Wood Burners

[Vance in AK]

like 5milesback, I like cutting & splitting almost as much as I like burning it.
We put an Enviro insert in the old fireplace in our place 2 or 3 yrs ago & have used it as a supplement to our gas heat at a significant savings. burn about a cord a month when it's cold (below 0). About 50/50 spruce & birch.

 

[kodiakfly]

Live in on base housing now, but when I'm on the economy and working with a gypo logger, I fall my own heat for the year...

 

[E-2]

Oh to be a wood burner again. I have been cold since the day I moved away from home. My parents heat with a wood furnace in the cellar and a 2'x2' grate in the foyer floor directly above the furnace. We just recently tied it into the HVAC duct work. My brother and I take care of all their wood.

In 4 years I have paid about $8K in LP gas (propane) to heat my home. The furnace is the only thing on gas in my home. This unusually long, cold winter we had here in VA is putting me in the poor house. I have an open air fireplace but do not use it. The thought crossed my mind to install an insert with blower, but I do not think we are going to live here much longer and the cost will not be worth it.

Oh to be warm again

 

[fillthefreezer]

what do you guys run for saws?

i run an ms 290 and an ms461
been kicking around the idea of getting my first husky though, been eyeing the 550xp for awhile

 

[Brandon Pattison]

Dolmar 5105 but also have an older Sachs-Dolmar 60cc. I think I'd rather have more power than the first one though.

 

[Sam Millard]

I run all Husky. 281xp, 372xp, 357xp. Had a 288xp for a long time, too.

 

[Yellowknife]

what do you guys run for saws?

i run an ms 290 and an ms461
been kicking around the idea of getting my first husky though, been eyeing the 550xp for awhile

Been using a Stihl MS361 as my main firewood saw for years now. For typical smaller interior Alaska trees I think the 60cc Pro class saws are about perfect in the power/wt dept, and the 361 has been a solid saw for me.

I like the pro grade Huskys quite a bit too. Bought almost a dozen of the 346XP's for work a few years ago, and they have proven to be remarkably abuse proof. I think that the 346 was the predecessor to the 550XP (50cc), so similar to what you are considering. Personally, I've found that size to be a little weak for bucking firewood, but a perfect trail clearing and limbing saw. For a "do-it-all" saw, I'd lean toward the 562XP myself, but if it's anything like the 346 (and paired if with the MS461 that you have), it I don't think the 550XP would be a bad choice at all.

Yk