30 replies to this topic

[boyscout862]

Our teenage son will do it when told to but only when told to. He cuts, splits, and brings in the wood with me but, he's a typical teenager that will try to cut corners to save his precious time. He and I aren't bothered by the cold but, my wife wants it atleast 65 in the house. I'm heating with a Jotul 602 also. It works best with oak, ash or hickory. I've fit 18" sticks in diagonally when my eyeball calibration was off for the cutting.

 

Most of us burning wood are financially responsible. A cord of hardwood burned in a decent woodstove is equivalent to 200 gallons of heating oil. Thats about $800 these days. It also keeps the house warm when the power goes out. If you cut your own wood, it also justifies getting a big tractor.

[marlboro180]

Ryan, I cut the trees down, split it, stack it and stoke the fire myself. But then again, I use it just in my shop, not in my home  so it is my time and energy spent for my toils. :-)

[Michiganmobileman]

I am the sole keeper of the fireplace fire.  Kathy helps with the cutting, stacking and splitting process but is afraid of the fireplace as it "poofed" some smoke out earlier this year while I has away from home, 20 minute mad dash back from my brother-in-laws expecting a house full of smoke, couldnt even smell it.  

 

Most nights I am up several times anyway (will leave the details out in order not to scare you young men about getting old), and keep the fire going.  Can usually get a full work day burn if I stack it right and have good wood.  I am not real particular what I burn except no Pine, etc.  This started years ago when Dad had ten acres of mostly poplar. Burned OK dry and was there for the taking. This year I was blessed with some free Beech to burn if I went and helped with the clean up after wind blew down lots of ancient trees at the Wheatland festival grounds.  Two weekends worth of cutting and hauling and the pile next to the shed looks to get us to spring.

 

Sorry to hijack the thread Ryan, because we did this ourselves, and am quite proud of how it turned out, here is our stone covered fireplace, each stone chosen, cut flat on the back with a wet saw and the mortared and grouted in place.  Mantle made from a tree we cut when clearing for the house.

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[JDBrian]

Are you going to tell them?! Cause I know that none of them would take kindly to a meeting about this! Besides, I would not be surprised if they already see that I do all of the work.

Ryan, they may not take kindly to it but leaving it as it stands will not address your concerns. By bringing it to a meeting you will at least be attempting to get acknowledgement of the issue. You then have a chance of changing attitudes and bringing on change. It may not be typical of how things work in your house but IME it could be the start of changing the way you all interact when there is an issue like this. 

[UncleWillie]

Are you going to tell them?! Cause I know that none of them would take kindly to a meeting about this! Besides, I would not be surprised if they already see that I do all of the work.

 

 

Might just be time to make them all mad at you and tell them anyway. Someone has to be in charge. At my house I choose it to be me. Your mileage may vary.

Edited by mybigwarwagon, December 30, 2012 - 10:10 AM.

[David Brown]

Are you going to tell them?! Cause I know that none of them would take kindly to a meeting about this! Besides, I would not be surprised if they already see that I do all of the work.

I don't know your situation but, perhaps you are the only one in the family that actually likes and wants a fire?  If that's the case, I can see why nobody else would want to help.  If everybody enjoys it and wants it, then they should pitch in, even in some small way to keep it going.

[bh115577]

I get a little help with stacking the firewood sometimes and once in a while I can pry the boy away from the damn xbox long enough to carry in a few arm loads of splits.

 

Everything else is up to me to get done as no one here wants to mess with a cat stove. Good thing is once I get it up to temp and engage the cat, it will put out good heat for 6 + hours depending on the wood I fed it with. Nothing like wood heat.

[Ryan313]

I was just bringing in firewood, and my brother was bold enough to come into the basement to tell me I was making to much noise! Apparently, he and his friends were in his room (directly above where I keep wood) trying to play video games, I just ignored him.

 

After that load my back really started to hurt... and I did not want to bend over to set down the wood like I had been, so I dropped it! It just so happened that I missed the stack of wood, and the stuff I carried in had dropped all the way to the floor! Whoops! My brother did NOT like that! I told him if he did not like it, to go get his friends and do it themselves. He said it was not their nor his job to do that!

 

That was my last load, but being an instigator I had to keep it going after he left. I wont tell you exactly what happened, but I will give you a hint:

 

wood stove+ firecrackers= BIG BOOM!

 

He did not come down after that... does that mean I won?

[olcowhand]

wood stove+ firecrackers= BIG BOOM!

 

He did not come down after that... does that mean I won?

 

It may mean that he is in planning stages of revenge, so........get more firecrackers!    What nerve your lazy brother has though!!!!!

[chris m]

Glad he ain't my brother!

I would wait till I heard him and his friends playing a game, then I would go unplug the router so they lose connection. Then just plug it back in a go about my business

[Team_Green]

Sounds like its time for a family meeting.. Here is a direction things can go.. If you stop packing in heat will it cost your parents more to heat the house with oil or nat gas? If so would it be substantuel enough where they can afford less of the extras for your family?  

[marlboro180]

More firecrackers are in order, at 4 AM....

[[email protected]]

Not wood here but a pellet stove, usually my 15 year old son takes care of it daily. Myself,him and my oldest will carry in bags as needed.

Ryan, I agree with others about time for family meeting for all in the family, sucks feeling like your the only one who cares about it.

[oldedeeres]

Here's a solution, Ryan, might involve switching to J.D.s , addoption papers, and a move about 1000 miles north, lol .  but you sound like an awfully good but unappreciated wood mover!!!     Really, talk to your folks, a familly meeting is a wonderful thing. We hope it works out for you

[Ryan313]

Alright guys, I will take your advice and see what happens; I will let you all know how it goes. Until then, I will be stocking up on fireworks... just in case.