Rob_the_Sparky

I'm in the process of getting my logs out of the garage (I used to dry them outside and move them in late in the year to start another load drying), I'd keep that for a nice dry working area myself and build yourself a log rack (or two?) outside. Second hand fence posts (saw off rotted bit at the bottom, and pallets are your friend. All you need is some time and some nails/screws and a small space to put it/them.

Hmm, if you are talking indefinite then that means no mining as there is no indefinite source of any mined materials. You are talking then about severe shortages of all metals, not sure it is realistic unless someone finds a way to dramatically reduce the population and achieve 100% metal recycling. We could return to something like a Medieval way of life, that was pretty sustainable but not sure anyone would go for that idea bar some very happy native tribes in a few countries. How about adding particulate scrubbers to the chimney? I know very little about them E.g. something like this Schiedel ePURO › Schiedel United Kingdom WWW.SCHIEDEL.COM Schiedel ePURO TBH even knowing they exist it is not easy to find them with a web search.

It is funny to me. You do not see articles about how little CO2 woodburning produces long term versus fossil fuels, only articles about how horrendous they are due to the particulates. They then mix together open fires with high efficiency wood burners so no one really gets a clear picture of the realities. The electricity supply simply can not supply enough power to run heat pumps for everyone even without considering the requirements of electric car charging so what are we supposed to do? Seems the answer is that some would prefer us to burn fossil fuel gas as that produces fewer particulates. Personally I'd rather the air quality was not so great now than better now and continue to contribute to global warming by burning gas (although I do use a mixture personally, the wood burning reducing my gas usage).

I have a similar BOSCH chainsaw for home use (about 3.5 to 4 cube a year) and in 10 years all it has needed a new switch. Lots of parts are available for it and once apart you will find it is pretty simple inside. I see no reason to go for a petrol saw (or battery) if you have access to mains power although I have an old petrol saw to get going at some point I just have never got round to it (needs a carb rebuild I think). Electric is not fussy about being put away for weeks at a time and needs no maintenance beyond the chain sharpening. Keep thinking it would be nice to have something independent of the mains but it is an expensive nice to have option compared to a mains saw. I too started with a roughneck maul, hatchet and "wood grenade". Still got them but rarely if every get them out anymore as they are crap quality. Use the hatchet a bit but only as I never bought another. Now use an x27 but suspect a 25 might be better as you are shorter than I (~5' 11") I prefer the length as it hit the ground before it hits me if anything goes wrong. x25 and x27 have the same head, just different shaft length. (Don't know about the other sizes but might be the same.) Sometimes I use a wedge for the nasty tough stuff but it takes a long time and now more often than not I'll just use the saw to cut it up. Still when I'm feeling like it hitting a wedge with a big hammer is good for taking out frustration!

If you are dumping wood then you must have taken too much... Personally I think the best thing to do is get a good relationship with local business(es) as they are more likely to deliver regularly. To do that you have to be as flexible as possible with regards what you will take. In my case I take anything that is a reasonable diameter (never been an issue as the small stuff is chipped anyway) and make a reasonable (non-cash) exchange. Deliveries are highly irregular as it completely depends on when they are passing my place but over the year it has always been more than I can burn on my little stove. I just have to tell them at some point in the year that I'm full for a bit, until I can make space to chop and fill the racks again to make space.

I'd try the tipsite (see banner at top of this page) and contact your local tree surgery companies. Building a relationship with a local will get you the best regular supply but clearly it depends on commercial pressures whether they prefer to log the wood and sell it as dry firewood or sell it wet as it is cut.

I was thinking the same about the various combustibles in the room...

I don't think I'd want to remove them as you don't want the fumes from the fire in the house, you want them up the chimney. I guess if you had something that fitted the hole well then maybe it would work. Can you ask the manufacturer or see if you can find a manual for your stove online?

I honestly don't care too much what the thermometer says. It tells me if it is too hot or too cold but now I have had a few years at it you don't need the thermometer to tell me what the temp is.

Disposing of the wood will not be hard if the tree surgeon does not want it. Plenty of people out there that will take it for processing at home if it is cut into manageable pieces.

Also do not be fussy with what you want, all dry wood is good wood to burn in a wood burner. I got my supply by contacting local tree surgeons.

or both TBH. If nothing else you should give your rough location!

I think if you want regular donations then it is best to contact your local tree surgeons. Took a few attempts but I have a pretty regular supply now for the cost of a few bottles of wine.

As described above there is a significant difference between ton bags and a cube, which is 1m3 (also a significant difference between solid, stacked and loose cube but there is plenty on this forum about it if you are interested.).

Good luck with the grenade. I only use a wedge on wood that is tough to split as it is not worth the effort if an axe will go through it. I found the wood grenade to be a very good nail. I t would split the wood but then would have a struggle getting it out of the chunk of wood it was buried in. It never split anything 4 ways either. Used to use it very occasionally when I needed s second wedge but gave that up years ago. Still as above, we all learn by splitting. I will add a voice wrt softwood. As long as the fire is hot (I.e. wood is dry and fire not slumbered) it will burn just fine and leave nothing in the chimney. It also dries quite quickly and not all softwoods are even too light. Dry wood has within a small margin the same energy per unit weight once dry, hence it is density that you want if you want a long burn (and physically large pieces of wood). The Lars Mytling book on Norwegian wood (my spelling might be a bit off) is a good read and very informative.

Not sure you really need a large collection. I have a crap Maul (from screwfix), an x27 and a smaller axe acquired from a friend. I only use the x27. When that does not cope then I have a couple of wedges and a sledge but using them is slow and hard work so if the chainsaw is to hand that gets used in preference. wrt the tip site link, that is for companies outside their normal working area. If you want a more regular supply then you really want to make contact with local companies and come to some mutually agreeable arrangement.

I suspect it also depends on the length of your axe/maul (I use an x27). I split on a block about 12" high. I tried with it higher (put a second block on top) and it did not work so well for me. I'd guess the 1 foot less swing has a bigger effect than the angles but technique can also adjust the angle of the axe as you swing. I'd say try different block heights and see what you prefer, plenty of wood on the pile to make blocks out of Rob FYI I do put a second block on top when using the chainsaw as I found that height more comfortable.

Sounds like you are talking about something like coppicing: Coppicing - Wikipedia EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG so as per Dan's response it really depends on the tree.

Know nothing about them but curious how a single phase log splitter with wheels and a handle is tractor mounted.

I'd look in the tip sites area of this web site (Even linked from your own post as Steve is clever like that, it auto-replaces "tip site" with a link!)

Best also to offer a donation if you want stuff. You may get it offered for free but better not to ask for it to be free...

I do not think you need to move the grate to replace the thermal bricks. I take out the side "bricks" every time I brush the chimney. You lift the baffle plate, remove the side panels with the baffle plate lifted and then take out the baffle plate. I'd like to bet the rear fire brick can then also be removed but would have to fiddle to find out for sure.

I have a multi-fuel but as I now dry my own logs (unwanted offcuts are delivered for a small donation from a local tree surgeon/landscaper) I never have burnt anything other than wood on it. No adjustments required other than the air settings to burn the different fuels on mine but I guess you should check when buying. If you are up for drying your own you clearly need to by an axe, saw and have somewhere to store the logs but once set-up the drying process is free and wood of the back of a truck can be very very cheap as it is a waste product if they are not burning or selling logs themselves. Another plus side is the virtually zero CO2 like this as there is minimal transport miles and nothing burnt to dry them. Due to the above I would get a pure wood burner if I was buying another, nothing wrong with my multi-fuel but what is the point if I'm only burning logs? Rob

I was wondering if all you need to do it put in a vent top and bottom of this enclosed box containing the flue and the heat will make its own way out into the room.

I guess it depends on the stove but had mine (a Clearview) for 5+ years no polish and no rust.