Burning small rounds

[Swamp Fox]

I know there has been previous discussion regarding size of rounds to split, etc. I have a question regarding the burn characteristics of burning small rounds. I typically split logs five or six inches in diameter and larger. I throw in a few pieces of the smaller rounds whole. I do cut some two inch diameter pieces to size and burn them, but tend to chip most of it. Now I'm wondering about burning more two inch diameter rounds. My question: How does a stove load or (or half load) of two inch rounds burn in comparison to larger size rounds and regular size splits? Based upon my unscientific observation, it appears to me they burn much quicker. I know it would be better to mix it in, but if I didn't chip the small limbs I could collect more of it and burn it a lot at a time if it gave me the same burn time.

 

[Creek-Chub]

I don't have a ton of first hand info burning lots of 2" rounds, but I'm guessing it would be like burning lots of 2" splits. Fast and hot. Fast and hot has its place, as does low and slow.

 

[savageactor7]

I was burning quite a bit of 2"ers earlier today. Up to about New Years I was out daily harvesting standing dead and the 2" are an easy take on those trees...leafed trees they would be a nuisance cut.

The newer EPA stoves gets decent millage of of that stick wood too. Most of the time we're just burning about 3 splits in different burn stages. But with stick wood I load it up about half way and choke down on the primary...since stick wood has a tendency to run away on you.

Yeah I guess it's a hassle wood ...small size and all. I do it mostly to extend my good wood, it's like a game and gives me something to do in the winter.

 

[Dix]

I lucked into some 1" - 3" maple rounds (10' long) last year. 3 truck beds full. We cut it into 14" pieces, and add liberally. It really helps to get a fire going.

I've still got 1/2 of the load to process, and it's been sitting. Can't wait !!

I think for a swift swing of the chain saw, they are worth it.

 

[leftyscott]

I have a lot of 2 inch sticks of varying lengths I picked up cleaning up ice storm damaged trees. I burn them as much as possibly b/ct hey burn hot. It's all I burn on weekends when I am home during the day. It also saves me from burning 1 year old oak splits which I'd prefer to burn as 2 year old oak splits. I don't use them much for overnight burns but occasionally stack them north to south to fill up the fire box for overnight burns.

 

[fyrwoodguy]

little wood for a "little" fire or quick heat....big wood for longer or hotter fire....nice to have both ;-)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o8/WILLIAMFGREENE/march162009009.jpg

 

[Jeb1heat]

Looks like a perfect mix, fyr. I end up hand splitting to that size so I can use the small when I need to get it going and ramp up to the big dogs.
Nice Tamper.

 

[jeff_t]

When I was a kid helping my father, I said "Dad why are we messing with these sticks when we got a whole woods full of trees?" He said "They's all btus my boy."

 

[par0thead151]

i have a small firebox so i use the small rounds to fill the holes in the jigsaw.
allows me to have more fuel in for the long burns where i am at work or when i sleep.

 

[hareball]

I like them. They beat having to fire the oil furnace to get the chill out of the air.

 

[North of 60]

I don't have a ton of first hand info burning lots of 2" rounds, but I'm guessing it would be like burning lots of 2" splits. Fast and hot. Fast and hot has its place, as does low and slow.

He is running a BK Cat. You can fill that stove with toothpicks and snuff that flame out when you turn it down. I fill my stove with small pine branches all the time in the fall. Burns are actually longer as you can really pack it in there, turn it down and let it smolder once the Cat is lit. With my Napoleon, well get ready to set off the smoke detector on a full packed stove of small wood. Swamp Fox your BK is a totally different animal when it comes to cotrolling a loaded stove. Even with a full coal bed upon reloading. Try it, you will like it. :coolsmile:

 

[Swamp Fox]

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like I'll be burning more of the smaller stuff and chipping less of it.

 

[JBinKC]

I feel they have even more value for those southern burners who have a very long shoulder season and have to initiate a burn from a cold start.

In my case I would guess it is about 1/4-1/3rd of the total volume of wood I burn during the course of a burning season.

 

[JeffRey30747]

I feel they have even more value for those southern burners who have a very long shoulder season and have to initiate a burn from a cold start.

In my case I would guess it is about 1/4-1/3rd of the total volume of wood I burn during the course of a burning season.

I'll normally buck up tops until they get down to about 1-1/2" diameter. They do work really well to chase the chill away in the morning or restart fires in the evening.

In the last couple of weeks, we have gone from "shoulder season" running the Oslo nights to keep the gas HVAC from running to burning 24/7 just to keep the furnace from running 24/7. Please keep this cold weather up north where it belongs! BRRR The ground is frozen solid with snow flurries today and some expected accumulation this evening which is extremely rare. ;-)

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I have no problem with burning rounds. What I'm cutting right now I haul to a place where it will all be split next spring. The small rounds just get thrown into a pile rather than stacked with the stuff that needs splitting.

I really like some 4-6" rounds in the bottom of the stove as they will burn a bit slower for holding longer fires. However, with our present stove I split most every thing from about 6" on up. Less than that just gets burned as is.

 

[pyper]

In the last couple of weeks, we have gone from "shoulder season" running the Oslo nights to keep the gas HVAC from running to burning 24/7 just to keep the furnace from running 24/7. Please keep this cold weather up north where it belongs! BRRR The ground is frozen solid with snow flurries today and some expected accumulation this evening which is extremely rare. ;-)

Yeah, I'm in western SC, so not too far from you. They said up to an inch of accumulation and it's supposed to start with freezing rain.

I've been burinng 1.5 to 2 inch rounds, because I have a lot of them, and also because I can keep a smaller fire durring the day -- it doesn't take that much heat to warm the place, even when it's cold out. Then at night I get some bigger pieces.

It does help to warm the stove up faster too, when I start it with 5 or six of the small rounds. It seems like it takes at least an hour to get the stove warmed up, maybe two -- definitely longer if I start with large splits than small rounds.

I usually let mine go out in the day, because it seems silly to heat the place when no one is home, but the house sure gets cold with the t-stat set on 54.

 

[Bootlegger]

Already "split", easy to cut, what's not to love about skinny rounds. Yes, best in shoulder season and restarts.

 

[firefighterjake]

Fast, hot fires for me = smaller rounds. Great for restarts or when I want a quick, hot fire in the Fall or Spring. Stove top temp goes up quickly . . . but it doesn't last as long as packing the firebox with larger rounds or splits.