What Is In Your Stove Right Now?

[30WCF]

Pear and maybe a hickory limb.
22 last night and 25 right now.
68 in the back bedroom, 69 in the hall.

 

[NickW]

well, the oak can be used for many building projects and the poplar that is still stable has nice rigidity when dry...so, I best get busy and build some out buildings...milling that oak is typically a bad idea as machines may well not survive

Can you say "big wood shed"!?!?😁

 

[MRD1985]

Nice game of Tetris this morning. Big chunk of cherry, some ash, oak and maple with some pine kindling. Had some coals after about 10 hours, but cold and windy again today, so not going to wait for the coals to do their job this morning.

 

[NickW]

When burning a mixed load of hard and soft woods, is there any sound reasoning about what type should be in top vs bottom?
Will hardwoods on top of soft woods burn hotter later in the cycle once the hardwood is supported above the ash bed by the crumbling softwood coals like logs sitting up on a grate?
Will softwoods on top give more heat earlier as it burns more rapidly and air can get to it as the hardwood gets charred enough to join in?

Depends on the goal.

For me...

First idea - softwood/aspen/silver maple/box elder/basswood/etc on the coals to ignite faster, hardwood on top to not get buried in ash.

Second idea - opposite of above will coal longer, however I find that it smokes the glass more due to the hardwood getting buried in ash before it finishes off gassing.

Third idea - I do this fairly often... 3/4 size load in the morning because I don't want a ton of heat but want coals for way later... 3 hardwood in the middle by my doghouse, 2 bottom and one top to create my tunnel of love; 2 softwood to one side, 1 bottom and one top. This will get me to late afternoon when I'll do a 1/2-3/4 load of shoulder season wood to burn quick and hot for a burst of heat after the sun goes down and re-establish it coal bed for the overnight load.

Experiment. You know your stove and how the air flows. Good luck!

 

[NickW]

12 hours later a big pile of coals again from the beech and ironwood, but upstairs is down to 65 and downstairs is 66 because of the cold and wind. It is currently 11 degrees and windy with a full load of ash is going in.

 

[Dieselhead]

Well the oak load from 545 yesterday am was gone as of 8am this morning. Like not even any coals to get my next daytime load of spruce rolling along. House was at 65 and the furnace was on. It was pretty fridgid last night with the wind. That does not happen often at least, must of been softwood identifying as red oak in that load 🤷🏻‍♂️😉

Spruce daytime load, didn’t quite stuff it.

 

[Wildflush]

Cold weather hitting the Northeast for the next week of so. Last night 20’s and wind. 34 and wind chill today. Got a nice mixed hardwood load going. STT 650. House temp 74. Got wood staged for the next few days. Teens is coming!

 

[thewoodlands]

When burning a mixed load of hard and soft woods, is there any sound reasoning about what type should be in top vs bottom?
Will hardwoods on top of soft woods burn hotter later in the cycle once the hardwood is supported above the ash bed by the crumbling softwood coals like logs sitting up on a grate?
Will softwoods on top give more heat earlier as it burns more rapidly and air can get to it as the hardwood gets charred enough to join in?

Since our stove burns from the top down, the better hardwood goes on the bottom row.

 

[thewoodlands]

We had a low of 15.5 this morning, the basement temp started off at 73 with both temps up here at 68. We had plenty of coals left from the overnight load. The first load this morning had ash, maple, cherry with some beech in it.

It's pretty darn windy out today, it will cut right through you.

 

[ctreitzell]

Can you say "big wood shed"!?!?😁

...and I do kinda have the space...I don't want to put the farmer off of cutting the fields each year tho

 

[NickW]

Since our stove burns from the top down, the better hardwood goes on the bottom row.

Pardon my ignorance on the Liberty... How does it burn top down on a reload? Doesn't the best wood on the bottom get buried in ash and smolder? I watched some videos on the Travis Industries website and they didn't really explain "how" it burns, only talked about the upgrades and testing methods.

 

[NickW]

This mornings ash load is down to a huge pile of coals and not producing enough heat. Upstairs got to 67 but is down to 66 again, so as much shoulder season wood as I can fit going in.

I am considering trying a different load tonight; one of all "premiums" - beech and ironwood. I'd like to have the house a little warmer in the morning and not spend the entire day playing catch-up, but am a bit concerned about a "takeoff" as I'm laying in bed. That alarm going off when you're asleep or half asleep will get your heart racing. Trying to decide if I should char it really well to hopefully avoid the takeoff and just send the heat up the flue or do my usual close the door as soon as it can maintain the flames and realize it's going to take forever to settle in...

 

[stoveliker]

Last night's 9.45 pm load is almost done; burning down some coals now with a split of pine, and going thru some maple bark behind that. Trying to extend the burn until after my son's basketball training ending at 9.30 tonight.

Also burning off some of the gunk of the last few days... Yes it has run liquid in the window... Nasty cat stove 😆

19.5 hrs on that less than full load. 69-70 upstairs, 35 outside currently.

 

[Wildflush]

We had a low of 15.5 this morning, the basement temp started off at 73 with both temps up here at 68. We had plenty of coals left from the overnight load. The first load this morning had ash, maple, cherry with some beech in it.

It's pretty darn windy out today, it will cut right through you.

Heavy wool sweaters on days like these!

 

[all night moe]

Packed a good breakfast load in the dragon before I left for work. Mostly sugar and ash. Couple splits of apple and cherry, each. Total of about 14 splits. GF had the bday off and fed in 2 more loads which, I imagine, were light loads. I put another load in when I got home around 4. Just a snack.

 

[stoveliker]

The maple bark - still burns nicely after 2 hrs (and with quite a bit of heat).

 

[NickW]

The maple bark - still burns nicely after 2 hrs (and with quite a bit of heat).

I too am burning bark right now...

 

[stoveliker]

Another pine split and bucket full of maple bark.
Get rid of the stuff!

 

[thewoodlands]

Pardon my ignorance on the Liberty... How does it burn top down on a reload? Doesn't the best wood on the bottom get buried in ash and smolder? I watched some videos on the Travis Industries website and they didn't really explain "how" it burns, only talked about the upgrades and testing methods.

It starts burning from the bottom on a reload but once you close the air down, it burns from the top down.

 

[Heartbroken]

Was gone for most of the day so came home to a cold stove. Started it back up with pallet wood kindling and a couple of chunks of ash. Just added some oak and there's a lovely rolling fire going.

 

[NickW]

Ok, here goes. 4 beech, 3 ironwood on a good hot coal bed... Going to char it pretty well and see how quick it cruises and how controllable it is. The beech is on the bottom and started on its own right after I snapped the photo.

 

[thewoodlands]

Heavy wool sweaters on days like these!

We picked up a few things in town today, that's when the wind cut through me. Later on when I took the dog for a walk, I had a midweight base layer bottom on under some wool pants, the top was two heavyweight base layers with a heavyweight fleece lined button up shirt, I didn't feel a thing.

 

[thewoodlands]

The outside temp tonight is 11.8, the basement temp is starting out at 77 with the two temps up here at 68 & 70. The overnight load has four beech, two ironwood with two splits of maple going.

 

[MRD1985]

Cold and wind continues, though the wind has calmed from this morning/afternoon. Currently 26 feels like 21. Loaded up with oak, ash and maple tonight. Big split in the middle is ash. Just a little bit of sizzle on the bottom left piece of oak on the coal bed, but not bad and did not last long.

 

[stoveliker]

32 outside, forecast low of 27. Upstairs is 72.
Bark is not done yet, but I am ready to go to sleep.
A load of pitch pine. Hope it'll be done before 1.30 pm as I'll be going to buck the two last pines we cut.

Small splits, but they were 14% in one year from dead standing.
How nice to load long splits again rather than puzzling with 8-10" long oak shorties.