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16
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Almost
« on: October 28, 2017, 07:30:04 AM »
Thusrday was beuatiful, so i went home a little early to move some wood around. Smelled kreosote and saw smok coming out of my neighbor OWB, fisrt fire-up for the year.
I am heading out this morning to get mine going. Just had a heater installed in the arravhed garage, to create an insulating affect for the bonus room above and that interior walls adjacent to the garage.
I am heading out this morning to get mine going. Just had a heater installed in the arravhed garage, to create an insulating affect for the bonus room above and that interior walls adjacent to the garage.
17
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Ice melt
« on: October 20, 2017, 07:36:37 PM »
I did security at recoding artist John Mellencamp's home while it was under construction. He fired a contractor half way through and worried the clown would come and vandalize it.
There was what I now understand to be pex tube along his driveway, and throughout the construction. No OWB, but whatever his heat source, his matching HUMMERS didnt have to slip and slide in the Winter.
There was what I now understand to be pex tube along his driveway, and throughout the construction. No OWB, but whatever his heat source, his matching HUMMERS didnt have to slip and slide in the Winter.
18
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: How Much Money Does Your Outdoor Wood Boiler Save You? w/ poll
« on: October 20, 2017, 07:31:13 PM »
I figure this year is my "free and clear" year. We have a two story with two electric furnaces. We put a second story over a ranch home. First two years, would spent over a thousand a month on electric.
Similar heating bill is now about 150- 200. I still havent installd the water heater unit. I have my garage heater, am waiting for my brother to hook it up before firing up the boiler. Figure keeping the garage at 40 or a little higher will help with a warmer buble for the bonus room above it, and for the living and dining area next to the garage.
We did a bump out on our kitchen remodel and added a four seasons room above the bump out. Since we have the OWB, I didnt think twice about utilitiy cost. We did five foor windows for a view of oyr pasture. I got the highest s.unlight blocking uv Windows available, and did a passive solar adjustment on the eaves. Less sunlight in Summer, more in Winter. My main goal is reducing AC cost. Heat is cheap.
Additionally, My lower furnace was installed in the early 70's. I don't feel the need to update to a more enertgy efficient unit. Figure I am afew thousand paid into the OWB by never having to do that.
My neighbor who educated me on OWB has a double wide that he added a two story Branch Davidian looking thing next to it, was getting killed on propane. Given the suprise attack fill up the tank without telling you program, he paid over five bucks a galln a couple times. Now, the only propane he uses is to keep the pilot light on the furnace.
I have ample wood at the farm, and have to cut anyway. Just had one fall in the weaning lot this week. Had a tri-axle of mill remnants dropped off to keep me ahead of the game for cutting this Winter.
I just love turning up the temp as much as I please. Only worry is that wood hasn't burned down too low overnight. Got it down pretty good now, though.
Similar heating bill is now about 150- 200. I still havent installd the water heater unit. I have my garage heater, am waiting for my brother to hook it up before firing up the boiler. Figure keeping the garage at 40 or a little higher will help with a warmer buble for the bonus room above it, and for the living and dining area next to the garage.
We did a bump out on our kitchen remodel and added a four seasons room above the bump out. Since we have the OWB, I didnt think twice about utilitiy cost. We did five foor windows for a view of oyr pasture. I got the highest s.unlight blocking uv Windows available, and did a passive solar adjustment on the eaves. Less sunlight in Summer, more in Winter. My main goal is reducing AC cost. Heat is cheap.
Additionally, My lower furnace was installed in the early 70's. I don't feel the need to update to a more enertgy efficient unit. Figure I am afew thousand paid into the OWB by never having to do that.
My neighbor who educated me on OWB has a double wide that he added a two story Branch Davidian looking thing next to it, was getting killed on propane. Given the suprise attack fill up the tank without telling you program, he paid over five bucks a galln a couple times. Now, the only propane he uses is to keep the pilot light on the furnace.
I have ample wood at the farm, and have to cut anyway. Just had one fall in the weaning lot this week. Had a tri-axle of mill remnants dropped off to keep me ahead of the game for cutting this Winter.
I just love turning up the temp as much as I please. Only worry is that wood hasn't burned down too low overnight. Got it down pretty good now, though.
19
Fire Wood / Share your snake story!
« on: September 22, 2017, 12:54:50 PM »
Messing with the woodpiles in warm weather is something I avoid, until the copperheads are more sluggish. I am not afraid of snakes, but each piece of wood I move, I look for one of those critters. Figure complacency will get me.
Anyone have a fun snake tale from cutting or wood handling? So far I don't but I bet there are some good stories.
Anyone have a fun snake tale from cutting or wood handling? So far I don't but I bet there are some good stories.
20
Fire Wood / Had a triaxle load of wood delivered. Now have a cushion.
« on: September 13, 2017, 08:43:50 AM »
I stopped by an Amish mill that advertised slab wood for sale. All of it is remnants of their milling. Non pieces were very big, and some were mostly bark. 20 bucks for an 8 foot truck bed. I got two loads , but spent time picking though it to find seasoned and pieces that were larger. Not bad for fireplace and the top off the boiler.
My neighbor mentioned an ad in the paper for triaxle load of oak- about 5 cords a load. Had some delivered, and pretty happy with what I have. nearly all of it is bark free. End rounds and odds and ends of various sizes of oak and hickory. Some of it is green and some is seasoned a little. It was nice to just go out with the splitter and work through it, without having to cut up a trunk first. It will certainly give me the cushion of wood, while I head into the woods and attack the blow downs that need attention.
My neighbor mentioned an ad in the paper for triaxle load of oak- about 5 cords a load. Had some delivered, and pretty happy with what I have. nearly all of it is bark free. End rounds and odds and ends of various sizes of oak and hickory. Some of it is green and some is seasoned a little. It was nice to just go out with the splitter and work through it, without having to cut up a trunk first. It will certainly give me the cushion of wood, while I head into the woods and attack the blow downs that need attention.
21
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Wireless thermometers
« on: March 17, 2017, 08:39:30 PM »
Thanks! Just ordered one. No more sticking binoculars againsy
T the window and barely reading the temp. Daytime cant see it due to sunlight on the numbers.
T the window and barely reading the temp. Daytime cant see it due to sunlight on the numbers.
22
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: just wanting to say g'day
« on: February 18, 2017, 06:46:22 PM »
Welcome. We are getting a warm spell into the 70f. Next week it will likely be snow.
23
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Teens shamed into cutting wood
« on: February 11, 2017, 07:49:49 PM »
I was cutting some utility company tree work at an older neighbor's house last week. Got in a conversation with another neighbor who bought land next to it and was clearing trees,
I mentioned seeing a truck loaded with cut wood there testerday. He said it was a couple high school kids who live nearby . They spend their time just driving around- we are pretty far out by local standards.
He got on them saying your dad has an outdoor furnace. Take a couple truck loads of this wood home, he feeds you and everything. They made excuses for a couple days, then I guess the shame of cruising by folks working got to them.
Hope dad was pleased. I know an unexpected labor free truck load of wood would make me happy.
I mentioned seeing a truck loaded with cut wood there testerday. He said it was a couple high school kids who live nearby . They spend their time just driving around- we are pretty far out by local standards.
He got on them saying your dad has an outdoor furnace. Take a couple truck loads of this wood home, he feeds you and everything. They made excuses for a couple days, then I guess the shame of cruising by folks working got to them.
Hope dad was pleased. I know an unexpected labor free truck load of wood would make me happy.
24
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Winter
« on: February 11, 2017, 07:41:46 PM »
In the 60's in southern Indiana. Caight up on wood splitting and ran my motorcycle down the road and back.
25
General Discussion / Re: Coyotes
« on: February 02, 2017, 08:40:54 PM »
Coyote roundup was sponsored by an outdoor shop last week. I let a coule guys hunt on me. After trying different places all through the night, they come out mid day and drop two straight away. Finished 4th out of 30 teams.
They werent in my part of the state growing up. Now we have them everywhere. Mountain lion is in the area now, and bear are swimming the Ohio and roaming the Southern counties.
They werent in my part of the state growing up. Now we have them everywhere. Mountain lion is in the area now, and bear are swimming the Ohio and roaming the Southern counties.
26
Fire Wood / Re: Owners of large tracts both timber cutting
« on: January 31, 2017, 09:52:28 AM »Get something in writing please, hate to see you arrested or someone take off with your hard work.
Word of mouth just doesn't cut it anymore.
Actually, I am the Sheriff here..... But I know what you are saying. One property I already have hunting and cutting privileges, will definitely get solid clarification on the other. Millionaires can be fickle folk.
27
Fire Wood / Owners of large tracts both timber cutting
« on: January 30, 2017, 09:34:03 PM »
Found out that the owners on both sides of me are harvesting this year. One needed clarification from the County that the unmaintained section of road wasnt owned by me. Logger needs access.
I gave no fuss as it is a section road and I know the law here- just because the County doesnt maintain it, doesnt mean they gave up ownership. Going to have a happy logging company and absentee landowner. Will be pretty easy to get permission to cut up some quality firewood tree tops.
The other land, i already cut blow downs and easy stuff. Think the three year plan is under way. Will likely do some woodpiles in place and collect as I need. I minimize how many times i move the same stick, as much as posssible.
I gave no fuss as it is a section road and I know the law here- just because the County doesnt maintain it, doesnt mean they gave up ownership. Going to have a happy logging company and absentee landowner. Will be pretty easy to get permission to cut up some quality firewood tree tops.
The other land, i already cut blow downs and easy stuff. Think the three year plan is under way. Will likely do some woodpiles in place and collect as I need. I minimize how many times i move the same stick, as much as posssible.
28
Fire Wood / Re: Anyone become a "wood slave"?
« on: January 29, 2017, 08:39:58 PM »It's like that around by me as well. Don't touch it unless you have permission. I found about a cord of red oak near my inlaws that was laying in the road ditch for months and months so I decided to cut it up and load up a few truck bed loads. I was reading in the paper a few days later and saw an article about people stealing firewood and this would be prosecuted. Guess what one of the addresses was. Lol oops.
Yeah, the shame is they probably had no intention of cutting it until it was missing. My power supplier had a Jihad against the trees that might affect sevice. Seems to be working. Power outage in Winter was a common occurrance. Last three years, hardly an issue. They cut four along my property and since I didnt make an issue over it, they took down a maple in the front yard that needed to go.
29
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Protocol when come home after a long day water 98 degrees?
« on: January 10, 2017, 10:56:15 AM »
When I have that issue, I will rake the coals around and add some cardboard to the wood. I don't mess with using a few small pieces- add then next 12 hour amount of wood and go into the house.
I have some great large pieces of cherry that I only will put in when this happens. These things seem to start with just a small fire, and go.
Put enough wood in to ensure you will have a good bed of coals. 14 hours shouldn't leave you with only a few, unless you are stingy on the wood. Being away that long may mean you consume and event waste some wood, but what you have to do to get it going again isn't worth it.
I have a three foot wand torch which uses those small propane or butane bottles. I can reach in and light up the cardboard pieces and get it going. a guy near me keeps some kindling soaking in old oil, so it will serve as a long burning fire starter to get some of the greener or damp stuff going.
I have some great large pieces of cherry that I only will put in when this happens. These things seem to start with just a small fire, and go.
Put enough wood in to ensure you will have a good bed of coals. 14 hours shouldn't leave you with only a few, unless you are stingy on the wood. Being away that long may mean you consume and event waste some wood, but what you have to do to get it going again isn't worth it.
I have a three foot wand torch which uses those small propane or butane bottles. I can reach in and light up the cardboard pieces and get it going. a guy near me keeps some kindling soaking in old oil, so it will serve as a long burning fire starter to get some of the greener or damp stuff going.
30
Fire Wood / Anyone heard the term "shook rick"?
« on: January 07, 2017, 11:15:33 PM »
My wise Quaker great uncle is was an author. He wrote a book about settling in to a nearby County decades before it became what is best described as Indiana's Vermont- the county that people flock toin the Fall. Became an artist colony and intellectual retirement area as well.
In the forties, he and my aunt lived year round in a large military tent as they built their home. He wrote about a time he had a local deliver a rick of firewood. After he stacked it he thought it was a little light on dimension. He contacted the guy and said he understood a rick to be measured by those dimensions. The guy replied " oh, you're talkoing about a shook rick. That's extra if you want a shook rick"
I presume the meaning is similar to when you fill a bag or box with stuff and give it a shake it get some more stuff in.
Ol' Hank found that so amusing, he named his ad hoc publishing company "Shook Rick Press" Not sure if he did business with him again, and he became more astute that over the decades he was the very fabric and history of the County.
Is a shook rick anything you all have heard of?
In the forties, he and my aunt lived year round in a large military tent as they built their home. He wrote about a time he had a local deliver a rick of firewood. After he stacked it he thought it was a little light on dimension. He contacted the guy and said he understood a rick to be measured by those dimensions. The guy replied " oh, you're talkoing about a shook rick. That's extra if you want a shook rick"
I presume the meaning is similar to when you fill a bag or box with stuff and give it a shake it get some more stuff in.
Ol' Hank found that so amusing, he named his ad hoc publishing company "Shook Rick Press" Not sure if he did business with him again, and he became more astute that over the decades he was the very fabric and history of the County.
Is a shook rick anything you all have heard of?