My wife just aint gettin it!

Wood n Coal. I have a big Fisher insert that I have extensively modified. I do not burn coal because none is available here in South Carolina. I have a 20 ac wood lot and my next door neighbor owns a commercial tree service. He gives me all the wood I well ever need. I have about 12 cords all split and stacked, ready for the stove. I split all with a sledge and wedges and am getting real tired of all the work. It's saving me a lot of money on my gym memberships. I would really love to burn coal as it's a lot less work and better heat. The problem is Coal is just not available here. I split for a hour and a half every day , sometimes every other day. I quit when I get tired as there's less chance of injury that way. I am 67 years old and my family wants me to get a hydraulic splitter, they think I should start to act my age. David.

CaptainHornet wrote:my family wants me to get a hydraulic splitter, they think I should start to act my age. David.

A Hydraulic splitter was the FIRST thing I bought when we got this property. Get one, you won't regret it. I got mine at HomeDepot with their promotional buy-now-pay later. I had 1 year to pay it off with no interest.
Our property is totally wooded, and trees fall with every storm. We have been here 10-11 years now, and I get all the wood I need from Blow-downs. 10-12 cord is split and seasoned for this winter. I'll suppliment that heat with the DVC500 in the lower level. The wife likes to keep the house around 80F

CaptainHornet wrote:I split for a hour and a half every day , sometimes every other day. I quit when I get tired as there's less chance of injury that way. I am 67 years old and my family wants me to get a hydraulic splitter, they think I should start to act my age. David.

Get the hydraulic one, at 67 you've earned it. I did that cut-and-split with maul and sledge and wedges for a few years, and came SO close to serious injury enough times that I decided to quit before my luck ran out.

My brother has one of these. http://www.supersplit.com/principle.htm Bang, it's split. He has had it about 35 years so I can tell you it is reliable.

I must be the King! My girl gets it! She was so jealous of my warm house heated by my Harmon Mark 3 that when I ordered my new Keystoker 90 in April she ordered her own Koker!

CaptainHornet wrote: I do not burn coal because none is available here in South Carolina.

Hi David,

How far are you from Christiansburg, VA? That's in the far southwest part of VA on I 81 - almost West Virginia, Tenn. and a tiny bits of NC/SC. I know they have an anthracite dealer of bagged coal there or at least they used to. I saw the listing when I was looking for coal in Northern VA. Since the cost of bagged coal is pretty much the same regardless of the distance shipped, I bet it would be about the same in Southwest VA - $270 a ton. I bet you could find bit coal even easier in southern West VA – around Bluefield. For my money, instead of spending my time splitting wood, I’d sell the wood, rent a trailer and drive a reasonable distance to get coal. Of course, what’s reasonable would have to be determined by you.

I know I enjoy always having a warm house to come home to with little or no attention having been paid to the fire for 12 or more hours. I like waking up to a warm house and not having to worry about the fire having gone out. I know I save 50% or more on my yearly heating bill. Last March my gas usage was less then the taxes and fees I was charged! I know I like not having to mess with the wood; because coal doesn’t get infested I can put it right outside my door or even inside without fear of what may be living in it. It burns wet for Pete’s sake. I even use the ash to repair the holes my stupid dogs dig.

Fortunately, I’ve found dealers in sort of in my area – I drive 70 miles - but even if I didn’t I’d be willing to drive a day or 2 out and back for the benefits of coal heat. So what if after deducting my cost to get the coal, I’d be saving a couple of hundred dollars less. I’m still saving a lot of money and that’s money that goes in my pocket instead of the gas companies. My house is warmer, too.

Yeah, people may look at you weird but think about all the time you’d have not having to deal with the wood all summer long. Instead, a coupled of days and you are done thinking about your heat for next winter. Something to think about anyway; enjoy the great weather! Lisa

Thanks for the concern about coal availability. I found that Blaschek might be available at a woodworking shop in Wanesville North Carolina. That would not be too far for me. I am in the upper Piedmont close to the Greenville-Spartanburg area. They are closed now and I'll try to call - find out during the first of the week.

Sounds like you can't wait for cold weather

Last week had some single diget temps, stoker burned all "summer", domestic hot water, today is 50 degrees, winter can wait in my opinion, had one call out at 12:07 AM to sand icy roads in the transition from cold and dry to warm and wet.

I need to move to NEPA.

Same here. Of course I don't have a stoker but my Chubby is all ready to go. Heck I usually buy oil for my furnace now. I've only bought a couple of gallons of diesel to get through the cold mornings an evenings this month until I get to fire up my Chubby.