Short Logs

[swwchris]

Hi

 

Myself and our neighbours both have the same stove installed, but it is quite small, and we have to cut supplied logs in half to get them to fit.

 

What we are trying to find is a supplier of kiln dried hard wood logs 6" 150mm long. We do understand that these will be more expensive than the normal lengths which are supplied, but this will save a huge amount of work cutting every single log in two.

 

I have tried a large amount of googling, and emailing various on line suppliers, but without luck.

 

We live in Torbay, Devon. TQ5

 

Thanks

 

Chris

[windfall]

Would you not be able to talk to your local log supplier and ask for the size of log you need then season them yourselves? Its going to save you money in the long run cause i bet even though the log supplier is going to have to cut them to 6inch its still loads cheaper than buying kiln dried logs.

 

In my experience when Ash is split and stacked it takes around 6 months to get to 25%.

[Big Bolt]

second that a good fire wood man will be able to cut the lenght you require , but get in now and stock up on small logs for the winter . Because when the winter start's most people have there logs already cut to a set size normally 10 inches i charge a extra £15 a load for logs under 8 inches but that will still be cheaper than kiln dried let the summer do it for you.

[gensetsteve]

We avoid cutting small logs of 6" as it feels like twice the work and sawdust. I need this for my office but use hotmax instead.

[Alycidon]

[.

 

In my experience when Ash is split and stacked it takes around 6 months to get to 25%.

 

 

 

Maximum mosture level for use in a stove is 20%, 14%- 16% or less is ideal. Hardwood at 25% will sit and sulk, it will also produce large quantities of soot and if the stove temperature does not rise above 100C tar.

 

Kiln dried is expensive for waht it is but it does offer an immediate solution. I have measured some of the kiln dried brand leaders product this winter at 22%. I am told that the kilning operation alledgely kills any boring insects within the wood, that I have yet to confirm myself.

 

I am burning Ash in my showroom that I cut and split about 2 years ago, its been in a barn and is around 13%.

 

A

[County4x4]

Have PM'd you Chris.

 

Andy

[windfall]

[.

 

In my experience when Ash is split and stacked it takes around 6 months to get to 25%.

 

 

Maximum mosture level for use in a stove is 20%, 14%- 16% or less is ideal. Hardwood at 25% will sit and sulk, it will also produce large quantities of soot and if the stove temperature does not rise above 100C tar.

 

Kiln dried is expensive for waht it is but it does offer an immediate solution. I have measured some of the kiln dried brand leaders product this winter at 22%. I am told that the kilning operation alledgely kills any boring insects within the wood, that I have yet to confirm myself.

 

I am burning Ash in my showroom that I cut and split about 2 years ago, its been in a barn and is around 13%.

 

A

 

I agree whole heartedly with you about lower MC being better no one is going to dispute that, burning wood at 15% is a different experience to burning it at 25% but that is not what the OP asked about.

 

I have been researching Kiln Dried timber for the last 3 months. I have found that all the suppliers i have spoken to will only say thier product is 25%mc. I was dissapointed with this and have chosen to buy freshly cut and dry it myself, time will tell if it was the right decision but a saving of £45 per m3 is whats important to me at the moment.

 

With regards to wood boring beasties yes kiln drying kills them, it is my understanding that this is only important for people importing / exporting logs as part of large retail contracts. I will happily burn mice extracted from traps on my fire so a woodlouse doesnt concern me.

 

Its my view that because the stove makers and sellers are harping on that kiln dried is best, this is what people look for and want. They dont know that really all that matters is the log they are burning is dry and this can be achieved by storing any number of ways.

[dave fox]

i am going to cut all of my logs at 9 inch this season . there is nothing worse than a log too big for a fire.

[gensetsteve]

I class my logs as house bricks or breeze blocks. 80% tends to be 9-10" the rest 14"

[Alycidon]

I agree whole heartedly with you about lower MC being better no one is going to dispute that, burning wood at 15% is a different experience to burning it at 25% but that is not what the OP asked about.

 

I have been researching Kiln Dried timber for the last 3 months. I have found that all the suppliers i have spoken to will only say thier product is 25%mc. I was dissapointed with this and have chosen to buy freshly cut and dry it myself, time will tell if it was the right decision but a saving of £45 per m3 is whats important to me at the moment.

 

With regards to wood boring beasties yes kiln drying kills them, it is my understanding that this is only important for people importing / exporting logs as part of large retail contracts. I will happily burn mice extracted from traps on my fire so a woodlouse doesnt concern me.

 

Its my view that because the stove makers and sellers are harping on that kiln dried is best, this is what people look for and want. They dont know that really all that matters is the log they are burning is dry and this can be achieved by storing any number of ways.

 

On log sizes nothing over about 4 inch (100mm) diameter for best flame patterns, 4 small bits look far better than 2 big ones, load stove width wise so cut logs around 2inches shorter than the door width opening.

 

A

 

 

 

Thanks for the advice on the action of kilning on beasties. Certainly Wood advise a MC of 20-22% normally on delivery. That is not really acceptable, it used to be far lower I understand. But kilned currently it is the best of a bad job unless like me you have a shed full of 18% stuff. So to get a bit more geared up I have this week been over to Fuelwood in Warwick and bought a JAPA700 and rack. I intend to air dry for as long as it takes, wood I am going to split in the next month I envisage selling winter 12-13. I am not busting to sell big volumes just high quality to match the stoves I sell. All my local sellers of logs are selling 'seasoned' at 30% + usually, best I have found is 24% this winter as I believe I have already posted. That is no good at all for stoves or for open fires, thats where the tar in your chimney comes from not the fact that its soft wood. IMHO soft wood actually gets a bad press on tar production, I had my showroom stove running at 500 C on softwood this winter at 22% MC !!. It is a bit more forgiving of higher MCs providing you get a decent fire going first. I have run it every day for about 7 hours since early Sept, soot in the 10m flue will be under 2kg, probably well under and tar non existent.

 

A

Edited April 21, 2011 by Alycidon