CUTTING FIREWOOD WITH A CHAIN SAW

     Paul Bunyan used an ax and an ox.  But you'll probably use a
chain saw if you plan to cut wood for a fireplace or wood-burning
stove this fall, according the David Robson, Extension Educator,
Horticulture, with the Springfield Extension Center.

     The nature of the work requires that a chain saw be an
extremely aggressive machine.  But, like any other equipment, the
chain saw will be more efficient and safer to use if maintained
in top operating condition.

     Last year, these saws -- combined with human carelessness--
were responsible for some 23,000 accidents. 

     Contact with the chain is the primary cause of serious chain
saw injuries.  Sometimes victims touch the still moving chain
after releasing the trigger.  Or, the chain on the top of the bar
jams or binds in the wood and throws or kicks the saw back
towards the operator.  A saw malfunction, such as broken chain,
also can cause injuries.

     The first step toward good saw maintenance is thoroughly
reading the operator's manual.  Ask the dealer for detailed
advance on specific maintenance procedure.

     A sharp properly tensioned chain is a pleasure to use.
Cutting action is fast and smooth and effort required on the
operator's part is minimal.  But, he warns that forcing a chain
saw into the wood can severely damage the chain and increase the
chance of an accident.

     Use recommended filing guides to sharpen the chain's cutting
teeth.  Check the manufacturer's specifications for the
particular chain you use and for recommendations pertaining to
different uses.

     Correct chain tension is very important to insure good
cutting action and long chain life.  The chain should be snug
against the guide bar, but free enough to be drawn along the bar
with one hand when the motor is turned off.  Always let the chain
stop rotating and cool before adjusting the tension. Never adjust
the bar or chain while the motor is running.

     Proper lubrication also will prolong the chain life.  Soak
the chain in a pan of oil between jobs.  Pump the oiler
frequently while cutting.  Periodically stop the engine, then
pump the oiler while pulling the saw chain around by the hand. 
You can dilute oil with kerosene to ensure cold weather
lubrication, but use twice as much oil when cutting with this
mixture.

     Proper tension and lubrication are crucial when using a new
chain.  Never break in a saw chain under heavy cutting loads. 
improper break-in procedures can quickly ruin a new chain.

     Also, use the following chain-saw care tips, adds Robson.
     -Always use a chain guard when transporting a saw. The guard
      will protect you and your machine.
     -Adjust the carburetor so the chain does not move when the  
      motor is idling.
     -Turn the bar over after each full day of use to equalize   
      wear on bar rails.
     -Keep the entire unit well oiled and cleaned.  In           
      particular, clean the bar groove, fins, air filer, muffler
      and hand grips.
     -Inspect the saw regularly.  Replace damaged or worn parts.
     
                              -30-


STORING FIREWOOD OUTSIDE HELPS PREVENT INSECT PROBLEMS

     A variety of insects live in the dead and dying trees that
we use for firewood.  To avoid problems in the house with these
insects, store firewood outside, according to David Robson,
Extension Educator, Horticulture, with the Springfield Extension
Center.

     Dying trees attract a variety of insects, primarily wood-
borers, that lay their eggs on the tree.  The resulting borer
larvae burrow throughout the wood, allowing other organisms to
enter the tree and eventually break it down into nutrients that
living plants use.

     Since firewood is dead wood, these same borers are common in
it.  Their eating of the wood does not appreciably reduce the
amount of burnable wood over the few months that we store it.
When we bring the firewood indoors, the adult borers in the wood
warm and up and become active, leave the firewood and fly around
the house.

     Probably the most common borer associated with firewood is
the red-headed ash borer.  The adult beetle is about 5/8 inch
long, reddish-brown, long-legged and has 4 yellowish bands across
the back.  Since it feeds on wood with a fairly high moisture
content, it will not attack the dried wood used in house
construction.

     Worker carpenter ants are large (at least 1/4 inch long),
black, and wingless.  Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but hollow
it out for their nests.  Pieces of firewood containing nests that
are stored indoors provide a base of operations from which the
workers forage for crumbs of food all over the house.

     Woodroaches have long legs and antennae, are dark brown, and
are about one inch long when fully grown.  Although these
cockroaches are common in wooded areas, they seldom enter the
house.  If brought in on firewood, they will eventually die, but
can be a nuisance around drains and basements in their search for
water, says Robson.

     To guard against these and other less common insects being a
household problem, do not store your firewood in the basement or
any other part of the house.  When using your fireplace, do not
bring firewood into the house that you will not be putting on the
fire within half an hour.

     If you wish to leave a stack of firewood next to the
fireplace as part of the decor, heat each piece of wood in the
oven at 150 degrees F. for 20 minutes to kill any insects
present.  Firewood should not be sprayed with an insecticide
since dangerous fumes may be emitted when the wood is burned.

                              -30-
Pull date - April 1, 1994                 Efficient Fire-wood Harvesting

                      by Richard R. Doucet

WANT a good supply of quality firewood with low cash expenditure? 
Want more time to get other homestead chores done? Want some good 
exercise, but not endless hours of backbreaking work? Care  about 
the  area  you're going to harvest and don't want to scar  it  up 
with heavy equipment?

   You  can accomplish all of these aims in one stroke -  if  you 
know the "magic word". That word? Efficiency!

   A firewood harvesting foray can yield a far greater amount  of 
product  than  would normally be expected in the same  amount  of 
time when you use efficient planning, preparation and execution.

 There is really no problem in locating stands or areas of poten
tial  firewood. They are usually too small to warrant  commercial 
attention  or  too difficult to reach  without  heavy  equipment. 
Perfect  for you to obtain, for no cash cost and perhaps only  an 
exchange of "logging rights", a small share of the wood. For this 
reason I wont go into where to find wood.

  I have a 15-acre homestead abutting a 47-acre lot. My neighbor, 
who  has just built a log home on the front of that lot,  allowed 
beavers  to set up housekeeping about 3 years ago. The pond  they 
created effectively cut access to the back 80 percent of the lot, 
making it impossible for her to cut firewood without crossing  my 
property,  and  even then only with a great  deal  of  difficulty 
because of the terrain.

  The  beavers,  on the other hand, had no trouble  reaching  and 
cutting trees at all. Given the taste beavers have for the better 
quality  trees,  it was not long before an amazing  abundance  of 
large  oaks, birches, poplar and beech trees lay in  disarray  in 
the  area. Even more trees stood, dead, from having been  girdled 
by the beavers or drowned by the rising water.

 We both wanted the estimated 10 to 12 cord of wood that could be 
extracted from the area, but we also know the devastation loggers 
would cause if we had them do it. And, of course, it would not be 
cheap. Therefore, we settled on a simple exchange of part of  the 
harvest for her if I could get it out.

 With  the  aforementioned  in mind, I hasten to  add  that  this 
article  is  not a review of proper safety  procedures  for  wood 
cutting.  Anyone planning to do any work with a chain saw,  power 
splitter  or any hand tool such as an axe or buck saw  should  be 
completely  knowledgeable in the safe use and operation of  these 
tools.  Extensive instruction and safety tips are  included  with 
any  power  or hand tool you purchase. I can give you  no  better 
advice than to tell you to study and understand the  instructions 
for any equipment you intend to use.

  However, I will make these few points. By our very nature those 
of  us who seek the more self-sufficient way of life, often  tend 
to  work  alone.  Sometimes because we want to  and  other  times 
because we have to. While it is never a good idea to work in  the 
woods alone, especially with power tools, if you decide to,  then 
I strongly suggest you do the following:

 -  If there is any chance of having someone around for a  period 
of time get as much power tool work done as possible,  especially 
chain saw work.

  -  Have a first aid kit with you. Even a simple one  with  com
press bandages can save your life.

  -  Have a CB radio, whistle or "fog horn" (the kind carried  on 
small boats and powered by a can of compressed air) as a means of 
signaling for help.

 - Last, but not least, THINK SAFETY AT ALL TIMES.

 Frugal is a word we do not hear much these days, but its meaning 
is  not lost on homesteaders. Keep it in mind as you choose  your 
tools for the task. When it come to large items, such as a  chain 
saw, borrow it if you do not need it for more than this one task. 
You  can easily be sold a lot of expensive doodads and  "need-to-
have"  stuff  that you can really do without. Some of it  can  be 
very expensive, such as a wood splitter; nice to look at and does 
a  fast  job, but considerable money to spend for  two  or  three 
day's worth of work, only to be stored for the rest of the year.

  You  can do a reasonably fast and "effort acceptable" job  with 
only  these items: safety glasses, gloves, ear protection,  small 
hatchet or machete, splitting wedge, maul, chain saw with  acces
sories, and a "measuring stick." you can quickly and easily  make 
yourself a measuring stick. It will save you time and maybe  some 
aggravation.

  Cut  a  pole about four feet long and about an inch  or  so  in 
diameter and clean it up by taking all the branches and bark off. 
Then decide how long your split wood has to be to fit your stove, 
its "stove length".

  For example, my stove takes 24 inch logs so I cut my logs to 20 
inches... just to make sure they fit. I marked off my stick at 20 
inches  and 40 inches, making sure the handle end was  indicated. 
Use  bright yellow or orange paint or tape for this.  Using  this 
stick,  you  can quickly measure off multiples of  correct  stove 
lengths and mark them on the logs with your hatchet.

When  To  Cut - Pick your season for wood cutting.  In  my  area, 
southern  New Hampshire, the best times of year  are  mid-to-late 
spring and mid-to-late autumn. During these times of the year the 
weather may still be unpredictable, but usually it's good. In the 
spring,  the leaves and fast growing ferns and grasses  have  not 
yet  sprung  up to make work difficult. In the  fall,  especially
after the first good frost, grasses and ferns have died back  and 
many leaves are off the trees. But, best of all, there are almost 
no insects around!

  By  the time one of these two seasons rolls around, you  should 
have already accomplished the next step - reconnaissance

 Whether the areas you will "log" is on or near your property  or 
further away, this is a step that is most important. By  choosing 
the area in the first place, you have already decided that it  is 
worth the time and effort to travel the distance involved to  get 
the wood.

 On your reconnaissance you should make the following notes:

 -  How  far from your transportation do you want to  walk  to  a 
logging area?

  - In that area, how much "dry" wood is available (including cut 
and left by loggers, standing dead or hangers)?

 - How much green wood is there?

 Make  a sketch of where and how you will set up your work  site, 
Mark the various stations. Setting up the work site is next.  You 
may  elect to do it days before you start to cut or do  it  first 
day  of cutting. The important thing to remember is that next  to 
safety, efficiency is most important; so take the time to set up

  The  logging  area and the work site are set up  so  that  wood 
flows  in one direction and is handled as few times as  possible. 
Clear your work sits of grass, ferns, loose stones, and dead wood 
that  is  in the way. The same is true for your walkways  in  the 
work  site and throughout the logging area. You will be  carrying 
some  good  sized logs and the painful consequences  of  tripping 
over something will be greatly increased with the weight of a log 
in  your  arms or on your shoulder. Pay particular  attention  to 
special dangers.

  Closest to the transport should be the splitting area. When the 
wood is split, it can be tossed directly into the transport. This 
is  also the best place to leave items such as fuel,  tools,  bar 
oil, lunch and refreshments. A note here: alcoholic beverages  of 
any kind have no place when you are doing this type of work.

  Next  to the splitting area, set up two "bucking stands".  Both 
stands  serve the same purpose: to produce multiple stove  length 
pieces in a single cut and thus making the most efficient use  of 
time and energy.

  Though each stand is made differently, there is one thing about 
their  construction they have in common that is  very  important. 
The  width  of the stands MUST be a few inches shorter  than  the 
length of the bar on your chain saw.

  If  this  width is greater than the bar length,  the  saw  will 
"tip"  on the log farthest out and cause the saw to kick back  at 
you.  Both  stands are used at the same time. The  pre-built  one 
holds smaller logs or branches, and you can put as many in as the 
stand  will  hold. However, with the field-built  stand  relative 
diameters  are important. Putting a much smaller log on the  out
side, or farthest from you, with a larger log closer is not safe, 
because  the chain of the saw can pull the smaller one  over  the 
larger one, hitting you quite hard. Basically, use the  pre-built 
stand  for  logs and branches less than 4 inches and  the  field-
built one for over 4 inches in diameter.

  On  the opposite side of the splitting area, find a  space  for 
"uglies."  Uglies are what I call short leftovers and pieces  too 
hard to split, such as knots and forks. As I measure up logs  for 
cutting,  I usually cut around these and leave them behind.  This 
way, when it is time to split, I do not have a fight on my hands. 
I  save  the uglies to burn during the day when I  can  tend  the 
fire... "Waste knot, want knot."

  The last areas to set up are the stacking areas. This is  noth
ing more than a cleared area. As you bring your wood in, you fill 
the  bucking  stands first, then stack up the rest. Now  you  are 
ready  to  start. You arrive early on a nice sunny  day  and  are 
ready  to  go. Stop! Take time to finish your coffee Now  is  the 
time to answer the most important question of the day: "How  much 
can  I really get done in the time I have set aside?"  Your  goal 
should  be to get everything you cut home at the end of the  time 
you have

  Now  you are ready to start cutting. Cut the trees in the  fol
lowing order:

  - Downed trees, green and dead.
  - Hangers and leaners (be careful).
  - Standing dead trees.
  - Standing green trees.

  Work  from  a point closest to your work site  outward  to  the 
farthest point you will want to go. Do all the like work at once. 
Cut  down  trees. Limb all the trees. Mark off all the  trees  in 
stove lengths with the help of your measuring stick. Cut all  the 
logs to carrying length.

 If you can lift 100 pounds, do not try to carry logs any heavier 
than  about 50 pounds. Not only will you get tired faster  trying 
to carry your best load and risk a lifting injury, but the chance 
of  a serious injury is much greater if you fall with 100  pounds 
on your shoulder.

  When  cutting  the logs, cut in multiples of the  stove  length 
marks you made. The shortest log will be one of one stove length. 
If this is still too heavy, you will have to split it in half. As 
you work up the trunk of the tree, the diameter will get  smaller 
and  you will be able to carry logs of two and then  three  stove
lengths.

  The  maximum length you should carry is not more than  about  8 
feet.  Beyond this length, they became very clumsy to handle  and 
difficult to walk with through the woods. When you get to  diame
ters  of about 4 inches and less there is no need to  mark  them. 
Your 2 x 4 bucking stand will do that for you.

 Splitting  - Once all the cutting is done, the next chore is  to 
get them to the work site. Just as with the other work, there  is 
a best order to work in:

 - The heaviest and farthest away.
 - The farthest away for like sizes.
 - The uglies.

 By working from the farthest point with the heaviest ones first, 
you achieve several goals. First, the heaviest are most likely to 
be  the  single stove lengths and these can go  straight  to  the 
splitting  area.  They will be out of your way from  the  logging 
area  first  and ready to be split at the work site  first.  More 
important,  you will move the heaviest the farthest when you  are 
still rested and strongest. As the day goes on you will begin  to 
tire,  but  the difficulty of the work will lessen with  the  de
crease  in your energy level... a definite  psychological  advan
tage.  Last to be brought in and loaded are the uglies. They  are 
the  smallest  and represent the least valuable of the  wood.  If 
some one shows up to help, like the children after school,  these 
small pieces will be easy for them to handle and give them  some
thing  useful  to  do. However, should time run  short,  you  can 
always leave the uglies behind.

  Now, all the work will be done in the work site. What you  have 
accomplished  so far should have taken about 2/3 of the time  you 
have to complete the task.

  Continuing  the  theory of getting the  most  energy  consuming 
tasks finished first, the next step is to split the stove  length 
logs,  and load them as you split. Use the field-build  stand  to 
cut the multiple length logs and split and load them. Lastly, cut 
the smallest diameter logs in the 2 x 4 stand. Each cut here will 
give you armloads of smaller diameter lengths that will not  need 
splitting. Once these are loaded, just throw on the uglies.

 Before  you leave though, you may want to consider one of  those 
nice, straight, tall, but very dead pines. Cut into rounds  about 
a  foot  long, they split very nicely into  kindling.  Load  your 
tools and any trash in the area... even if it is not yours.

 You have gotten your wood home in the time you set aside.  Done? 
Not yet! Follow through on the last task storage.

  You went through a lot of trouble and work to get this wood  so 
take  care  of  it until you use it. There are  many  methods  of 
storing wood, but keep these characteristics in mind as you  plan
to store:

 - Try to store it out of the weather.
 - Separate the green from the seasoned and the bone dry.
 - Don't store it too far from the house... remember, you have to 
      get to it in the dead of winter.

  Use the bone dry early in the season. It will burn faster,  but 
chances  are you will need it mostly for getting "the chill  out" 
more  than  serious heating. Stone the green wood  in  ricks  one 
stove length wide, about four feet high as long as you like.  Run 
the  ricks  east and west. Wrap the sides and ends  in  clear  or 
black plastic, but not the top.

 Put scrap boards or plywood on top, held down by rocks or  logs. 
On sunny, winter days the plastic will cause a greenhouse  effect 
and  help  dry  the wood. The moisture will  be  able  to  escape 
through the top. By early spring it should be ready to use.

  Now  you  can sit back and have that cup of herbal tea  or  dip 
into that cider barrel.

  You have efficiently, at little cash expense, brought  yourself 
closer  to self sufficiency using what others did not  want.  You 
have not harmed the environment in the process, and have gotten a 
good physical workout that others pay big money for at a spa. Not 
bad  for  a day's work! Be proud of yourself and sleep  well  to
night.

(This article was optically scanned from : ASG, January 1992
                    Subscription Information
           American Survival Guide Subscription Dept.
                      2145 W. La Palma Ave
                     Anaheim, CA 92801-1785)

     (Nov/Dec 1993  Backwoods Home Magazine)  

      Gathering low cost firewood  

                   By John R. Horton   
                                       
    Fireplaces and wood stoves are more efficient with each new 
decade.  Heatilators, inserts, blowers, and a host of heating
bells and whistles have rekindled the desirability of wood heat.
Today, the key for enjoyment of that wood heat is in discovering
many hot firewood resources that balance best with the checkbook.  
    Department of Energy figures reveal that the average cost of
delivered cordwood nearly doubled in the last 10 years.  By
contrast, in that same period, the cost of utilities in most of
the nation stabilized.  The stark difference in cost between
firewood and utilities combined to create the greatest decline
of wood heating in history.  Further statistics released this
year by Califomia-based Hearth Products Association (HPA) show
that while many homes have wood heat devices, less than 15% are
heated by wood as the main energy source.  The HPA stresses that
a prime reason for the decline is the spiraling cost of
firewood.  The nationwide average of $125 per cord can dampen
fireplace spirits. 
    Many folks enjoy the aesthetics of a toasty fireplace or
woodstove.  But given the significant disparity between the costs 
of firewood and utilities, more folks now figure that they
benefit financially by turning up the thermostat.  For those who
desire wood heating in spite of the cost, firewood cost-cutting
tactics exist to provide both money in the pocket and a glowing
hearth.
    Following are five practical ways to acquire a regular
supply of quality cordwood and kindling at low or, in some
cases, no cost.  Many of these tips can be put into practice no
farther away than your community's backyard.

Free firewood from tbe Forest Service

    Forest Service firewood permits are available to state
residents.  For most states, the average for such permits is
$10 a cord, usually with limits of between five and ten cords a
year per household.  
    Even better, many ranger districts offer free permits,
usually for two to five cords a year.  The downside is that the
permittee must collect, split, haul and stack the wood.  The
type and amount of wood, though, can be well worth the labor.
    My own free wood-hauling permit allowed a harvest of two
cords of downed, easily accessible, old-growth fir.  Leftover
logging rounds and limbs it was all superb firewood, easily
splittable and would have cost as much as $150 per cord from
many firewood suppliers. For the combined $45 cost of a rental
chain saw and newly-purchased splitting maul, I saved as much as
$250, gas included.  It was a month's worth of exercise that
also paid off in the fireplace.
    Those two cords lasted three months.  Consumed during the
coldest part of winter on the Oregon coast, the savings in
utilities was $ 180.  That savings, plus free firewood, is
household budget mathematics that equals dollars and sense.

Road clearing and utility cutting

    Another free resource is the stacks of wood often left for
gleaning by road commission and utilities department tree-
clearing crews.  Frequently required to clear highway and
power-line easements, their pains can be a fireplace gain.  The
wood can be of any variety, so the discriminating harvester is
best off biding his or her time.  On the other hand, get it while
the getting is good, or someone else will.
    At the edge of a turnout on a major highway near my home, I
recently collected a full cord of firebox-length alder, the
result of efforts by a road crew.  If not for an alert neighbor,
my total could have been two cords.  While not the best
firewood, alder runs about $ 100 a cord in my area.  That
savings is $1OO more in my pocket.

Private tree trimmers

    Private tree trimmers, like roadside cutting crews, are
sometimes eager for someone to haul their cuttings away.  Some
even pay a fee for such service.  A well-timed proposal can reap
a nice haul of free fuel, depending on the situation and the
tree trimmer.  More than one tree trimmer also sells cordwood at
reduced prices.
    One tree cutter who advertises on shopping center bulletin
boards is happy to hear from those in need of firewood.       
    "I don't make a living with firewood," says Dale Russell, of
Lake Cutting Service in Seal Rock, Oregon.  "But, firewood for
sale earns vacation money."                               
    Russell recommends that customers follow his lead and place
ads in newspapers or on bulletin boards.  He also touts the
effectiveness of staking a well-placed "Firewood Needed" sign   
by the road, including phone number and type of wood sought.              
    Russell adds that he and most tree trimmers usually are not
"professional" firewood haulers.  Consequently, tree trimmers
are often open to negotiating price.  He asserts that deal-
seeking customers who ask him, "Will you take less?" usually
receive a five-to-ten dollar discount on full cords.  
                                  
Consumer tips            
                           
    While the easiest, but most expensive, method of obtaining
fuel is by way of the firewood delivery person, a few easy-to-
follow steps may reduce costs and potential hassles.           
    Consider the options: Many firewood dealers advertise on
bulletin boards, as well as in the yellow pages.  After copying
several phone numbers, compare costs.                        
    Reputable wood haulers recommend that new clients ask
whether the amount of wood promised is an actual cord (by
measurement, a cord is a tight stack of wood four feet wide by 
eight feet long by four feet high).  Another reasonable query
concerns seasoning.  Dry wood catches fire easier than
unseasoned.  If it's important to burn the wood now, check out
how dry it is.  
    Estimates from the Oregon Department of Energy reveal that
dry wood has a moisture range of 2O%, as compared to 60% in
unseasoned wood.  The difference in ranges relates directly to
BTU output.  Nearly one-half of total energy is consumed by wet
wood in a steaming process.  So obtaining seasoned wood, and
keeping it dry, goes a long way toward big savings and
conservation of time, effort, and a valuable resource: trees.
    One veteran firewood hauler agrees that establishing wood
dryness is important, and says it is easy to spot.
    "I don't care what kind of wood it is," asserts wood-hauler
Socorro Acevez, "the wetter it is the more pitch you'll have in
your chimney.  A crusty layer of pitch and soot can catch fire,"
he says, "so I never burn any wood that is not dry. "
    According to Acevez, dry, split firewood tends to be lighter
than wet wood, both in color and weight.  Also, seasoned wood
tends to have off-color bands, or striations.  For example,
Acevez says that fir is well-seasoned when he can see clusters
of inch-wide, burgundy-colored bands on cross sections of split
chunks.  That's what he prefers to burn, and what he reserves
for special customers.
    Acevez recommends that customers specify in advance the kind
of wood they want.  With split wood often preferred over limb
wood, he cautions that customers make sure beforehand what they
bargain for.  Length, too, is a factor.  Stove wood is usually
shorter than pieces burned in full-length fireplaces.
    Also, Acevez says that tight-grained oak and medium-grained
fir burn hot and long, compared to softer alder and spruce.
Alder and spruce may be cheaper, per cord, but usually put out
half the BTUs of oak and fir.  He confides that a client's real
money's worth lies in the species they order.
    If in doubt, and the delivery person lives fairly close,
eyeball the particular stack in question.  After all, you may
even want to haul it yourself, possibly at a substantial savings
of some 10 to 25 percent.
    Whether hauling wood by oneself or having it delivered,
Acevez advises that many problems can be resolved early by
defining exact terms.  He says that nearly all of his deals made
by telephone are consummated exactly as negotiated.  With some
haulers, though, misunderstandings can happen.  
    Not long ago, I called a hauler for price comparisons on
delivered firewood.  Agreeing to provide a cord of old-growth
fir from a commercial harvester, the delivery person quoted $80.
The deal nearly failed, though, when another person called back
to confirm a higher price.  The delivery man telephoned not long
after and cleaned up the untidy error.
    One victory won, I neglected to negotiate delivery and
stacking into the price.  The delivery was made as scheduled,
but I had to laboriously stack the wood myself.  Late stacking
negotiations broke down due to an early haggling oversight.
    Obtaining kindling is another important factor in the wood
box equation.  Sometimes, small limb wood and gleanings can be
had from commercial trimmers and firewood deliverers.  More
resources are lumber stores, lumber mills, and construction sites.
  Frequently, these places are happy to give their excess scrap
away.  Well-placed phone calls or visits can result in old
pallets, scrap two-by-fours, or bundles of limb wood.
    It's best to burn clean, dry wood.  Firewood that is
unseasoned, or dried wood stacked in a damp environment,
dramatically reduces firebox efficiency, and leads to more
frequent maintenance problems.
    Most of these ideas can be adapted to any locale.  For
example, many urbanites reside less than an hour from rural
harvesting possibilities, and tree trimmers and forest service
offices can provide a wealth of firewood information.  Operating
a fireplace or woodstove can be cheap, though not easy, even if
you don't own your own woodlot. 

                                                          
 From : Mark       Sun 13 Feb 94 07:38 
                                                       
 Subj : WOOD STOVE HEATING                                                      


 WW> The soot has been a problem since the beginning of the
 WW> heating season, when it was last cleaned.  However, when
 WW> we open the door to load wood, we do get a face full of smoke.
 WW> Is this back draft?  Not sure how that can be prevented.

   Hello William.  This sounds like back draft all right.  Did you do the
cleaning of your chimney or did you hire someone?  It sounds as if you have a
partial blockage.  Does your chimney have a damper assembly in it?  If so, be
sure to open it a moment before loading wood.
   The fact that you are getting smoke at all is a bad sign.  Our wood stove
produces hardly any smoke at all, except when it is being lit or if it is
burning poorly.  Usually the discharge from our stack is just a clear hot
shimmering in the air.  Check to see that air can get into your combustion
chamber easily too, as it sounds as if you are not getting a complete burn.
   We heat with wood.  It is great for us.  (Lots of wood burning type trees
here in Ontario.)  To heat our house, we generally use about one and a half full
cords a heating season.  That works out to cost us about 225 dollars a year.
For the last nine winters we have purchased two full cords of wood and in some
winters, we have burned as little as a half a cord.  This means we have a good
stock pile of wood.  To me, it is better than money in the bank.  One cannot
burn money to keep warm.  The first winter we lived here, we started using
electric heat and our bill for a three month period was 650 dollars.  Now, our
normal bills are about 180 for the same period so wood has been very economical
for us.
                            MK



                                                         
 From : Charles    Sun 13 Feb 94 10:28 


 WW> Harmon,
 WW> The soot has been a problem since the beginning of the heating season,
 WW> when it was last cleaned.  However, when we open the door to load
 WW> wood,  we do get a face full of smoke.  Is this back draft?  Not sure

I suspect that major sources of your troubles are:
1.  Wood that is not properly dried'
2.  Operating with insufficient air for proper combustion.

Soot is a product, along with "creosote", of insufficient air at
the combustion site.  Try operating with the damper open wider.
The wood will burn faster but much more completely.  Keep the
fire small, but burning properly rather than large and just
smouldering, producing soot and 'Creosote'.

The face full of smoke can probably be remedied in one of 2 ways:
- open the damper for a minute before opening the door
- open the door only about 1 inch for 30 sec. then all the way.
   Gives the smoke a chance to clear out up the chimney before
you open the door all the way.

Good Luck, =>CGH<=


                                                   
 From : Arthur                                         
 Subj : WOOD STOVE HEATING                                                      

 -=> Quoting William White to Harmon Seaver <=-

 WW> Harmon,
 WW> The soot has been a problem since the beginning of the heating season,
 WW> when it  was last cleaned.  However, when we open the door to load
 WW> wood, we do get a face full of smoke.  Is this back draft?  Not sure
 WW> how that can be prevented.

 Yup, sounds like a back draft to me...  Before loading wood, you should
make sure that all your dampers are open, and any bypass directors (such as
for a catalytic combustor) are set to maximize flow up the chimney...

 I would double check the chimney cleaning job to make sure that your chimney
isn't obstructed somehow.  I would also check on the airflow to the stove, it
may not be getting enough air volume to give a good draft, especially if you
have done a really good job of sealing the rest of the house....  You may
need to figure out some way of introducing some outside combustion air...

 Also take a look at the height of your chimney, make sure that it is
tall enough to clear any nearby parts of the roof, trees, adjacent buildings,
hills, etc...  There are formulas for this, but if you aren't sure, try just
adding a few feet of stovepipe and see if that helps....

 WW> Frankly considering another heating source to install when $ is
 WW> available. Solar perhaps.  Appreciate hearing about your experiences
 WW> with wood heating.

 My folks have a Vermont Castings wood stove in their cottage, which replaced
the rusted out "heatilator" fireplace they used to use...  It almost does TO
good of a job, and keeps the place nice and warm, with minimal wood consumption.
Even if you go with an alternative source, I would reccomend keeping the wood
stove around as a possible backup source....

 ART

                                                 
 From : William                                                    

Interesting to hear your experiences with wood heating.  If it weren't for the
soot, we would love heating with wood.  Our home's previous owner showed me how
to clean the chimney, which he constructed.  You're right, I need a professional
to take a look at it.  Thanks from North Carolina!
                                                   Bill


From: zumbachl


I'm going to be building an 1800 sq. ft. house this spring
in some timber.  I would like some advice from people experienced
with energy efficient fireplaces.

This is what I'm looking for:
- Nice to watch
- Energy Efficient
- Cost of Fireplace alone (excluding pipe & decoration) <= $1700.

I've looked at two models:

The Security Chimney's BIS II
and
The Heatilator NX

The Heatilator NX seems to be a nice energy efficient model.
The store claims 75%.

The BIS II brochure quotes a Department of Environmental Quality
energy efficiency rating of 66.7%. It also claims some nice
features the Heatilator doesn't:
- an ash drawer for easy ash removal
- a 10 hour overnight burn capability
- an air intake lever to adjust heating from 11,300 to 41,500 BTU/hr.
- controlled air circluation to keep glass doors clean
- room for 20 inch logs
- 25 year warrenty vs. the Heatilator 5 year warrenty

The strange thing is that the BIS II is about $70 dollars cheaper
(excluding chimney pipe). However, the chimney pipe that the BIS II
dealer sells with the BIS II is doubled walled and insulated costing
about twices as much as what the Heatilator dealer quotes for the
pipe for the NX.

Any experience with these or other models?
How much should should the chimney pipe cost?
Are the fan options for these fireplaced needed?
Will a ceiling fan suffice?
Can these things pay for themselves with moderate use?

Thanks in advance for any information.

Lyle

 
