neiln

Ofgem announced a 54% increase coming in April, on top of the large hike back in October. I reckon wood could be considerably over £100/m³ and be a cheap fuel compared to gas, particularly as I read gas price per kWh will double to 7p. Interested to hear what people think they might charge for logs, and if anyone wants to have ago at estimating what is worth in saved gas.... Not an easy calculation!

If we've changed to a 'which splitting tool of best?' thread I'll say my usual, there is no silver bullet that works best for all wood. Hence I have a range. Used to do most with the x27 but broke out the 8lb oschenkopf/Stihl cleave hammer for really really stubborn bits. Over the last few years I've got better technique and learnt to do more with less effort on simple splitting woods with a smaller axe. I got the x17 which works, but at 2' you'll hit your shin if using a tall block and a knot sends the axe sideways. I learnt that with my second swing and got away with just a few stitches. My nickname for the x17 is 'shinspliter'. To avoid this I use a low block and crouch, the small axe is easy to use but the crouching does my back in. I then got gifted a 3.5lb true temper Jersey head and hung it on a 28". Small enough to split fast and do a good session, big enough to do more when the shin splitter has run short on oomph, long enough to need virtually no crouch. It doesn't touch the x27 in tougher wood though so some day I'll get around to hanging the 4 .5lb Hb on a 28-30", and the 5lb wetterling on a30-32". A quality old head is a cool tool, but tbh, an x21 and x25 would perform very well.

I've a 17. It's quick on really easy splitting stuff but being short you have to crouch to split on a low block. I've also got a couple of traditional axes on 28" handles, one is a 3.5lb head, that is now my go to for easy splitting stuff. More comfy length, long enough but short enough. What length is the x21?

Definitely 4mm for 3/8 pico. The pferd/Stihl/ husky 2 in 1 sharpeners are quick and easy. Personally on a small saw I think there is nothing wrong with cheap chains like those from Northern arb, the rotatech chains. Seem to be a few stories of snapped chains on larger saws but my experience on a ms180 where 3 rotatech cost the same as 1 Stihl, I was happy with the cheap ones. Ppe, trousers, boots, gloves, ear defenders and safety glasses. I think foresters helmet are good even for simple bucking, they have the ear muffs and the hard peak provides a bit more protection from the saw. As said though, the most important thing is to concentrate, be aware, mindful.

Or just go at the round with the axe, flaking splits from the edge. If it's straight grained stuff that technique can work fine

let us know how you get on, getting it and using it

Nope. I'm just a home owner scrounging ~15 cube of firewood a year, but I'd try it if a nearby airfield stocked it and would sell me a gallon. I've been using shell v-power to avoid e5 and now Esso synergy 99+ as they guarantee e free, but have considered avgas for ages. However UL 91 and 94 haven't been common in the UK yet, it's all been LL100 (low lead). Googling just now was the first time I got that hit I think. 55 litres is a bit much for me...10 years use! I'd pay the £2/litre for that. It ought to work fine, it's e free alkalyte petrol at 95+ Ron designed for light aircraft as a safe alternative to mogas (motor gas). It ought to be very high quality too.

Try this Warter Aviation UL91 | Anglo American Oil Company AAOIL.CO.UK Product is in stock – can not be bought via website. Please call the office for more... UL 91 is unleaded and aviation fuels are alkylate. It's also 95 Ron, the 91 is Mon. £98 + Vat for 55 litres, £335+vat for 195, if there's not too much delivery cost then that's half the price of Aspen isn't it?

Electric saws have lower chain speed so kick back less severe. Roughneck twist wedges are decent but them gnarly unsplitables are very hard work with wedges too. If the x27 doesn't get it I set it aside, when I have a small pile of tough bits and want a real work out, the 8lb Stihl maul comes out. The few remaining bits get cut up these days. I would only use wedges on really large rounds these days.

My mum recently had a single sided inset by Barbas and I seem to recall the brochure had some double sided. Cent comment on those but I am impressed with mum's.

Oh and I seem to remember some old saying about getting wood split by Easter to have in ready by winter, softwood doesn't need they long though, couple of months in the summer is often enough. Try and get ahead though, hardwood needs longer.

The Screwfix maul will work, it's frustrating though, there are better tools. You've some learning to do too, technique is more than the tools with splitting. Best of luck and welcome to the club. I've been at this 7 years now and process 15 cube a year. Now I know what in doing that's enjoyable and less 'work'then the 4-5 cube I did the first year!

For a smoke control zone, you can burn smokeless fuels in any (multi fuel) stove, or wood in a DEFRA exempt appliance. The list of exempt stoves is on the DEFRA website. There are no rules on the wood you burn, like with stoves the rules are for the sellers/producers.

My understanding, you can fit anything still (usage subject to smoke control zones and DEFRA exemptions on appliances). The new rules are just one the sale of stoves.,

Yes I need to swap out the warped air control so I'll put the non smoke control version back in probably.

1930s built house, designed to ventilate and be benefitted ventilated by 5 fireplaces and a range cooker. I've found opening 2 fireplaces, running stoves taking room air, has significantly reduced damp issues. The option of outside air is good though.

Yes that's the one. The burley and others (eg the barbas insert mum put in recently) have the same air inlets, just one lever to control the 2/3. The Stockton is pretty well built and I think with out the smoke control kit it's probably controllable. with it I basically have to control it by log type, size and number. For example I've burnt lots of very well seasoned pine this winter, it's dry and very resinous. I can put a single large piece in and the flue temp goes to 500C, all vents as closed as can be isn't enough. The result is it's been overfired a fair bit over 5.5 years and ~35³. The plate at the back which is part of the smoke kit, where the heated secondary air enters, has completely burnt away and it was 4-5mm thick cast iron! I'm currently finding the air wash control very sticky/jammy. It's obviously warped. The baffle has faired ok... Warped loads and I took it to my chopping block and went at it with a club hammer to straighten it, but it's not burnt away yet. Rest seems ok, no sign of wear. So it's not bad, but it's just there are better out there.

Like gimlet I have a Stockton 5 but with the smoke control kit to get DEFRA exemption. That makes it much less controllable it's been decent but is now showing it's age. It's 6 winters old this winter and having been used as the primary heat source gets lit every day and burns 6-8 M3 /winter so it's not unreasonable that is suffering, but I'd look at others for the next stove.

Holy thread revival Batman!! 🦇🦇 Would a solo stove work well to burn oil?

I used to store my saws hanging on the wall, a piece of string through the handle. The leaking oil slowly filled the bar scabbard. After a garage tidy and repositioning of tools to get much more storage I've now got saws hanging in the roof. It's easy to find my 365, it's above the large oil stains on the floor. 😕

Yes. It's easier/more effective to blow cold dense air around, so put a fan in the cold spot and bliss the cold air at the stove, the warm air is displaced over it and you'll set up s circulation

It's usually more effective to blow the cold dense air toward the stove and displace the got air than the other way around.

My daffodils have been growing up through the lawn for maybe 6 weeks now. Lots of odd flowering either still going or coming early

It is drier when green and yes it can but burn, but too do so is wasting quite a bit of good heat. It burns much much better when dry.

You could work with what you have.... Or you could get something more suitable. Leave the ash until next winter when it will be brilliant, buy some dry wood to burn this winter.