Short Logs

[NI Tree]

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

 

well then i better call our logs bouldersas thery are huge i is brilllent as i do not split any thing smaller than 16" and they are about 14" long. apart from lifting them. we may have 3 fires going all daymost of the winter. worst bit is the size of the big rings lots of burr elm all to split by hand you get good with a sledge.

Edited April 21, 2011 by NI Tree

[Woody Wood Pecker]

What are you cutting your logs with?

 

I was cutting my logs with a 24" bow saw - was taking ages - like 5 minutes for a 3" thick log. Replaced the blade with this

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-23-24-Raker-Tooth-Bowsaw/dp/B0001IX71K/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=diy&qid=1303559273&sr=1-5]Bahco 23-24 Raker Tooth Hp Bowsaw Blade 24In: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools[/ame]

 

 

now goes through an unseasoned log in seconds - about 15 seconds for a 3" log - about a minute for a 10" one - and that includes rotating it as the log is too big for the saw.

 

The blades are specially designed for the amount of moisture in the wood so if you're sawing seasoned wood, you may need a different blade - hopefully someone will be able to advise.

 

Oh, a shorter log will season quicker too.

 

G

[Stereo]

SWWChris, a solution may be to invest in a compound mitre saw or some such. Make sure it will handle the sort of log sizes you get get but this will chop them in half in seconds. I use a big GMC one to chop up billets into logs and it's no effort and very quick.

[Billy68]

hi i cut my logs at whatever the customer wants from 6 to 18 inch as for drying its upto customer i tell all new ones to make the biggest pile of logs they can when you they get down to half order more let nature do the drying a good thing to have is a stove thermometer and lots of kindling

Edited April 25, 2011 by Billy68

[swwchris]

Yeh stereo we have been looking at multi saws, but it will get well used, so would wish to get a good one. Not heard of a compound mitre saw, so will give it a google.

Cheers

[Billy68]

ive got a farmi firewood processor cuts up to 15inch

[Yeti]

Most my custom comes from small stoves.bit of pain but it seasons quicker.Suprised the kiln dried stuff is above 15 percent moisture,I thought that was whole point in kiln dried logs? Super low moisture content.

[windfall]

Rather than buying a 'good' saw you could buy a disposable chop saw for £29.98 from B&Q, make sure you keep the receipt cause they have a years warranty! When the blade goes dull (New blades are £27!) take it back and say its broken, they never check and just hand over a replacement or upgrade if the one your bringing back isnt in stock!

 

Apologies if this offends some people.

 

210mm Compound Mitre Saw, UBCMS210

Edited April 25, 2011 by windfall

[windfall]

Surprised the kiln dried stuff is above 15 percent moisture,I thought that was whole point in kiln dried logs? Super low moisture content.

 

Couldnt agree more, I feel 25% is just acceptable to be burning yet it being Kiln dried is effectively classing it as a premium product. When buying in bulk volumes it equates to an increase of around £30 per cube over freshly cut.

[Big J]

Alycidon, I think your view of burning wood is a little bit narrow minded to actually have any success in using it as a primary fuel.

 

Firstly, kilning is expensive (I run a sawn timber drying kiln). There is a lot of handling, a lot of energy input and a lot of expense in setting up.

 

Secondly, kiln dried firewood is mostly pointless, because as soon as it leaves the kiln, it will begin to take on moisture from the air. Here in South East Scotland, the equilibrium moisture content of timber is 14-22% (depending on month of year, according to relative humidity). Timber stored outside in winter will attain a moisture content of 20%, or more. If you are wanting to burn the kind of quantity that actually produces a reasonable amount of heat, you aren't going to be able to store it in a warm room.

 

Thirdly, I disagree with the idea that 25% MC logs produce a bad fire. I put 15 cubic meters of good, dry, 20-30% MC hardwood through my stove over winter. I had it cleaned last week and the chimney sweep was very complimentary about the state of the flue. I have a flue thermometer too, and maintaining the fire within the healthy zone is very straightforward.

 

I am not wishing to have a go, but I do think that this kind of misinformation regarding firewood is quite destructive to the numerous firewood producers (I'm not one, I should point out) who strive to produce a good log at a fair price. If customers were more willing to store and season their own wood, rather than wanting it 20 minutes after calling you, we would all be in a better situation too.

 

Jonathan