Best size for long burns...large pieces that create voids or smaller splits packed in?

[Mustard Tiger]

Burning juniper this year and it's all different shapes compared to the more easily stackable and packable pine that I also have seasoning now for next year. Juniper is great and burns hot, but the random shapes of the pieces mean it's not the easiest when it comes to really packing the stove full.

What's better for longer burn times? Larger pieces that may result in not as much wood being able to be loaded, or smaller splits that allow for a larger amount of wood to be loaded up into the stove?

 

[begreen]

I suspect that it will burn much like burning cedar which I found burned hot and fast. Thicker splits will burn longer, but it will still burn quicker than some denser species. Pack the voids with smaller pieces.

That said, your wood pile and fires must smell great!

 

[stoveliker]

Yes, stove Tetris is played best with a mix: big pieces for slower burns and smaller for additional fuel where big pieces don't fit. (They also slow the big ones down because the hinder air flow between them; the tighter you pack the firebox the slower you can burn. Also, if you are able to load E/W that might help slow it down more than a N/S load.)

And I second the smell!

 

[Mustard Tiger]

I suspect that it will burn much like burning cedar which I found burned hot and fast. Thicker splits will burn longer, but it will still burn quicker than some denser species. Pack the voids with smaller pieces.

That said, your wood pile and fires must smell great!

It's really nice. I've also been doing some remodeling inside the house and using the off-cuts and what not of the untreated tight knot cedar for kindling. Both the juniper and cedar smell great. Even my car smells like cedar from just brining the lumber home. Have an entire crate of thin strips from cutting boards straight and making sure they are square. Also have a bucket full of cedar sawdust/shavings from running those cedar boards through the planer.

 

[Mustard Tiger]

Yes, stove Tetris is played best with a mix: big pieces for slower burns and smaller for additional fuel where big pieces don't fit. (They also slow the big ones down because the hinder air flow between them; the tighter you pack the firebox the slower you can burn. Also, if you are able to load E/W that might help slow it down more than a N/S load.)

And I second the smell!

Thanks for the tips!

I actually find loading N/S allows me to get more wood in there. With E/W there may be voids that you can't even see in the back of the firebox, but with N/S you can see all the voids and stuff them full. Still not opposed to giving E/W loading another try, but also didn't like it when a piece would roll up against the door which was a pain if/when you had to open the door.

Coincidently, I just had a Kindling Cracker XL delivered today. That thing is amazing. Was out in the yard for last hour ors using it. Wasn't using it for kindling per se, but would put the big pieces in it and just split them in half, making them a little smaller, hoping it will allow me to pack the stove more full. Don't care much about reloading on my days off when I'm home, but days I work I'm away for 13.5-14 hours. In reality it's not a huge deal because I have a Sirocco 30.2, and have found that with the stove loosely-packed, 3/4 full the house remains 68F-73F with the stove tuned down between halfway and low with coals still going strong when I get home.

 

[stoveliker]

Thanks for the tips!

I actually find loading N/S allows me to get more wood in there. With E/W there may be voids that you can't even see in the back of the firebox, but with N/S you can see all the voids and stuff them full. Still not opposed to giving E/W loading another try, but also didn't like it when a piece would roll up against the door which was a pain if/when you had to open the door.

Coincidently, I just had a Kindling Cracker XL delivered today. That thing is amazing. Was out in the yard for last hour ors using it. Wasn't using it for kindling per se, but would put the big pieces in it and just split them in half, making them a little smaller, hoping it will allow me to pack the stove more full. Don't care much about reloading on my days off when I'm home, but days I work I'm away for 13.5-14 hours. In reality it's not a huge deal because I have a Sirocco 30.2, and have found that with the stove loosely-packed, 3/4 full the house remains 68F-73F with the stove tuned down between halfway and low with coals still going strong when I get home.

Me too, N/S gets more in there, but E/W results in slower burns (according to a lot of folks).
Maybe that effect is less with a BK due to the thermostat (I didn't know you had a BK,.me too .)

 

[Mustard Tiger]

Me too, N/S gets more in there, but E/W results in slower burns (according to a lot of folks).
Maybe that effect is less with a BK due to the thermostat (I didn't know you had a BK,.me too .)

My first wood stove, and first season with it, so I'm still learning.

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

My first wood stove, and first season with it, so I'm still learning.

As you gain confidence in your operation you also may be able to turn the stove down sooner as long as your wood is dry (I assume Juniper dries out nice and this isn't a problem). Last year as I was able to get a better feel for my stove and learned to dial it back sooner, but still in increments.

 

[Mustard Tiger]

As you gain confidence in your operation you also may be able to turn the stove down sooner as long as your wood is dry (I assume Juniper dries out nice and this isn't a problem). Last year as I was able to get a better feel for my stove and learned to dial it back sooner, but still in increments.

My wood is very dry (I live in the high desert. Checked some fresh splits that were between 5%-7%).

I have been experimenting with what I can get away with and how soon to turn the stove down. It's been fun experimenting. The way it was explained to me to turn down the stat in small increments over time before getting to the desired point.

I'm wondering if, on a re-load and the CAT is in the active zone, can I just turn the stat back down to where it was previously before the reload, even if it was turned down low?

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

I'm wondering if, on a re-load and the CAT is in the active zone, can I just turn the stat back down to where it was previously before the reload, even if it was turned down low?

With my stove I will still do 2-3 increments, but much shorter times between. Seems weird but even just 2-3 minutes at each setting seems to work better than slamming it shut. At least in my setup.

 

[stoveliker]

Same here.

 

[Woody Stover]

That's an advantage of a cat stove; you can totally control the burn rate and you don't have to try to do that with split size or load size.

 

[stoveliker]

Cat stoves generally often can allow for lower burn rates than secondary burn stoves.
But that does not give "total control". There are limits in air settings, and in the amount of gases a cat can process. In that respect they are not different from tube stoves, even if the range they can access is shifted a bit, or sometimes expanded a bit.
But that's my $0.02

 

[Woody Stover]

Cat stoves generally often can allow for lower burn rates than secondary burn stoves.
But that does not give "total control". There are limits in air settings, and in the amount of gases a cat can process. In that respect they are not different from tube stoves, even if the range they can access is shifted a bit, or sometimes expanded a bit.
But that's my $0.02

Yeah, "totally" was an overstatement on my part, I stand corrected. But I can cram my cat stove full of <4" splits, and then cut the air and burn the entire load at low heat output. You'll be challenged to do that with a secondary stove. You'll have to limit the amount of fuel.
There's no low-end limit on my stove; I can cut the air to the point that the load will stop burning.
Agreed, the cat seems unable to burn all the smoke, if it doesn't have the needed residence time.
I though I heard it mentioned in a recent thread, but don't recall which one; Maybe with a secondary stove, the burn is more controlled with dense woods that catch more slowly, like Black Locust, Hickory, White Oak or Hedge. I might find out soon, if I spring for a secondary stove I've been considering..