Always! Plus gloves and eye protection.
Well spring is here and I'm flat out getting the log pile up to scratch again. 8 wheelbarrow loads done this week, cut, split, and stacked so its a start!
Spent the other day building our new supersized log store ( had to wait for thumper to pass onto meadows new) as that is where it was going, thought I had loads of logs ready but only just half filled this now.
By chance a new load of wood is available for me to collect and chop (and cut a few longer bits) so looks like next few weeks will be busy but as we dont go below 35c until mid Dec here in tropical Blackpool there is no rush.
Don't you mean 35F, Aidy?
I've always wanted a woodburner with an oven and a hotplate.I've seen one with the oven to the side of the fire and the hot plate on the top but wifey won't have it at all.I'll just have to build a log cabin in the woods ,grow a beard,get a pet bear and get an old man with a mule called no7 to call now and again.
Talk of the oven to the side of the fire brought back memories of my nan's old blackleaded grate. It had an open fire in the middle, and an oven to each side of that. There was usually a rice pudding in one side, and the other was often used for casseroles. At times there was a string mop head resting on the hearth with fluffy yellow chicks nestling in it to keep warm, and the mantle shelf above was covered with a piece of fringed burgundy chenille, and the gas mantles made the fringe cast shadows on the ceiling. Life was much simpler then.
Finished last weekend! The log pile looks good. I've got three separate piles which are date timed and will be burned in date order, as soon as I've emptied no1, i'll begin to fill it in for the following winter.....and the yearly cycle starts all over again!
I think I have about 2 years worth now. An options on some more. Some green heart (Grimsby dock...literally). Pallets of course and Recently loads of Alder, not rated by a lot of people but I like it. Although you can't leave it to close to fire as it will burst into flames if touching the sides. Even started to smolder when 18" from fire. Use to be used in gun powder and highly rated as charcoal. Also holding up Venice (piles). WILL have to take some crack Willow, very long drying time. Will have to leave it in a friends field (pit really). Stacked one lot between 2 garages boobed as I could have stacked much higher. Built a wood store on side of house and have had to build another store out of pallets. Alder has to be split quickly as it is terrible if left a year. I cut mine down this past winter and have had to use a borrowed electric log splitter as a lot of it is already to hard to split with a maul. Also collect kindling virtuality every time I go for a walk (daily). Now it is not kindling anymore its firewood!! Don't need that much kindling. Pick up some when I cycle to pub for the landlord in the winter for myself in the summer. I will get a pint out of him eventually!!
Drove past a skip with a lot of wood off cuts today....some of them are now in my car boot and will be cut into kindling!
Sounds good rowlandwells. I did some tree surgery on some trees overhanging our lawn on Saturday, I have a few more branches to cut stack and split for next winter now.
See how much more I could have got between the garages? Last photo.
Always wanted one just waiting for the right price. Came with spare battery and a very reasonable price. Not the fastest chainsaw but the stay sharp chain will make up for it. All you do is pull a lever send the chain round 2-5 times chain and it's sharp again.
I have 4 chainsaw now. One an old Aldi needs some adjustment to the engine which I can't get right. The 3 year guarantee meant I got a new pull at 2 years and 9 months.
A stihl which I bought in an emergency, as in loads of free wood. They don't cut any better than the Aldi one but so much easier to start, something I for some unknown reason always struggle with. A Aldi or lLidl electric chainsaw. My first choice at home. I like to bring wood home longish length and finish cutting at home. Cheap to buy cheap to run. And now my battery one. I need this many as I am an addict....firewood addict.
Nice posts guys. I've gone through a fair pile of wood this weekend.