Sourcing bark logs and tree cut offs for wood burning stove

[spader]

Hi All

Just wondering, where I can get some bark logs and tree cut offs for fire woods? In the summer, I cleared an small old rotting wooden sheds in the back garden. Instead of throwing them in the bin, I got an axe, chop them up, and used them for BBQ through out the summer.

Now they are all gone, and I am now planning to make a wood burning stove for my shed and workshop, so I will need more fresh logs soon when this is done. Looking at the local log suppliers price, they are all quite expensive.

I would like to get bark logs and tree cut offs, and chop them myself, so they would be cheaper. Or better still, I would like to go to forest nearby, and fell some trees by myself, if this is possible to arrange with some forest owners or authorities, it would be even cheaper, I hope

But I am not sure where to look for these things around where I am - central Scotland. Or indeed, if this is the best way to get cheap fire woods, and who would be the right people to contact.

Thanks in advance for your advice and info.
spader.

 

[demographic]

After you fell, buck and log those trees , then stack and leave them to dry for ages you will realise that the people selling firewood aren't making that much money at all. Unless they were given the woodlands for nothing by the death of a relative in which case they can sell them off at a lower price but it takes time to do it all and time costs money.
Not many woodland owners will let unqualified workers in there to fell trees, its a legal nightmare for them.
Carpenters/Joiners get a fair bit of wood but we (I'm one) generally can't be trashed with cutting our offcuts up so a stove that can handle wood at about 400mm long helps a lot. Over 400mm (well actually about 350mm) and we often use the offcuts as noggins (might get called Dwangers up in Scotchland) so if its shorter than that we might skip them.
Cutting the wood to length is a pain so a burner that can handle decent length wood is a real bonus as it means less time cutting.

 

[crosslandkelly]

+ 1 to the above.

 

[baggins]

Hey Spader,
you could try contacting any local tree surgeons in your area, we always have way too much wood and never enough time to log it up. If you can catch them while they are actually working and offer to take the wood there and then, and are prepared to log it and split it yourself, you could end up with a good haul. Just remember to let the wood season (dry out) before you try burning it.

 

[spader]

Thanks all for your advice and info

Price for firewood in one builder's bag is £ 80 from a local supplier, and I thought it is more expensive than electricity or oils
But, yes I will phone around the tree surgeons.

For drying out the wood, my shed is quite spacious and have a couple of shelves empty, so I will stack them there for few weeks to season before burning. Placing them anywhere outside will get the woods damp with rain during the winter.

 

[bikething]

For drying out the wood, my shed is quite spacious and have a couple of shelves empty, so I will stack them there for few weeks to season before burning.

You need to be thinking more in terms of seasoning for a year or two - and somewhere outside but covered so that air can circulate to take the moisture away.

 

[bikething]

Have a read of this thread

 

[spader]

You need to be thinking more in terms of seasoning for a year or two - and somewhere outside but covered so that air can circulate to take the moisture away.

awww It is long time wait then. :/ But my shed has lots of gaps between the roof and the wall and doors, so it has plenty of air flow. It is absolutely freezing in the winter, so I have decided to put wood burning stove running in there.

However, it would be good to have dedicated log rack outside, as it will give more space in the shed. Another addendum in to-do-list.

I can burn charcoals in the stove as well, and need to buy some logs for this winter then :/

 

[FGYT]

Unfortunately due to it becoming a popular fad either for romantic or Green reasons Wood is now an expensive commodity and yes you may find its more expensive than other means We dont in UK produce enough fire wood for the demmand so some is even shipped in

our local saw mill used to have to give away bundles of bark slab waste or pay now its £30 a bundle and a 6mth waiting list but you will need to season for at least a couple of years and cut it up etc


For hard wood trees its usually 1 year per 1" thickness to season or you just burning water which is a waste of the fuel and tars up your chimney

I have 2 local log suppliers one just across the field and one a mile away they are both about the same price for a load £100 for 1.5m2 ish but one is proper dry and one isnt
ive also been had by ones that use a lot of Birch some of which is so fresh it still has green ivy growing and some is basically rotting as birch does quickly

Now i go to any suppliers yard and have a look at what they are supplying and how they store and season it as bad wood is not worth anything or offer less for good but fresh stuff if Ive got space to fully season myself

ATB

Duncan

 

[demographic]

For hard wood trees its usually 1 year per 1" thickness to season

That is correct if you're making furniture out of it, nothing like as long to season if you are burning it. Especially if its cut to stove type lengths and can lose moisture faster from its ends. Leaving the logs longer slows down the seasoning.
Woods with a naturally low moisture content like Ash can be burnt pretty much as soon as they are cut but wood like Sycamore that is pretty saturated when you cut them down take a lot longer.

 

[baggins]

Even for the hard wood such as oak, one year of seasoning is more than sufficient for fire wood. Especially if it is split already. A good trick, if you have the space and time, is to fell the tree, then leave it for 6 months leaves, branches and all, the moisture is drawn out that much quicker, although it does make it harder to log up
Spader, a really good way to store cut wood is the scandinavian wood pile, It doesn't matter if the wood is in the rain as the top layer is stacked like shingles to shed the water. Sorry, i can't remember where i saw the description (have a feeling it may be in the Granfors Bruks axe booklet)

 

[locum76]

Where are you based exactly? I may have wood I need rid of come the winter months.

 

[spader]

Where are you based exactly? I may have wood I need rid of come the winter months.

That would be great. If you are getting rid of any woods or trees, please give me shouts anytime (I will send PM for my email address and phone number, or if you would prefer, you can send me yours, and I will be in touch. I have full gears for felling trees including the mighty Fiskars X27 - X27 is a splitting axe, but it works great in felling trees as well ) I am in Stirling / Falkirk area.

 

[spader]

Even for the hard wood such as oak, one year of seasoning is more than sufficient for fire wood. Especially if it is split already. A good trick, if you have the space and time, is to fell the tree, then leave it for 6 months leaves, branches and all, the moisture is drawn out that much quicker, although it does make it harder to log up
Spader, a really good way to store cut wood is the scandinavian wood pile, It doesn't matter if the wood is in the rain as the top layer is stacked like shingles to shed the water. Sorry, i can't remember where i saw the description (have a feeling it may be in the Granfors Bruks axe booklet)

Thanks for your info. I have corner of the garden currently empty, so I could pile them there, and cover with some sheets temporarily until I can build something maybe in the spring.

 

[spader]

Impressive amount of firewood prep;;

http://youtu.be/mBH79de3mwQ

 

[Mesquite]

Spader, a really good way to store cut wood is the scandinavian wood pile, It doesn't matter if the wood is in the rain as the top layer is stacked like shingles to shed the water. Sorry, i can't remember where i saw the description (have a feeling it may be in the Granfors Bruks axe booklet)

 

[locum76]

Um, what happens when you need to start using the wood and take the top layer off? Yu lose the shingles and the rain gets in?

 

[British Red]

Doesn't need to be fancy where you store it

We use old 6 foot veg bins


Log Box by British Red, on Flickr


Next years logs by British Red, on Flickr

and an old wriggly tin outbuilding floored with pallets to keep stuff off the deck


Full Log Shed by British Red, on Flickr

My neighbour uses about twenty of the veg bins at a time. Scrap wood is piled in each bin and one bin sits by the back door. When its empty, he moves a fresh one in place using the forks on his tractor.

Its not pretty pretty but it works

 

[EdS]

Also check your not in a smoke control zone

 

[tiger stacker]

Driving through Caradale on a sunny day, one house had a few telegraph poles sitting for firewood, two rollers kept them off the ground.
Scouring woods is productive, Xmas winds brought tree limbs down all over Glasgow and the countryside. I winced at the timber wolves rocking up, sometimes you can ask often the answer is no.

Good luck, mind the forrestry commisson does sell permits.