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Curing and splitting wood for burning
Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but
will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and Willow wood. Question is do I split them now or wait until they've cured and then split them? I'm expecting to have to leave them about 2 years to cure unsplit, would it speed the process if I split them now? On a related note, I've looked at local and national hire shop web sites but can't immediately locate a log splitter. I don't expect to have any more tree logs coming my way for a good few years so hiring seems to make more sense then spending something like £200 for a splitter (I know you can do it by hand and I also know that there are splitters for as little as £150). I'm in "South Somerset" (between Yeovil/Frome/Wells/Street/Glastonbury/Radstock and, at a push, Bristol, Bath, Dorchester, Weymouth.). |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
"Graham Harrison" wrote in message ... Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and Willow wood. Question is do I split them now or wait until they've cured and then split them? I'm expecting to have to leave them about 2 years to cure unsplit, would it speed the process if I split them now? On a related note, I've looked at local and national hire shop web sites but can't immediately locate a log splitter. I don't expect to have any more tree logs coming my way for a good few years so hiring seems to make more sense then spending something like £200 for a splitter (I know you can do it by hand and I also know that there are splitters for as little as £150). I'm in "South Somerset" (between Yeovil/Frome/Wells/Street/Glastonbury/Radstock and, at a push, Bristol, Bath, Dorchester, Weymouth.). Perhaps ask a local Tree surgeon to assist, they might have even more logs if you ask and suggest there is beer involved ;-) |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
In article , "Graham Harrison" writes: | Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but | will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and | Willow wood. Don't bother with the willow - it's trash. It won't keep going until completely dry, and then it burns to nothing in next to no time. | Question is do I split them now or wait until they've cured and then split | them? I'm expecting to have to leave them about 2 years to cure unsplit, | would it speed the process if I split them now? Up to you and yes, respectively. | On a related note, I've looked at local and national hire shop web sites but | can't immediately locate a log splitter. I don't expect to have any more | tree logs coming my way for a good few years so hiring seems to make more | sense then spending something like £200 for a splitter (I know you can do it | by hand and I also know that there are splitters for as little as £150). How many tons of wood you you have? You can split wood with a couple of hand axes, but buying a couple of wedges and a maul or club hammer will probably cost you less than hiring a functional mechanical device. Anything that works is likely to be large and heavy. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
Nick Maclaren says...
In article , "Graham Harrison" writes: | Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but | will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and | Willow wood. Don't bother with the willow - it's trash. It won't keep going until completely dry, and then it burns to nothing in next to no time. | Question is do I split them now or wait until they've cured and then split | them? I'm expecting to have to leave them about 2 years to cure unsplit, | would it speed the process if I split them now? Up to you and yes, respectively. | On a related note, I've looked at local and national hire shop web sites but | can't immediately locate a log splitter. I don't expect to have any more | tree logs coming my way for a good few years so hiring seems to make more | sense then spending something like £200 for a splitter (I know you can do it | by hand and I also know that there are splitters for as little as £150). How many tons of wood you you have? You can split wood with a couple of hand axes, but buying a couple of wedges and a maul or club hammer will probably cost you less than hiring a functional mechanical device. Anything that works is likely to be large and heavy. Regards, Nick Maclaren. Splitting logs by hand is very hard work. If the OP has tons then this is just not an option. We heat our house with a log burning stove and the logs arrive pre-split from the farmer. He has some sort of hydraulic splitter attachment for the back of his tractor. However, a few slip though that are too big to get on the fire and splitting by hand can be extremely difficult, particularly if there are any knots in the wood. While it is desirable to let the wood cure for two years it is not essential depending on the type of wood. We ran out of logs and the local farmer cut down a tree and brought us the logs. I'm not sure what type of wood it is (possibly oak) but we are burning it already (no choice) two weeks after cutting! They key seems to be to have a very hot fire initially, then it burns well. So while the fire is at full heat the next log is put on the fire so it can be drying ready to burn. This probably isn't the most efficient use of the wood however, as some of the heat is being wasted evaporating the moisture out of the logs. -- David in Normandy |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
In article , David in Normandy writes: | | Splitting logs by hand is very hard work. If the OP has | tons then this is just not an option. Not usually, it isn't, though it can be. With a suitable wood (e.g. holly) that is fairly free of major knots, one stroke of an axe is all that is needed. You don't have to do it all at once, and it doesn't take long to do a hundredweight. Some woods and ones with major knots are a different matter, but I have heard that they are beyond an el cheapo mechanical splitter, too. Surprise, surprise .... | We heat our house | with a log burning stove and the logs arrive pre-split from | the farmer. He has some sort of hydraulic splitter | attachment for the back of his tractor. Those work, on almost all woods. But I doubt the OP is likely to hire one. | I'm not sure what type of wood it is (possibly oak) ... Oak is one of the harder ones to split. Not as bad as yew, though. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
On Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:09:37 +0100, David in Normandy wrote:
Splitting logs by hand is very hard work. Hum, if you have a lot to do yes but otherwise it's just a decent bit of physical effort. Ah I forgot "physical effort" is something the modern westerner thinks of as going to fridge for another beer to wash down their microwaved TV dinner... Use of a proper maul or splitting axe (approx £15 from a shed) will be a lot better than a hand axe, felling axe or wedges and lump hammer. If the OP has large diameter logs (10" or so) then a bomb or grenade could be useful but stuff small should fall apart under a maul without trouble. Burning "wet" logs, I'd keep an eye on the tar/soot levels in the flue. -- Cheers Dave. pam is missing e-mail |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
Nick Maclaren says...
In article , David in Normandy writes: | | Splitting logs by hand is very hard work. If the OP has | tons then this is just not an option. Not usually, it isn't, though it can be. With a suitable wood (e.g. holly) that is fairly free of major knots, one stroke of an axe is all that is needed. You don't have to do it all at once, and it doesn't take long to do a hundredweight. Some woods and ones with major knots are a different matter, but I have heard that they are beyond an el cheapo mechanical splitter, too. Surprise, surprise .... | We heat our house | with a log burning stove and the logs arrive pre-split from | the farmer. He has some sort of hydraulic splitter | attachment for the back of his tractor. Those work, on almost all woods. But I doubt the OP is likely to hire one. | I'm not sure what type of wood it is (possibly oak) ... Oak is one of the harder ones to split. Not as bad as yew, though. Regards, Nick Maclaren. I've got a heavy axe to split over-wide logs. Some split easily as you say, but it is still hard work. I wouldn't want to do more than a few at a time. Not good for arthritic joints :-( Definitely a job for muscular young men. Wood with knots can be a nightmare. Some "split" logs that arrive are still joined via fat knots. Such pieces are virtually unusable. A few logs also arrive too long to fit the stove. If the wood is fresh I can just use a bowsaw, or if the wood is seasoned and hard it is a job for the chainsaw. I tried chainsawing some really old oak beams and they were so hard the chainsaw struggled. The wood was smoking hot! Had to resharpen the teeth afterwards. Ah the joys of a wood burning stove. No fuss or mess with a gas boiler. Just set the thermostat and job done. No messing about stacking logs, bringing them in everyday and stacking them next to the stove, then the ongoing task of starting the fire, topping it up and emptying ashes. That said, watching the real fire often beats watching television. Something satisfying about watching the flames licking around the wood and consuming it. The occasional highlight too when the wood bangs, spits or sparks. There is a saying in France that you get warmed three times with wood. The first time cutting it, the second time stacking it and the third time burning it. How true. -- David in Normandy |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
On 27 Jan, 17:26, "Graham Harrison"
wrote: Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. * Cut to length but will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. * I have Holly and Willow wood. Question is do I split them now or wait until they've cured and then split them? * I'm expecting to have to leave them about 2 years to cure unsplit, would it speed the process if I split them now? On a related note, I've looked at local and national hire shop web sites but can't immediately locate a log splitter. * I don't expect to have any more tree logs coming my way for a good few years so hiring seems to make more sense then spending something like £200 for a splitter (I know you can do it by hand and I also know that there are splitters for as little as £150). I'm in "South Somerset" (between Yeovil/Frome/Wells/Street/Glastonbury/Radstock and, at a push, Bristol, Bath, Dorchester, Weymouth.). The holly will be fine in a year - it's quite oily and is excellent firewood. I normally split when I'm about to bring it into the house. Willow isn't great as Nick has already said and will take a while to dry. Our local machinery rep loaned me various hydraulic log splitters for the odd weekend here and there 'til he finally got the message that I was never going to buy one. The wood I could split in a weekend didn't last long (wood is our sole heating and ho****er supply in a damp draughty barn of a 4 bedroomed house) and I didn't want to spend whole weekends splitting - oh and depending on the machine you still have to lift the logs onto the machine. So I find it more convenient to split as required using a proper log splitting maul - if two or three blows don't do it then it's put aside to do with the chainsaw later. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
On 27 Jan, 17:26, "Graham Harrison"
wrote: Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and Willow wood. Question is do I split them now or wait until they've cured and then split them? I'm expecting to have to leave them about 2 years to cure unsplit, would it speed the process if I split them now? On a related note, I've looked at local and national hire shop web sites but can't immediately locate a log splitter. I don't expect to have any more tree logs coming my way for a good few years so hiring seems to make more sense then spending something like £200 for a splitter (I know you can do it by hand and I also know that there are splitters for as little as £150). I'm in "South Somerset" (between Yeovil/Frome/Wells/Street/Glastonbury/Radstock and, at a push, Bristol, Bath, Dorchester, Weymouth.). As others have said, just find somewhere to get rid of the willow - it is just about the worst wood for a fire there is. Holly I don't know about but I can't imagine you've got that much as holly trees are that much smaller than willows, etc. I'm going now to play the age game in that I used axe and splitters until I retired and at that point I bought a hydraulic machine. So if you are well off retiral age, then go and be a man and do it by hand !! Having said that the productivity, and lack of exhaustion (!), using a machine does seriously make it the desirable option. Rob |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
"Graham Harrison" wrote in message ... Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and Willow wood. Question is do I split them now or wait until they've cured and then split them? I'm expecting to have to leave them about 2 years to cure unsplit, would it speed the process if I split them now? On a related note, I've looked at local and national hire shop web sites but can't immediately locate a log splitter. I don't expect to have any more tree logs coming my way for a good few years so hiring seems to make more sense then spending something like £200 for a splitter (I know you can do it by hand and I also know that there are splitters for as little as £150). I'm in "South Somerset" (between Yeovil/Frome/Wells/Street/Glastonbury/Radstock and, at a push, Bristol, Bath, Dorchester, Weymouth.). Manufactum have a lovely one. Google. Mary |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... .... Oak is one of the harder ones to split. Not as bad as yew, though. We haven't had any problem with yew - although we don't burn it. It's far too valuable in other forms :-) Mary |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
In article , David in Normandy writes: | | I've got a heavy axe to split over-wide logs. Some split | easily as you say, but it is still hard work. I wouldn't | want to do more than a few at a time. Not good for | arthritic joints :-( | Definitely a job for muscular young men. Hmm. I am past 60, and DEFINITELY not muscular in the arms! But I don't have arthritis (only tennis elbow). | Wood with knots can be a nightmare. Some "split" logs that | arrive are still joined via fat knots. Such pieces are | virtually unusable. Agreed. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
Nick Maclaren says...
In article , David in Normandy writes: | | I've got a heavy axe to split over-wide logs. Some split | easily as you say, but it is still hard work. I wouldn't | want to do more than a few at a time. Not good for | arthritic joints :-( | Definitely a job for muscular young men. Hmm. I am past 60, and DEFINITELY not muscular in the arms! But I don't have arthritis (only tennis elbow). I'm only in my 40's but have little bits of bone growing in various places where they shouldn't. Some unfortunately into major nerves in my neck and also into my spinal cord. Thankfully it went into remission before my date for surgery came up so operation on hold. The surgery itself carries a risk of paralysis or death, so I'm hoping it stays permanently in remission. I just have to take care not to jar or inflame the vertebrae. Swinging an axe is something I do with care and moderation! -- David in Normandy |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
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Curing and splitting wood for burning
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Curing and splitting wood for burning
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Curing and splitting wood for burning
David in Normandy wrote:
Ah the joys of a wood burning stove. No fuss or mess with a gas boiler. Just set the thermostat and job done. No messing about stacking logs, bringing them in everyday and stacking them next to the stove, then the ongoing task of starting the fire, topping it up and emptying ashes. That said, watching the real fire often beats watching television. Something satisfying about watching the flames licking around the wood and consuming it. The occasional highlight too when the wood bangs, spits or sparks. Some questions for you and/or Rod, since you both use only wood. Can you tell me how much wood you use in a year --preferably not in cords, since I've no idea what a cord is. How many logs of what size per day, for example, and how many days per year? Or a figure in hundredweights. Does your stove run any radiators (I assume it heats water)? Can you pack the stove and let it burn slowly for a long period, or is it a case of feeding a log at a time? The main reasons for asking are that I'm wondering about going over to wood as the base fuel for heating, (some)cooking, and hot water, and wondering about the feasibility, economic and otherwise. Does anyone know what area of coppiced woodland it would take to be fuel self-sufficient? Brian Mitchell |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
In article , David in Normandy writes: | | I'm only in my 40's but have little bits of bone growing in | various places where they shouldn't. Some unfortunately | into major nerves in my neck and also into my spinal cord. | Thankfully it went into remission before my date for | surgery came up so operation on hold. The surgery itself | carries a risk of paralysis or death, so I'm hoping it | stays permanently in remission. I just have to take care | not to jar or inflame the vertebrae. Swinging an axe is | something I do with care and moderation! Oh, gosh. With that problem, you are quite right. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
"Skipweasel" wrote in message .uk... In article , says... Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and Willow wood. Don't burn it, turn it! Get a lathe and start making things. -- Skipweasel. Never knowingly understood. I love the signature and approve of the sentiment above. I'm a 65-year-old who has heated with wood for almost 30 years now. A cord, in Michigan, is 4'x4'x8', cut and stacked. However, since stoves and grates are always smaller than 4' wide, wood is usually cut to lengths of 16" to 18" or so. We call these "face cords", and they measure 4'x8'x16"-18". Here, the term "cord" refers to the "face cord". My Hardy Outdoor Wood Furnace takes a log 16" in diameter, 31" long, much to large and heavy to load into the furnace safely. We try to cut for our purposes 24" and split everything down to "wife-size" pieces. I live in a 40 acre Northern Hardwood Forest and burn everything, from Sugar Maple, American Beech, White Ash, to Basswood, Hoppes Hornbeam, local Hybrid Poplar, anything I can get my hands on. I think 10 acres would easily be a large enough stand if properly managed to glean firewood to support a home on a continuing basis. I NEVER burn a piece of wood that will some day become a saw log or has any other marginal use (ash poles for pruning hooks, for example, or Black Cherry and Black Walnut that can be trimmed up and used in a wood shop), but I do burn all larger brush that can't be used or turned on the lathe. By brush I mean branches large enough to be worth my time. All other "brush" goes into my 30-year-old brush piles, a haven for many species of wildlife living in my woods. I rely mostly on windfalls, and am permitted to cut in my neighbor's woods, which are extensive, so I've left my little paradise largely untouched over all these years. I find the species are different in some ways. Maple should always be split immediately after felling the tree. If you let it sit for a while it will go "punk" as we say, rotten, or solidify into a brick-like mass that defies the sharpest of saws and prove nearly impossible to split by hand. White Ash, however, splits easily wet or dry. I attempt to split everything I cut immediately and stack it so the air and sun will dry it. More surface area the quicker it dries. I don't even cover my very large wood pile. The sun and wind dry it even through rains and snows. I've seen charts that list the heat and weight of various woods and quality as firewood. Please Google for that, as it is informative as to species. I split everything I need to with a 6-pound sledge hammer and heavy iron wedges, and I also occasionally use a 7-pound splitting wedge. Anything that resists the first attempt is put aside and cut into smaller pieces by chainsaw. Perhaps it's just my belief, but swinging those mauls and hammers are the very best exercise imaginable. It opens up your shoulders and back, spine, hips, and legs. There's not a muscle in the body that isn't benefited by splitting wood. Have at it. Willow is junk. Don't burn any conifer, anything that stays green all winter, as they are full of pitch and you'll have a chimney fire. Burn only dry wood, hardwood, and you'll get the best heat for the pound or dollar. Some species (White Ash) actually seem to burn hotter and longer green and uncured than others (Maple and Beech). Of course, if the wood is green, it is wet, and you lose a lot of heat burning that water off before you benefit from the wood itself. Burning green wood is also a danger for chimney fires. Safety first. Good splitting to you. I know this is a gardening group, and hope this is not off-topic. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
In article , "williams" writes: | | A cord, in Michigan, is 4'x4'x8', cut and stacked. However, since stoves | and grates are always smaller than 4' wide, wood is usually cut to lengths | of 16" to 18" or so. We call these "face cords", and they measure | 4'x8'x16"-18". Here, the term "cord" refers to the "face cord". My Hardy | Outdoor Wood Furnace takes a log 16" in diameter, 31" long, much to large | and heavy to load into the furnace safely. Interesting. | ... I don't even cover my very large wood pile. The sun | and wind dry it even through rains and snows. Fine for you - not much good here :-( Our problem isn't that we get a lot of rain (though some parts do), but that the evaporation is minimal (about 11" a year in the south, almost all in summer). | Willow is junk. Don't burn any conifer, anything that stays green all | winter, as they are full of pitch and you'll have a chimney fire. I agree about willow and conifers! Holly is evergreen, and burns well, however. So is and does holme oak (but it is the very devil to split, wet or dry). Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... In article , "williams" writes: | | A cord, in Michigan, is 4'x4'x8', cut and stacked. However, since stoves | and grates are always smaller than 4' wide, wood is usually cut to lengths | of 16" to 18" or so. We call these "face cords", and they measure | 4'x8'x16"-18". Here, the term "cord" refers to the "face cord". My Hardy | Outdoor Wood Furnace takes a log 16" in diameter, 31" long, much to large | and heavy to load into the furnace safely. Interesting. | ... I don't even cover my very large wood pile. The sun | and wind dry it even through rains and snows. Fine for you - not much good here :-( Our problem isn't that we get a lot of rain (though some parts do), but that the evaporation is minimal (about 11" a year in the south, almost all in summer). Yes, a problem there. I'm fortunate to be on high ground near Lake Michigan, off which comes a usual breeze in most seasons. For years I carefully covered my wood piles (on top, but never on the sides), but in my travels up north I noticed the "old-timers" never did that, so I experimented. There was no need to work to cover my wood, as it seemed to dry just as efficiently uncovered. Lucky, I am. I do envy those with woodsheds, but I've not seen the necessity in my situation. And, I don't burn wood in the house, but in a furnace 95 feet away, and that beast will burn anything no matter how green or wet, safely. If I still had a fireplace and grate, I'd have a supply of very dry wood under a woodshed roof, you bet. | Willow is junk. Don't burn any conifer, anything that stays green all | winter, as they are full of pitch and you'll have a chimney fire. I agree about willow and conifers! Holly is evergreen, and burns well, however. So is and does holme oak (but it is the very devil to split, wet or dry). Red Oak grows here, and splits at a suggestion. What American Elm that remains after the Dutch Elm Fungus killed most of them, is difficult to split. Beech can be knotty. I must have 1,000 White Ash in this woods, and the Emerald Ash Borer is at my doorstep, with the guarantee that every Ash in the State will die soon. I expect to see evidence this spring in my woods. This will mean a slow death for many trees, so I know where my firewood is coming from for the rest of my life. White Ash is rot resistent, can be stacked for years and not rot, is moderately-good firewood, and splits as easily as Red Oak. Bad news, good news, I suppose. Best, Tim Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
"Graham Harrison" wrote in message ... Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and Willow wood. Question is do I split them now or wait until they've cured and then split them? I'm expecting to have to leave them about 2 years to cure unsplit, would it speed the process if I split them now? On a related note, I've looked at local and national hire shop web sites but can't immediately locate a log splitter. I don't expect to have any more tree logs coming my way for a good few years so hiring seems to make more sense then spending something like £200 for a splitter (I know you can do it by hand and I also know that there are splitters for as little as £150). I'm in "South Somerset" (between Yeovil/Frome/Wells/Street/Glastonbury/Radstock and, at a push, Bristol, Bath, Dorchester, Weymouth.). The tree surgeon who did the work for us did warn us that the Willow would take a long time to cure and not burn wonderfully. We don't use the fire as a primary source so I use wood slowly and can wait for it to cure. As for splitting, I have tried a maul in the past and not been very successful. To be frank, I'm worried how much damage I could do (to me, and surrounding buldings, cars, walls etc. etc) if I were to try with an axe. Hence the thought about a machine. The comment about the farmer has bought and idea to mind. One of my neighbours might be able to help. Unfortunately it is all cut to a maximum of about a foot. That doesn't preclude turning it but does restrict what can be done (I have a beautiful walking stick that was turned by a friend of my father many years ago which rather directs my thinking). |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
In message , David in
Normandy writes Nick Maclaren says... In article , David in Normandy writes: | | I've got a heavy axe to split over-wide logs. Some split | easily as you say, but it is still hard work. I wouldn't | want to do more than a few at a time. Not good for | arthritic joints :-( | Definitely a job for muscular young men. Hmm. I am past 60, and DEFINITELY not muscular in the arms! But I don't have arthritis (only tennis elbow). I'm only in my 40's but have little bits of bone growing in various places where they shouldn't. Some unfortunately into major nerves in my neck and also into my spinal cord. Thankfully it went into remission before my date for surgery came up so operation on hold. The surgery itself carries a risk of paralysis or death, so I'm hoping it stays permanently in remission. I just have to take care not to jar or inflame the vertebrae. Swinging an axe is something I do with care and moderation! small logs then ... -- geoff |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
"Graham Harrison" wrote in message ... "Graham Harrison" wrote in message ... Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and Willow wood. Question is do I split them now or wait until they've cured and then split them? I'm expecting to have to leave them about 2 years to cure unsplit, would it speed the process if I split them now? On a related note, I've looked at local and national hire shop web sites but can't immediately locate a log splitter. I don't expect to have any more tree logs coming my way for a good few years so hiring seems to make more sense then spending something like £200 for a splitter (I know you can do it by hand and I also know that there are splitters for as little as £150). I'm in "South Somerset" (between Yeovil/Frome/Wells/Street/Glastonbury/Radstock and, at a push, Bristol, Bath, Dorchester, Weymouth.). The tree surgeon who did the work for us did warn us that the Willow would take a long time to cure and not burn wonderfully. We don't use the fire as a primary source so I use wood slowly and can wait for it to cure. As for splitting, I have tried a maul in the past and not been very successful. To be frank, I'm worried how much damage I could do (to me, and surrounding buldings, cars, walls etc. etc) if I were to try with an axe. Hence the thought about a machine. my experience is that some wood splits better whilst green & some better when aged & starting to crack. Best way to find out is get a splitting axe & try a few lengths of wood. If they split first time you are away. If they are wet & dull cure them & then split. I leave my green fire wood (split) about 6 months over summer & it is good enough for the fire. rob |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
Graham Harrison wrote:
Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and Willow wood. Question is do I split them now or wait until they've cured and then split them? I'm expecting to have to leave them about 2 years to cure unsplit, would it speed the process if I split them now? Having failed to do it at the time, fer chrissake split the willow before it dries. Its a complete ******* to split once it is. Guess what my afternoon task is today.. On a related note, I've looked at local and national hire shop web sites but can't immediately locate a log splitter. I don't expect to have any more tree logs coming my way for a good few years so hiring seems to make more sense then spending something like �200 for a splitter (I know you can do it by hand and I also know that there are splitters for as little as �150). I'm in "South Somerset" (between Yeovil/Frome/Wells/Street/Glastonbury/Radstock and, at a push, Bristol, Bath, Dorchester, Weymouth.). Buy a splitting maul. Or a bomb if you can find one. I am using a hatchet and a sledge for the willow. Since the bomb broke. At least when wedged right in you can knock it out. Any thing more or less wedge shaped steel will work if it can be driven in HARD. The beech I had doesn't need the sledge. It splits (after a year), with one mega whack from the hatchet, once sawn to 12" long pieces. Blackthorn, hawthiorn and maple are a shade tougher, as is fruit wood. Not done holly yet. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article , "Graham Harrison" writes: | Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but | will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and | Willow wood. Don't bother with the willow - it's trash. It won't keep going until completely dry, and then it burns to nothing in next to no time. It will if its hot enough and ewortks well enough in a stove. Its useable. Not brill, but useable. | Question is do I split them now or wait until they've cured and then split | them? I'm expecting to have to leave them about 2 years to cure unsplit, | would it speed the process if I split them now? Up to you and yes, respectively. | On a related note, I've looked at local and national hire shop web sites but | can't immediately locate a log splitter. I don't expect to have any more | tree logs coming my way for a good few years so hiring seems to make more | sense then spending something like �200 for a splitter (I know you can do it | by hand and I also know that there are splitters for as little as �150). How many tons of wood you you have? You can split wood with a couple of hand axes, but buying a couple of wedges and a maul or club hammer will probably cost you less than hiring a functional mechanical device. Anything that works is likely to be large and heavy. Yes. You can split a ton in an afternoon , but thats a lot of work. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
brian mitchell wrote:
David in Normandy wrote: Ah the joys of a wood burning stove. No fuss or mess with a gas boiler. Just set the thermostat and job done. No messing about stacking logs, bringing them in everyday and stacking them next to the stove, then the ongoing task of starting the fire, topping it up and emptying ashes. That said, watching the real fire often beats watching television. Something satisfying about watching the flames licking around the wood and consuming it. The occasional highlight too when the wood bangs, spits or sparks. Some questions for you and/or Rod, since you both use only wood. Can you tell me how much wood you use in a year --preferably not in cords, since I've no idea what a cord is. How many logs of what size per day, for example, and how many days per year? I use it not for mainheating, but for extra heating in some very large rooms. A good fire (open)will get through about two or three large trivets of wood in an evening. Each one is heavy, but not that heavy - say 15-20kg,. So lets say 50kg of wood a day per large fire or stove. In cold weather. Or a figure in hundredweights. Maybe a hundredweight a day. Stoves in smaller properties may do much better. Does your stove run any radiators (I assume it heats water)? Can you pack the stove and let it burn slowly for a long period, or is it a case of feeding a log at a time? Either. No rads on my setup. The main reasons for asking are that I'm wondering about going over to wood as the base fuel for heating, (some)cooking, and hot water, and wondering about the feasibility, economic and otherwise. Does anyone know what area of coppiced woodland it would take to be fuel self-sufficient? A lot. One mature beech tree has lasted me half this winter.Thats a 50year old tree..dunno how many to the acre..20 or so? so two a year means you need 8 acres? I'd say probably around 5-10 acres of woodland would provide..Willow is the fastest biomass accreter, but its crap wood. Maple is probably a decent choice here on clay. My overall calcs on energy per square mete of land to generate any biofuel suggests that this is not a particularly efficient way to use sunlight/land area. Its also a shame to waste *good* timber on burning.. However if you have the land, and don't care to use it more efficiently,why not? Brian Mitchell |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
williams wrote:
"Skipweasel" wrote in message .uk... In article , says... Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and Willow wood. Don't burn it, turn it! Get a lathe and start making things. -- Skipweasel. Never knowingly understood. I love the signature and approve of the sentiment above. I'm a 65-year-old who has heated with wood for almost 30 years now. A cord, in Michigan, is 4'x4'x8', cut and stacked. However, since stoves and grates are always smaller than 4' wide, wood is usually cut to lengths of 16" to 18" or so. We call these "face cords", and they measure 4'x8'x16"-18". Here, the term "cord" refers to the "face cord". My Hardy Outdoor Wood Furnace takes a log 16" in diameter, 31" long, much to large and heavy to load into the furnace safely. We try to cut for our purposes 24" and split everything down to "wife-size" pieces. I live in a 40 acre Northern Hardwood Forest and burn everything, from Sugar Maple, American Beech, White Ash, to Basswood, Hoppes Hornbeam, local Hybrid Poplar, anything I can get my hands on. I think 10 acres would easily be a large enough stand if properly managed to glean firewood to support a home on a continuing basis. I NEVER burn a piece of wood that will some day become a saw log or has any other marginal use (ash poles for pruning hooks, for example, or Black Cherry and Black Walnut that can be trimmed up and used in a wood shop), but I do burn all larger brush that can't be used or turned on the lathe. By brush I mean branches large enough to be worth my time. All other "brush" goes into my 30-year-old brush piles, a haven for many species of wildlife living in my woods. I rely mostly on windfalls, and am permitted to cut in my neighbor's woods, which are extensive, so I've left my little paradise largely untouched over all these years. I find the species are different in some ways. Maple should always be split immediately after felling the tree. If you let it sit for a while it will go "punk" as we say, rotten, or solidify into a brick-like mass that defies the sharpest of saws and prove nearly impossible to split by hand. White Ash, however, splits easily wet or dry. I attempt to split everything I cut immediately and stack it so the air and sun will dry it. More surface area the quicker it dries. I don't even cover my very large wood pile. The sun and wind dry it even through rains and snows. I've seen charts that list the heat and weight of various woods and quality as firewood. Please Google for that, as it is informative as to species. I split everything I need to with a 6-pound sledge hammer and heavy iron wedges, and I also occasionally use a 7-pound splitting wedge. Anything that resists the first attempt is put aside and cut into smaller pieces by chainsaw. Perhaps it's just my belief, but swinging those mauls and hammers are the very best exercise imaginable. It opens up your shoulders and back, spine, hips, and legs. There's not a muscle in the body that isn't benefited by splitting wood. Have at it. Willow is junk. Don't burn any conifer, anything that stays green all winter, as they are full of pitch and you'll have a chimney fire. Burn only dry wood, hardwood, and you'll get the best heat for the pound or dollar. Some species (White Ash) actually seem to burn hotter and longer green and uncured than others (Maple and Beech). Of course, if the wood is green, it is wet, and you lose a lot of heat burning that water off before you benefit from the wood itself. Burning green wood is also a danger for chimney fires. Safety first. Good splitting to you. I know this is a gardening group, and hope this is not off-topic. Great post. I split dry maple, but next time I'll split it green. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
In article , The Natural Philosopher writes: | | Don't bother with the willow - it's trash. It won't keep going until | completely dry, and then it burns to nothing in next to no time. | | It will if its hot enough and ewortks well enough in a stove. | Its useable. Not brill, but useable. The OP referred to a grate, not a stove. It's ghastly in a grate. | How many tons of wood you you have? You can split wood with a couple | of hand axes, but buying a couple of wedges and a maul or club hammer | will probably cost you less than hiring a functional mechanical device. | Anything that works is likely to be large and heavy. | | Yes. You can split a ton in an afternoon , but thats a lot of work. And how much wood do YOU burn? :-) I would guess that few people would need to spend more than an hour every couple of weeks, even assuming they use wood for all heating. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article , "williams" writes: | | A cord, in Michigan, is 4'x4'x8', cut and stacked. However, since stoves | and grates are always smaller than 4' wide, wood is usually cut to lengths | of 16" to 18" or so. We call these "face cords", and they measure | 4'x8'x16"-18". Here, the term "cord" refers to the "face cord". My Hardy | Outdoor Wood Furnace takes a log 16" in diameter, 31" long, much to large | and heavy to load into the furnace safely. Interesting. | ... I don't even cover my very large wood pile. The sun | and wind dry it even through rains and snows. Fine for you - not much good here :-( Our problem isn't that we get a lot of rain (though some parts do), but that the evaporation is minimal (about 11" a year in the south, almost all in summer). Thats simply not so. I assume you are in Cambridge..well I am only 20 miles away, and all wood will dry outside down from whatever green is, to around about 17%-20%, in a year or two. We don't even cover it until its cut and split for burning. | Willow is junk. Don't burn any conifer, anything that stays green all | winter, as they are full of pitch and you'll have a chimney fire. I agree about willow and conifers! Holly is evergreen, and burns well, however. So is and does holme oak (but it is the very devil to split, wet or dry). Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
Sacha says...
I wonder if you'd be kind enough to email me about this? (remove weeds from address) I'd be very glad to hear from someone with similar symptoms, though yours sound worse than mine are at present. I've sent you an email. -- David in Normandy |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
Graham Harrison wrote:
"Graham Harrison" wrote in message ... Having had some trees pruned I now have a pile of logs. Cut to length but will need splitting before I can burn them in the grate. I have Holly and Willow wood. Question is do I split them now or wait until they've cured and then split them? I'm expecting to have to leave them about 2 years to cure unsplit, would it speed the process if I split them now? On a related note, I've looked at local and national hire shop web sites but can't immediately locate a log splitter. I don't expect to have any more tree logs coming my way for a good few years so hiring seems to make more sense then spending something like �200 for a splitter (I know you can do it by hand and I also know that there are splitters for as little as �150). I'm in "South Somerset" (between Yeovil/Frome/Wells/Street/Glastonbury/Radstock and, at a push, Bristol, Bath, Dorchester, Weymouth.). The tree surgeon who did the work for us did warn us that the Willow would take a long time to cure and not burn wonderfully. We don't use the fire as a primary source so I use wood slowly and can wait for it to cure. As for splitting, I have tried a maul in the past and not been very successful. To be frank, I'm worried how much damage I could do (to me, and surrounding buldings, cars, walls etc. etc) if I were to try with an axe. Hence the thought about a machine. Use a hatchet and a club hammer. I did severe damage to myself with a maul when I hit the washing line someone had thoughtfully strung over teh wood pile. (in laws house). It bounced back in my face. Fortynately on te THICKER part of te skull, missing my eye. Juts one more set of stitches in my ravaged countenance..no big deal. Using a small hatchet, and then tapping in with the club hammer, is low key work. In a short while you know juts how hard to hit it. The comment about the farmer has bought and idea to mind. One of my neighbours might be able to help. Unfortunately it is all cut to a maximum of about a foot. That doesn't preclude turning it but does restrict what can be done (I have a beautiful walking stick that was turned by a friend of my father many years ago which rather directs my thinking). Makes it dead easy to split though. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article , The Natural Philosopher writes: | | Don't bother with the willow - it's trash. It won't keep going until | completely dry, and then it burns to nothing in next to no time. | | It will if its hot enough and ewortks well enough in a stove. | Its useable. Not brill, but useable. The OP referred to a grate, not a stove. It's ghastly in a grate. | How many tons of wood you you have? You can split wood with a couple | of hand axes, but buying a couple of wedges and a maul or club hammer | will probably cost you less than hiring a functional mechanical device. | Anything that works is likely to be large and heavy. | | Yes. You can split a ton in an afternoon , but thats a lot of work. And how much wood do YOU burn? :-) I would guess that few people would need to spend more than an hour every couple of weeks, even assuming they use wood for all heating. In winter, a couple of hours a week. I fill the back of an old off the road landrover with it. It makes a useful covered motorised wood shed. Probably around 1/2 ton if the wood is dense, less if its not. Except that this winter hasn't really BEEN a winter.. As to what you need for heating a whole house..well as a kid it was coal. A ton of coal did NOT last a winter, although we nearly always made it last a winter, and I still have the memories of near hypothermia and ICE *inside* the bedrooms, and perpetually feeling cold .. I guess it came to around a hundredweight every couple of days with about half the house kept at least above freezing. A ton of coal or wood is probably not far off 1000 liters of heating oil in terms of heat output. I can easily get through that in 6 weeks here if the weather is ultra cold. And its a much better insulated house than that 50's cavity brick one was. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
Huge says...
On 2008-01-27, David in Normandy wrote: Nick Maclaren says... In article , David in Normandy writes: | | I've got a heavy axe to split over-wide logs. Some split | easily as you say, but it is still hard work. I wouldn't | want to do more than a few at a time. Not good for | arthritic joints :-( | Definitely a job for muscular young men. Hmm. I am past 60, and DEFINITELY not muscular in the arms! But I don't have arthritis (only tennis elbow). I'm only in my 40's but have little bits of bone growing in various places where they shouldn't. Some unfortunately into major nerves in my neck and also into my spinal cord. Ankylosing spondylitis? I don't recall ever being given a specific name such as that, but the doctors spoke of the formation of bone spurs impinging my nerves and the degeneration of disks in my neck. To quote my medical report: At C4/5 level there is uncal osteophyte formation with some narrowing of the left exit foramen and probably impingement of the exiting nerve root. At C5/6 level there is left postero-lateral osteophyte formation, this would appear to be associated with a chronic protrusion. There is canal stenosis with cord compression and compression of the exiting left nerve root. (In none-medical jargon - It seriously bloody hurt!) -- David in Normandy |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
On 28/1/08 09:51, in article ,
"David in Normandy" wrote: Sacha says... I wonder if you'd be kind enough to email me about this? (remove weeds from address) I'd be very glad to hear from someone with similar symptoms, though yours sound worse than mine are at present. I've sent you an email. Got it, thank you. Hope my reply makes it back! -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon (remove weeds from address) 'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.' |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
On 28 Jan 2008 08:56:55 GMT
Huge wrote: On 2008-01-27, Nick Maclaren wrote: Oak is one of the harder ones to split. I've just split several tonnes of oak, without any great issue. Any logs less than about a foot in diameter split down the middle, any larger you can nibble round the outside, splitting off "flakes" until it's small enough to split in two. I did it with a hand axe. I agree, I find oak one of the easier woods to split because it has a straight grain. If it is well seasoned the knots break easily. Now ash, is a real pain, especially if a bit green or knotty. I split around 10 cords per winter, but with a maul not an axe. This is heavy to swing (and so hard to aim) but splits much better. You don't have to be particularly strong, my wife uses it too. For really big logs you need a wedge and sledge hammer. I've succeeded with this even on very large lime trees, which are the very devil to split because the grain is all over the place, and as the woods a bit soft the maul just sinks in. David obviously you'd better stay away from splitting. And, I do think you'll find if the chain is well sharpened, it won't smoke going through that beam. (This said I can cut about two beams before the smoke starts...) -E -- Emery Davis You can reply to ecom by removing the well known companies Questions about wine? Visit http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
Huge wrote:
On 2008-01-28, The Natural Philosopher wrote: A ton of coal or wood is probably not far off 1000 liters of heating oil in terms of heat output. I can easily get through that in 6 weeks here if the weather is ultra cold. Jesus, do you live in Siberia and have a prediliction for sauna-like temperatures? 1000 litres of oil lasts us nearly a year. BIG house. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
In article , The Natural Philosopher writes: | Huge wrote: | On 2008-01-28, The Natural Philosopher wrote: | | A ton of coal or wood is probably not far off 1000 liters of heating oil | in terms of heat output. I can easily get through that in 6 weeks here | if the weather is ultra cold. | | Jesus, do you live in Siberia and have a prediliction for sauna-like | temperatures? 1000 litres of oil lasts us nearly a year. | | BIG house. Audley End? Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Curing and splitting wood for burning
On 2008-01-28 11:33:51 +0000, Huge said:
Jesus, do you live in Siberia and have a prediliction for sauna-like temperatures? 1000 litres of oil lasts us nearly a year. I came from Nazareth. It was quite warm there. |
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