ideal firewood size

[monk680]

In your opinion what would be the perfect firewood size? Not the length but the split. What's to big and what's to small? Or does wood type play a part in size also. Thanks just over thinking this whole wood thing but I love it.

 

[WoodTick007]

"IDEAL" depends on the size firebox on your soild fuel heating device. If your spliting to heat your home. Its best to split as large as possible..... I have an appilacian

 

[WoodTick007]

"IDEAL" depends on the size firebox on your soild fuel heating device. If your spliting to heat your home. Its best to split as large as possible..... I have an http://www.appalachianstove.com/woodstove_4NI.php with a small firebox. I usually can only load 2 maybe 3 pieces of wood. This allows me to get the longest burn times. Make your pieces large for long burn times and small for shorter hotter burn times.

 

[monk680]

Nice stove. How long are your burn times before hot coals are gone? What about the theory using small pieces of wood to fill in all the voids?

 

[WoodTick007]

Small pieces increase the available surface area....thus increases the rate of burn...

With regards to long burns and coals available for a quick restart upon reloading.... In perfect conditions when burning Oak that has some moisture in the logs and just the right ash base in the stove.... I have been away as long as 16 hours.... The stove has most likely stopped creating enough heat to be a usefull heating unit at about 8-10hours.

Yes, I am very happy with the stove. I have been burning it as a primary heat source since 1992 and it burns 24/7 from October thru end of April. This heating season I replaced the entire damper assembly along with the cats. The parts were instock and shipped to my home in three days for $250USD.

 

[monk680]

How did you know your cat was bad? I will try your method 2 or 3 big pieces and no fillers.

 

[ciscoguy01]

Purpose of a cat?

Why do you guys use a Cat? I'm not sure about them so I figured I'd ask...

 

[NYH1]

I split my firewood in all different sizes. I use the smaller logs when starting a fire. I use the larger logs because they last longer. As already mentioned, two large logs seem to burn longer then four smaller logs.

 

[woodfarmer]

woodtick

thats a real nice looking stove, my ideal size of wood is as big as the wife can put in the stove:yoyo:

 

[EastwoodGang4]

outside temps

Outside temps play a role too. if it's 40-50 degrees outside it's hard to keep a good fire going with the bigger pieces. Smaller pieces will burn then, but they're burned up quickly of course. then at night throw in a big piece or two and mix it with the small ones. when it's cold outside it's a different story, the big pieces are great!! it all depends on your conditions and it's a learning curve for your house and stove.

 

[JUDGE1162]

In your opinion what would be the perfect firewood size? Not the length but the split. What's to big and what's to small? Or does wood type play a part in size also. Thanks just over thinking this whole wood thing but I love it.

No such thing, I cut little to strat s fire or get it restarted after being aways a while, medium for when I am around and awake a huge chunks for overnight or when I am away from home. For me 16" to 18" works best for my fire box as it lets me get a little air around the ends of the logs

If I was selling wood I guess 16" long would be best someone can always use wood that is too short for their firebox but will have a hard time using wood that is too long.

If I was buying wood I would look for a mix mix in split sizes and a mix of wood, I know people love oak and other hardwoods but at time a nice fast burning wood to get the fire going or for a fall or spring night, or nice to get that nice oak piece burning so I need less kinlin.

 

[monk680]

I tried 2 big pieces last night. Got cold around 3:00 am add more wood and a little more wood before I left for work at 6:00. I don't think my wood is dry enough. The 2 pieces were hickory that have been split for 10 months. Started heating with wood last February this summer I split and stacked 10 cords so I should have nice dry wood next year.

 

[monk680]

One reason that I started this thread was because I watched the video of the timberwolf TW-7 with the box wedge. http://www.timberwolfcorp.com/LogSplitters/comm/lsvideos.asp?ID=13
Anyone think the pieces coming out of the TW-7 are to small.

 

[JUDGE1162]

hickory that have been split for 10 months should be dry enough as long as you kept it out of the rain. I know someone is going to post it take 2 years to propery dry wood, that is BS there are a few types of wood that really do take a year of more, some types of Oaks are know for their long drying times but hickory is not one of the "difficult" driers.

I cut all my wood the same year I burn it(yes I try to have a cord or so of extra wood that is left over each year and is burnt the second year, but the bulk of my wood is cut between march and april, split by the end of May and allowed to dry in the summer air, I cover it end of september beginning of october and start to burn mid-october. I burn all types and it seems to be pretty dry (no moisture meter) but it burns well.

I have the same problem in order to get enough heat out of the stove I have to run it near full open and at that setting the wood only lasts 4 hours of so. So the 3 am stove filling is the norm and again when I get up in the morning.

 

[JUDGE1162]

One reason that I started this thread was because I watched the video of the timberwolf TW-7 with the box wedge. http://www.timberwolfcorp.com/LogSplitters/comm/lsvideos.asp?ID=13
Anyone think the pieces coming out of the TW-7 are to small.

I split about 20% of my wood real small just for starting fires, I made the mistake my first year heating with wood of only having big hunjs of wood and I had the hardest time geting a big chunk of Oak started from a cold stove and even from small coals, if I did not get up in time in the morning and the coals were low getting a big log going can be a real PIA. I was out in January re-splitting logs to get smaller peices to start fires with.

Plus smaller the peices quicker it dries, so the people on the board that are not sure if their wood is dry enough, try respliting the wood so there is more surface area exposed to the air and it will dry faster.

 

[monk680]

4 inches of rain have fell in 3 weeks hardly anything is dry. I have a half cord box I keep on the back porch that keeps wood out of the rain but the hickory is just under a tarp that blows away more than it is on. The bark is falling off the hickory but I think the rain got it. I was saving the hickory for the cold months.

 

[ciscoguy01]

Brings back memories

I split about 20% of my wood real small just for starting fires, I made the mistake my first year heating with wood of only having big hunjs of wood and I had the hardest time geting a big chunk of Oak started from a cold stove and even from small coals, if I did not get up in time in the morning and the coals were low getting a big log going can be a real PIA. I was out in January re-splitting logs to get smaller peices to start fires with.

Plus smaller the peices quicker it dries, so the people on the board that are not sure if their wood is dry enough, try respliting the wood so there is more surface area exposed to the air and it will dry faster.

OMG dude, I did the same exact thing last year not thinking. This year I cut a couple cords of popple just for starting fires, lol.

 

[Foghorn]

One man's dry wood is another man's unseasoned wood

Sounds to me like a lot of you guys' wood isn't dry...:monkey:

Just because you can get a roaring fire going doesn't mean your wood is dry or seasoned. Next time you put wood in your stove and the fire gets going really good - open the door see if you see and or hear steam shooting out the ends of your wood.:jawdrop: That steam is a dead give-a-way that your wood is either wet or not seasoned...

 

[Foghorn]

One reason that I started this thread was because I watched the video of the timberwolf TW-7 with the box wedge. http://www.timberwolfcorp.com/LogSplitters/comm/lsvideos.asp?ID=13
Anyone think the pieces coming out of the TW-7 are to small.

Not at all!

I have the TW-3. The box wedge isn't an option with my splitter however I wish it could be. Timberwolf I love my TW-3

 

[monk680]

Sounds to me like a lot of you guys' wood isn't dry...:monkey:

Just because you can get a roaring fire going doesn't mean your wood is dry or seasoned. Next time you put wood in your stove and the fire gets going really good - open the door see if you see and or hear steam shooting out the ends of your wood.:jawdrop: That steam is a dead give-a-way that your wood is either wet or not seasoned...

I think you are right I just started last feb and need time for wood to dry so until then I am burning it. Think I put 3 years worth of wood up this summer.