Wood Storage

[Nemesis]

I been collecting wood from the woods local to me, I started Friday 9am until 11:30am and again today started 10:30am to around 1pm, there is so much more laying there no one wants so I want to expand my stores, I used a hand saw this got me thinking bit of effort and time plus better cutting equipment I could have quite a lot in very little time.

Also note all these trees were fallen.

Fridays lot are the ones stacked next to my kids training mat, they were all cut on site which was quite hard work, the lot in front of that were got today as you see I got a better system and cut them longer to be then cut at home.




1: should I try removing as much bark as I can.

2: Am I right that it takes a year to dry or season for indoor fire place.

3: I do also buy wood stocks which burns very well, any tricks of the trade when drying wood.

4: Anyone got a large wood shed they can link pic to it or plans found on net.

My idea is to build something about 3 feet wide, 16 feet long and 10/15 feet high, this would be up against my detach house wall, I need this asap as I can't store the wood where it is in the pic above, also anything I have missed?

[NorthernRaider]

1: should I try removing as much bark as I can.

2: Am I right that it takes a year to dry or season for indoor fire place.

3: I do also buy wood stocks which burns very well, any tricks of the trade when drying wood.

4: Anyone got a large wood shed they can link pic to it or plans found on net.

My idea is to build something about 3 feet wide, 16 feet long and 10/15 feet high, this would be up against my detach house wall, I need this asap as I can't store the wood where it is in the pic above, also anything I have missed?
[/quote]

Nice start to your woodpile
1 No, as the wood dries out the bark will fall off itself, but besides its combustable and theirfore useful as fuel.
2 No your wrong, it CAN take a year, it could take TEN years if you stored it some place where it could not dry out with poor air circulation. It can dry out in a couple of months, what you need is a moisture meter from B & Q which you can test logs for moisture contyent by percentage. You want it under 20%, is you store some say in a utility room or conservatory it can dry out to 8% in only a couple of months. When testing a log stick the probes in both ends and along the middle some place, use the highest figure as your measure. You test in multiple spots cos ends dry out quicker than cores and can give false reading, Moist wood is a bitch to burn properly and helps cause creoste formations in your flue.
3 ensure you get logs the right size, sometime the merchants sell you oversized logs, store them where they will remain dry, quality bought logs will be hardwood, most log suppliers will have both soft and hard wood bags available. I use softwood for EDC and economy and hardwoods set aside for after when TSHTF.

Always keep a gap between rows of logs to ensure air circ to allow drying out.
4 No sorry but many folks simply use 6 pallets with a tarp over the top to make a log shelter that keeps the rain out, air circ going and the timber piled right. They make a log store out of the pallets.

If you are putting a log store by your house wall ensure their is a gap of at least 75 mm betwen store and wall cos if damp or snow builds up you could end up bypassing your homes DPC

[Nemesis]

You do type fast, thanks for the effort points taken shall plan around it.

[NorthernRaider]

Will post a few piccies of my scavenged wood so far this year in a minute

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Garage pile 1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43478117@N00/6432160593/

Garage pile 2
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43478117@N00/6432160623/

Garage pile 3
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43478117@N00/6432160637/

Conservatory stock for EDC 3x 1 meter square bags plus assorted boxes
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43478117@N00/6432160641/

[Nemesis]

NR is this the one you bought?

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?ac...ype=levels[/align]

[NorthernRaider]

Aaargh no, not that one at £40 , bloody hell, Hang on a moment whilst I rummage.

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It was this one now listed on Amazon between £8 and £12
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Digital-Detector...007&sr=8-4

[Nemesis]

Good price

I have been using one of these lighters for a few months now after going through many cheaper ones; I think good prepper’s lighter should last a while.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zippo-Multi-Purp...cr_pr_pb_t

[NorthernRaider]

I just use a cheapo version that I got from Tesco

[bigpaul]

if anyone else is collecting fallen wood, dont collect ROTTEN timber it will infect your stocks and all your firewood will rot.

[NorthernRaider]

(1 December 2011, 12:44)bigpaul Wrote: if anyone else is collecting fallen wood, dont collect ROTTEN timber it will infect your stocks and all your firewood will rot.

Thanks BP I honestly did not know that, I'll have to have a bit of a sort out of some of my stuff, I did throw out any bit that were clearly rotten but if I found some good pieces in a length of timber with a rotten end I did save them, should I throw them out?