Buying wood

[RTflorida]

Re: Buying wood

David, do you own those clinker grabbers or is that a photo pulled from the web? I'm curious as to the overall length. These are exactly what I was looking for last year before I bought my log tongs...took several weeks of repeated searching on ebay to find my 31" tongs; although they work great another 6-12 inches would be perfect for reaching the rear of the oven without sticking your arms too far in (elbow length welders gloves are a godsend)....took several weeks for my arm hair to grow back.

RT

[Acoma]

Re: Buying wood

How long has a cord of wood lasted those of you that buy their wood in quantity? If you don't buy a cord, then a 1/4 cord? ETC?

[RTflorida]

Re: Buying wood

My first two loads were approx. 1/2 cord each (we did not measure exactly - free from a friend and we were just "filling" the back of my truck); each load lasted about 3 months. I've just started (maybe 3 firings) from my first "purchase" of a cord.....this will last awhile, it is primarily citrus - burns extremely hot and slow. Please keep in mind that how often you fire it up, makes a big difference. Due to frequent work travels, I don't think I have ever fired more than twice in a week....usually pizza on saturday, then a smaller recharge fire on Sunday, depending on what I may be making.

As the saying goes.....your mileage may vary.

RT

[gjbingham]

Re: Buying wood

I looked for a clinker-grabber on ebay. I think there's not many of them around for sale. I forgot to check back again. Looks like a great old tool!

[RCLake]

Re: Buying wood

Les,

Because of the way combustion air enters these ovens (along the floor), I've always had a tendency to use longer pieces, so the fire burns from front to back, giving you complete combustion without a lot of fiddling.

Here's what I do:

1. Build a crib fire out of kindling toward the front of the oven; when it's burning brightly, add some hardwood limbs about an inch or two in diameter.

2. When that's burning brigthly, push the fire back toward the center of the floor, but not dead center, yet.

3. Then, push to the center and loosely crisscross longer pieces over the fire to almost fill the chamber. Whack on draft door if you have one. Develop the famous plasma fire.

With a 42 inch floor, using this method, I'd leave the pieces you have as long as they are. You could even go longer. My hearth is 4' deep and 3' wide, and I commonly use pieces up to 36" long. Experiment; it might work for you. Try to avoid the fireplace idea that the fire should be built in the middle. You want fire EVERYWHERE.

Jim

Jim, I'm going to focus on scavanging for thinner limbs, so far when lots have been cleared they shread the limbs and leave the trunks. That also will avoid the splitting.
I'm wondering with more fire closer to the arch will this clean the soot from the entry way? Soot is gone from the dome but the opening is dirty.

[dusty]

Re: Buying wood

Robert,
Thanks again for the tip. Never heard back from you on Sat. Offer still stands. Maybe a long ways, but it is good wood, it is free, and we could shoot-the-shit while you are here. We have a big stack of walnut chunks (won't stack) that we are trying to get rid of. That is what I will be fueling my oven with for some time.

dusty

[Acoma]

Re: Buying wood

Sorry Dusty. I will call you this afternoon.

[CanuckJim]

Re: Buying wood

RC,

Sorry, missed that post from you. Hard to say with cleaning up the entryway; depends on what you're burning and how cured your oven actually is. However, with a larger fire, you will get some flame out the doorway, which will clean things up a bit. Here, crews clearing trees do exactly the same thing: chip the limbs and keep the trunks. I've been pretty lucky with Hydro (read electric company) crews clearing roadside trees of limbs near wires and poles. Ask nicely and see if they'll leave a pile of limbs for you to grab. Might work.

Jim

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Buying wood

I have bought $350+ delivered, cured oak (it's almost too nice to just burn), and $125 wet pine. I'm not happy with either of them.

Where's the happy median?
James

Time grasshopper....nice dry pine for kindling and the fireplace, oak for cooking and heat.....tranquillo

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Buying wood

You can even burn really long pieces hanging them out the door. You've got to keep an eye out if they hang out much beyond the landing, you don't want burning logs on the patio.

And the little chunks? Greatly useful for putting the fire once it's pushed to the side to get that flame up the dome.

Reminds me of the old Hermit up on Brockway Mountain in the middle of Lake Superior. He would cut down poplar trees and have the tree going out his front door!

I keep two piles of wood, one for heat (almost anything that will burn) and one for cooking (those that provide heat and/or flavor).