Dealing with Bad Wood

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"I have a Heritage soapstone"
 
Trying to burn wet wood is frustrating. It's almost a waste of what will become good wood.

Burning pallets is a lot of work
Burning blocks isn't exactly cheap, but they should get you by
 
So why mention it to a person struggling with bad wood in a modern stove? It's a bad idea. There's a big difference between a stove in one's house and a trash burner outdoors.
begreen, I have a confession to make. Like most people here, I start my fire with a little left over olive oil on the newspaper to help it along, followed by pine cones. Yes, the glass goes get brownish but only at the edges and I clean it off every day with damp paper towel and the palest ash. One taverna owner here starts his stove with an olive twig dipped in a mixture of ash and olive oil which he keeps in a corner of the room in a plastic jug. Certainly seems to work!
 
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Any chemical option could, and more often than not, will have consequences; burning wood with high moisture content will most like cause cresote buildup; if the amount of moisture limits the burn temperatures. Any suppliers of kiln dried wood around you? It is a little pricey but 1/2 cord may allow you to burn that and use the dry heat and a fan to dry your existing supply and mix in a little at a time.
 
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Thanks again. I am talking about the Duraflame variety of starter, certainly not gasoline. JDP1152, I appreciate the offer of a moisture meter ! and all the suggestions. I like the idea of banging two together to hear the tone. We're all musicians here :). I'll start making room for some better wood while mine dries out.
Thanks,
 
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