Firewood season upon us - what are your plans? - Page 3 - Machine Underground -Tractor & Commercial Equipment Discussion Forum

Dougster · 08-24-2008, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irwin

I've got to give it to you Doug (tip hat) jumping on the slightly used oil sell out like you did is surely gonna save you some bucks, hopefully you got yourself enough storage to make it through winter 08-09 and beyond.

We in the slightly used heating oil procurement game prefer to call it "pre-owned" heating oil!

Although as time goes on, I find myself just referring to it as "pumpout". Makes me sound like an old hat at this crazy poor person's game. And yes, it truly is the greatest thing since beer in bottles!

The poor old Dougster™ will be very warm this coming winter for a change!!!

Dougster™

GreenWannabe · 08-25-2008, 10:09 AM

It hasn't been that many years ago that $1.75 per gallon would have been considered outrageous!

Have a happy

Fred

Dougster · 08-25-2008, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenWannabe

It hasn't been that many years ago that $1.75 per gallon would have been considered outrageous!

Have a happy

Fred

Well Fred, if it makes you feel any better... I just signed up my last three loads (300 gallons) for the coming winter for a total of $400.00... meaning an average price of $1.33 per gallon.

Funny thing is... had I played my cards right, I probably could have done even better!!!

Dougster™

**Ducati996** · 08-25-2008, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunmaker

I'm in the process of completing my woodstove installation. I plan on burning wood in the finished portion of my basement. Hopefully we will have a comfortably warm area to spend time during the winter, using the upstairs for sleeping/eating. The hopeful result will be a great decline in oil usage.
I've got 4 cord cut and stacked, and a ready supply of free wood at my disposal, just has to be harvested and split.

Need the teams expertise on efficient wood stove inserts (exisiting fireplace), the one thats burn for 8 -10 hours (so they say) and can heat 1500-2000 sqf. Whats the quality brand and hwo much maintaince does it require? electricity?

I think PaulC had a link for Vermont casting - not sure if thats because Paul is a vermonter

or are they that good?

Gunmaker - are you using a insert or efficient stand alone? Is this being fed through an exisitng Chimney or other?

**Ducati996** · 08-25-2008, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dougster

Well Fred, if it makes you feel any better... I just signed up my last three loads (300 gallons) for the coming winter for a total of $400.00... meaning an average price of $1.33 per gallon.

Funny thing is... had I played my cards right, I probably could have done even better!!!

Dougster™

Nice Job Dougster! One day you need to show us your transfer setup -

Have you thought of doing firewood as well using an efficient woodburning stove? Im overloaded with Wood for this year - most free and all thats required is a little space and some "chopping/slipping" at ones leasure, and its all free - You might even save that " year 2000" price of oil for your tractor or diesel truck (when you get one)

**gunmaker** · 08-25-2008, 01:26 PM

Gunmaker - are you using a insert or efficient stand alone? Is this being fed through an exisitng Chimney or other?[/quote]

I picked up a Jotul stand alone unit, and am hooking it up to a new 30ft masonary chimney I erected. I've used Jotuls for over 40 years without complaint.

Dougster · 08-25-2008, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducati996

Nice Job Dougster! One day you need to show us your transfer setup -

Have you thought of doing firewood as well using an efficient woodburning stove? Im overloaded with Wood for this year - most free and all thats required is a little space and some "chopping/slipping" at ones leasure, and its all free - You might even save that "year 2000" price of oil for your tractor or diesel truck (when you get one)

Transfer equipment set-up itself is not exactly "visually impressive"

... but I can take some pix of the various oily components if you wish!

At this point, I have turned down so much cheap pumpout oil this summer it is positively criminal... but we have nowhere else to put it. We can only use so much heating oil this winter even if we keep the windows wide open and the thermostat on 90 degrees!!! I probably overpaid at $2/gal for some of those early loads, but no regrets. Live and learn. I am looking into the legality of adding more 275 gallon tanks outside (instead of in the basement where we are already at the legal limit of 2 per house). I have to study the fire code later this week to see if that is feasible. Otherwise I am pretty much "out of business" until at least December or January.

As you may recall, before the pumpout idea came to fruition, we were looking very seriously at wood and pellet stoves. Mickey pointed out the advantages of pellets while Ed spoke of the noisy fans (I do hate noisy fans!!!). Pellets were relatively affordable initially and we could have easily gone for a $1,199 TSC stove with 3 or 4 tons of pellets pre-ordered at $249/ton to get through the coming winter with reduced oil consumption. I had also envisioned a huge amount of hardwood becoming available for firewood through the business, but it simply didn't happen this digging season. On the other hand, I did find a place where I could buy already split & seasoned wood on a dump trailer load pickup basis dirt cheap.

The bottom line is that we will survive burning that cheap pumpout oil and enjoy a toasty warm winter for a change. No need for firewood or pellets other than an occasional fire in the fireplace for the GF. Instead, we will have our fun watching the evil neighbors work their butts off on their expensive chosen renewable alternative(s) while we burn the good old-fashioned liquid nasty stuff!

Dougster™

**gunmaker** · 09-01-2008, 10:57 AM

Cord wood is now easily $200/cord, and ranges as high as $250/cord in my area. People are just now starting to make plans for the winter, but most of the guys I know that supply wood, have run out of split wood already. Log length wood is not generally offered, as the suppliers can get more for split wood.

Mickey · 09-01-2008, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunmaker

Cord wood is now easily $200/cord, and ranges as high as $250/cord in my area. People are just now starting to make plans for the winter, but most of the guys I know that supply wood, have run out of split wood already. Log length wood is not generally offered, as the suppliers can get more for split wood.

That's the price we're seeing in this area as well.

**irwin** · 09-01-2008, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducati996

Need the teams expertise on efficient wood stove inserts (exisiting fireplace), the one thats burn for 8 -10 hours (so they say) and can heat 1500-2000 sqf. Whats the quality brand and how much maintaince does it require? electricity?

I think PaulC had a link for Vermont casting - not sure if thats because Paul is a vermonter

or are they that good?

Gunmaker - are you using a insert or efficient stand alone? Is this being fed through an exisitng Chimney or other?

Don't have any expert advice to give you Duc. I do think it's a shame you don't have a way to use that low cost fuel you have stored out back (or wherever you store the wood)

Paying $800-1000 for a fill up 2 or 3 times a season from the local fuel oil peddler, vs paying about $1500.00 to set up a woodstove and related hardware, then burn that cheap wood yourself. If you have enough wood, sell the rest.

A good woodstove should last you 10 to 20 years if you take care of it. Lets say it'll last ten years and this wood bonanza lasts that long.. that's some serious savings.

The down side of wood heat is the labor involved, but if you're like me and a little exercise doesn't scare you too bad, you're light years ahead of what's coming in the next 5 to 10 years relating to oil costs.