neiln

Looking at the photos I can't help thinking Richard and nepia should swap stoves. Richard seems to have a tiny fire in a large stove (impressed or actually burns). Nepia seems to have an impressively overloaded small stove. Although even th smaller stove looks too large for the fireplace.

I've been considering it. But with an almost one year old who is almost walking id need to set the guard up first..... Tempted though!

Leyland c makes a pretty decent firewood. Not bad to split despite its many knots, dries readily and is very dense for softwood. More energy than sycamore I'd say. Makes super kindling/starter logs I'm always happy to goblin some Leyland cypress. I do get to goblin 3 times as much Oak, plenty of false acacia, birch and Holly, but still ask my mate for Leyland to mix in my pile.

big glass for best view of the dancing flames...all good.

look up buckin' billy ray on you tube, and watch some of his videos. Also steven edholm, aka skillcult, has excellent blogs on how to handle an axe. DONT shoulder the haft, the head should go tight very slowly, if it shoulders, it will come loose. take your time.

Complete the survey right and you could get the government to promote softwood. My logic:. Softwood dries far quicker so a greater percentage of wood sold would be 'dry' (20% or whatever), so softwood leads to cleaner burning. I also wonder if the higher voc and hence higher temps/intenser burn might lead to less particulates.... Can't be bothered to do a search but there may be evidence of that.

Reading the paper again there are some lines which strongly suggest to me that a few lines from an industry body can go a long way. For example, and ensuring that chimneys are regularly swept by a professional or registered chimney sweep all make a big difference. Errr. ..I sweep my own chimney, is a certified sweep going to make the air cleaner?

I suspect the draft strategy/paper has lots of errors. 2 years to dry wood is one. Unfortunately it varies massively.... Soft wood, split small, good conditions, dry to well below 20% in a few summer months, well dry in a few winter months. Other end of the scale, big splits of Oak in poor conditions.... Never dry. I have to raise an eyebrow at the diagram top of page 5,. The big difference between old stoves and modern..... Are they really comparing apples and apples? I suspect it may be worst case figures for old stoves, best case for new. Out of interest, what do you gents think the certified scheme would add to the cost of 1m3 of wood?

Have you got a link? My search is finding a consultation that closed 14 August.

I agree the wet wood ban is great in principle but unenforceable and will add considerably to the cost of wood. That may be intentional, it will reduce wood use in cities. Extending smoke control to everywhere? That then creates a need for a lot of old stoves to be replaced. Will the government help with that? My dad tells me there was help to update fires etc when London first got smoke control measures back in the day. If there isn't help them rural people get a double whammy, buy a new stove and pay more for wood, oouch.

https://www.sam-turner.co.uk/stihl-ax-30-c-cleaving-hammer-3000g.html?fo_c=603&fo_k=3376bc233f55afef1de8edb958071383&fo_s=gplauk&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5NnbBRDaARIsAJP-YR-PBTnNp8VO6td6fh4eBU2cy50erGawhxD_JaaCuHXeymQ2-z-EzVYaAicmEALw_wcB Iirc that non pro version is a 6lb head and comes cheap with an ash shaft (that one) or ever so slightly more with a hickory shaft. That would still be noticeably heftier than the x27. My view.... The 8lb version isn't worth over twice the price.

https://www.toolstoday.co.uk/husqvarna-splitting-axe-s2800-70cm?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5NnbBRDaARIsAJP-YR-0A-q8odYfUR-L9QdbnclAUxtS74_aR2vUO6wNl92lz6eqFpgyakcaAlDgEALw_wcB Considerably more oomph than the x27 despite being shorter, it's a good tool

https://www.westfalia.net/shops/gardening/garden_tools/wood_splitting/splitting_hammers/383265-big_ox_wood_splitting_hammer.htm?art_nr=659995&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5NnbBRDaARIsAJP-YR_2KJBfawjhNn_jRwkgqx7MLEw2q4YKsgMUku5o7YC-UXzBKNIDerAaAj-NEALw_wcB&utm_medium=1.+SEA&utm_source=Google Adwords+WWC Produktdaten+UK&utm_campaign=Google Adwords+WWC Produktdaten+UK A few quid cheaper in yellow then red. The husqvarna s2800 is well talked of

Look up Steven Edholm aka Skillcult on YouTube, he's done a few lovely blogs on handle design/thinning for strength and comfort. He also has some great blogs on making a raw hide overstrike protector. I bit... No... Way beyond me! Nice to watch though.

I think it's more a matter of design then material. I find the fiskars x27 comfy. The x17 is noticeably stiffer as it's much shorter so can jar but doesn't vibrate if they make sense. A cheap fibre glass handled maul I had I didn't get on with and handle vibration was part of it. A good hickory handle will last a long while and can be very comfy but if it's too thick it will jar like a fibre glass handle. My stihl maul handle is too thick, but it never gets used for long sessions. I ought to thin it down, the advantage of any wood handle is that you can take a rasp or spoke shave to it and make it whippy and comfy. Another disadvantage is cheap wood handles will break even without overstrike. The bison pickaroon handles are awful.... Mine lasted no more than 3m3! But it's now a much better tool with a whippy hickory handle. If you split with a wooden handle axe, an overstrike protector helps a lot, as does good aim... But you'll still replace handles occasionally. A 32" Smedberg shaft (what gransfors use I believe) isn't cheap. I guess that's partly why the fiskars is my work horse, but I enjoy picking up my Elwell and once I get it hung I'll smile when I pick up the Kelly.

I'd like the fiskars isocore but fiskars UK have no plans to bring it here, or didn't when I contacted them a while back. To me the x46/spalthammer didn't look a good bit of kit. That's why I went for the stihl maul, that and getting an eBay bargain. Seller didn't realise it was the pro (bigger) version that cost £85 not £35ish, and no one else bid. It's made by oschenkof....I think you may find their yellow painted version for about £70.... Stihl red must be expensive. The fiskars isocore can be got from Amazon us but with shipping is £90+ I've seen that thing in the photo reviewed although can't remember it's name. Search for maul_rat on YouTube, think that's the guys YouTube handle.

Unless you always get the same wood then a spread of tools is handy. Myself I find the x27 light enough for extended sessions but powerful enough for most work. The really stubborn logs defeat it and I need more mass then, so out comes the stihl pro cleaving hammer (8lb head, 36" shaft). Some stuff I get splits super easy and then it's nice to rattle through with a smaller/lighter axe and I'll pick up the x17 or a 28" handled 2 3/4 lb Elwell, although that's a chopping axe and not an amazing splitter. I've also picked up a 6lb Wetterlings feller, a 4lb Kelly True Temper Jersey pattern and..... A spread of tools is good! The gransfors I've never used but only hear good things, I think it's an excellent tool. Worth the money? If it gives you more pleasure to use a more 'artisan' or traditional tool then perhaps yes. If it doesn't make you smile more.... Why not!! Price wise though hults bruk/hultafors is cheaper and as good (not sure if they do a big splitter.... Think they do.... Or the Arvika, a race feller, has ample mass to split well), or a vintage Wetterlings.... These will bring Sweden's finest steel to you for a less painful price. Reviving a vintage axe can also bring other pleasure.

ooooooooOOOOOOooooo, yeah its a great lack of thought, it doesn't waste much money to create needless legislation...just a few thousand hours of parliament..... We could waste money and fail to afford a few more public services.

but those laws already exist. i'm with alycidon, educate.

hmm, possibly a good step, but not sure how they would enforce that, particularly for 'wet wood'

radiant heat feels different, feels like it is warming you more than the convective heat from radiators.

It is a shame. It's also a shame that Makita/,wop/Fastfix customer service isn't a patch on husqvarna/ fr Jones!

Shocking! I'm very glad I cancelled my order yesterday. I rung Fastfix Friday, pleasant chat and promised to get a call back with the info ..... Nothing. If neither wop nor Fastfix can do simple customer service to sell the saw I decided to cancel. Saturday morning I'll drive 4 miles to f r Jones and buy a husky 365 instead. Local dealer who is focused on customers is worth a great deal. I consider this a narrow escape. If I'd just ordered the 365 back in June when I ordered the dolmakita, I'd have got 4 free chains,. Not now though....I tried asking jonesy, no, not their offer, husky offer 'while stocks last'. Still.... Amazon have the right 20" Oregon chain for £13.11, so it's not a disaster.

I never leave firewood in the house for more than a day or 3. Stuff like yours may have boring insects, woodworm etc. Safe outside, just bring it in and burn it, don't make pretty stacks in the house and leave them. It's low risk anyway, most insects in Europe don't like dry wood.... But there are some that do (death watch beetle for one), so just don't leave wood around. My biggest trouble each year is hibernating queen wasps. Bring them in with the wood, stack beside the stove, they warm and wake in a few hours then dozily fly around the living room. They are sleepy though and slow.... Easily swatted usually. Again, if the wood feeds the fire before they wake, that's good.

do the easy things first, check the fuel, check the plug (is it clean? and gap?) and check he air filter. then check the fuel filter. when running, was the idle ok or slow? could just need a carb adjustment. it cut out when put down? is the ground sloped at all and did it matter which way around you put it?