Dumpy Bags For Logs

[Wendelspanswick]

I have come to the conclusion that the easiest way for me to manage my firewood production is to use Dumpy or Bulk bags. I can fill them as I cut and split the logs and move the full bags around with the front end loader on the tractor. The plan is to make a small wheeled trolley (most probably a decent pallet with a nylon castor on each corner) that a full bag will sit on and to place this in the bottom of my trailer, load a bag on top, trail it home and then reverse the trailer up to the covered log store, drop the tailgate and push the full bag and trolley out.
I started by looking at mesh sided bags but the cost is prohibitive especially as I can get 20 standard bags for £50 including delivery. I read on the Arbourists forum about a guy who cuts holes in his normal bags with a gas torch for ventilation but this seemed a bit crude to me so I have experimented with scrounged bags and my 'patented' Dumpy Bag Ventilation Tool!
Basically its a 25mm slice of 80mm diameter pipe with a 6mm looped handle welded on.

I heat it up in the fire and plunge it into the bags to provide ventilation.

Here one bag is done and I am waiting for the tool to reheat before ventilating the next bag.

The plan is to stack the bags on a row of pallets with another layer of bags on top , brick pattern, with a length of box section roofing sheet on top to keep the rain out.
The bags, ventilated on all 4 sides, will be left in an exposed location with gaps between each one to aid drying.
If this works out OK I will order 20 new bags and start ventilating!

[ballibeg]

Same approach as me. I've found there's no substitute for good vented bags. Burnt holes aren't enough in my experience and the wood doesn't season well enough be sold as ready to burn.

Dave

[Wendelspanswick]

How much do you pay for your bags if you don't mind me asking?
As for selling the logs ours is for our own consumption and the occasional bag traded for produce etc, but that may change if we end up with a surplus.

[ballibeg]

Off the top of my head it's £7.something but I'm buying 100 at a time and we're VAT registered. They are 0.75m3 but they stretch! I reuse but the killer is dragging them so I avoid t that.


Dave