Observations of An Ignoramus

[zogger]

Well that just ruined my month.

Tape is good idea. I should make it dummy proof by wrapping tape and write something with a Sharpie. After all, I have tried to jump start a car by putting the mixing up positive and negative. Woops

How does mixing at the pump ensure you get exact quantity? If there's measure marks on the can and the fuel is fresh, don't see an issue.

It's just how I do it. Don't have marked measure amounts on my old non epa cans. I just go in and get exactly two gallons at a time, (while doing other in-town stuff), done. When I start getting pretty low in the two gallon mix can, like less than a saw tankfull, I dump it into my general five gallon mower/tiller gas cans, then go get fresh.

And depending on where I am going to cut, I put some, after it is mixed, back into some saved canned trufuel cans. handy pocket sized pourers. Fuel in one pocket of the army jacket, quart can of bar oil in the other.

 

[Ambull01]

It's just how I do it. Don't have marked measure amounts on my old non epa cans. I just go in and get exactly two gallons at a time, (while doing other in-town stuff), done. When I start getting pretty low in the two gallon mix can, like less than a saw tankfull, I dump it into my general five gallon mower/tiller gas cans, then go get fresh.

And depending on where I am going to cut, I put some, after it is mixed, back into some saved canned trufuel cans. handy pocket sized pourers. Fuel in one pocket of the army jacket, quart can of bar oil in the other.

Dude, you have this stuff down to a science!

BTW, Fiskars should be waiting for me when I get home. I can't wait. If it sucks I'm boycotting this site

 

[mga]

Posted this on another site but wanted to see what you guys think. Seems like this site has a different opinion on most matters compared to the other site.


The ignoramus is myself. I'm totally new to wood burning. Just got a fireplace insert as a gift but have to wait until next year to use it.

Anyway, I've been mentioning I burn/will burn wood for heat to just about everyone I meet. I have met a few people that burn as well and found they all have not heard of secondary combustion. Father in-law has been burning at least 6 years and had no idea his free standing stove's catalytic converter was for secondaries. Brother in-law burned about 5 years and wasn't sure how creosote is formed. Other people I've spoken to were totally clueless. Is this normal? If it is, then every single member of this site is much more informed than your average wood burner.

Second thing. Since most of us are going through this little cold spell, people around me are heating like it's middle winter. I walk my dog twice a day and since I've become totally obsessed with wood burning/cutting I always look out for downed trees or chimney smoke. I've noticed mild to excessive smoke coming out of chimneys. So, if most people are clueless about wood burning, I assume this kind of smoke/fire burning is the norm. If it is the norm, why aren't chimney fires more common? I would like it would be a weekly occurrence.

Third thing. This has been keeping me up at night. My chimney's not lined which is why I'm holding off on burning this year. I'll install a SS liner and insulation next year which brings me to my question. How does the creosote eventually get hot enough to ignite? I ask this because the smoke leaving the stove will be hotter the closer you get to the fire. Creosote forms as this mixture cools off (I think that's right). Sooo, most of the creosote will form higher up the flue. The higher up you go, the amount of heat will drop. How does the creosote eventually get hot enough to ignite?

burning wood is a science in itself. any one can start a fire, but understanding the physics of what goes on inside your burning apparatus and the chimney requires some education. there are many elements happening inside a chimney and temperature plays an important role. how dry your wood is, how much you damper the fire down all relates to how efficient things are. also, the type of chimney also plays a significant role.

my neighbor has what he calls an air-tight and he's forever cleaning his chimney because of the creosote build up. one reason is he's cheap and he thinks if he dampers it down to almost zero he's saving on wood. this might be some what true, but he's also losing significant heat.

hot fires do a nice job of keeping that chimney nice and clean. when i run a brush down mine, i get only dust flying out.

 

[jwilly]

To solve the straight gas problem at my home I only have mix in the cans, no more seized up weedwackers or chainsaws, the mower, the tiller and the splitter all run on mix.

 

[Chris-PA]

any one can start a fire

Well, almost anyone maybe....

 

[farmer steve]

Well that just ruined my month.

Tape is good idea. I should make it dummy proof by wrapping tape and write something with a Sharpie. After all, I have tried to jump start a car by putting the mixing up positive and negative. Woops

How does mixing at the pump ensure you get exact quantity? If there's measure marks on the can and the fuel is fresh, don't see an issue.

ALL my cans have duct tape on them. some say plain gas. some say mix and some say diesel i know which are which but some one else may not.

 

[UpOnTheHill]

I mix a gallon at a time in a used bar oil gallon jug. Kind of hard to confuse that with my red straight gas jugs. Plus I run through a gallon fairly quickly depending on how much I'm cutting, so the mix is always pretty fresh. My diesel jugs are yellow so they also stand out.

 

[Ambull01]

To solve the straight gas problem at my home I only have mix in the cans, no more seized up weedwackers or chainsaws, the mower, the tiller and the splitter all run on mix.

Everything can run with mix? I thought it had to be mix for two cycles and straight gas for the others.

 

[zogger]

burning wood is a science in itself. any one can start a fire, but understanding the physics of what goes on inside your burning apparatus and the chimney requires some education. there are many elements happening inside a chimney and temperature plays an important role. how dry your wood is, how much you damper the fire down all relates to how efficient things are. also, the type of chimney also plays a significant role.

my neighbor has what he calls an air-tight and he's forever cleaning his chimney because of the creosote build up. one reason is he's cheap and he thinks if he dampers it down to almost zero he's saving on wood. this might be some what true, but he's also losing significant heat.

hot fires do a nice job of keeping that chimney nice and clean. when i run a brush down mine, i get only dust flying out.

Dampers were invented by the United International Chimney Sweep Guild...

 

[UpOnTheHill]

Dampers were invented by the United International Chimney Sweep Guild...

Justify your job?

 

[flotek]

Yes it is normal for most people to be stupid and burn poorly seasoned wood and totally not understand how a modern unit works . Most people don't care to understand they'd rather remain ignorant . ( the scary part is these same people are voters!) And yes it's normal to see fallen trees around the neighborhood and consider them as a money saving fuel it's all part of the sickness of wood burning it's addictive !

 

[Cerran]

Everything can run with mix? I thought it had to be mix for two cycles and straight gas for the others.

You can run mix in a standard 4 stroke without really hurting it, but on some engines the mix can foul the plugs depending on how it's jetted.

 

[blades]

Kinda like the current Diesel fuel - ya can run it in your pre EPA units but it screws with seals and o-rings by drying them out- so you have to add additives to replace those properties that kept the seals and such from drying out- or replace a lot of expensive parts on a continuing basis. I have nothing but expletives for the EPA and there ilk.

 

[ijon1]

Your singing my song about the epa.

 

[RVALUE]

To solve the straight gas problem at my home I only have mix in the cans, no more seized up weedwackers or chainsaws, the mower, the tiller and the splitter all run on mix.

I nearly steered my recently widowed neighbor wrong because her weed eater said "4 stroke" on it, but it needed mixed gas. Where does that come from?

 

[Cerran]

I nearly steered my recently widowed neighbor wrong because her weed eater said "4 stroke" on it, but it needed mixed gas. Where does that come from?

Some small 4 strokes need mix because they don't have an oil sump to lubricate the parts. The common of these are Stihl 4-mix equipment. It's typically used on equipment where the oil sump would be too small to be effective especially when running it at odd angles. You get the benefit of a torquey 4-stroke and fuel consumption with the design.

 

[steved]

Yes, I'm looking for one locally.

Any of the local stove stores can order them...I had to order mine because it is an oddball 7".

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[steved]

Everything can run with mix? I thought it had to be mix for two cycles and straight gas for the others.

I have run a bunch of my stuff on mix...helps clear the carbon out.

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[Chris-PA]

Any of the local stove stores can order them...I had to order mine because it is an oddball 7".

I'm going to try to stop into Weaver's in Lyons this weekend, as they often have a good selection of stuff like that.

 

[steved]

I'm going to try to stop into Weaver's in Lyons this weekend, as they often have a good selection of stuff like that.

You're not that far from me...

Short's Stove in Reading is where I get most of my stuff.

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