Firewood Buy and Sell Thread

Muahahaha

forgottenhills wrote: »

Trees grow so fast in most parts of this country that I am amazed that posters here are discussing going to the trouble of importing firewood. I am sure that it should be possible to find a farmer who would let you cut down and clear old trees for free. There are many dangerous old trees around covered in ivy that farmers should be keen to see the back off. The typical large farmer will have hundreds of hardwood trees in hedges around their farms and many of them will want one or two removed at any one time for one reason or another.

Had actually wondered about that myself as round where I live there are quite a few fallen trees or large branches just lying around. Would be easy enough for those who already have all the gear like car with tow bar, trailer, chainsaw, safety equipment, etc. I dont have any of the above but if I did Id be talking to farmers for sure.

Just wondering though do fallen trunks season somewhat while they are lying there whole or do they have to be chopped up small for that to happen. There is a large trunk lying roadside pretty close to my house for almost a year now.

Large bottle small glass

Muahahaha wrote: »

Had actually wondered about that myself as round where I live there are quite a few fallen trees or large branches just lying around. Would be easy enough for those who already have all the gear like car with tow bar, trailer, chainsaw, safety equipment, etc. I dont have any of the above but if I did Id be talking to farmers for sure.

Just wondering though do fallen trunks season somewhat while they are lying there whole or do they have to be chopped up small for that to happen. There is a large trunk lying roadside pretty close to my house for almost a year now.

Are claim culture/insurance would be the primary reason I wouldn't let a non insured contractor onto the farm.

Wood left on ground, won't make good firewood. Fungus will develop which will inhibit moisture loss.

To dry wood quickly it needs to be cut and split, (the bark is a really good sealant) to maximise the area of wood exposed to air.

I'd be very surprised if any naturally dried wood in Ireland, would get under 15%. Our air is pretty damp and it'll be reabsorbed in most storage locations.

15% will satisfy most stove manufacturers I would think. Although the drier the better in terms of energy value of wood.

forgottenhills

Muahahaha wrote: »

Had actually wondered about that myself as round where I live there are quite a few fallen trees or large branches just lying around. Would be easy enough for those who already have all the gear like car with tow bar, trailer, chainsaw, safety equipment, etc. I dont have any of the above but if I did Id be talking to farmers for sure.

Just wondering though do fallen trunks season somewhat while they are lying there whole or do they have to be chopped up small for that to happen. There is a large trunk lying roadside pretty close to my house for almost a year now.

Large hardwood trees such as ash lying on the ground for a year or two would not be a problem. I have gotten good firewood out of a good sized ash tree that was lying out for 5 years or more. If you leave timber to dry out too much before chopping it becomes more difficult though. And to dry it out completely it has to be chopped and stored under cover in a ventilated area for a considerable time.

forgottenhills

Large bottle small glass wrote: »

Are claim culture/insurance would be the primary reason I wouldn't let a non insured contractor onto the farm.

Wood left on ground, won't make good firewood. Fungus will develop which will inhibit moisture loss.

To dry wood quickly it needs to be cut and split, (the bark is a really good sealant) to maximise the area of wood exposed to air.

I'd be very surprised if any naturally dried wood in Ireland, would get under 15%. Our air is pretty damp and it'll be reabsorbed in most storage locations.

15% will satisfy most stove manufacturers I would think. Although the drier the better in terms of energy value of wood.

Yes insurance is now a thing. But it wouldn't be a concern for many older farmers who will let you cut up fallen or badly leaning trees for firewood that they want cleared away if they know you.

I can get naturally dried ash firewood down to approx 10% moisture but I do it over 5 years or so and in several steps as described in my post of yesterday.

troyzer

Lads, where would I find cheap hardwood offcuts?

I've been getting into smoking lately but the made-for-smoking bags of oak chips are ludicrously expensive. There has to be a cheaper source.

forgottenhills

troyzer wrote: »

Lads, where would I find cheap hardwood offcuts?

I've been getting into smoking lately but the made-for-smoking bags of oak chips are ludicrously expensive. There has to be a cheaper source.

I have never tried to source anything similar but have you gone to sawmills or woodworking places to see if they have chips lying around the place? And does it have to be oak? Alternatively if you are using a lot of these chips why not invest in a second hand wood shredder and make chips yourself if you have access to branches.

troyzer

forgottenhills wrote: »

I have never tried to source anything similar but have you gone to sawmills or woodworking places to see if they have chips lying around the place? And does it have to be oak? Alternatively if you are using a lot of these chips why not invest in a second hand wood shredder and make chips yourself if you have access to branches.

It has to be hardwood. Different woods impart different flavours on the food. I personally prefer oak, but people also use ash, cherry, apple, hickory and others.

I don't think I'd be using enough chips to get a wood shredder. But there's a tree surgeon near my place who said he'd chip it for me. I just need to access the wood.

I was thinking about sawmills but I can't think of any other obvious candidates.

There are plenty of places where I can buy Oak firewood, but they usually only sell by the pallet. I'm just looking for a bag. Maybe 20-30kg. That would keep me going for ages. Possibly even a few years. I'm only using it as an additive.

forgottenhills

troyzer wrote: »

It has to be hardwood. Different woods impart different flavours on the food. I personally prefer oak, but people also use ash, cherry, apple, hickory and others.

I don't think I'd be using enough chips to get a wood shredder. But there's a tree surgeon near my place who said he'd chip it for me. I just need to access the wood.

I was thinking about sawmills but I can't think of any other obvious candidates.

There are plenty of places where I can buy Oak firewood, but they usually only sell by the pallet. I'm just looking for a bag. Maybe 20-30kg. That would keep me going for ages. Possibly even a few years. I'm only using it as an additive.

Don't wood chips for smoking have to be made from fresh/wet wood? If you know a tree surgeon surely his job should give him access to plenty of fresh branches. I assume that he would work on the odd oak tree and and he could save a few branches and chip them up for you? Any firewood you buy commercially would be too dry already and difficult to chip up I imagine unless you can soak it?

troyzer

forgottenhills wrote: »

Don't wood chips for smoking have to be made from fresh/wet wood? If you know a tree surgeon surely his job should give him access to plenty of fresh branches. I assume that he would work on the odd oak tree and and he could save a few branches and chip them up for you? Any firewood you buy commercially would be too dry already and difficult to chip up I imagine unless you can soak it?

They can be dry, you soak them in water overnight before you use them.

I already asked him about that, he said all of their stuff is lumped together before it goes on sale.

mlepkov

Muahahaha wrote: »

Where/how would you import from the UK and is it a massive quantity to make it worthwhile?

And do Coilte only sell in big quantities like lorry loads or do they ever do crates. I saw they're making walking trails in 9 of their forests in Wicklow at the moment and they will be felling a lot of trees to do so.

Hello, why do you need the UK ?)
I live in Belarus and I can export you 1 container of firewood to the port of Cork
I am an importer of firewood, briquette and pellets in the EU Countries.
If you are interested, write to me.
I can deliver to you the same briquette pine key. ruf / pellet/ firewood oak berh there will be 1 container in the port/

mlepkov

I can advise on lumber.
on charcoal and wood chips.
We sell to the Baltic states. And then intermediary firms in the Baltic states sell France to Germany. Ireland. UK
For example, Price without taxes Pini Kay in port Cork indicative price 210-220 eur tonna
sorry for my English.

mlepkov

troyzer wrote: »

It has to be hardwood. Different woods impart different flavours on the food. I personally prefer oak, but people also use ash, cherry, apple, hickory and others.

I don't think I'd be using enough chips to get a wood shredder. But there's a tree surgeon near my place who said he'd chip it for me. I just need to access the wood.

I was thinking about sawmills but I can't think of any other obvious candidates.

There are plenty of places where I can buy Oak firewood, but they usually only sell by the pallet. I'm just looking for a bag. Maybe 20-30kg. That would keep me going for ages. Possibly even a few years. I'm only using it as an additive.

if you have Alder chips on sale, try. In our latitudes smoking is only on this breed.
If coal. Basically Apple tree and pear.

Muahahaha

forgottenhills wrote: »

Large hardwood trees such as ash lying on the ground for a year or two would not be a problem. I have gotten good firewood out of a good sized ash tree that was lying out for 5 years or more. If you leave timber to dry out too much before chopping it becomes more difficult though. And to dry it out completely it has to be chopped and stored under cover in a ventilated area for a considerable time.

Thanks for the info. Can I ask what chainsaw you're using and do you use a machine for getting them into log sizes or is it all with the chainsaw. It sounds like a lot of work but enjoyable nonetheless. Its interesting in that on my regular walks theres a few fallen hardwood trees not far from my house and I had been thinking it could be a good way of a free firewood source, provided the farmer would agree.

forgottenhills

Muahahaha wrote: »

Thanks for the info. Can I ask what chainsaw you're using and do you use a machine for getting them into log sizes or is it all with the chainsaw. It sounds like a lot of work but enjoyable nonetheless. Its interesting in that on my regular walks theres a few fallen hardwood trees not far from my house and I had been thinking it could be a good way of a free firewood source, provided the farmer would agree.

I have a large old Husqvarna for tree trunks and a small newish Husqvarna for cutting up light stuff and branches (a small saw is easier on the back for this type of work). I cut the large trunks into flat rings of a width appropriate to the stove that I have and then I chop up the rings with an axe for exercise, either outside on a good day or months later in the shed. Lighter branches I cut to length with a saw. If you are looking at old fallen trees don't bother with any wood that has gone crumbly or spongy, its useless.

The key thing is to try to cut up and move firewood when the weather is dry as any damp coming in on the bark can cause mould in storage, if packed anyway tight. Also I have found elm to be difficult to chop and sometimes beech as well so I stick to ash and sycamore as they are fast growing, self seeding and easy enough to chop if you follow the grain and avoid the knots. In fact I would stick entirely to ash if I didn't have to get rid of some sycamore trees that grow up like weeds in many parts of the country.

Muahahaha

Thanks forgettenhills, very useful info. I might look into it, I think I would enjoy the hard work of sawing and chopping, there must be a great sense of satisfaction from it. Just got to solve transporting it but even if I had to rent a van for the day it would still be worth it. Plus ask a couple of farmers first=)

When you say you've a large Husqvarna how large is it, just trying to get a sense of what is needed. Also any safety tips, do you wear special trousers aside from goggles. I had a cousin killed in Canada years back at only 18 years of age, he was summer jobbing as a student out logging in forests when someone elses chain snapped and literally sliced through his body, horrific stuff.

Blackcurrants

I would strongly advice not getting a large saw or a small saw until you have had some sort of training or at least some mentoring from someone who has been trained. Bad habits are hard to break and can be lethal when you are working with trees especially when you are felling them. Ash is notorious for coming back at you if you haven't felled it correctly. Defiantly need all the PPE (personal protective equipment) such as gloves, helmet and ear and eye protection, as well as Kevlar trousers and protective boots. Don't mess around with saws if you don't know what you are doing. You could avoid all the expense, hastle and risk by working with someone who does have the appropriate training and kit. They could fell and ring the tree for you and you could get your exercise doing the splitting and handling of the blocks. This would be much cheaper and safer all round.
Hope this helps

forgottenhills

Muahahaha wrote: »

Thanks forgettenhills, very useful info. I might look into it, I think I would enjoy the hard work of sawing and chopping, there must be a great sense of satisfaction from it. Just got to solve transporting it but even if I had to rent a van for the day it would still be worth it. Plus ask a couple of farmers first=)

When you say you've a large Husqvarna how large is it, just trying to get a sense of what is needed. Also any safety tips, do you wear special trousers aside from goggles. I had a cousin killed in Canada years back at only 18 years of age, he was summer jobbing as a student out logging in forests when someone elses chain snapped and literally sliced through his body, horrific stuff.

Good advice from Blackcurrants above to be very careful with chainsaws if you haven't used one before and in fact it is sound advice to get a professional to cut down big trees for you and cut the biggest rings off. You will have plenty of exercise cutting the small stuff up once it is down. I grew up on a farm and had plenty of practice with them since I was a teenager, you have to treat anything that can kill you with respect. Even aside from the risk of injury you have to learn not to get them stuck in a cut and techniques to avoid cutting dirt and stones with them. It might be a good idea to start with a small saw first and get the required equipment and training.

And like you said I get physical exercise and satisfaction from cutting up and storing my own firewood and also from the knowledge that I always have 5 years or more's worth of good dry timber in store ahead of my requirements. From a financial perspective it is not much cheaper than buying kiln-dried timber if you added up all the costs!

Blackcurrants

I saw a 30L (small sack) of Kiln dried timber in Woodies for €8.50....... It's waaaaaaaay cheaper to do it yourself.

forgottenhills

Blackcurrants wrote: »

I saw a 30L (small sack) of Kiln dried timber in Woodies for €8.50....... It's waaaaaaaay cheaper to do it yourself.

That's true for many people.

However if like me you already have saws, sheds, transport and access to trees (and don't put a price on your own time!) then it is still cheaper to do your own rather than buy 60 or so of those bags from Woodies which you could easily go through in a year if you like a fire in the house. But unless you like the physical work any financial savings would not pay for the hardship (probably similar to turf which I wouldn't personally go near).

CJhaughey

If you are buying PPE then apart from the helmet,ear muffs and face shield you should also get some cut resistant pants or chaps.
Ideally boots as well because its very easy to cut through something and into your foot.
A basic chainsaw course CS30-31 is well worth doing as it will not only educate you on the dangers of chainsaw use but also maintenance skills with a saw.

Like everything edge is everything when it comes to efficient cutting and a sharp chain is easier and faster to work with, unfortunately most people never learn how to properly sharpen a chain, its a skill that requires a modicum of understanding of how a chain cutter operates and is hard to understand by looking at a chain.

I have seen many saws destroyed by operators trying to force dull and blunt chains through wood.
Some of you may have seen the chains and bars after such abuse, black burnt looking tarry chains and blued bar rails.

That's aside from idiots using old oil as B&C lube.

BorneTobyWilde

Seems there is a shortage of hardwood in Ireland this year, due to fact no felling licences are getting issued. What is a truck load of hardwood worth this year.

timfromtang

Blackcurrants wrote: »

I saw a 30L (small sack) of Kiln dried timber in Woodies for €8.50....... It's waaaaaaaay cheaper to do it yourself.

That's €283.33 per m³ for kiln dried timber, thats a LOT of money for not much heat.
Based on weight timber and bricquettes contain a similar amount of heat, this bag of blocks is likely very slightly heavier than the 13kg of a bale of bricquettes, perhaps 15kg. Timber is also slightly more heat per dry kg than compressed peat but not by a lot.


When you are buying fuel you are buying heat.
known dry weight or weight at a given moisture content allows comparison of different fuels.




Volume is VERY deceptive....
for example
1m³ is 100cm x 100cm x 100cm a cube
a builders bag/tonne bag measures 90cm x 90cm x 90cm but holds only 0.73m³


tim

Muahahaha

timfromtang wrote: »

Volume is VERY deceptive....
for example
1m³ is 100cm x 100cm x 100cm a cube
a builders bag/tonne bag measures 90cm x 90cm x 90cm but holds only 0.73m³


tim

Undoubtedly volume is deceptive. Ive seen fuel merchants even sell 80cm x 80cm x 80cm bags and that only works out at 0.51 of a cubic metre. They sometimes advertise them as a 'tonne bag' which is deceptive really if the customer thinks they are getting a ton of firewood.

2forjoy

Anyone buy from Surefire wood . I like their prices and free delivery.

FFVII

2forjoy wrote: »

Anyone buy from Surefire wood . I like their prices and free delivery.

https://surefirewood.ie/collections/premium-kiln-dried-firewood-bulk-bags-and-pallets-delivered-to-your-door/products/premium-hardwood-1?variant=31150935703606

Muahahaha

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

<Mod snip at request of poster>

How many cubic metres was that about Toby? Was this firewood or timber

2forjoy wrote: »

Anyone buy from Surefire wood . I like their prices and free delivery.

Prices would seem decent enough, they say their Super Jumbo bag is 1.8m3 loose kiln dred hardwood and then it is 1.2m3 when stacked and it is 235 with free delivery. I paid 240 last year for a 1.2m3 stacked crate delivered from the Co-op which was a good price at the time so this would seem comparable, provided their sizing guides are accurate.

2forjoy

Muahahaha wrote: »

How many cubic metres was that about Toby? Was this firewood or timber



Prices would seem decent enough, they say their Super Jumbo bag is 1.8m3 loose kiln dred hardwood and then it is 1.2m3 when stacked and it is 235 with free delivery. I paid 240 last year for a 1.2m3 stacked crate delivered from the Co-op which was a good price at the time so this would seem comparable, provided their sizing guides are accurate.

I think the 8-10 inch for 200e delivered would be better value rather than chunky logs.
Depends on fire type I suppose

2forjoy

What's the moisture like muaha ?

Muahahaha

2forjoy wrote: »

What's the moisture like muaha ?

Sorry just seeing this now. On their site they claim 20% or less moisture.

Last winter I bought one of these indoor log stores https://www.vidaxl.ie/e/8719883683027/vidaxl-firewood-rack-black-50x20x150-cm-steel
It holds enough logs for about 5-6 decent fires each lasting about 4-5 hours. I also have a log store in the chimney breast directly underneath the stove but this only holds enough for 2 fires which is why I bought the other one to supplement it. I also bought a cheap moisture meter from Aldi for 12 quid and played around with testing the moisture of the logs by how long they were sitting indoors (and beside the heat of the chiminey breast). I found that logs that were around 20-22% moisture when sitting outdoors in our damp and wet weather went down to as low as 8-10% when they had been sitting indoors for 4 weeks. Logs that were indoors for 2 weeks before burning went down to about 15% moisture.

Of course those cheap moisture meters arent 100% accurate but even then it gave me an indication that by having that vertical log store and not burning them until they were about 3-4 weeks indoors the moisture in them did drop a good bit, at least compared to if you had just got your logs directly from outdoors and thrown them on a fire that same evening.

soldsold

Do any of you know the difference in volume between a standard 8x4 trailer load of timber (normal low sides) compared to a 7x4 trailer with 4 foot high sides? I'm getting rid of firewood to free up space in my shed but don't know how to price it for someone with a 7x4 high sided trailer.

Thanks!