Glass on my Stove

[mr dazzler]

One of these would frighten the life out of some log suppliers.http://maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=220803

LOL too true mate, too true I've asked plenty and all but one evaded the question, and they said well its stored in a barn so it will probably be dry enough......I think there should be minimum quality standards on fire wood. And a standard form of pricing/volume. Whatever happened to the traditional imperial cord? A ton of steel will still be that in 10 years time but a ton of beech will be half that in a year or so of being seasoned. Wood was always sold by volume (not by weight as is the trend now).

I made my log store from recycled 4x4 fence posts, 6x2 joists, and old decking boards, all framed up and joined with oak pegged mortice and tennons. I used recycled poycarbonate roofing off an old conservatory. The footings are single concrete breeze blocks (one for each of the 6 supports) set on their sides on packed fine rubble. Its almost neat enough to live in I tried the holzhausen german method of wood stacking but it turned out less than ideal for my purposes.

 

[mr dazzler]

Heres a few pics of my various log storage methods
Before I built a proper log store. Simple tarped over stack with air spaces in between.

The little shed thing only held about a months supply.....

This is the new store (built last February) It is about 10 foot wide, 8 foot tall, 5 foot deep? The club stuck in the top right has a nail in one end. I use it to safely hold small logs for splitting to kinderling

A detail of the "pad stone" supports. I left a nice clear air flow underneath. I reckon a lot of moisture strikes up and slows log drying if they rest direct on the ground

 

[andybysea]

Blinkin heck you guys must have access to plenty of wood, would cost me a fortune to buy that amount! gonna have to make some sort of storage though as its stacked at the back of the house now and getting rather wet as i write this.

 

[Chopper]

Blinkin heck you guys must have access to plenty of wood, would cost me a fortune to buy that amount! gonna have to make some sort of storage though as its stacked at the back of the house now and getting rather wet as i write this.

Cost a fortune! Never, never pay for fire wood.

Speak with your local tree surgeons and ask what they do with their waste wood, some have to pay to tip it.

I have been burning wood for the past thirteen years and never paid for wood or kindleing. Several tree surgeons drop wood off to me on their way home from jobs, only to happy to get rid of it for free, my kindling comes from the local timber yards offcut bin, they to have to pay for waste removal so more than happy for me to turn up and fill the back of my landy, it saves them money. Everyones happy if its done right.

Free heat for all!!!!!

 

[welshwhit]

And Drew gets out phone book and turns to Tree surgeon. . . . .


Drew

 

[Chopper]

Pics as promised, you will see that it is open all the way around, the base is the same as the back and sides. As Mr D has said a good air flow underneath is very important as is really good footings, remember your airer is going to hold a lot of weight, you wont want it sinking. I used concrete blocks at about 90p each from B&Q, these also keep the structure off the wet ground prolonging its life.

The back. I have just noticed my son did not finnish painting it properly, he now has a job waiting for him.

 

[mr dazzler]

Nice sturdy design chopper. the end rails still alow plenty of air in. I was going to put clapboard ends on mine but seeing as I allowed a 12 inch overhang all round on ther rooof I dispensed with the clapboard. Theres just 2 cross rails either end. Next year I am going to add a few vertical studs at the back, just to minimise bulging as the stack settles.
I know what you mean about getting free wood. But what I do is go to a nature reserve locally where they thin out and coppice certain areas each year. I get a proper (very generous 5 foot) cord of straight ash oak and birch for about £40. 2 of those is more than enough for a season, the task is done in a day or so rather than dribs and drabs; plus the money supports the work of the local trust on the Fen. But any stuff I see that I can have legally, I partake of that too.....
How do you process your logs? I use a small petrol chainsaw to crosscut, then split with an axe or wedge and maul for especially fat or awkward bits.

 

[Chopper]

How do you process your logs?QUOTE]

I have a couple of Husquvana Petrol chainsaw's for cross cutting generally use a maul for splitting or if I have a big load to get through I do confess to having one of these http://www.internetgardener.co.uk/ProductDetail/2520/Handy-Electric-Log-Splitter.aspx Much quicker than an axe and offers great accuracy.

 

[mr dazzler]

you havent built one of these then?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bVAAx3mMKY

 

[demographic]

you havent built one of these then?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bVAAx3mMKY

Hows about THIS one for elf and safety

For drying and so you know how much there is what about two four foot square pallets lying on the ground (to keep the wood away from the ground), two sticking up at the ends and another two sticking up at the back.

You can put steel roadpins into the ground to hold them in position and lengths of 3x2, then cover it with a tarp over the top and maybe on the end that gets the prevailing wind.
When that's stacked full its a cord of wood. 8'x4'x4' and will allow the timber to air dry.

 

[mr dazzler]

Oh lord i hope no one slips over and spears themself on that thing. Looks like something out of a 21st century ben hur epic......

I like the idea of improvising pallets to make a log platform. I wouldnt use road pins though, I dont think they would take the weight. I'd nail some 4x2 acros the top to prevent splay

 

[demographic]

Oh lord i hope no one slips over and spears themself on that thing. Looks like something out of a 21st century ben hur epic......

I like the idea of improvising pallets to make a log platform. I wouldnt use road pins though, I dont think they would take the weight. I'd nail some 4x2 acros the top to prevent splay

The road pins just keep the bottoms in place but mean you can lift the pallets off if needed.
If you're stacking them then there shouldn't be too much weight on them anyway.
The 3x2 I mentioned stops the top splaying. What ever is handy.

 

[Chopper]

For drying and so you know how much there is what about two four foot square pallets lying on the ground (to keep the wood away from the ground), two sticking up at the ends and another two sticking up at the back.

That is effectivly how I built mine. They are made from five 7' x 3' pallets with several pallets broken up to give the 3" x 2" lengths for filling the gaps. The whole thing is screwed together with 5" screws (better than nails) and an 8' x 4' shuttering ply roof.