[TonytheWood]

Hello LogSplitters   

I have access to various trees, large branches, fallen logs, and pallet wood, etc. on a regular, legal, and frequent basis, along with ample [urban] storage space, my own chain saw, "medium/heavy" drop-back trailer.
 
ADVICE PLEASE:

1) Type/make/etc of multi-fuel single room stove, approx 5 KW, and/or

2) Multi-fuel room stove  ?? kW with back boiler -to act as supplementary to Central heating system, and as a room feature?

3) How does one Guesstimate wood through-put?

4) DIY Log Splitter plans/design source?
I have/have access to, welding/boring/cutting equipment.
Ditto steel mini RSJs
13 Amp, 250V supply only

5) Plans/design for- DIY Green wood maturing facility?

6) Plans/design for -Ready-to-burn wood storage facility

Any help very gratefully rec'd.

Tony t'amateur/ 's Boy

[Rosemary]

I hope someone acn help here. We're planning to replace our open fire with a multifuel stove but I'm baffled by the choice.

[TonytheWood]

I hope someone acn help here. We're planning to replace our open fire with a multifuel stove but I'm baffled by the choice.

Thanks Rosemary

If you'd like to swap info "off site" on Rsch so far, to possibly Post here for general consumption subsequently, I'd be more than happy to do so. I'm based in W Yorks, in the foothills of the beautiful Pennines.

Kind regards to you and yours.

My Free-Mailer address on your request/agreement.

 

 's boy

[doganjo]

There are two types - steel and cast iron.  Cast iron a lot more expensive.  Some are log burners only, some can burn anything.  Some can be attached to radiators, some can't.

The advice I received was: go for a dual fuel burner for versatility, go for a flat top you can cook on, go for cast iron if you can afford it, go for connection to rads if you can afford that too.  You can have virtually any colour you want.

I went for black (matches any colour scheme), flat top (can cook on if in power cut), not connected to heating system(reason being heating system wouldn't come on anyway if there was a power cut), steel becasue they aren't so eahvy and slightly easier to get into the house and install.  Mine was a Charnwood Country 8 duel fuel burner with a flat top.
Basically google stoves, choose a local supplier/installer, go and speak to them about timescales and doing a deal, if they won't bargain walk away!
Hope that helps.

[garden cottage]

villager stoves are very good value for money and good qualiy,main body is steel and will last as long as you need,weve had various different ones from the ali with factory fitted boiler to just a room heating one. main thing is having a good draw on chimney and using good logs that should be dryed for at least 12 months, most old chimneys will require lining then will be easier to clean.we use a lot of fork lift pallets which are excellent free from work, alongside better logs. I posted the original log splitter post, ive modified mine to speed things up it is a super tool once you get used to it, some knotty logs can be difficult on the hydraulic ram type but plenty of splitting power. we are currently using an old hunter herald stove which ive replaced the glass in and all rope seals, made up a new grill with the welder, the heat output is amazing think the key apart from fuel is control,as soon as its got going shut all chimney and air vents down so its just ticking over and all the heat will come into the room................good luck neil

[kingnigel]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Screw-Type-Log-Splitter-Assembly-tractor-PTO_W0QQitemZ290320063338QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_FarmingEquipment_RL?hash=item43986c9b6a&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50


this might be a good start for your diy log splitter, looks like they sell for about £100, dont know how good they are though
kn

[TonytheWood]

Hi:
 :bouquet:mary;  & Jo; G Cott; KingN

Just to say thanks for all your help! I'm gonna B a 

 

 's boy

[TonytheWood]

Sorry Rosemary that was supposed 2 B

   mary

 's boy

[carl]

tony,we are in s.yorks and had a multifuel stove from a chap in hebden bridge area. he was  bit hit and miss but once we got heavy with him he came up with the goods. he knows all about wood burners etc, and we have a farly small multifuel which also burns coal. we start off with sticks and coal, and add logs once going, it can get so warm you want to stripoff. at the end off the evening we chuck on more coal and it stays hot through the night. I buy coal and get logs from local tre surgeons / landscapers. i use a chain saw and a logspliter which a manual axe type. i get warm from the wood and splitting the wood. I like to let the wood season for at least a year so the moisture level is low, and prefer decent stuff like ash, oak and beech. but thre is lods to choose from, and you soon become adept at scavenging from wherever you see it .

[TonytheWood]

tony,we are in s.yorks and had a multifuel stove from a chap in hebden bridge area. he was  bit hit and miss but once we got heavy with him he came up with the goods. he knows all about wood burners etc, and we have a farly small multifuel which also burns coal. we start off with sticks and coal, and add logs once going, it can get so warm you want to stripoff. at the end off the evening we chuck on more coal and it stays hot through the night. I buy coal and get logs from local tre surgeons / landscapers. i use a chain saw and a logspliter which a manual axe type. i get warm from the wood and splitting the wood. I like to let the wood season for at least a year so the moisture level is low, and prefer decent stuff like ash, oak and beech. but thre is lods to choose from, and you soon become adept at scavenging from wherever you see it .

Hi Carl

Very many thanks for this most informative 'mail.  H 'Bridge is just up the road from me, so that's good news.
Do you remember any contact details of the company/stove Coy, please? 
The maturing time for when wood is ready to burn has been quoted to me as from 1 - 2 1/2 years. Is there a correct-ish moisture level to aim at 

Do you store your maturing wood under full cover, or in a stack with a loose lid 

I agree with you about the supply of all sorts from green to pallet. In most cases one almost gets the impression that some people would pay to get rid of their pile!

Any comments on "chain" sharpeners/saw benches Pics would be even better 

That's about 1/2 cwt of honey I owe you, Carl

Kindest regards

 's boy/ T-the-W

[carl]

sorry tony can't remember name of stove company,it might have been something like PI but would have thought there were not that many in hb. I store wood outside for about a year and then inside a field shelter on pallets to let air flow round. @5% moisture is what you want, but how you measure it?. You get a sense after 12 - 24 months that the wood feels drier and has a different weight. I sharpen chain saw with a file and an attachment which keeps the correct angle ( @£15 on ebay). my saw bence is made of angel iron, tack welded together, with some teeth sawn out of it for grip.
If you find a friendly tree surgeon , and he has wood to spare , he might cut it to convenient sizes you can just split to suit. Round here ash trees self set all over the place like big weeds, so people are glad to have them cut down and removed. I currently have @18 months of stock and just need to split a bit at a time for when it gets colder. I work on the theory that a standard pallet stacked to 4 feet high will last a month, plus a bag of coal and a pile of good wood chips. so one day sawing and splitting gives me a months heat. much more beneficial than a gym membership.

[TonytheWood]

sorry tony can't remember name of stove company,it might have been something like PI but would have thought there were not that many in hb. I store wood outside for about a year and then inside a field shelter on pallets to let air flow round. @5% moisture is what you want, but how you measure it?. You get a sense after 12 - 24 months that the wood feels drier and has a different weight. I sharpen chain saw with a file and an attachment which keeps the correct angle ( @£15 on ebay). my saw bence is made of angel iron, tack welded together, with some teeth sawn out of it for grip.
If you find a friendly tree surgeon , and he has wood to spare , he might cut it to convenient sizes you can just split to suit. Round here ash trees self set all over the place like big weeds, so people are glad to have them cut down and removed. I currently have @18 months of stock and just need to split a bit at a time for when it gets colder. I work on the theory that a standard pallet stacked to 4 feet high will last a month, plus a bag of coal and a pile of good wood chips. so one day sawing and splitting gives me a months heat. much more beneficial than a gym membership.

Carl

You are a  STAR ***** {Ed. May we have a Star emoticon on-line pls?}
I have a hand held "damp wall" tester, and a multi-meter. So will experiment with them to see if I can get any type of calibration ===> ~= 5%.
Mind you, if I remember back to "O" level Chemistry, there will be a method of determining H2O content. Hmmm

Std pallet to 4 ft, 

I've found that the Casual tree surgeons are the best, no wood yard to hold and then supply woodburner wood, limits on access to Council Waste sites.

Wood Chips  , pls.

Field shelter,  , pls.

Ref pallet wood: does burning with nails in have any adverse effects on stoves, either Steel or C'Iron [Stoves that is.] 

That's another 1/2 cwt of  I owe you!

 

 's boy/T- t'Wood

[carl]

pallet wood, obviously nails and screws don't burn but just mean you have to clean them out with the ash. I find pallets burn well but add more soot to your flue, as they are full of pitch. I tend to use them for kindling. I get the wood chips from the tree guys, as you quite rightly state, it costs them to tip. the larger chips burn like mad and I have to be careful not to set light to the roof.
The field shelter came with the house, as they had horses, we don't so it's a good airy dry place to store logs and trailers etc.

[xillent]

We have a Clearview Solution 400 which we really like and gets very hot. Most of the stoves now have the airflow across the window, which keeps it clear. Don't buy one without this.

[TonytheWood]

We have a Clearview Solution 400 which we really like and gets very hot. Most of the stoves now have the airflow across the window, which keeps it clear. Don't buy one without this.

Hello Xillent

That is some site, lots and lots of "answers".

I'll post the URL, tho' not sure if that's allowed. 

http://www.clearviewstoves.com/index.htm

IFF the Coy gets lots of Hits/Business, I'll try to negotiate a Commission 

V many thanks!   

 's boy

Alias T t'Wood