Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[JimR]

Like this one.
Sure would be nice if all the other products put an hourly usage out like that, makes it easy to quickly calculate a daily cost.
Looks like the Williams models are quite similar.
How much fuel do you use in a yr, do you keep that area at a set temp 24/7, how well is it insulated.
View attachment 1235644

Here's one on eBay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/196686127262?_skw=Monitor+Mpi-22+Kerosene+Heater+-+22k+BTU+W/+4+Tanks+Flue+Pipe+Intake+Hose&itmmeta=01JJ50CN7J0AN46BMNPAV9Q3ZW&hash=item2dcb68209e:g:588AAOSwdCpm~Fvv

Mine is a 422 also. My garage is insulated like a house and has Anderson windows with 3 insulated garage doors
The 2nd floor is also insulated. I keep it heated at 60 degrees 24/7. In this kind of cold weather it will use almost 3 gallons a day. At 50 it uses around 2 gallons a day. At 20 - 30 degree nights it will use around 2 gallons a day at 60. I have never kept accurate count of gallons a year that I use because I don't care. I'm guessing that in really cold weather that it costs me around $200+ - a month. On Saturday it was 40 out during the day. I filled it up Fruday morning. It used 1.2 gallons in 24 hours. Remember that these are no longer made. Parts are available. The main issue with any of these is keeping the filters clean. Every so often the burner mat needs to be replaced. I have picked up these units for $50 - $150. I'm on my 2nd one now. My first one had electronic issues. The one that I am using now needs a new mat in the burn chamber. I have a spare heater thst has a new mat in the chamber. Sometime soon I willl swap them out and rebuilt the other chamber. Toyo and Rhinnai also made these heaters.

 

[chipper1]

Mine is a 422 also. My garage is insulated like a house and has Anderson windows with 3 insulated garage doors
The 2nd floor is also insulated. I keep it heated at 60 degrees 24/7. In this kind of cold weather it will use almost 3 gallons a day. At 50 it uses around 2 gallons a day. At 20 - 30 degree nights it will use around 2 gallons a day at 60. I have never kept accurate count of gallons a year that I use because I don't care. I'm guessing that in really cold weather that it costs me around $200+ - a month. On Saturday it was 40 out during the day. I filled it up Fruday morning. It used 1.2 gallons in 24 hours. Remember that these are no longer made. Parts are available. The main issue with any of these is keeping the filters clean. Every so often the burner mat needs to be replaced. I have picked up these units for $50 - $150. I'm on my 2nd one now. My first one had electronic issues. The one that I am using now needs a new mat in the burn chamber. I have a spare heater thst has a new mat in the chamber. Sometime soon I willl swap them out and rebuilt the other chamber. Toyo and Rhinnai also made these heaters.

That's not bad really.
I'm hoping I can get everything finished(except blowing the rest of the cellulose in the ceiling) in mine before the weather breaks this spring, then I'll know what it takes with this 30-70k unit, that should give me a good baseline. Then once the ceiling is done it will be even easier to heat. Right now the ceiling has two layers of 1/2 isopoly and I have about 45 bags of used cellulose up there to spread, that I hope to finish before summer. I have a pallet of new cellulose to put on top of it, and I plan on buying another pallet to add more on top of the 12x24 shop, and the 32x48 main, and the 12x16 welding/fab area. Dang, I have a lot to do before summer .

 

[MechanicMatt]

Mine is a 422 also. My garage is insulated like a house and has Anderson windows with 3 insulated garage doors
The 2nd floor is also insulated. I keep it heated at 60 degrees 24/7. In this kind of cold weather it will use almost 3 gallons a day. At 50 it uses around 2 gallons a day. At 20 - 30 degree nights it will use around 2 gallons a day at 60. I have never kept accurate count of gallons a year that I use because I don't care. I'm guessing that in really cold weather that it costs me around $200+ - a month. On Saturday it was 40 out during the day. I filled it up Fruday morning. It used 1.2 gallons in 24 hours. Remember that these are no longer made. Parts are available. The main issue with any of these is keeping the filters clean. Every so often the burner mat needs to be replaced. I have picked up these units for $50 - $150. I'm on my 2nd one now. My first one had electronic issues. The one that I am using now needs a new mat in the burn chamber. I have a spare heater thst has a new mat in the chamber. Sometime soon I willl swap them out and rebuilt the other chamber. Toyo and Rhinnai also made these heaters.

I’m thinking it’s time to replace my windows. My house is at 65* in the morning when I wake up to feed the stove so I’m not freezing. But when I sit on the couch, I definitely feel the cold from the old windows…

Couch is surrounded by windows

 

[MechanicMatt]

Saw this on Facebook, thought you guys might get a good laugh from it

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I guess I'm a wimp, I don't cut wood in this kind of weather, I burn it!

SR

 

[RCamo]

Baby it's cold outside. At 6am this morning in central MA.

 

[jeagan]

Definitely a wimp.

Perhaps, he's a better planner...

 

[Lee192233]

I prefer cutting wood if there's snow on the ground and it's 20° and sunny. It was about 5° last weekend and I was just fine. I rarely cut wood in summer because I don't like to suffer.

 

[Stihl_Fanatic]

I'm with you guys. I don't like to cut, split, or stack firewood in the summer. About the earliest I start cutting is late October. Usually it's more like around Thanksgiving. And then I'll continue to cut through February.
Now, I don't know about you guys, but I always cut and split my firewood at least a year in advance. My wood shed is big enough that it can hold wood for a few years. So, I stack it based on the year it was split. For example, right now I'm using white oak that I cut in the fall 2021/winter 2022.
And by the way, I never cut live trees. Always hardwoods that have been downed several years.

 

[farmer steve]

Saw this on Facebook, thought you guys might get a good laugh from it View attachment 1236027

My one hunting buddy got screwed up with his work scheduled this year and didn't have a lot of time for rifle season this year. I talked to him right after season and he said he's going to schedule all 2 weeks off next year. Other than being busier than when I was working retirement is great for hunting.

 

[JimR]

We've been chewing through wood the past 2 weeks too. Almost double the normal rate so far this week. Took enough wood into the house Saturday for this week, and I'm gonna have to bring more in today after work. I got plenty, so no worries for this year but I'll definatly be dipping into next year's reserve if it stays this cold. Think I may break down and get my logging buddy to drop a load of logs off this spring since I haven't had the time to scrounge like I usually do.

Same here on burning a lot of wood. I'm halfway thru what I had planned on burning. I always have plenty for backup if needed. Stay safe and keep warm. This morning the temperature was a mild 14 degrees compared to "0" the last two mornings.

 

[JimR]

I’m thinking it’s time to replace my windows. My house is at 65* in the morning when I wake up to feed the stove so I’m not freezing. But when I sit on the couch, I definitely feel the cold from the old windows…

Couch is surrounded by windows View attachment 1236008View attachment 1236008

Yup, drafty windows make it uncomfortable. The suction air flow of your stove could be causing some of that draft. I would love to drill two holes in my fireplace to the outside to supply air for my insert. The problem is that I have 3 flues in my chimney. I do not want to screw up the other flues. I also have a fireplace in my basement underneath the fireplace in our living room.

 

[JimR]

I guess I'm a wimp, I don't cut wood in this kind of weather, I burn it!

SR

I can break a sweat cutting in 20 - 30 degree weather. Below 20 I prefer working in my heated garage.

 

[djg james]

My one hunting buddy got screwed up with his work scheduled this year and didn't have a lot of time for rifle season this year. I talked to him right after season and he said he's going to schedule all 2 weeks off next year. Other than being busier than when I was working retirement is great for hunting.

Absolutely correct. I remember sitting at my desk at work looking out the window and saying to myself 'man this would be a great duck day'. Now I hunt as much as I physically can. Too bad the ducks don't cooperate. Seems they like the Northern climate more these days.

 

[Lee192233]

Absolutely correct. I remember sitting at my desk at work looking out the window and saying to myself 'man this would be a great duck day'. Now I hunt as much as I physically can. Too bad the ducks don't cooperate. Seems they like the Northern climate more these days.

I'm still seeing mallards and canadas here. They'll stay as long as Lake Michigan is open and there's no snow cover. There were guys beating up the mallards around here in November. Unfortunately it's become a pay to play sport here. There's lots of fields leased for waterfowl hunting.

 

[sean donato]

I’m thinking it’s time to replace my windows. My house is at 65* in the morning when I wake up to feed the stove so I’m not freezing. But when I sit on the couch, I definitely feel the cold from the old windows…

Couch is surrounded by windows View attachment 1236008View attachment 1236008

We have a huge pop out bay window in the living room, goes floor to ceiling, 8 feet wide, and bows out of the house nearly 3 feet. It's a massive heat suck. My wife and I argue about it all the time. I want it gone, but she like how much light it let's in the living room. Soon as I find a big double or triple hung window for a reasonable price, that bay window Is gone.

I prefer cutting wood if there's snow on the ground and it's 20° and sunny. It was about 5° last weekend and I was just fine. I rarely cut wood in summer because I don't like to suffer.

before I had a heat stroke I would have rather processed wood in summer. Anymore I do it all in fall/winter. I can put more clothes on to stay warm once I'm hot I'm done.

 

[Sampson]

Yeah, it's much nicer cutting in the winter than the summer, plus the sled makes it easier to get the rounds to the truck. Summer is for fishing.

Couldn't agree more. Well... on second thought winter, spring, summer and fall are for fishing but the only time I want to cut in the summer is if the scrounge is too good to pass up. Like hardwood already on the ground and I can get my truck or trailer right to it.

 

[Sampson]

Absolutely correct. I remember sitting at my desk at work looking out the window and saying to myself 'man this would be a great duck day'. Now I hunt as much as I physically can. Too bad the ducks don't cooperate. Seems they like the Northern climate more these days.

I'm still seeing mallards and canadas here. They'll stay as long as Lake Michigan is open and there's no snow cover. There were guys beating up the mallards around here in November. Unfortunately it's become a pay to play sport here. There's lots of fields leased for waterfowl hunting.

I had a couple good waterfowl days this fall but I was expecting to see better numbers overall. Was hoping that the dry spring we had would lead to a better hatch. At least the grouse numbers seemed to be up. The best success I had with ducks was looking for them in places that are hard to get to and get overlooked by most. It's been a few years since we've had good numbers out on the main river where anyone can set up on one of the islands and have a good crack at them.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Same here on burning a lot of wood. I'm halfway thru what I had planned on burning. I always have plenty for backup if needed. Stay safe and keep warm. This morning the temperature was a mild 14 degrees compared to "0" the last two mornings.

Yeah 5 on the plus side felt soooo much better than the negatives we’ve been having

 

[Sampson]

It's been hovering around -20 F overnight the last couple days here and the heat pump is struggling with it. Had to fire up the incredibly inefficient electric boiler we have as a secondary heat source for the house, the power bill next month will be fun... Man I cannot wait to install a wood stove in this house whether it can vent through the existing chimney or it has to go through the roof.