Work Saving Tip: The "Wood Chuck," By Carts Vermont
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11. 6.08
Zoe the black lab loves to follow me around when I go outside; but, she gets bored fast when I go for the firewood (pictured). And, who can blame her? As our readers pointed out in the recent post How Much Wood Would A Tree Hugger Burn, If A Tree Hugger Would Burn Wood the average piece of wood destined for the woodstove gets moved at least 6 times before it catches fire. Split, carry to storage area, stack, put in wagon, etc.
I knew there had to be a way to simplify the work process. Especially the hauling-in part. Enter the Wood Chuck.
Designed to go straight from the wood pile, and narrow enough to go directly through the door, Wood Chuck rolls across the floor, and up the steps if needed, helped by the large diameter wheels.
Sure beats offloading from a large wagon or other four wheeled cart, into a small carrier bag: hefting multiple bag loads indoors and letting cold air in the door multiple times.
This is for logs at least 16 inches long - not very useful for small woodstoves designed to take foot-long, narrow firewood.
One load on the Vermont-made Wood Chuck gets me through a full day and night, by the way.
The drawback of direct wood cart entry into the home is that the wheels can track in mud and grass bits (as pictured). The solution for a carpet-crossing is to lay a drop cloth, which you can later roll up and shake off outside. This helps with muddy feet as well.
If you need to pull the cart up stairs, make sure to put a bungee cord, or two, over the wood to keep the load stable.
A few mods with a big cloth bag hanging across the handle bar and you could easily adapt the Wood Chuck for hauling groceries up the stairs
The OEM is Carts Vermont, which sells direct. Many other online vendors sell them.
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There's an even easier way, have processed wood pellets delivered to your door, treeburner.
Yeah, If you're rich, environmentally irresponsible, and lazy...
Better than the wood chuck:
We had the wood stacked outside the house all winter. It was about 4-8 cords, depending on if we cut trees or just got them delivered. We would then move about 1/2 a cord into the garage, but leave the house door closed. Only the garage got cold. Make sure the stove is cranking hot right now, because you're about to open the door to the house and close the garage door. Next step: move the pile of wood into the HUGE wood box directly across from the woodstove. I say huge because it holds a little more than 1/2 cord, 12 inch cuts. The fireplace warms the cold wood, thaws it out, dries it up.
Total steps: 3. From the dump truck to the wood stacked, from the wood stacked to the garage, from the garage to the woodbox. Count 4 if you count tossing it in the stove.
Well designed homes (like my parents) make this a breeze. I've yet to find a home designed as easily for wood burning.
Hey dopey Mr. Anon,
Do just a smidgen of Google before making such an asshat of yourself.
Most pellets come long distances as they are produced in Canada by only a few large companies. Most pellets are now made from virgin wood due to the high demand. All pellets have a higher carbon footprint due to processing and transport, when compared to local cord wood.
ALL PELLETS are subject to extreme market price swings and shortages.
Silly dope, fingers got away with you again? :-/
In the US there are a bunch of manufacturers in the Northeast as well. Your best bet is probably to get a combo stove, one that can burn pellets but also can burn regular chopped wood. Many pellet manufacturers will also tell you proudly if they use "recycled" wood from old furniture and such like this one:
http://www.pelletheat.com/core/faq/
(just googled it)
Why did you let your dog get so fat!
Try 1 step. attach your wood shed directly to a door next to your woodstove inside the house.
open door to wood shed, open door to stove, throw in wood!
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