Ye Old Garage

[sublime68charger]

I say bring on the snow. Winter without it just plains *****.

That said, the JD setup is pretty awesome sauce!

thanks for stopping by Denwood!

 

[sublime68charger]

so the woodshed is starting to seem a little bit empty but it is Feb 10th and winter can only last 6 more weeks or so.

wood boiler has been working pretty good and this week we are in the -1 to -15 at night and single digits during the day, I have been going threw 2 1/2 wheel barrows of wood per day now but I didn't want to run the boiler low on heat and be having to be behind trying to get back up to operating temp.

some Pics.

inside the woodshed its about 1/2 full now.

Pic of the wheelbarrow of wood this is a heavy load due to having the cold temps.

and then the fire box stuffed full of wood for the overnight burn with temps at -10

 

[xtremek]

I really don't miss cutting and splitting wood, not one bit. That's some pretty big logs you're are putting in the burner.

 

[sublime68charger]

I really don't miss cutting and splitting wood, not one bit. That's some pretty big logs you're are putting in the burner.

Im not a huge fan of wood cutting but try to make it fun as possible with alot of ATV with the wood cutting and hauling.

but in years past Shop Heat was $250 a month for 3-4 months and the garage was only heated when I was out there to run the stove. House was $1,200.00 per year for heat and still cold most the time.

This year Shop heat is at 65-70 or what ever I set thermostat at, House is at 72-74 and garage is 20 better than outside temp and I can plug in Blower to make it warmer if I'm working out there.

I'm just happy it looks like my covered wood pile will make it threw the season with out having to restock the pile in the middle of the winter. If this was January 10 and I was at this point I might be getting a little nervous if I could make it threw. I have a wood pile that I can get easy access to if I need to refill the shed but I should make it threw. Unless we go a month of sub 0 Temps. this is the first week of sub zero we have had this year.

my motto if it fits in the door it gets burned, Im into my Heavy split wood or not split now and not the light duty stuff I started the winter out on.

 

[xtremek]

How many face cord do you think you'll have burned?

 

[sublime68charger]

How many face cord do you think you'll have burned?

no clue, I'm 1/2 way threw my 12x20 shed in a box wood shed when it gets a bit warmer Ill have to figure out how many rows of wood my shed holds and how many I went threw plus I back filled 1 row of free walnut but that stuff wasn't the best burning stuff I had to fill extra when using that till I could get to my other stuff and mix it half and half then it went better.

Free cut and split wood is free cut and split so no way was I saying no to it.
that was back in early January it just got stacked in front of the.

say 8 rows of wood and a face cord and half per row? Face cord is 4'x8'x16' correct?

my rows are 6' high more or less and 10' across as then shed is stacked in U configuration to try and relieve sidewall pressure so on each 20' side is 1 row along the sides then short 10' rows for side to side in the middle so I say maybe 12 face cords of wood?

for simple math

 

[drivesitfar]

not many if any have 100 acres and free access to wood (and good exercise) so your savings have a double purpose in my mind. also having friends drop off more free wood has to be nice.

I remember when I put in gas here in 1988 after just one winter of oil heat out of an 1950's furnace cause it was always cold at about 65 degrees and it was about $200-300 a month for oil. after we put in a gas furnace that cost less than a grand back then we had a baby that summer and it was 73 degrees 24/7 and I think my biggest bill was $200 for 2 months (not each month like oil). i'm guessing you didn't look into gas or propane cause you have all that free so to speak firewood?

stay warm!!

 

[sublime68charger]

Drives past winters have been Propane for the house about $1,200.00 per winter on avg.

house at 70-72 when we are home then 60 at night

Shop has been $200-250 for 3-4 of the winter months to keep the bathroom and 9x13 rooms at 60 so water pipes dont freeze.

Garage was heated by old wood stove when I wanted to work out there on insulation.

This winter house is at 72-74 all the time set the thermostat for main level at 72 and have left it there sometimes bump it up to 74.

Shop is at 60-65 bumped up to 72 when I'm working there in all the rooms.
Garage is 20 degrees better than outside temp from the passive heat loss from the 80' of pex tubing have heater I can plug in and warm up more if I'm working in the garage as well.

I have time to invest in the wood cutting but getting my 12 x 20 tarp shed filled should not take a whole lot. I have 1/2 of a shed load in my emergency pile that is under some pine trees at the house. I'm looking pretty good for wood for this winter which at the start I wasn't for sure how much I was going to need. Plus it on my to due list to put pipe wrap on the exposed Garage pex to cut down on the heat loss there.

its just be taking time to get wood cut and to get a few years ahead so the wood is dry to burn I can burn green wood but then it takes more wood to run threw to dry out the green stuff when it is being burned.

 

[drivesitfar]

one of GJ members in Norway built a wood splitter that splits a big log round into about 8 sections on each full motion. I think he powers it with his back hoe and I'll see if i can find his thread cause who knows you might want to build one too.

i'm guessing your are getting stronger with all this wood cutting and hauling it in the house so another benefit to heating with wood.

STAY WARM!!

 

[drivesitfar]

I was going thru some old threads today cause it's too cold to work outside (at least below freezing is too cold for me) and i found the thread of WAAAZA's in Norway for that huge log splitter. here's the link and i'll read thru his thread a bit to catch up and see what post to help you since you are probably shoveling new snow again.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=253228

EDIT: his massive splitter build is on post #486 of that thread. it kinda reminded me of something you might like to build so start gathering the parts and maybe you will.

 

[xtremek]

We did the splitting the hard way, with a maul. I used to be pretty good at it. Now I'd probably make too much kindling before I broke the handle. My hat's off to you.

 

[cruzer75]

I like the wood boiler and was going to ask if you could burn green. I see guys around here (more in the rural towns and farms with them and they just have logs outside they cut and toss in. We can't have them in our town, but that's OK, have 2 wood stoves cranking a bunch. Haven't paid for wood with money only time and equipment...but keeps us active and fun. Nice project!

 

[sublime68charger]

I like the wood boiler and was going to ask if you could burn green. I see guys around here (more in the rural towns and farms with them and they just have logs outside they cut and toss in. We can't have them in our town, but that's OK, have 2 wood stoves cranking a bunch. Haven't paid for wood with money only time and equipment...but keeps us active and fun. Nice project!

I ran a row of walnut threw that was pretty green, It was free and I don't know how long it had been since the tree was alive. I could tell the difference in the walnut vs the stuff I had been burning.

Most of what I have is small limbs and blocks that have been dead for 4plus years my wood was all cut in the spring and put in the stack and burned this winter. Its leftover slash tree tops from the family woodland being Logged 5 years ago. They did a 650 tree harvest on the 100 acres so I have plenty of tree tops to get processed up. Just need the time and nice weather to get this all done I guess.

 

[sublime68charger]

Drives thanks for the link to that thread I will for sure go threw that!

 

[DennisK]

The Warden Decided to get me a Hydraulic splitter a few years ago. because she couldn't use an axe or post maul anymore. Had to buy those easy start Start Sthil's OUCH!

 

[sublime68charger]

some may remember last years maple syrup setup?

this year new design and setup hoping to not have to deal with as much smoke

only had to buy back elbow and adapter all the other stuff got for free.
brother in law got the stove from a old farmer he knows.

in the back section on top the stove pipe i have a warming tray back there to get the sap started and then will ladle it over to the front tray's as needed.

did a test run with water and seemed to go pretty good.

 

[sublime68charger]

Page 46 has more post of last years syrup run if you want to look more at last years' run of stuff.

 

[xtremek]

How many quarts do you think you'll get this year?

 

[sublime68charger]

How many quarts do you think you'll get this year?

Don't know haven't' tapped a tree yet

snow is a little deep yet,

was trying to get down a trail on the back side and this is as far as I got.

had to get other ATV and rescue this one.

 

[sublime68charger]

and this was the week before trying to get trail to chicken coop open.

though if I was smarty I would have angled blade and plowed down hill pushing snow down hill instead of plowing snow uphill pushing snow uphill.

just ran out of traction though 5 min and I was able to winch out so no big deal.

 

[xtremek]

Sounds like a lesson learned for next year.

 

[sublime68charger]

Sounds like a lesson learned for next year.

getting stuck is a yearly lesson for me,

This years count is at 3 Garden tractor and snow blower and 2 ATV's though all was out with in 10 min of being stuck so that is not bad its the 2 hours later stuck that kinda stick with ya!

and when at home I have other options to get said stuck items out.

 

[xtremek]

When I brought the White Whale home, I got stuck. Good thing the Old Mule was close by. But any more, I hate getting stuck.

 

[drivesitfar]

looks like you might need a SNOWMOBILE cause your snow is too deep for your ATV's?

speaking of syrup how did it taste?

my wife is making her own VANILLA and it's a bottle of good vodka and vanilla beans i think is all it uses so we'll see how it turns out.

 

[sublime68charger]

trees are taped and snow is still deep out in the woods.

made it threw with having to use the winch but was close in a couple of spots of having to winch myself threw.

 

[xtremek]

I'm surprised you still have that much of the white stuff. Ours is getting very thin.

 

[sublime68charger]

we still have plenty on the northen slopes, Can go about 50% of where I would like to with out much problems but still other areas are a no go yet unless I want to have to be winching the ATV out.

 

[drivesitfar]

nicely done with the tree tapping and taking the boss (your daughter) along to have her tell you where to put them.

have a great weekend!!

 

[sublime68charger]

so the sugaring is in full effect.

morning pickup of the sap

Then cooking the sap down.

running into the night

Just another pic of the super hot stove pipe!

then on final boil down 40 gallons of sap give or take down to 1 pot!

 

[xtremek]

We're all headed to your house for fresh pancakes and maple syrup. I'll see if my brother can send us some fresh bacon and sausage.

 

[sublime68charger]

We're all headed to your house for fresh pancakes and maple syrup. I'll see if my brother can send us some fresh bacon and sausage.

your Welcome to stop by any time your in the area!

I'll even have some fresh eggs ready as well to go with the pancakes and bacon!

 

[sublime68charger]

so pics from this last weekends sugaring run!
Added a 3rd Stove for the production run and started at 7am and was all done and cleaned up at 4pm which was pretty nice instead of the 16 hour run from the previous weekend.

 

[Bob Heine]

Added a 3rd Stove for the production run and started at 7am and was all done and cleaned up at 4pm which was pretty nice instead of the 16 hour run from the previous weekend.

Matt, that sounds like a big step toward a business. Is there a Sugar Shack in your future? If not, that's still a wonderful thing to do as a family.

 

[drivesitfar]

that looks darn near professional now. I bet your little girl is learning a lot about just the process? more great dad of the year points for you too!!

if it will help if I put the links back in my sig line to get you to post come syrup pics over on GET HEALTHY thread i'll put it back?

looks like maybe snow is about gone for the season now?

 

[sublime68charger]

even had time on Sunday to rake the gravel back into the yard.

this year its a powered attachment and after a few tweaks in getting it dialed in I was able to get the gravel raked out of the yard in 2 hours vs the 6 hours it takes in a normal year.

video of the broom in action as well

 

[drivesitfar]

just for you I put the link back to the get healthy thread and added a little picture I found years ago that always makes me smile.

 

[sublime68charger]

Matt, that sounds like a big step toward a business. Is there a Sugar Shack in your future? If not, that's still a wonderful thing to do as a family.

there is talk and rough draft ideas to make a sugar shack that is for sure.

will probably be a summer project.

 

[sublime68charger]

just for you I put the link back to the get healthy thread and added a little picture I found years ago that always makes me smile.

Thanks Drives!

Still hovering around 220!

 

[shopnut]

even had time on Sunday to rake the gravel back into the yard.

this year its a powered attachment and after a few tweaks in getting it dialed in I was able to get the gravel raked out of the yard in 2 hours vs the 6 hours it takes in a normal year.

video of the broom in action as well

Cool to see the ole JD being put to good use! That brush looks handy, for sure. Good to hear it running in the vid too!

 

[sublime68charger]

Cool to see the ole JD being put to good use! That brush looks handy, for sure. Good to hear it running in the vid too!

it sure beats raking gravel out of the yard by hand that is for sure.

I have some more fine tuning to due on the brush yet but this got me threw this year!