Drying wood with my burn barrel?

[NateB]

I was efficiently burning my trash the other day, and a thought occurred to me. (rare I know) What if I build a holz hausen around my burn barrel and use the heat from my trash to dry my fire wood. Does this sound like a possibility? Would it help with drying time?

When I burn trash I often think, that I would like to make use of this heat, but in the end the by products are to corrosive to capture the heat.

Thanks for your comments
Nate

 

[gzecc]

Its easier to just stack it once and let it sit for a year or two depending on the species.

 

[NateB]

If I stacked it around the barrel I would leave it till I burned it, then I would start a new pile.

 

[Slow1]

If I stacked it around the barrel I would leave it till I burned it, then I would start a new pile.

If you get the wood stacked close enough to the barrel to make a difference in drying time, don't you think you run the risk of setting the whole pile on fire?

 

[NateB]

I doubt it currently the weeds right next to it die, but don't catch fire.

 

[maple1]

No.

And no.

And that's my final answer(s).

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

To me its wood that has to be handled again, I would leave them to dry in the stacks

 

[firefighterjake]

No.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I would not stack wood near a burning barrel even if those weeds did not burn. It takes very little sometimes to get wood started to burn and if that wood stack got started, it would not be pretty and would also be a total loss of all that time and effort you already put into it.

As for the HH, they are okay if you like the looks of them but other than that they are of no benefit. Much better to stack in rows and let the wind do the drying for you.

 

[cptoneleg]

NOT no but ------ No

 

[BobUrban]

and understand there is a lot of air around those weeds which equals little or no insulation of the heat coming off the barrel. Heat is cooling rather quickly as it comes off the thin steel and is only enough to effectively kill the weeds. Put stacked splits around that barrel and you will be creating some heavy insulation and, in effect, a serious potential for disaster with the best scenario a really cool bon fire - worst: a disaster.

Think about stacking wood against your stove and the consequences?? Not a good idea at all.

 

[NateB]

Ok I am not going to stack the wood against the barrel, I would have it a foot away. Oh never mind yall are no fun.

Oh and it would come out of the woods, get stacked around (not against) the barrel, dry for a time, and into the boiler. Just thought it may reduce the drying time of some nice oak, but I will figure it out and let you know.

 

[Jon1270]

No, this would not make a significant difference. Some tiny difference, sure. But not remotely enough to make it worth the trouble.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I was efficiently burning my trash the other day, and a thought occurred to me. (rare I know) What if I build a holz hausen around my burn barrel and use the heat from my trash to dry my fire wood. Does this sound like a possibility? Would it help with drying time?

When I burn trash I often think, that I would like to make use of this heat, but in the end the by products are to corrosive to capture the heat.

Thanks for your comments
Nate

Yes. Absolutely. Let us know how it works out (pics and copious notes, please).

 

[NateB]

I got fresh batteries in the MM. All I need is time, so if anyone has a spare minute send it my way. lol (and if it works I may want your trash )

 

[oldspark]

Sometimes one should not think out loud.

 

[Standingdead]

I keep my bark burn barrel about 20 feet from the splitter/stack. Fired up on colder days standing a couple feet away makes for a good place to take a quick break and warm up. Maybe you could use your burn barrel to heat you and not the wood.

 

[NateB]

Good idea, but I use my bark and my saw chips in the garden.

Thanks

 

[Oregon aloha]

The weeds are also full of moisture. As long as the wood is full of moisture it won't burn, but you will know it dried the moment it catches fire. Bad idea.
Why not put it inside under a heat lamp?

 

[Lumber-Jack]

I'm sure it would would help dry the wood a little, but with an obvious risk of it catching fire. The question is if the little amount of drying that would take place would be worth the risk and time required to stack all the wood around the the barrel and monitor it.
Here's the key question to ask yourself, do you have anything better to do?
If not, then YES, please take pictures and monitor the progress with a moisture meter, and keep us updated. Oh, and make sure you do this well away from any other structures or trees, or anything that could catch fire. Having a water hose readily available wouldn't hurt either.

 

[SKIN052]

If you put wood around the barrel, how would you now put stuff in the barrel? Throw it in? But yes, please do it.

 

[Gunny]

Dry your wood? My god how MUCH TRASH DO YOU HAVE? This will be a very time consuming effort. Well I guess you can use some wood to burn to dry the rest? O.K. Not a good idea.

 

[tsquini]

I'm interested in seeing how high the flames would get if you burn a holz hausen all at once. I imagine that it would be exciting.

 

[cptoneleg]

Remember the Gong Show- - This idea needs a Gong X X X

 

[bluedogz]

Had a sergeant once that used to say, "Not no, not hell no, not &%$ no, but hell mother&%$ing no!"