What Is In Your Stove Right Now?

[zmender]

Hard to need more than oak unless your stove is too small. The trick for me is to keep a pile of bark around to burn down coals when I need to push it. Works like a charm.

There were only a few coals left for me this morning so I resuscitated it with some thick kindling to make a coal bed and went to work. Wife will be loading it chock full of red oak and maple.

Yes this is quite true... I think once gets to the mid-20 mil BTU / cord range (oaks, beech, locust) etc, the MC level, stove operator skill, desired flame aesthetics, etc plays far greater role than the wood itself.

That said there's noticeable difference between softwoods, "lower-tier" hard woods like birch, and the super premiums like above. Depending on literature SBH, ironwood, osage are in another class of its own for the BTU contents... with enough stock, one could build up a different burning habit / pattern based on the higher BTUs.

 

[Caw]

Yes this is quite true... I think once gets to the mid-20 mil BTU / cord range (oaks, beech, locust) etc, the MC level, stove operator skill, desired flame aesthetics, etc plays far greater role than the wood itself.

That said there's noticeable difference between softwoods, "lower-tier" hard woods like birch, and the super premiums like above. Depending on literature SBH, ironwood, osage are in another class of its own for the BTU contents... with enough stock, one could build up a different burning habit / pattern based on the higher BTUs.

100% agree. I have significantly different burning patterns based on my wood that specific year/month/week. I'm burning primarily red oak, red maple, ash, and black cherry. Maple/cherry are fast off gassers that burn quick and leave a lot of ashes. Red oak burns hot, long, and coals for days. Ash is somewhere in-between. I often mix and match my loads based on the weather, time of day, and what I have available that week. It's a fun little game of wood stove chess.

 

[Diabel]

Nope.
We were building down here in the mountains across the last couple of years. Being open with the owners of the company I work for I was moving when we were done.

He made me an offer I couldn't refuse to come up for "at least a year" to train the guy taking over for me and manage a couple of big projects before I leave for good.

Oh I see, it is work related, you are just grabbing the wood while you are there.

 

[Pinesmoke]

Oh I see, it is work related, you are just grabbing the wood while you are there.

Yes. Trust me that I would much rather be sitting here throwing wood at the fire . It's COLD up there next week.

 

[Caw]

It's amazing what people from other parts of the country think is a short vs long drive. 400 miles in the mid west or rural Canada isn't too far. Where I come from I could be in 5 different stats driving that far lol.

 

[Diabel]

It's amazing what people from other parts of the country think is a short vs long drive. 400 miles in the mid west or rural Canada isn't too far. Where I come from I could be in 5 different stats driving that far lol.

Very true

 

[Pinesmoke]

It's amazing what people from other parts of the country think is a short vs long drive. 400 miles in the mid west or rural Canada isn't too far. Where I come from I could be in 5 different stats driving that far lol.

Very true. I've spent a lot of time up east. You have the "you cant get there from here thing". Out here it's 30 miles on a state route, turn north on I75 and set the cruise at 80-85. Exit 380 miles later. (Ok there is a coffee stop in there)

 

[Dieselhead]

I'm curious if anyone else make little voice overs when lighting your fire. This morning I caught myself saying in a robotic voice... "Primary ignition complete" and "Engaging secondary burn system!"

Sir I think you should get yourself outdoors and interact with some other humans, sounds like you may be suffering from cabin fever. 😂

 

[ctreitzell]

People run into problems pushing their stoves with nothing but dense hardwood like oak because of the excessive coaling. The coal phase lasts a long time vs other woods so when you're ready to ask it for more heat there isn't room for a full reload. Bark gets you around that. You can rake the firewood into a nice pile then throw a bunch of bark on it. You'll get a nice BTU boost while simultaneously burning down the coals to make room for a reload.

When I'm in a red oak section of my wood pile during cold snaps here I often reload and hit it with bark 2-3x once the flames die down to accelerate coaling. Works great. I get more heat and I get rid of all my bark.

Wife monitoring the fire. Texted me "is 700 stt ok". Ab-so-freaking-lutely!

my appliance is not rated to work like most folks on hearth.com

I cannot fill my stove ...I do occasionally overload it...sometimes I weigh the charge before putting it in
...I'm likely perpetually over manufacturer guidelines, but in year 2, I much better understand how to avoid over-firing and use the air intake to control the burns.

that said: manufacturer instructs to always add fuel on a good bed of coals every time so the "appliance is functioning as it was designed" to run. The draft on my current install will blast thru the fuel without some kind of air control, so I control the airflow with the air intake. If I wanted to burn thru my coals, just open the intake

I tend to burn a lot of very dry and partially rotten fuel too, because I have it and that I think that creates ash and helps burn down the coals

 

[Caw]

If I wanted to burn thru my coals, just open the intake

Do that but add bark on top. It'll go faster, you'll get more heat, and burn off your scraps at the same time!

 

[thewoodlands]

We had 22.4 this morning, the basement started out at 75, the living area 69 & 70 with the sleeper at 69.

I shut the pellet stove off and the wood stove received a load of 3 beech splits with another 3 ash.

 

[Wildflush]

We had 22.4 this morning, the basement started out at 75, the living area 69 & 70 with the sleeper at 69.

I shut the pellet stove off and the wood stove received a load of 3 beech splits with another 3 ash.

When you use bark to burn down your oak coals you will also benefit from the BTU’s with an increase in STT. Did that before my reload earlier today.

 

[Wildflush]

Sorry Woodlands was not supposed to be a reply to you but a stand alone post.

 

[zmender]

Sir I think you should get yourself outdoors and interact with some other humans, sounds like you may be suffering from cabin fever. 😂

Man I got no reason to leave the house.

WFH while not on travel assignments. 6 hens giving me all the eggs I'll ever need. Online grocery delivery for all the perishables. House backs into the state forest and 10+ miles of hiking trails for walking the dog. A barbell with 270kg of weight right in garage.

My record back in winter 2021-2022 was not leaving the house for close to a month when work was slow.

 

[Dieselhead]

Back on track, night time load in. See you all for coffee in the AM.

 

[Wildflush]

Just reloaded oak cherry and maple heading to low 20’s and we have a good wind.

 

[Caw]

Back on track, night time load in. See you all for coffee in the AM.


View attachment 322740

JFC it's beautiful. 🥹

Quick get her hot load of box elder and cherry for me. Probably string this along with uglies until 11 or 12 pm then fully load with oak and ash.

 

[Diabel]

Back on track, night time load in. See you all for coffee in the AM.


View attachment 322740

This is a good fill! Bravo

 

[NickW]

JFC it's beautiful. 🥹

Quick get her hot load of box elder and cherry for me. Probably string this along with uglies until 11 or 12 pm then fully load with oak and ash.

View attachment 322742

Sounds like my plan for the next several days. Going down to double digits with wind-chill in the mid negative 20's. Lots of quick hitters during the day to burn down mountains of coal.

 

[all night moe]

Back on track, night time load in. See you all for coffee in the AM.


View attachment 322740

The phrase ''king me'' rings loud.

 

[JamesGuido]

Minus 2F with red hot oak keeping us toasty

 

[ozarkoak]

These are the time when I'm so glad I oversized my stove. I have said it many times you can add less wood to a bigger stove but cant add more wood to a smaller stove. Down to 4 degrees now. Mansfield running full out. Stuffed with oak.

 

[all night moe]

Just fed the furnace. All splits..... 4 red oak, 1 shag hickory, 3 BL, 2 black ash, 1 sugar maple, and 1 norway maple.
All on top of a bed of coals of the heavy weights from above.
Furnace is working hard in this drafty old house.

 

[NickW]

Just fed the furnace. All splits..... 4 red oak, 1 shag hickory, 3 BL, 2 black ash, 1 sugar maple, and 1 norway maple.
All on top of a bed of coals of the heavy weights from above.
Furnace is working hard in this drafty old house.

That's some serious btu's

 

[Wildflush]

These are the time when I'm so glad I oversized my stove. I have said it many times you can add less wood to a bigger stove but cant add more wood to a smaller stove. Down to 4 degrees now. Mansfield running full out. Stuffed with oak.

View attachment 322756

I’m glad that I did not oversize my stove and saved some money. Our Vista heats 1,900 sq ft. And can drive us out. Main floor 77 now and wife loves it. 29 outside now and dropping. 72 upstairs.