Firewood day!

[bobnewboy]

Well, rather than turning the compost heaps as I'd planned, I was surprised when our longstanding firewood log order was delivered last night. Thankfully the weather today was cooler, damper, and less sunny, as moving/splitting/carrying and stacking the wood is quite a hot job to get done, even with the missus pitching in. Thankfully we got it done without getting too wet from the light rain, and now it is all safely stacked for final drying in our log store.

A quick estimate is that we have about 10 cubic metres of ash and hazel cut, split and stacked, along with about 2 cubic metres of recycled garden brash and split dry wood for kindling. That should provide for a warm and cosy winter this year . I think a nice hot bath is in order tonight, and a quiet day's fishing tomorrow.

Cheers, Bob

 

[punkrockcaveman]

Bob, that is a fine stack.

Good luck with the fishing too!

 

[oldtimer]

Madame's reaction was predictable. "There. Somebody 's got it right! And you told me not to bother to order ours yet. I'm ordering ours tomorrow !"

Serves me right for showing her you post. She hasn't yet remembered that I was going to get a permanent wood store organised - but she will!

 

[Woody girl]

Nothing like a good stack of firewood to make you feel you've done a good days work.

 

[slowworm]

Nice stack. Did you expect to get the hazel or was it a surprise? It's a good firewood and I find it gives of a pleasant, almost nutty, smell when burnt. You don't often see it sold as firewood.

(Don't forget the compost though)

 

[bobnewboy]

Nice stack. Did you expect to get the hazel or was it a surprise? It's a good firewood and I find it gives of a pleasant, almost nutty, smell when burnt. You don't often see it sold as firewood.

(Don't forget the compost though)

Aye, the compost will get done the day after tomorrow . I expect my back will be aching a bit while I’m fishing....

The guy who supplies our wood told me previously that he had a good load of ash in, so I was expecting that, but the hazel was unusual. He cuts what he gets offered - windfall, clearing etc, but it’s generally good. I’m happy with that, and so is the missus as she likes smaller rounds on the fire - more flexible and the burn time is easier to regulate. The moisture content is a little higher than ready-for-burning, but that’s why we get it in and stack it for for drying now.

It is a nice feeling to have got it done. We were lucky to have bought a reasonable stash of e-coal at a good price before lockdown too. Wickes were selling it off so we grabbed sufficient bags to see us through (hopefully) next winter.

Cheers, Bob

 

[Le Loup]

Time for wood porn pics? I thought you were coming into summer over there? Or do you cook on a wood stove like we do Bob?

Winter here now.
Regards, Keith.

 

[bobnewboy]

Time for wood porn pics? I thought you were coming into summer over there? Or do you cook on a wood stove like we do Bob?

Winter here now.
Regards, Keith.

Hi Keith, yep, coming into summer here. But this wood is very slightly green and so its a good time to get it in and stored, so it can finish off drying. We have a fireplace in our lounge, and running that heats some of the house via convection and the chimney. The rest of the house is heated by oil boiler and radiators in the winter. So just the one fire, cooking via electricity - no mains gas here.

Cheers, Bob

 

[Le Loup]

Hi Keith, yep, coming into summer here. But this wood is very slightly green and so its a good time to get it in and stored, so it can finish off drying. We have a fireplace in our lounge, and running that heats some of the house via convection and the chimney. The rest of the house is heated by oil boiler and radiators in the winter. So just the one fire, cooking via electricity - no mains gas here.

Cheers, Bob

My Father had the same thing fitted in the kitchen in our 300 year old house in West Sussex, no radiators though, just for hot water. It was a big house, & cold at the top of the house where my bedroom was. There was a fireplace in the main bedroom on the first floor, but it was never used. As a kid it was my job to cut the trees down & haul the logs home to be cut to fire size with a crosscut saw by my Father & myself on a sawing horse. I do have a crosscut saw, but these days I use a chainsaw & cut them to fire size in the forest. We have an 18th century style open fireplace up in the cottage, & a wood stove & wood heater in the main house, so we use quite a lot of wood all year round. But we only cut dead trees for firewood.
I enjoyed your post & seeing your wood images Bob, thank you for sharing.
Regards, Keith.

Elm Cottage fireplace in the living room.

Linstock House kitchen stove, we use it for food drying as well.

The two fans on top of the heater in the main house are powered from heat, & they circulate hot air up the hallway to the other end of the house.
Sorry if it appears I have hijacked your post Bob, that was not my intention

Regards, Keith.

 

[bobnewboy]

My Father had the same thing fitted in the kitchen in our 300 year old house in West Sussex, no radiators though, just for hot water. It was a big house, & cold at the top of the house where my bedroom was. There was a fireplace in the main bedroom on the first floor, but it was never used. As a kid it was my job to cut the trees down & haul the logs home to be cut to fire size with a crosscut saw by my Father & myself on a sawing horse. I do have a crosscut saw, but these days I use a chainsaw & cut them to fire size in the forest. We have an 18th century style open fireplace up in the cottage, & a wood stove & wood heater in the main house, so we use quite a lot of wood all year round. But we only cut dead trees for firewood.
I enjoyed your post & seeing your wood images Bob, thank you for sharing.
Regards, Keith.

Elm Cottage fireplace in the living room.

Linstock House kitchen stove, we use it for food drying as well.

The two fans on top of the heater in the main house are powered from heat, & they circulate hot air up the hallway to the other end of the house.
Sorry if it appears I have hijacked your post Bob, that was not my intention

Regards, Keith.

No worries Keith, its always good to see how others use their fires. I think you have to process a heck of a lot more wood than we do to keep up with your consumption. Good tools and a process polished over time makes it easier I suppose.

Cheers, Bob