I burned white pine and two year seasoned red oak chunks and uglies all weekend. The house stayed toasty at round 76.
What Is In Your Stove Right Now?
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You should try some ash if you ever get a chance
I hear it's good stuff!
Bigsby
Burning Hunk
Hackberry that was bucked last summer (live tree) and split and stacked early this year. Took a a big split off the stack last week and was surprised to read 19% on the mm after resplitting. Kinda reminds me of ash the way it splits easy and seasons fast.
I'm burning framing scraps of doug fir, a chopped up teak chair, and a few rogue pieces of poplar which are scraps from window casing and a sliver of cedar left over from exterior trim. Basically I'm burning garbage.
mass_burner
Minister of Fire
Still burning wood scraps, uglies, smaller unsplit branches (larger than kindling), pellet basket etc. Still in shoulder season mode. Did a few loads of red oak that's in the shed to make sure its seasoned.
ZZ Tom
Burning Hunk
Currently have ashes from weekend burns in my stove. We are now on Mandatory No Solid Fuel Burning. Utah Air Quality. Probably a good time to empty the ashes.
Gboutdoors
Burning Hunk
2broke2ride
Burning Hunk
FaithfulWoodsman
Minister of Fire
Finally got chilly enough to fire it up again. Wife is throwing in silver maple and cherry. Ash and punky beech tonight. I am finding that shoulder season can be a bit extreme with the Englander 28-3500. Chilly without a fire, but roasting by the time that huge firebox gets up to speed for a clean burn. Can't complain, I love burning wood and saving money on propane.
....ashes.....i had a fire yesterday as it was cool and wet here in southern md. today its almost 60 so i turned on the burner for a while.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
I only split and stack oak, ash and hickory. Of that, probably 80% is oak. So, what's in my stove right now? Oak, with some ash.
I wonder about the reasoning of east-coasters who are using silver maple or pine. If you live in a region where nothing else is available, then have at it. But if you live in an area with abundant oak and ash, you really can't make any valid argument for burning anything less, unless it literally falls in your yard and must be disposed.
I wonder about the reasoning of east-coasters who are using silver maple or pine. If you live in a region where nothing else is available, then have at it. But if you live in an area with abundant oak and ash, you really can't make any valid argument for burning anything less, unless it literally falls in your yard and must be disposed.
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On my 4 acre property I will burn whatever is dead, died or blown over. I am not picky. Btw I have one live and thriving oak tree.
Ditto. It happens to be mostly hard maple and a bit of yellow birch now, but I've had some poplar, white birch, pine, fir, etc in the mix. It's as close as the end of my driveway or the middle of the property. Couple of dead standing on my radar now, whenever I can find the time...
Some of us are primarily a scroungers, so we take what we can get. Also, I enjoy burning different species of wood. To be honest I dislike oak. Its great fuel obviously, but three summers to fully season is ridiculous. I can barely store two full seasons worth of wood on my small lot. So while I see your point, I like the mix of species in my woodpile.
I used to scrounge for wood. I loved the concept.
Since I bought the lakefront property, I just work that area. Once it is all cleaned up of dead stuff, I will work the adjacent lands (govt) looking for maple, beech, cherry, yellow birch.....like a snob.
heavy hammer
Minister of Fire
Beech with a little shag bark hickory. Has not been cold enough to use the locust or oak yet. Put one large locust block in and nearly cooked us out of the house on the one cold night we have had.
I take whatever is dead or blown over on my 4.5 acre lot first, which while that does mean I have an oak I'm working on cutting up, it also means I mix in silver maple and pine. If a storm brings down a couple of weeks worth of pine I'm not turning my nose up to it just because I have access to oak. It dries fast, burns nice, and during shoulder season doesn't drive us out of the living room where the stove is. Also scrounging here can be a rarity with the number of people who heat with wood so we take what we can get otherwise.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Everyone has different priorities, but for me it's all about hours splitting and stacking. That is my number one limit on how much I can burn, as my house can consume an almost infinite amount of wood, if I could just get it split and stacked. For this reason, even when a pine or silver maple falls in my own yard, I often just throw it in the fire pit. No way am I taking an hour of my splitting time away from an almost unlimited amount of available oak and ash rounds, to spend it on pine.
As to heating you out of your living room, buy a catalytic stove, and you'll have that problem solved! Dry time is a non-issue, if you're 3 years out on your wood supply.
Not saying pine or other poor woods don't make sense for some in a pinch, who are just starting out without a good supply of dry wood, or just trying to get rid of what fell in their yard. What I was questioning was the few above who are extolling the virtues of what many would consider garbage wood, as if it's somehow better. If your time is worth anything, then you'll do best spending it on what delivers maximum BTU per hour of processing time.
As to heating you out of your living room, buy a catalytic stove, and you'll have that problem solved! Dry time is a non-issue, if you're 3 years out on your wood supply.
Not saying pine or other poor woods don't make sense for some in a pinch, who are just starting out without a good supply of dry wood, or just trying to get rid of what fell in their yard. What I was questioning was the few above who are extolling the virtues of what many would consider garbage wood, as if it's somehow better. If your time is worth anything, then you'll do best spending it on what delivers maximum BTU per hour of processing time.
For part time burners like myself and others who heat with more than just wood, the Oak or pine question is not as important. I value the ambiance of the wood stove and the beauty of roaring fire above the practical side of it. I run the stove when i have time or when i want to relax in front of a mesmerizing fire show. Both Oak and pine fill the same bill here. Burning full time is too much like a second job at 60 years old.
Whatever is left of the maple splits from 530 this morning and some 4 x 4 pine scraps I put in after work today.
I'm really liking this maple stuff.
I'm really liking this maple stuff.
