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WFWales

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Posts posted by WFWales

  2. Adios Amigos

    in Firewood forum

    Posted

    I finish work with Woodfuel Wales on Wednesday - I'll be setting up a new account in my own name to keep in touch with developments while I am away for 4 months in Costa Rica. Off to see an amazing part of the world and to start living my dream away from an office desk...!

     

    It's been great being a part of Arbtalk - You are a fantastic bunch of informative and entertaining people - Thanks a million....

     

    Ciao

     

    Martin

  4. EU Imported firewood into the UK

    in Firewood forum

    Posted

    I couldn't agree with what you said A, according to forestry commission linkthe numbers are slightly different:

    25%MC~ 14MJ/KG

    16%MC~ 15MJ/KG

    theory:

    Let's say that one log (25% moisture content)weighs 1kg. It will produce 14MJ of heat energy.

    If you dry this log until it reaches 16%- it wouldn't weigh 1kg anymore, 90grams of water will be gone (91% of weight left).

    15MJ * 91% = 13.65 MJ

    So no!- you don't get 50% more heat per same log, in fact- you lose some of the energy.

    cheers, Dan

     

    Your point regarding the weight of the same log reducing as its moisture content drops is valid Dan BUT...

     

    ..These figures quoted by the FC are theoretical figures based on the chemical composition of wood and not the actual heat that will be produced by burning them using stoves or whatever....

     

    FACT IS you will get a LOT LESS heat out of a log with a higher moisture content - We know this to be true from our own personal experiences. Burning a wet log does not allow the firebox temperature to get high enough to fully burn the gases so we lose energy up the chimney in smoke...

     

    Only burn wood at less than 20% m/c...!!

  7. lime balnks wanted

    in Woodcraft Forum

    Posted

    Can anyone recommend a supplier near ponypridd?

     

    The chap also travels up to leomester occasionally and he has seen a sawmill near whitney on wye - do es anyone know its name please?

     

    Cheers...

     

    Hmmm - balanks....

     

    ummmm ...= Welsh for "Blanks" ...!

  10. Kiln dried logs?

    in Firewood forum

    Posted

    Some clever sorts are installing boilers and getting the RHI to pay for the heat they produce to dry the logs...Result...!

     

    btw kiln drying does not mean anything at all in terms of quality - it's not a standard - imho it's a gimmick. Moisture content is the only important factor....

     

    however I do think solar kilns - Polytunnels - are a pretty good way to go if you have the space

  11. rocket stove made out of wood!

    in Firewood forum

    Posted

    How dry was the log. I tried one on Saturday too but it was a bit slow getting going due to only a 25mm hole but my log was quite fresh so was a while before it kept itself going.

    The chap on YouTube does say HAS to be dry and he uses a 1.25 '' drill bit.

     

    GOT to be dry - not sure what m/c mine was it had been kicking round the office for quite a while...

  12. rocket stove made out of wood!

    in Firewood forum

    Posted

    Tried one out on Saturday.

     

    Worked a treat...!

     

    notes:

    6" hardwood log took a bit of time to get going - we only used an inch hole - but once it got here it burnt hard for well ove an hour.

    We used nails to support the pan one of which collapsed as the burn chamber got close. pan ended up on the floor but no real probs..."

    597661fd829b3_rocketstove1.JPG.ee1372bce10b6869d3b0db2f5ef122a3.JPG

  15. Softwood logs any good?

    in Firewood forum

    Posted

    Maybe we should start selling wood by energy content....

     

    ...such that you offer the customer either a fixed amount of MegaJoules and a variable volume of wood or a fixed volume of wood (probably much, much easier!) but a proportionately cheaper price, based on how much energy they're actually buying per cube/builders bag, etc...

     

    There are a lot of folks out there in the energy market (because that's what we're part of) trying to get best value; if you can make it genuinely simple and understandable (and compare what you're charging for 'energy' to gas/coal/elec/oil) then all the mystery and misinformation will go out of it.

     

    Now this is probably a bad example to give, but when you go to Amsterdam and buy cannabis, the Dutch give you a little of the strong stuff or relatively a lot more of the less strong stuff for the same money. Apparently. Different people buy different stuff according to their tastes but everyone is getting more or less the same bang for their buck and maybe that's the way forward with firewood.

     

    The information regarding energy/unit dry volume is out there - price acccordingly and if you have a website explain this simply on your log page.

     

    You could even factor in the mositure content so that wet wood is cheaper/dry wood at a premium. Turn up with the load and a moisture meter, split a couple of pieces and show them the reading... after all that only the true problem children will find something to complain about! :thumbup1:

     

    This is an interesting idea and I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment of providing accurate information to the punters but I fear that it is pretty difficult - can you give me an idea of how many KWh there are in a loose cube of 20% mc softwood (sorry cant do btu's)

     

    I also fear that if we go down this route we will need to start supplying by weight and end up vulnerable to trading standards...

     

    ...and then we have the problem of determining moisture content - does your meter measure on a wet or dry basis??

  16. Softwood logs any good?

    in Firewood forum

    Posted

    Absolute nothing wrong with softwood,i shift an absolute heap of the stuff.Good 80 percent customer base always asks for repeats on softwood.

    Give me larch or give me death !

    Supply dry, price sensible folk will be happy enough.

     

    Wise words Big Fella

     

    and the rest of this thread is very encouraging - glad the professionals are on the case - just gotta get them punters on board....

  18. How long to season pine from tree to stove?

    in Log burning stoves and fireplaces

    Posted

    Buy a cheapo ebay moisture meter if you don't already have one so you can test when it goes under 20%.

     

    Seasoning time there are alot of variables like log size wood store localtion/design etc but 1 yr sounds about right.

     

    good advice Face cord...

     

    split it down to 3 -4 inches - stack it off the ground with a cover over the top and the sides open and let the wind rip thru it and it will dry a treat :)

  24. Spoons

    in Woodcraft Forum

    Posted

    Bought a Nick Westermann spoon knife and a litlle mora jobbie at woodfest..

     

    got hold of a bit of cherry and knocked out these. They need oiling - going to have to wait until spoonfest to get hold of some decent linseed...

     

    Happy days ....

    spoons_med_rot.jpg

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