Small things matter

[Joeboy]

I use an assortment of hardwood and steel wedges on knots and knarled stumps knock them in with the lump hammer in likely spots and ten every time I pass hit them all once or twice to take up any slack and they usually fall apart within a week; had some Cecile? Oak that was full of knarled sections took me forever to reduce it down but not a lot of overall effort and it burnt nicely when accompanied by some ash and hawthorn.

It’s satisfying to get all the tree into the WBS and knot ( geddit?) waste anything

Moxi

I've not had Cecile, Mostly softwoods up here, probably about a 70/30 split? I like that idea with the wedges and the longer timeline. Properly low impact (get it )?

I reduced the original pile of notty fellows down considerably yesterday. Today it's E chain saw time to get a headstart then back to the solar splitter. Got split wood and rounds out the yingyang at the moment.

Took myself off down the cabin last night with a book and a glass of red, fired up WBS2, lit a cedarwood joss stick and listened to the birds going to bed. Pretty epic! I think i'll cut and try one more small section of chequer plate on the side hearth to bring it all level.
RE days are the best days!

[Joeboy]

I use an assortment of hardwood and steel wedges on knots and knarled stumps knock them in with the lump hammer in likely spots and ten every time I pass hit them all once or twice to take up any slack and they usually fall apart within a week; had some Cecile? Oak that was full of knarled sections took me forever to reduce it down but not a lot of overall effort and it burnt nicely when accompanied by some ash and hawthorn.

It’s satisfying to get all the tree into the WBS and knot ( geddit?) waste anything

Moxi

Thank you Moxi, you have had a direct and positive impact on my woodsplitting. I am down to the knotty logs that I have had multiple goes at. Using the gear I have and deploying Moxi's style I simply cut a 1" deep chain cut into the troublesome log at a favourable spot and bed that cut into the V splitter. EVERY single time the log splits and falls apart. This is an outstanding step forward for me.

[openspaceman]

had some Cecile? Oak

Sessile
There is not much difference in timber quality between sessile and pedunclate (Q Petrea and Q robur). Robur is what we normally see but sessile is often grown on less clayey land an I feel it grows a bit straighter, it also doesn't seem to be affected by mildew.

[Moxi]

Thanks for the correct spelling and info thats brilliant, maybe I was cutting up Q robur then - whatever it was it was oak and didn't seem to have a straight section anywhere, all twists and turns and at branch junctions it was like splitting iron!

But the whole tree was free (cut down as it had become to large against the persons house) that kept me going over three winters with some other woods in amongst it to give a flame and eek out the oak supply.

At present most of my wood is bought in softwood logs from my local saw mill but thats ok as we dont seem to burn so early or for so long in the winter months after having the EWI fitted some years back.

Moxi

[openspaceman]

Thanks for the correct spelling and info thats brilliant, maybe I was cutting up Q robur then - whatever it was it was oak and didn't seem to have a straight section anywhere, all twists and turns and at branch junctions it was like splitting iron!

No you wouldn't tell the difference in the timber, nowadays I would have a problem differentiating the trees until I saw the leaves but in the past I could tel at a distance as robur have "clumpier" foliage.

But the whole tree was free (cut down as it had become to large against the persons house) that kept me going over three winters with some other woods in amongst it to give a flame and eek out the oak supply.

At present most of my wood is bought in softwood logs from my local saw mill but thats ok as we dont seem to burn so early or for so long in the winter months after having the EWI fitted some years back.

If you are in UK you might be lucky if you advertise a tip site on arbtalk.co uk but mostly it is people working out of area looking to dump the lot, logs, chips rakings etc.

Even firms who sell logs will often want to get shot of stuff if they have more than one truckload and they are a fair distance from base.

EWI?

[Moxi]

EWI = External Wall Insulation

I will have a look on arbtalk that sounds interesting although where i live in the north wales sticks I doubt there will be many takers but if i dont look i will never know so thanks

Moxi

[Joeboy]

Final piece of chequer plate in place to bring a level to the finish. Looking forward to seeing what shelf swmbo shows up with for cooking gear. Found a pinhole in the brocante kettle base so did a quick solder job on it and dressed off. Holding now.




I have a spare back boiler matrix... could strap to side and pipe to a hwt for utensil washing... just a thought.



I have been surprised at the level of control on the fuel/air mix. I expected coarser but it is really nice, flue is burning clean on 9 month dried softwood. Will open the flue inspection hatch before Winter to confirm the veracity of that last statement!


SWMBO also came up with a foc wood storage solution from our old tat

[Joeboy]

Last post on this then I'll leave it alone for a bit on WBS's.

When SWMBO sourced this stove and we brought it back to home I took a moment to review search it. Absolutely slated it was, pilloried no less. What a load of bollocks people speak (myself included). Not in this instance though. Final tests tonight. Ran it up on a bed of embers on full hardwood and full air. All the way to 500 deg c on the front glass. Absolutely perfect and way, way beyond where I'll take it in its lifetime. Next was the efficiency, I am 25 minutes into a log weighing about a half kilo. Air is low, no smoke and its so hot i had to take the newly refilled kettle off as it was boiling. Still plenty of fuel on that log.

For anyone looking for an inexpensive stove? Nothing wrong with the Clarke Buckingham. Nothing wrong at all.



Did I mention that this job has cost 4.5% of the cost of the house stove.

[Mr Gus]

Thing is now (as many here know) the WBS is just one element of a fire, & you can have several years worth of lighting, stoking, & learning before you "know it" ..many won't put the time in this bad reviews, if it's not warped & it seals well, it's got something going for it.

[Joeboy]

Triumphal parade. The rain brought the temps down so we thought, why not? A glory!