Wood burning stove- wood question
Discussion
I've got some pine trunks. Not fully seasoned and a bit sappy.
Is is really a no no to burn it? Fire is sopped to be 90% efficient with ' tripple' burn is sap really going to get up the chimney and start a fire up there?
I've tried a few small logs just to see if they burn and my word they do.
Will the world end if I burn it all? I wont need to buy any wood this year or next if I use it.
Is is really a no no to burn it? Fire is sopped to be 90% efficient with ' tripple' burn is sap really going to get up the chimney and start a fire up there?
I've tried a few small logs just to see if they burn and my word they do.
Will the world end if I burn it all? I wont need to buy any wood this year or next if I use it.
Conifers burn very hot and fast. I'd give what you have a go, but mixed with seasoned oak and beech to slow the fire down.
If it does catch fire in the flue, throw water on the embers. The rising steam will quench a small fire.
The problem with softwoods being a resiny buildup in the flue.
If it does catch fire in the flue, throw water on the embers. The rising steam will quench a small fire.
The problem with softwoods being a resiny buildup in the flue.
Useful article............... http://homeguides.sfgate.com/burning-pine-indoor-w...
Personally I burn anything! Just keep an eye on your flue.
As it happens I'm off with the chainsaw to attack some Alder which is supposed to be s
te!...... Another myth.
Personally I burn anything! Just keep an eye on your flue.
As it happens I'm off with the chainsaw to attack some Alder which is supposed to be s
te!...... Another myth.Thanks for the link. Seems another one of those myths.
It's going on
the fire gets the house that hot we only usually light it and when that's burned down leave it off. Fast hot burning will be fine.
Builders off cuts nice. I bought it because our local skip place let us take pallets and random builders and quite often trees.
But they've stopped now. I think the word got out and too many people turned up.
Quick question. How would I know there was a fire in the flue? Most of it is outside.
It's going on
the fire gets the house that hot we only usually light it and when that's burned down leave it off. Fast hot burning will be fine.Builders off cuts nice. I bought it because our local skip place let us take pallets and random builders and quite often trees.
But they've stopped now. I think the word got out and too many people turned up.
Quick question. How would I know there was a fire in the flue? Most of it is outside.
Edited by Pesty on Wednesday 22 October 08:44
Pesty said:
Quick question. How would I know there was a fire in the flue? Most of it is outside.
When I was a kid we used to play 'devil up the drainpipe' - scrunched up newspaper up the pipe, light it and hide!! Made one hell of roar and whistle Edited by Pesty on Wednesday 22 October 08:44
In February, we had a large-ish (30-40 feet) conifer tree fall down in our garden. I spent a couple of weekends chainsawing it up and splitting the rings into logs. I measured the moisture content at about 38%, so a bit too damp to burn ideally. But it only took a couple of months to get down to about 21%, at which point I was completely happy to burn it. I think I was lucky that the tree fell during its dormant period, so it wasn't too sappy. But the logs did exude a sticky resin even when they'd seasoned for a while.
So I would say keep your pine for a couple of months and then burn it. It'll burn better and cleaner. Better still, get a moisture meter for less than a tenner and that'll tell you when it's ready to burn. The danger isn't about getting an immediate chimney fire - that isn't going to happen. What could happen is you'll build up layers of sticky tarry stuff, which could catch at some point in the future.
I also burn pallet wood, which is generally softwood. Our neighbours are having a big extension done, and I asked the builders to put any waste pallets onto my driveway. I may have underestimated the number of pallets involved in a typical building project! But hey, it's all free firewood once cut up with the chainsaw.
If in doubt, always burn your stove hot! That way, you're much less likely to be sending tarry deposits up the chimney.
So I would say keep your pine for a couple of months and then burn it. It'll burn better and cleaner. Better still, get a moisture meter for less than a tenner and that'll tell you when it's ready to burn. The danger isn't about getting an immediate chimney fire - that isn't going to happen. What could happen is you'll build up layers of sticky tarry stuff, which could catch at some point in the future.
I also burn pallet wood, which is generally softwood. Our neighbours are having a big extension done, and I asked the builders to put any waste pallets onto my driveway. I may have underestimated the number of pallets involved in a typical building project! But hey, it's all free firewood once cut up with the chainsaw.
If in doubt, always burn your stove hot! That way, you're much less likely to be sending tarry deposits up the chimney.
dickymint said:
When I was a kid we used to play 'devil up the drainpipe' - scrunched up newspaper up the pipe, light it and hide!! Made one hell of roar and whistle
Right so strange noise poor water on fire.On a related note. Getting fed up with Pulling my chainsaw 30 times to start the f
ker and not being able to start it again when hot and also not impressed with its power (ryobi not a cheap one either) I took a gamble on a cheap chinese 62cc 3.5hp for 85 quid was looking at stihl but couldn't justify the outlay.started 2nd pull out of box and starts on one pull now, can even start it on my hands could never do that with the ryobi, cuts through anything. was expecting it to be s
te but quite impressedEdited by Pesty on Wednesday 22 October 18:15
Pesty said:
Quick question. How would I know there was a fire in the flue? Most of it is outside.
We had a proper chimney fire when I was a kid (4' square stone chimney) and it made when hell of a racket. Sounded like a train was coming through the lounge. It was so loud you had to shout to be heard over it.Edited by Pesty on Wednesday 22 October 08:44
boyse7en said:
Pesty said:
Quick question. How would I know there was a fire in the flue? Most of it is outside.
We had a proper chimney fire when I was a kid (4' square stone chimney) and it made when hell of a racket. Sounded like a train was coming through the lounge. It was so loud you had to shout to be heard over it.Edited by Pesty on Wednesday 22 October 08:44
Pesty said:
Yeah, great arnt they. Don't know how I lived this long without one.
Must learn how to sharpen the chains. Anybody recommend an idiot proof gadget
I'd never sharpened a chain until earlier this year Must learn how to sharpen the chains. Anybody recommend an idiot proof gadget
I then bought a stihl sharpening tool (you need to match the width of the tool to the chain you use (which is probably the difficult bit and took a bit of research- I ended up asking my local tool merchant), but once I'd bought a tool for £8 or so I watched a couple of vids online, and it now takes about 10 minutes, and I constantly sharpen the chain when i'm sawing.
My little 18" bar managed to cut up a 3 foot oak tree that weight in at over 15 tonnes last year- we now have enough wood to last 4 winters!
Pesty said:
you may want to check the link posted above.
I am all for "if it burns, it burns" in my wood burner, but I wouldn't take that article as gospel. Bio of the author"Karie Fay earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology with a minor in law from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. After growing up in construction and with more than 30 years in the field, she believes a girl can swing a hammer with the best of them. She enjoys "green" or innovative solutions and unusual construction."
She says things like "supposed 'professionals'" and advocates drying wood for 6 months before burning it. The reference she uses says that it is unseasoned would that creates creosote, so not exactly "well researched."
Not great credentials to bank a chimney fire on.
I would say get a moisture metre and when you get near 20%, wack it in, you will be amazed that sometimes some wood that you think would be ok to burns turns out to have a 30% odd moisture content. Nothing worse than wacking it in and hearing the sizzle of boiling water coming out of the logs.
dirkgently said:
PugwasHDJ80 said:
My little 18" bar managed to cut up a 3 foot oak tree that weight in at over 15 tonnes last year- we now have enough wood to last 4 winters!
Was it a very thick 3 foot oak, or made out of very dense wood like a neutron oak.?Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff