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[cando attitude]

......yep, just spent another $5K on a 14K GVW flatbed to haul the tractor and a couple cords of wood on.

You see it all started a little over a year ago when I was looking at my $700. electric bill and thinking there's got to be a better way.  That's when I decided to invest in an outdoor wood burner ~(10-11K all in).  I did a quick return on investment and thought "heck, I'll have this baby paid for in as little as 4 years.

I purchased it in Feb of 2014 but did not install until fall of 2014.  So after my purchase, I knew I would be cutting more wood so I thought I had better invest in a bigger, mo-betta saw (~$400) and of course a wood splitter (~$900).  I got to cutting wood throughout the year, stock piling it away and the more I cut, the more I thought it would be safer (I live in a hilly area) and faster if I had a bigger tractor.....(make that $27K later).  And finally, with a bigger tractor, my little 16' 7000GVW trailer wasn't able to cut it, so I invested in a 20'er with a 14K GVW.

So let's recap:

Boiler installed  - $10,500
Chainsaw         -  $400
Splitter            -  $900
Tractor            -  $27,000
Trailer             -  $5,000

Grand Total     -  $43,800 and counting  (next project is to build a 24x24 shelter to keep my wood dry)


It's a good thing the wife doesn't like math.................I just smile and tell her how much we're saving on electric.

Burning wood to me is a hobby and I really enjoy being out in the woods.

Hopefully I'm not the only one who has a similar story to tell

Cando

[willieG]

I spent along the same lines over the years. but you also have to remember all (most) of those things you purchased have a resale value of some kind (perhaps also with a small tax benifit at years end?)  The 'equipment you have purchased does go to raising your "net worth"

that CASH you laid out each month for your heat bill is not likely a cost you can claim at income tax time and it is money that will never ever return 1 cent to you that you spent.

when you decide to quit cutting wood (or die) you  (or the little wife) will have a whole bunch more stuff to list in your auction and that will draw more folks to it and more folks means more available money and bidding wars and ..oh gosh, you (or your widow) will be so glad you accumulated all that wood burning equipment.   

[juddspaintballs]

I think you need another chainsaw.

[intensedrive]

Do you sell wood to help support the cost of equipment?

[mlappin]

Lot of my stuff is wrote off for farm use which is what it was originally intended for, just so happens also handles firewood very well. 

Chainsaws, skid steer, grapple etc.

[aries9245]

Lot of my stuff is wrote off for farm use which is what it was originally intended for, just so happens also handles firewood very well. 

Chainsaws, skid steer, grapple etc.

 

[Bud Man]

OH! C'mon Cando. You mean to tell us you ain't buying a $60,000 new dually truck to pull that bad boy trailer? 

[cando attitude]

 

Budman, you bring up a good point; however, given that I already had the 1 ton SRW, I decided to not include it.  Snuck that one in on my wife about a year ago.......my prior 3/4 ton broke down while pulling the camper  (7000 lbs.) to a weekend trip and I might have insinuated to her that, that 3/4 ton diesel may have been the problem and that for the safety of her and the family we had better buy a new 1 ton...................................   Does that make me a bad person??

Cando

[Shrek1112]

Not a bad person Cando just a crafty one.  I have been trying to run that past the Mrs. for years but still no upgrade yet as my truck is still running. 

[Bud Man]

Not bad at all Cando. Just found the whole woodburner/chainsaw/etc funny. It happens to all of us. We don't really save money burning wood, we just spend our money locally instead of globally.
I can't pull that kind of stuff on my wife and it's my fault. My wife came from big city and I moved her to the farm. Taught her to run 500hp tractors, run 12 row corn heads and 36 ft grain heads. She can shift a 13 speed, catch a combine on the go with a 1200 bushel grain cart, unload that cart on the truck and drive the truck to the bin site.
Yep, she is cheaper than the hired help. I had to pay them and......bought a new pickup every year!
Today? My newest pickup is an '08. Does everything it needs to do. And she does everything I want her to do.

[slimjim]

That's funny Bud Man, I as well imported my wife, She was born and raised on Long Island NY, Went to school to become a chef, worked and taught in that profession for over 20 years then met good old me, moved to Maine, learned to work Our Cat 416, drive the trucks and has never looked back, She even makes sure we have Bud in the fridge of the pool room, We both have exceptionally good women!!!!

[LittleJohn]

You forgot to throw out the cost of the GYM Membership, you no longer need because of the workout time you get moving wood around

[kommandokenny]

your not done yet......... .

[kommandokenny]

Yep,, I added it all up,,, and it's still worth it.

Atv and wagon $8000 [wanted 1 anyway ]
Saws I had .
Splitter $1200
OWB $10,00 installed.
[Cnd Pesos]

saving:
$2500/$3000 in propane  + $500 hydro, for DHW...  so 4 years to recoup.
Decided to sell some wood to get a quicker return on the investment.
kk

[jrider]

I had sold wood for years before I got my OWB so I had everything I needed - tractor with forks, splitter with 4 way, a few saws to choose from, and a dump truck.  The only thing that was lacking was where to get rid of the ugly stuff and pine so I got my OWB and burn nothing but junk I can't sell.  Looks like I'm the minority here.