Okay, What is a Safe % M/C of wood for a Cat Stove???

[begreen]

An extra year of drying dense hardwood can make a world of difference in burning.

 

[BKVP]

August 27, 2014 my wife was cold. It was the day I started saving money on the oil bill with the Ashford, and I saved a LOT of money on the oil bill, close to $4000 over the 14/15 burning season. I remember (and wrote down) the date so that this year and later years when we are making plans or discussing how big the wood pile should be I can point out we run the stove from (about) August 27 to May 15. My burn season is 8.5 months, and yes honey, the woodpile does take up a lot of space in the back yard.

Honestly I think cord wood at 20%MC is crap, but I got lots of 16% to burn instead and YMMV.

I'll issue the Poindexter challenge, part II. .
.
My original was over on a BBQ forum. I personally prefer the flavor of BBQing over hardwood lump charcoal instead of briquettes. Lump is more expensive, but I found doing back to back cooks of the same recipe changing only the charcoal I (and my family) have a very noticeable preference for hardwood lump.

So here is the Poindexter challenge part II. Once you get your 20% wood for the coming season in the shed, pull out just enough to do a hot reload on your stove (Ashful will need double of course) and put it somewhere inside the heated envelope of your house until December 26. You just go ahead on and burn that 20% crap from whenever it gets cold all the way through Christmas day and do a hot reload the morning of Boxing day with the really dry stuff down in your furnace room. Dec 26 falls on a Saturday in 2015, I'll be sure to stop by here and look for a new thread...

EDIT: Do be sure your stash is 12% or wetter before you toss it in the stove so BKVP doesn't have a coronary.

No beer for you next month! Your better half is welcome of course....

 

[Poindexter]

No beer for you next month! Your better half is welcome of course....

I think it is my turn to buy you a beer Chris. I consider you both a sterling representative of your company AND a good dude.

We don't agree on everything, and on this one I agree to disagree. BK says 22%MC is the absolute max and 20%MC is just fine. Ok, BK made the stove, it's BKs call to make. I still think, from experience, that wood still that wet burns like crap compared to cordwood at 16%.

But I still like _you_, trust your advice and will be glad to buy you the most expensive beer on the menu next time you are in town.

 

[Seanm]

I enjoy reading what you have to say on Hearth Poindexter. The amount of detail and passion you put into your wood burning and how much time you spend sharing it with members here is what makes Hearth such a good place for seasoned burners and newbs alike to visit. Some times people fail to realize how much time it takes out of our busy lives to help others. Sometimes a nod is warranted. I also like the fact that Chris engages wood burners here. My wife says our next stove will be a blaze king but Im a supporter of PE, lol the debate will rage on for years I suspect.