hardwood rippings - any good for burning?

[colophoto]

Hi everyone. I've been lurking and learning a ton. In my area there's very little hardwood available. I just found an ad online for huge bundles of hardwood rippings (maple, mahogany, oak) from a cabinet maker. the pieces seem to be 3/4" thick and 1-3" wide most are still in 8' lengths - so pretty small. they would be free for an entire trailer load.

is there any value in this wood? we have tons of great pine for kindling, I don't need more of that.

many thanks!
Mark

 

[pen]

Lots of BTU's in that but be careful how much you put in the stove. By their size, and extreme dryness, an overfire is a possibility. Some mixed in with cord wood would be a better idea in my book. Also, are these pieces unfinished? If there is a finish on them, it may not be healthy for a catalytic stove and isn't so great to breath otherwise when burned.

Welcome to the site.

pen

 

[NH_Wood]

I'd take it - I like pine too for kindling, but I use hardwood kindling as well and the two mixed together are great for a good hot fire to get the load going. If you have the room, why not? Would also be nice to fill the small voids in the stove when you really want to fill her up. Cheers!

 

[STIHLY DAN]

I get the same type of stuff, love it. With plenty of hard wood around I use it as kindling. But if I start getting to much I burn 50/50 lights quick and lasts a good while.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Welcome to the forum colophoto.


Get all you can! It will burn nicely but do take Pen's advice to heart too. And do make sure there is no finish on the wood. Probably is not.

 

[windchaser]

Make certain anything you get from a finishing outfit is 100% pure wood and not a laminate...otherwise your burning toxic glue at the same time...

 

[colophoto]

Thanks everyone. I'm waiting to hear if it is unfinished or not.

One question re overfire - is there an optimum temp ( obviously changes with needed output) to operate at? Too high? All of the overfire symptoms I read seem like a too late kind of thing( chimney fire, glowing stove, etc) if I point an infra red thermometer at it, what' the start of the danger zone? If it matters we just got a vermont castings Montpelier insert and a quadrafire 2100 stove ( in two places)

 

[pen]

Thanks everyone. I'm waiting to hear if it is unfinished or not.

One question re overfire - is there an optimum temp ( obviously changes with needed output) to operate at? Too high? All of the overfire symptoms I read seem like a too late kind of thing( chimney fire, glowing stove, etc) if I point an infra red thermometer at it, what' the start of the danger zone? If it matters we just got a vermont castings Montpelier insert and a quadrafire 2100 stove ( in two places)

It varies by the stove, construction (steel, cast, soapstone) but for my steel stove, I consider 750 in the hottest place of the top plate, my "redline".

Not sure how much you can see of your top plate, or if you can get a shot with an IR of the hottest place, but with some experience, you'll be able to tell when you have that thing running hard and at what temp that is. With the insert, you may find that to be 550, or 600, 650, in X spot on the top of the stove.

pen

 

[colophoto]

Not sure how much you can see of your top plate, or if you can get a shot with an IR of the hottest place, but with some experience, you'll be able to tell when you have that thing running hard and at what temp that is. With the insert, you may find that to be 550, or 600, 650, in X spot on the top of the stove.

pen

Cool, thanks. The insert is cast and I have very little access - it is pretty flush with the surround. I don't think I'm headed for a problem, but this is my first insert ever and I don't want a safety or $$ issue.

 

[pen]

Cool, thanks. The insert is cast and I have very little access - it is pretty flush with the surround. I don't think I'm headed for a problem, but this is my first insert ever and I don't want a safety or $$ issue.

Once you get a feel for what a good fire looks like, you'll know when things get out of hand and you can't control them. Play with the IR often and you'll be able to establish a good base measurement for what is "normal" for what you have to work with as far as places to measure temp from.

pen

 

[Paulywalnut]

Grab it. I got some thin oak slats. Great for split kindling. It will be dry for sure.

 

[seabert]

I have a Montpelier insert. It is a small firebox and at least in my opinion it is pretty hard to overfire using scrap wood. I also use Envi blocks and they buren really hot so I never put more that 4 Envi 8's or two Regular Envi's in the Montpelier. Get that wood and mix it up with some cordwood. The scrap wood will burn really fast so you will have to keep re-loading. The Oak and Maple are fine. I have never tried to burn Mahogany so I am not sure about that. I would like to hear from anyone who knows about Mahogany as firewood. As others have said avoid anything that has been finished or glued.

 

[Applesister]

Mahogany might have resins similar to Black locust. Locust is rot resistant with its composition. I dont feel locust is good burning wood because of the constituents of the wood. But others love the high heat it gives off.
I know Mahogany has been used for brightwork in ship building so it may have similar rot resistant antifungal constituents. It may have the same offensive smoke/smell while burning.
Actually dont really know.