Burning My Oak Stash

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The oak sure burns differently. It is burning slower and is more difficult to get the secondaries going because it's much denser I theorize. The weight of each chunk is significant compared to the hardwood mix I was burning during shoulder season. We'll see if I have a nice coal bed in the morning. As slow as it appears to burn, I think I will. I haven't burned oak since last February and that was my first year, so I wasn't picking up on differences in fuel.
 
Yep, burning a big load of all red oak right now. Raked a good bed of coals forward, loaded, and it took a long time to get secondaries. I had to adjust the wood once to get better air flow. I did find that I was leaving the primary air wide open too long. I felt the load wasn't in flame enough to start closing the air - only the front of the load was in flame. But.....by closing down the air slowly, the secondaries finally started to catch until I'm now 90% shut with the pipe damper 1/2 closed. Nice lazy secondaries going and stove is up to 475*. I think burning full loads of dense wood takes time to master. I did use a couple of small splits in the load - bottom, front, center to catch fast and get the oak going - I think it helps a lot to do so. Cheers!
 
I think oak does light slower but it gives great, long lasting secondary burn - and primary burn for that matter. Are you sure your oak is as dry as the other stuff? Oak is notoriously slow to season.
 
Me too! I am mixing Siberian Elm( I think Siberian) with some White Oak. The Elm by itself will throw some wonderful secondaries but mixed with the Oak when good and hot gives a really nice long burn.

Interesting note I think: I have been burning very hot from November till my first cleaning last week. My setup is an insert in masonry, external. I did my first cleaningand got about 2 cups of white or very light brown dust, but mostly white. Well being sort of a motor head. I liken the burn process to a spark plug. If:

It is black you are rich in fuel ( too cool stack temp)

It is light coco brown perfect stoichiometric (good heat good stack temp)

It is white little fuel lots of air VERY HOT Dangerous! ( too much draft for too long and stack temp is real high!)

What do you think?
 
PLAYS WITH FIRE said:
Me too! I am mixing Siberian Elm( I think Siberian) with some White Oak. The Elm by itself will throw some wonderful secondaries but mixed with the Oak when good and hot gives a really nice long burn.

Interesting note I think: I have been burning very hot from November till my first cleaning last week. My setup is an insert in masonry, external. I did my first cleaningand got about 2 cups of white or very light brown dust, but mostly white. Well being sort of a motor head. I liken the burn process to a spark plug. If:

It is black you are rich in fuel ( too cool stack temp)

It is light coco brown perfect stoichiometric (good heat good stack temp)

It is white little fuel lots of air VERY HOT Dangerous! ( too much draft for too long and stack temp is real high!)

What do you think?

Agreed. Can't go all oak or you won't be happy with the burn until you have a massive coal bed at which time it will ignite the slow burning oak quickly.
 
How long has it been CSS?
 
Are you sure that wood is dry buddy, come on you can level with us we are your friends. ;-P
 
Never have a problem with a full load of oak or any other wood. Anything entering the stove this year is 30+ months css.
 
firecracker_77 said:
oldspark said:
Are you sure that wood is dry buddy, come on you can level with us we are your friends. ;-P

Truth is...I don't know because I just bought it. I need a moisture meter.
Well Oak that is not dry will be very hard to start, even when its dry it does not take off like Ash, Elm, or a soft maple. Any moisture coming out the ends at all, when you are buying wood I think a MM is a good item to have. For me I like to use Oak on a bed of coals not a starter wood.
 
Burning white oak now that was css no later than November 2010. So its only 14 months seasoning but the temps this summer really seasoned it quickly. Lights easily to me. Burns very steadily. I'm going to guess that the wood is green to some extent. My wife uses the smaller splits during the day when I'm off at work. In the evenings I take advantage of the huge coal bed and throw on a big split. As big as I can split. Usually blows secondaries for 3-5 hours then I have to adjust the air to get the coal bed going again.
 
I've been burning maple only this season, its the only thing I have seasoned. I have a good stash of live oak, maybe a couple of seasons worth(in fla terms) c/s/s but not long enough. Can't wait till next season to get into it. Just got my stove end of last season so not much experience yet, never had good oak in it, interested in seeing how differently it behaves vs the maple.
 
seeyal8r said:
So its only 14 months seasoning but the temps this summer really seasoned it quickly.

Im sure its different here on the east coast because of our humidity in the summers, but I feel our hardwoods season much better in the dry airs of autumn and winter.
 
Ditto on comments that oak (ours is 3 year C/S/S) requires different reload tweaks. Ya think oak burns different, wait til you load up mostly black locust.... It's like oak on steroids.
 
Gark said:
Ditto on comments that oak (ours is 3 year C/S/S) requires different reload tweaks. Ya think oak burns different, wait til you load up mostly black locust.... It's like oak on steroids.
Our wood is primarily white oak and black locust. The locust definately burns a little better and seasons much faster than the oak. My oak burns just fine and is well seasoned, but the locust that was CSS at the same time is the out-performer as far as lighting up goes.
 
logger said:
Gark said:
Ditto on comments that oak (ours is 3 year C/S/S) requires different reload tweaks. Ya think oak burns different, wait til you load up mostly black locust.... It's like oak on steroids.
Our wood is primarily white oak and black locust. The locust definately burns a little better and seasons much faster than the oak. My oak burns just fine and is well seasoned, but the locust that was CSS at the same time is the out-performer as far as lighting up goes.
Other than drying I cant tell much difference between the Oak and Locust, burn both in my old stove and the new one and they are ver similar in performance and length of burn time. TCTC IMHO.
 
oldspark said:
logger said:
Gark said:
Ditto on comments that oak (ours is 3 year C/S/S) requires different reload tweaks. Ya think oak burns different, wait til you load up mostly black locust.... It's like oak on steroids.
Our wood is primarily white oak and black locust. The locust definately burns a little better and seasons much faster than the oak. My oak burns just fine and is well seasoned, but the locust that was CSS at the same time is the out-performer as far as lighting up goes.
Other than drying I cant tell much difference between the Oak and Locust, burn both in my old stove and the new one and they are ver similar in performance and length of burn time. TCTC IMHO.
Agreed. My point was just that my locust seasoned faster, so thats why it lights up faster and burns a little faster for me.
 
Most of what I burn is oak, dried for btween 2-2.5 years. Doesn't light slowly, nor burn slowly. I can have a fire going with all oak in about 2-3 minutes with a little bit of newspaper, and if I don't watch it and adjust air, can have the stove ready to shoot for the stratosphere pretty quickly.
When I first started, I had oak that would not catch well, nor burn well until the moisture had burned off. Not so much of a problem now that the wood is dry. :coolsmile:
 
PapaDave said:
Most of what I burn is oak, dried for btween 2-2.5 years. Doesn't light slowly, nor burn slowly. I can have a fire going with all oak in about 2-3 minutes with a little bit of newspaper, and if I don't watch it and adjust air, can have the stove ready to shoot for the stratosphere pretty quickly.
When I first started, I had oak that would not catch well, nor burn well until the moisture had burned off. Not so much of a problem now that the wood is dry. :coolsmile:
Well slow is a relative term, no way a dense wood like oak or black losust is going ot start a fire as quick as green ash or soft maple.
 
oldspark said:
PapaDave said:
Most of what I burn is oak, dried for btween 2-2.5 years. Doesn't light slowly, nor burn slowly. I can have a fire going with all oak in about 2-3 minutes with a little bit of newspaper, and if I don't watch it and adjust air, can have the stove ready to shoot for the stratosphere pretty quickly.
When I first started, I had oak that would not catch well, nor burn well until the moisture had burned off. Not so much of a problem now that the wood is dry. :coolsmile:
Well slow is a relative term, no way a dense wood like oak or black losust is going ot start a fire as quick as green ash or soft maple.
Exactly. I think people are just comparing oak to other woods. When comparing oak to maple, it lights slow and burns slow.
 
Something is getting lost in the translation, yes when dry it starts easily but a less dense wood will light your fire quicker. Same % content on both woods.
 
oldspark said:
Something is getting lost in the translation, yes when dry it starts easily but a less dense wood will light your fire quicker. Same % content on both woods.

I am in year 2 with my stove. I have never burned seasoned oak. The oak I burn sizzles a bit when it's burned, and I agree that I like oak after I have a healthy bed of coals. The lighter woods take off faster whether they are properly seasoned. For that reason, I like having a mix of maple and other lighter stuff and the harder stuff like oak. I think I have burned locust as it was pointed out that I had some, but I was not aware of it, nor would I be able to spot it in my stacks if it was there in front of my face.
 
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