with WET logs like that.

You dont have to worry about it because the green wood burns longer. Did you not read my post above? They might burn non stop too.

 

[1project2many]

So I should be storing wood in the pond in order to keep it burning indefinitely? I like it!

I guess I can understand not having enough space but not enough time? Once you dedicate the time to get a year ahead, each subsequent year takes the same amount of time as always. Do a*bit* extra each year until you've got a year's worth stored. It just seems like the "extra" time spent carrying more wood, working harder to light it off, cleaning up the burner would eventually exceed the time not found for stacking and drying an extra year's worth.