Wood fuel

[County4x4]

Hi all,

 

Do any/many of you use firewood for heating in your stoves?

 

I'm looking into the germ of a business idea and would be interested to discover whether there is a market for decent quality firewood on the cut.

 

If you do use wood, how do you buy it? Nets of logs from the local garage or from a specialist supplier. Do you have any issues such as logs being too large for what are usually fairly small stoves on boats? What would encourage you to try firewood, or buy more of it? Delivery to the boat, price, size, quality etc?

 

All input welcome!

 

Cheers everyone,

 

Andy

[Mac of Cygnet]

My only heating is my stove, and I burn only wood. I have never bought any, and have no intention of doing so. Neither have I ever had any trouble finding dead wood on the bankside, food for my chainsaw. But then I mostly cruise the more wooded and less frequented North. You may find buyers for wood, but I think most people who pay for their heating prefer other fuels. But I may be wrong.

 

Mac

[dor]

Buying wood for a stove is usually a ridiculously expensive option. Bag of logs usually work out at about a £1 per log. I burn wood I can get free and if I have to buy fuel, I get coal (e.g. excel) from non-canal outlets.

[Guest wanted]

Hello,

I am not allowed to burn wood on my mooring, according to BW it upsets the people living in luxury apartments. same goes for hanging out washing, unsightly apparently. not like the 'lovely' developed flats that work so 'symbiotic' with the surrounding area (Not) so in answer, I wouldn't buy logs or burn driftwood at night when nobody can see!

[TheWilk]

I've only just had a stove put into my boat, when the winter (and my lovely student loan cheque) comes, I reckon that I'll quite often be in the market for wood, when I don't have time/too lazy to go scavenging.

 

What I've already discovered is that sacks of wood are a) a bugger to carry more than 50yds and too big for my stove and my axe/biceps are too small to do a lot of chopping!

 

The only thing that would deter me from ordering in bulk is having the storage space.

[County4x4]

I'm looking at providing what is known in the trade as "Granny logs" - which are cut smaller than your average firewood, as most boats have fairly small stoves so may struggle with the stuff available from garage forecourts and the like. I would also agree on the price they charge - and I would hope to be able to do a much better deal. I'd also be looking at delivering direct to the boat to save you the work. If you have particular requirements I would try and accomodate them.

 

I'm looking at doing coal as well on a similar basis. What do you guys use or would I need to carry normal and smokeless in every size and shape there is?

 

Andy

[Chagall]

Hi all,

 

Do any/many of you use firewood for heating in your stoves?

 

I'm looking into the germ of a business idea and would be interested to discover whether there is a market for decent quality firewood on the cut.

 

If you do use wood, how do you buy it? Nets of logs from the local garage or from a specialist supplier. Do you have any issues such as logs being too large for what are usually fairly small stoves on boats? What would encourage you to try firewood, or buy more of it? Delivery to the boat, price, size, quality etc?

 

All input welcome!

 

Cheers everyone,

 

Andy

 

Yes I'd buy if you delivered, especially if they were cut into small pieces, likewise coal in ready to load bags would be handy. I visited one boat and they had bagged coal into small paper bags that they then chucked into the stove when needed. Saved shoveling and dust. Clever idea.... can't remember the guys name but if you are on the forum then thanks for the idea!

[County4x4]

Hi all,

 

I'm getting some numbers and ideas together with the timber guys at the moment. I'm looking at supplying firewood to land based customers as well, but it looks like a smaller cut line suitable for the average boat stove would not be a major problem if there is a demand.

 

My own experience of garage firewood in nets is that it is generally wet through and well overpriced. The fact that you get a lot of weight for the money is NOT a good selling point - most of that weight will need to be driven up the chimney before you get any energy out as heat, and most wood of this sort is only any good for putting out your fire and buggering up your chimney to be honest. I have no intention of selling unseasoned wood, unless specifically requested for seasoning at home - and I reckon a boat is probably not ideal wood seasoning territory!

 

I would intend to deliver direct to the boat as long as I can get within a reasonable distance in the van. IF the whole idea comes together then I'll be selling from a workboat instead which will make life easier.

 

I'm also looking at supplying coal - what are your preferred varieties, and do you use smokeless or traditional?

 

I'm also hoping to provide diesel, gas, possibly pump outs and other services - maybe even shopping for you or a lift to the bus station!

 

Are there any other services or products you would be interested in while I'm at it?

 

At the moment, this is very much at the "ideas" stage, and nothing has yet been set in stone. Some of you on here will know me already, and hopefully you'll know that I'm not the type of guy who will let anyone down if I can possibly help it, and I'll also bend over backwards to help out where I can. I'm a big believer in customer service, and hopefully that would be a big selling point of this potential business.

 

Any thoughts, ideas, criticisms etc are all welcome!

 

Cheers all,

 

Andy

[soldthehouse]

Nice to see someone with some enterprise, its so easy when already involved in an area of life to be cynical and dismiss ideas but I think you have hit on a good idea especially if you can combine various things as one will support the other, good luck

Edited August 24, 2009 by soldthehouse

[sueb]

I wouldn't buy wood - there is too much lying around for free. I would buy solid fuel, we do already so you would have to find an area with no coal boat. Wood causes too many problems when burning so we need solid fuel if we want the fire to stay in for any length of time.

Sue

[County4x4]

Hi Sue,

 

Points taken - and for the record I wouldn't even have considered this if there was a working boat in my area already. I'm guessing the margins must be pretty thin already without having another boat trying to pinch your trade!

 

What are the problems with wood you are referring to if you don't mind me asking? It's all I ever burn at home so I'm wondering if we could be looking at a quality problem rather than something inherent in the wood itself? Wood that is not properly seasoned can be more trouble than it's worth for instance - that's why I wouldn't put my name on any sale of it.

 

As I said - all input is welcome - I'm not just after people to tell me it's a great idea (but thanks soldthehouse by the way ) - if you have more negative stuff to add that's just as valid and may show up something I hadn't considered myself.

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

[Liam]

Hi Andy,

 

What area would you be hoping to operate in?

[sueb]

Hi Sue,

 

Points taken - and for the record I wouldn't even have considered this if there was a working boat in my area already. I'm guessing the margins must be pretty thin already without having another boat trying to pinch your trade!

 

What are the problems with wood you are referring to if you don't mind me asking? It's all I ever burn at home so I'm wondering if we could be looking at a quality problem rather than something inherent in the wood itself? Wood that is not properly seasoned can be more trouble than it's worth for instance - that's why I wouldn't put my name on any sale of it.

 

As I said - all input is welcome - I'm not just after people to tell me it's a great idea (but thanks soldthehouse by the way ) - if you have more negative stuff to add that's just as valid and may show up something I hadn't considered myself.

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

We only burn wood in the daytime when we are on the boat as it can burn out quickly. One other problem is tar in the chimney. Storage to keep it dry as it takes up more room than solid fuel. Our front locker is our wood locker not our water tank but this can still get wet from leaky lock gates. We've been burning wood on a rayburn for 15yrs ish but now have a Stockton 6 which has a smaller fire box.

Sue

[nb Innisfree]

Tried nearly all brands of smokeless and definitely prefer Excel, burns slowly with no danger of going out with vent almost closed. Ash is less fluffy and so creates less dust. All this on a Vlllager Puffin

[blackrose]

I have a relatively large stove but I find even big logs don't stay in long enough.

[County4x4]

This is quite interesting!

 

Father in law has a Morso Squirrel in his living room and burns NOTHING but pallet wood. He can get an unlimited supply from where he works and they are happy for him to reduce the pile as much as he can - he only takes broken untreated pallets that they'd have to pay to get rid of otherwise. He cuts everything to nine inches for the stove and it's all bone dry so burns extremely well with next to no smoke. The interesting bit is that he can keep it in all night quite easily even on that sort of feedstock - yeah it's low in the morning but soon revives with some small stuff and some draught.

 

@Liam - I'm up on the Lancaster Canal mate.

 

@nb Innisfree - thank you -made a note of that!

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

[cotswoldsman]

At the moment, this is very much at the "ideas" stage, and nothing has yet been set in stone. Some of you on here will know me already, and hopefully you'll know that I'm not the type of guy who will let anyone down if I can possibly help it, and I'll also bend over backwards to help out where I can. I'm a big believer in customer service, and hopefully that would be a big selling point of this potential business.

 

Any thoughts, ideas, criticisms etc are all welcome!

 

Cheers all,

 

Andy

 

I can confirm the customer service as Andy kindly delivered some toilet blue to my boat when I had forgoten to buy some when at marina.

Lancaster Canal certainly needs something like this and personaly Excel Coal is my choice and as I have mentioned before diesel delivery would be a winner on this Canal. The only negative thing that I would mention is that about 75% of boats up here are plastic boats.

[TheWilk]

Pump out cards! If this goes ahead, keep a stash of those in stock. The only place you can buy them is Garstang Marina which is no good if you're up at Tewitfield.

 

Good luck with it all, it will be a nice addition to the Lancaster canal

[sueb]

Pump out cards! If this goes ahead, keep a stash of those in stock. The only place you can buy them is Garstang Marina which is no good if you're up at Tewitfield.

 

Good luck with it all, it will be a nice addition to the Lancaster canal

Pump out cards are a brilliant idea as it is next to impossible to get them whilst cruising.

One snag I don't believe there is a profit and it is a large outlay.

Sue

[Liam]

@Liam - I'm up on the Lancaster Canal mate.

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

 

I think you may be about to step on somebodys toes by planning to operate on the Lancaster.

[County4x4]

Would you care to expand on that Liam?

 

Andy

[Dutch]

I think you may be about to step on somebodys toes by planning to operate on the Lancaster.

 

If they do not like competition they should not be in business.

Edited August 25, 2009 by Dutch

[Liam]

Having heard on the grapevine that a working boat was refused a commercial license due to others in the area doing the same line of business then competition doesn't get the chance to come into it!

[County4x4]

Hi Liam,

 

Thanks for the reply. I don't suppose you happened to hear what sort of working boat we're on about do you? We have the trip boat operated by Budgie transport (which an awful lot of people complain about incidentally!) but I have heard nothing at all about any supply type boats, and no-one has mentioned it at work. Any ideas?

 

Andy

[kiki]

Not that close to you but your idea is great, with lifts, shopping etc. How about collecting and delivering washing to laundries as well. Would not buy wood, only free things in life are fun.