Woke up with wood

[Conrad]

The second shipment did the trick and my steel combustor is nestled in to it's new home and doing it's thing very well. It light's off at a lower temp and quickly climbs up to a nice operating temp of 1,600f.   

Now I see that the first shipment has been found and it was sent back to the original shipper who has sent it back to me it seems and should arrive today.   

Should I keep it or send it back, again?   

[Deziner]

Send it back. The karmic repercussions aren't worth the price of admission. 

[Conrad]

Send it back. The karmic repercussions aren't worth the price of admission. 

Thus the wink D.   

I'll notify the company and wait for them to send me a return label.

[Deziner]

Thus the wink D.   

I'll notify the company and wait for them to send me a return label.

Sorry, I didn't notice the wink. It was early and I was using my tiny Android phone. I guess I need a newer, larger phone or stronger glasses. Getting old can be a real p.i.t.a. 

[Conrad]

Sorry, I didn't notice the wink. It was early and I was using my tiny Android phone. I guess I need a newer, larger phone or stronger glasses. Getting old can be a real p.i.t.a.

It's better than the alternative, at least as far as we know...

[B.D.F.]

I am still hopeful about that and anxiously waiting for reports from..... well, 'the other side'. At least one report. Even a cryptic note would be comforting....

Brian

It's better than the alternative, at least as far as we know...

[Deziner]

If and when I make it to "the other side" I will do my best to post a ride review. Would you like it on the forum on in a PM ?     

[Conrad]

I am still hopeful about that and anxiously waiting for reports from..... well, 'the other side'. At least one report. Even a cryptic note would be comforting....

Brian

I haven't heard anything from the 'other side' but here's a message from The Far Side.

[Deziner]

Brought to you by the Good Intentions Paving Company

[gPink]

http://youtu.be/qKggnBh2Mdw

[B.D.F.]

Back to the topic at hand..... I bought six cord of firewood last spring figuring on burning the usual four or so and using the other two to get on the 'two year' plan which is eventually to be burning two year old or older wood. The plan was to get ahead two cord for two or three years which would make a nice buffer. And with a new, more efficient stove, I though I might actually burn a bit less wood this year.

So back to reality: this has been such a cold, windy winter that all of the above has happened: I am burning less wood due to the more efficient stove yet burning more wood due to the harsh winter. I <might> end up burning 4 cord or maybe more like 5 and change. Hmmmmm.

So new plan: next year I am going to buy another six cord but also going to use a solar kiln to season it much faster than open- air seasoning and <hopefully>, all six cord will be at the three- year seasoned level by the end of fall.....  We will see how that plan works out. :-)

Brian

[Conrad]

Back to the topic at hand..... I bought six cord of firewood last spring figuring on burning the usual four or so and using the other two to get on the 'two year' plan which is eventually to be burning two year old or older wood. The plan was to get ahead two cord for two or three years which would make a nice buffer. And with a new, more efficient stove, I though I might actually burn a bit less wood this year.

So back to reality: this has been such a cold, windy winter that all of the above has happened: I am burning less wood due to the more efficient stove yet burning more wood due to the harsh winter. I <might> end up burning 4 cord or maybe more like 5 and change. Hmmmmm.

So new plan: next year I am going to buy another six cord but also going to use a solar kiln to season it much faster than open- air seasoning and <hopefully>, all six cord will be at the three- year seasoned level by the end of fall.....  We will see how that plan works out. :-)

Brian

How large of a kiln are you going to build?

[VirginiaJim]

I really hate it when you guys go off topic..

So, what is the alternative, getting younger?

[Conrad]

I really hate it when you guys go off topic..

So, what is the alternative, getting younger?

You have two choices. You either get older or you don't. If you have stopped getting older then your troubles are over. RIP

[B.D.F.]

I am not building a kiln per se, I am going to cover the holz hauzen's with clear plastic and make the stacks themselves into solar kilns. There are a few people doing it with great success and some university did a study about this- what is amazing is that the core of the wood in the stack can reach 150 F, over and over again. The high temperatures literally drive the water out of the wood where it is absorbed by the surrounding air. When the temp. drops at night, all the water condenses and runs down the plastic (and the wood) and out the bottom through slots for that purpose. The interesting thing is that they have no provision for air circulation at all- you would think air movement would be needed but it is not only not needed but not desirable. Fully sealing the stacks drives the temperature up as high as possible, which is what is actually drying the wood. As a side- benefit, the temperatures kill all the critters that are living in the wood in the first place.

Supposed to dry green wood (40% + moisture content) down to less than 15% in 90 days.

So my plan is just to use some very thin plastic, lay a sheet down that will cover the hauzen about 2' up from the bottom, then cover the top to the bottom and tape it all shut.

Physics..... and just when I was thinking gravity was great, now thermodynamics and partial pressures of liquids comes along to dry out my wood.

Brian

How large of a kiln are you going to build?

[B.D.F.]

Yeah, the outcome is both undesirable and inevitable. My mother used to say things like: 'If something were to happen to me (or a relative, etc.)....'. Well, "something" is going to happen to all of us, sooner or later. The only variables are 1) when and 2) how bad 'the ride down' is. There are better and worse ways to get there, the worst one I have personally seen is a relative with ALS; a perfectly lucid mind trapped in a deteriorating body.

Then again, anyone remember that episode of The Twilight Zone- 'Escape Clause' where David Wayne makes a deal with Cadwallader for one million years of immortality? That didn't work out so well either..... 

Brian

I really hate it when you guys go off topic..

So, what is the alternative, getting younger?

[connie_rider]

Brian, I like the idea of burning wood to heat your place.
I used to do it in Houston, and enjoyed it (Yes we have to do heating)

But isn't that many cords of wood,,, more expensive than other?

Ride safe, Ted

[B.D.F.]

Wood (cord wood) is the least expensive way to heat with here. My wood costs (Easy Boys! it is not for sale!) $200 / cord, cut, split and delivered, and last year fuel oil was approaching $4 / gallon. There is a comparator here that is not bad (not perfect but not bad):http://nepacrossroads.com/fuel-comparison-calculator.php

In addition to the above, I have an ancient boiler with horrific stand- by losses: I once figured it had an overall efficiency of around 28%.  The current plan is to change the boiler this year, and that coupled with much less expensive oil will narrow the difference between heating with cord wood and heating with oil but cord wood will still be less expensive.

Besides all that, burning stuff in the living room scratches both the 'cave man' as well as the pyromaniac itch that most of us seem to have. I know everytime I spark up a fire, way down in the brain stem there is a certain pride that sounds like 'Trog make fire!'.   :-)

Brian

Brian, I like the idea of burning wood to heat your place.
I used to do it in Houston, and enjoyed it (Yes we have to do heating)

But isn't that many cords of wood,,, more expensive than other?

Ride safe, Ted

[gPink]

Aren't you just a little concerned about your carbon footprint? Remember the mammoth.

[VirginiaJim]

When I used wood for heating, I did it as long as the trees in my yard lasted.  After that it got a bit expensive.