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MonsterMonster

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Everything posted by MonsterMonster

  1. MonsterMonster
    Having inherited a polytunnel for a couple of years I can vouch that anything left inside it will dry quickly so long as there is good ventilation. I like the idea of the clear pallet wrap/cling film. If the base is open and there is enough venting at the top then you should get a chimney effect through the stacked wood pulling in cool air at the bottom and releasing the warm wet air at top.
  2. MonsterMonster
    Have a look at the "Wood Fuels Handbook" http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4441e.pdf It has some interesting conversion factors along with mass densities at various moisture contents. If I understand it correctly a neat stack of roundwood logs with bark, will comprise 30% airspace.
  3. MonsterMonster
    Thanks for the replies. Just need to find an artic load of wood and somewhere to put it!
  4. MonsterMonster
    I'm looking at buying an artic load of logs but I need to have proof of its legality and sustainability as I'm on the BSL as a producer/trader for my own RHI payments on our biomass boiler. I'm aware of FSC, PEFC, felling licences, chain of custody etc. but is this info supplied as part of the transaction? I'm looking at buying from large clearance contractors such as UPM Tilhill if possible through to smaller suppliers such as arb contractors. Ta Sent from my Alba 10" using Tapatalk
  5. MonsterMonster
    The 5.5 tonnes is an estimate and bearing in mind that my logs are stacked straight from splitting and the only time they're loose is when going from stack to boiler in a wheel barrow. I was sad enough to measure each of the 38 logs and work out the volume using a formula for logs of different end diameters and got 12 cubes. Most of the wood is fairly dry so I used the factor of 462kg per solid cube at 20% m/c making 12.04 tonnes. This has processed to a stacked 18 cubes verified. Using a stack-to-loose factor of 1.66 makes 29.99 cubes. Bearing in mind that my logs are cut to 45cm and the tonnage is estimated by way of m/c I think that 30 cubes could be +/- 10% at a guess. What would you expect from 5.5 tonnes out of interest? Sent from my Alba 10" using Tapatalk
  6. MonsterMonster
    I read somewhere that the following conversion factors are used for 33cm split length ... solid to split stacked is 1.5; split stacked to loose is 1.66. So 1cube of solid wood processes to 1.5 cubes stacked, which then produces 2.49 cubes when tipped loose. Therefore your 10 cubes stacked would be roughly 16.6 cubes loose making £1,162. But this is for 33cm length and stacked lengthwise. I suspect your 10 cubes stacked in your method would produce a smaller conventional stack. Also, longer logs, as you say, will produce less wood in a loose cube due to bigger air gaps so it might cancel out the stacking volume gain. Sent from my Alba 10" using Tapatalk
  7. MonsterMonster
    A next door farmer friend felled (with licence) some Scots pine about 5 years ago and had it stacked up in 5m lengths in the open for milling but it never found a buyer. Anyhow, he agreed for me to process it for my firewood and make him an offer when I know how much split wood it produces as neither of us knows what this stuff is worth. I got 38 logs of various diameter up to 50cm and processed it to split 45cm lengths making 18 cubes stacked or about 30 cubes loose. I estimate it at about 5.5 tonnes. The smaller stuff was a nice 20% m/c with larger stuff still at 40% at the heart. Some outside rot but mostly OK. I want to offer him a fair price bearing in mind I used his tractor for my PTO Hycrack. The last Roadside softwood prices I saw were about £35-£40/tonne. Do you reckon £250 is fair? The wood is for myself so not selling on. Ta Sent from my Alba 10" using Tapatalk
  8. MonsterMonster
    If you split that wood and test the center what reading do you get? Sent from my Alba 10" using Tapatalk
  9. MonsterMonster
    What's the kit that you are using and what size logs can it handle? Sent from my Alba 10" using Tapatalk
  10. MonsterMonster
    Don't do it for the RHI payment. A compliant MCS installation is anything from £15k upwards which can buy a lot of oil at today's price. RHI payments have now been degressed to make payback not worth the hassle. On top of that BSL regulations make log burning on RHI a red tape ball ache. I've done it and regret it! Unless you have access to lots of free wood, don't mind a heating system that needs hand holding everyday, you don't go away for more than two days during winter, you like lots of red tape bureaucracy (if RHI) then you'll find oil a delight, cheaper and a lot less hassle. Sent from my Alba 10" using Tapatalk
  11. MonsterMonster
    The only slimmest of positives to come from this is that the BSL will collapse and put an end to this joke of bureaucracy. However, I suspect that log suppliers make up a tiny percentage of all registered BSL users with the majority being pellet producers who tend to be larger commercial entities that can absorb the fees. RHI recipients using logs are screwed either way unless they are self suppliers that can register fewer larger volumes of fuel per application. Sent from my Alba 10" using Tapatalk
  12. MonsterMonster
    What surprises me when someone says only burn hardwood and talk down softwood. What do the Scandinavians burn mostly ... softwood as they are drowning in the stuff. Apparently it's the same in Scotland; way more softwood than hardwood trees apparently. A few million Scandinavians that have been log burning far longer than us can't be wrong.
  13. MonsterMonster
    Agreed. I bought over 30cubes of soft kiln last year at £48 per cube. Saw very little usage difference over the hardwood at £65 per cube. I burn in a 40KW gasifier so load and forget. Softwood definitely burns hotter but probably in shorter period. I burn in a log gasifier one heaped wheelbarrow load a night, load and forget. If I was burning in a small log burner I might notice the difference in having to load in more frequently.
  14. MonsterMonster
    It would be interesting to know just how many members on here are registered as BSL for logs and what quantities they've sold to RHI recipients. I think the figures will be rather low and these fees will help them to decide to come off the BSL.
  15. MonsterMonster
    The Bull $h1t List is really living up to its name. I've posted here on the BSL before and I'm not a fan. I'm an end user RHI recipient that wishes to buy in raw material and use it for my own purposes and not sell to anyone. For this ball ache I have to be a Producer-Trader so whoopydoo I now get clobbered with commercial fees. Most of the BSL log traders I've met can count on one hand how many bags of fuel they've sold to RHI recipients in total since being registered from 2014. I and they see no reason to be on the BSL before any fees were mentioned. Call me cynical but I feel this whole BSL is designed to put people off RHI.
  16. MonsterMonster
    RHI recipient here using a 40KW log boiler. I don't understand why wood suppliers are on the BSL for selling logs as what I've learnt from the few suppliers there are in Lincolnshire is that they sell bugger all to RHI customers. They were expecting a huge increase in sales but it's been very quiet with most counting the RHI\BSL cubes sold on one hand literally. I've bought in 45 cubes as a stop gap but thereafter I plan on processing my own wood once I'm BSL registered as a Producer\Trader to supply just myself. I can't imagine there would be a great number of domestic log boilers on RHI and those that have probably have their own woodland. Pellets looks like a different story mind.
  17. MonsterMonster
    I'm looking to buy an artic load of wood. I need to prove it's been sustainably sourced and legally felled as I'm intending to process this myself for my own use (not selling) as a BSL registered Producer/Trader running a biomass boiler on the RHI scheme. So what documentation normally comes with the wood assuming from legitimate seller such as Tilhill or Euroforest? FSC, PEFC, felling licence etc.?
  18. MonsterMonster
    Sadly this is all too common. My experience as an end user is that those selling wood at 30%+ m/c and claiming it to be seasoned outnumber the decent merchants at roughly 3 to 1. This includes suppliers using kiln drying as well (see my reply in this thread)!
  19. MonsterMonster
    You're spot on! I bought several cubes of kiln dried softwood from BSL supplier who had just installed his chip powered kiln. I was assured the wood would come out at sub 20% m/c. I split and checked a random selection of 30 logs and found most to be averaging 35% m/c, several at 50%+. Dry on outer inch but green in the middle. When I pointed this out I got the excuse "oh well it's a low value product blah blah ... needs to be in kiln for weeks blah blah ... it's not viable blah blah ...". They're claiming the commercial RHI though for warming it up and had the audacity to invoice me for wood at sub 20% m/c! And some say the BSL will improve quality of firewood ... I think not!
  20. MonsterMonster
    Not totally rain proof but sheltered. Each bay holds about 5 cubes (measured loose). Pretty standard store facing prevailing wind.
  21. MonsterMonster
    I can say definitely not on a canal boat. Just got a 1990 Stihl that had been stored on a boat. Crank wouldn't budge at first but tide line shows that the bilge pump failed at some point.
  22. MonsterMonster
    I bought a Husqvarna 435 brand new a few years ago off web. So far I've got through three plastic pull-cord pulleys and very little oil. The pulley tends to break apart at the same point where it catches the metal flippy things that turn the crank. I pull the cord cleanly without jerking it but it is a pain to start. Easystart is not! As for oil it only gets through about one tank of oil to three fuel fills if I'm lucky. The bar gets hot. Have cleared bar, removed bar and checked oil is being pumped out. Mind you it dumps the bar oil out in copious amount when sat on floor upright. Have been told that these machines went straight to internet sales as they weren't brilliant. Has anyone else had any issues with these 435's and can anything be done? (Has fixed oil flow). Bought cheap £70 Timber Pro and this P££ses all over the Husqvarna.
  23. MonsterMonster
    Should be okay as we're right in the sticks. Plenty of other stacks by main roads to worry about further afield if there are any light fingered so-and-so's about.
  24. MonsterMonster
    Thanks Mortimer, exactly the advice I'm looking for. Just found a neighbour with a field with low level hedge right next to a private road and it's free! Should be okay to sweep in and reverse out. Have had full sized low level loaders do this on tighter lanes around here. What would you call low? Chest height?
  25. MonsterMonster
    I believe it's 2.5m to 3m lengths up to 14" diameter.

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