Kindling Question

[carlo]

I recently got back from a landscape nursery where I buy my firewood. Their wood (splits and kindling ) are great and I've never had a problem burning it. After ordering the splits, I went to buy some kindling. But the usual kindling that I've bought over the last couple of years was no longer in stock. This kindling was really good kindling (split from skinny trees).

The problem is the only kindling they had was in a sealed plastic bag. The kindling was 12" long and all the wood looked machine sanded with smooth round edges. It actually looked like pieces of wood that belong in a child's "build a block" set. They told me they would no longer get the other kindling I've been getting the last couple of years, so I decided to walk out and not buy the kindling.

Is there a difference between kindling that's split vs machine molded ? I mean wood is wood and there is no doubt that the machine molded wood was dry as could be.

 

[Dix]

Carlo, can I ask why you are buying kindling?

I'm not being rude, I'm just very curious

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Carlo, that should make great kindling! Don't be afraid of it as it should be super dry and won't take much of it to get a good fire going. I'm glad to hear you are out there still digging for more wood. Keep on doing that and you'll be fine.

 

[wooddope]

If its OK to ask, what was the price as compared to the "old" style kindling? Maybe they would allow you a free sample to test it out?

 

[loon]

we use cedar rails
bring them home and cut to size and split like nothing,filled a very large box full the other day and only went through half a rail.

 

[xman23]

My free kindling is scraps from house framing. There is a dumpster full of this free wood waiting for someone to recycle it. The 2X wood is S Dry grade, ready to burn. If the pieces are much longer than 12" I make a stack of them and run the chain saw thru them. With a small ax I can split a years worth of kindling in an hour. If I hit knots, it's a large piece.

Tom

 

[Jaugust124]

I stopped by a house that was being built and asked the guys if I could have some scrap. They were burning it up in a barrel. I picked up probably half a truckload (maybe a little less) of leftover 2x's in all shapes and sizes. I took everything I could right down to the little small pieces of triangular shaped 2x4s. The big pieces split incredibly easy with a hatchet. Between that, plus what I have from picking up the scrap lying around after splitting, I think I have enough kindling for a couple years. However, my neighbor is building a garage and if I can some of that scrap wood I'll grab that too. I have tried not to pay for wood, so I don't want to pay for kindling either. Admittedly, since this is my first year I bought a cord of wood back in April because I wasn't sure how much wood I'd be able to scrounge.

 

[ckarotka]

The new stuff sounds like cut offs from a mill. Instead of throwing them out they sell as kindling. If the price is right...............
I use scraps from splitting and on Sunday nights (trash day in my neighborhood) people make piles of twigs that are tied in bundles by the curb for the trash man. I have been known to stop and pick them up. Less work for me, they gathered them and I burn them.

 

[carlo]

So the new stuff s/b ok ...... thanks for the responses.

I think the cost was $50 for 5 bags or $12 per bag. Each bag must of had about 25 pieces of kindling, all exactly the same size pieces.

I've scrounged up lots of kindling, but mainly branches and large twigs. My experience is they burn too fast. Finding the right size piece of wood that will light quickly and for some duration is why I wanna buy the proper wood to start fires. I will supplement the kindling I buy with the kindling I scrounged up.

I also had a terrible experience collecting wood. Got some nice size branches from a neighbor's backyard and was cutting to size when hundreds of termites came out of the wood and scrambled all around my garage and stoop. My wife flipped out. Killed as many as I could find, but I hope some I missed didn't make a new home. After this incident I stopped scrounging.

 

[firefighterjake]

While I could see myself buying wood one day perhaps . . . I could never see myself buying kindling . . . although I do have a co-worker who buys a bundle (well technically I don't think it's a bundle . . . but I think most folks know what I mean) of the cheap, low-quality shingles to burn for use as kindling.

Me . . . I use slabwood split down, old branches or lumber scraps from 2 x 4s and the like . . . but to each their own.

To answer the original question . . . I agree with Dennis . . . sounds like these may be left-over scraps from some type of millwork . . . should burn fine . . . if not better than what you were buying before.

 

[mayhem]

I just use whatever scraps I generate by splitting my rounds and suppliment it with the branches of the trees I had to cut down to get the rounds that I split. Not a whole lot goes to waste.

I can't see buying knidling either, just get a case of those parafin wax fire startes, cut em in half and light your fire with small splits instead of worrying about wether your kindling will burn for very long or not.



Loon, your dog's pose and size makes it look like you're carrying around an Imperil Storm Trooper on your quad. Funny.

 

[gpcollen1]

How about you just get yourself a little mini-maul and just split up a quick batch once in a while. I usually just split up a bucket full after I bring in wood once per week. Like this one...

http://www.readydepot.com/servlet/the-92/Snow-&-Nealley-Mini/Detail

I actually have two - one like that one and one with a plastic handle and an oddly shaped head that works just great.

 

[WoodPorn]

we use cedar rails
bring them home and cut to size and split like nothing,filled a very large box full the other day and only went through half a rail.

Nevermind kindling... how'd you teach that dog to drive an ATV?

 

[ChillyGator]

we use cedar rails
bring them home and cut to size and split like nothing,filled a very large box full the other day and only went through half a rail.

Nevermind kindling... how'd you teach that dog to drive an ATV?

That Dog is clearly a backseat driver!

 

[Flatbedford]

The owner of my local nursery gave me all the kindling that he bought to resell a few years ago. He said that it didn't sell very well and he just wanted to get it out of his way. It is Cedar about 1 inch square x a foot long. It was bagged like this.

I gave about 1/3 of it to my neighbor and still have this much. Probably nearly a lifetime supply.

I was thinking about repackaging and selling some of it, but it is probably not worth the effort.

 

[loon]

he's always been pretty handy around the house :cheese:

and he grow's a pretty good food plot ;-)

just gotta teach him now, how to split kindling...

loon

 

[Flatbedford]

THat's great. He can cut the grass too!

 

[Bubbavh]

Got a place by me that makes trusses and some other prefab items. They put bins out by the road filled with the 2x4 and 2x6 cut offs. I fill the trunk every once in a while and that fills all my kindling needs.

 

[carlo]

I can't move, every muscle in my body is in pain. I just carried and stacked my 1 1/2 cords. My stove takes max 18" splits (I can squeeze in a 20" on angle). Unfortunately the 1 1/2 cords was easily 50% 20"-24" pieces so I had to cut a lot of wood today. Great workout, great weather ..... got the wood facing the sun. It looks nice and dry. Just waiting now for the cold weather.

Once my body can move again I'll go get one of them mini mauls and cut some of the small splits into some kindling. It'll give me something to do Saturday. I've decided not to buy kindling this year. I'm gonna do it myself like all you folks. Thanks for all your suggestions. I'm keeping an eye out for discarded 2x4's and the like as well.

 

[DiscoInferno]

I also had a terrible experience collecting wood. Got some nice size branches from a neighbor's backyard and was cutting to size when hundreds of termites came out of the wood and scrambled all around my garage and stoop. My wife flipped out. Killed as many as I could find, but I hope some I missed didn't make a new home. After this incident I stopped scrounging.

Just so you know - the worker termites you find inside wood you scrounge are harmless and can't start a new colony. They will die on their own soon with no nest to go back to. Termites nest well underground.

 

[Skier76]

I find pine works great for kindling. And it seems there's always some easy to scrounge pine on craigslist.

 

[firefighterjake]

Not to derail this thread . . . but I love loon's pictures . . . and the comment about the dog mowing the lawn . . . made my day . . . good for a laugh . . . and like some others . . . when I first saw the dog on the ATV I thought the same thing . . . looked like he was driving the ATV.

 

[loon]

Not to derail this thread . . . but I love loon's pictures . . . and the comment about the dog mowing the lawn . . . made my day . . . good for a laugh . . . and like some others . . . when I first saw the dog on the ATV I thought the same thing . . . looked like he was driving the ATV.

sorry for the hijack carlo


i did have to upgrade as it was getting embarrassing as he grew out of the first one %-P

anything with wheels on it, he will jump on :coolsmile:

loon

 

[WoodPorn]

That dog's got some serious personality!! You should be forwarding those to Ariens, you might win him his own tractor. What breed is it?

 

[mayhem]

Not to derail this thread . . . but I love loon's pictures . . . and the comment about the dog mowing the lawn . . . made my day . . . good for a laugh . . . and like some others . . . when I first saw the dog on the ATV I thought the same thing . . . looked like he was driving the ATV.

sorry for the hijack carlo


i did have to upgrade as it was getting embarrassing as he grew out of the first one %-P

loon

Can I have the old one? My dog is smaller.