Mixing in not so seasoned wood.

[woodmiser]

I have extra dry mixed hardwoods and lots of year and a half oak. The oak seems to burn well when loaded in the hot stove but doesn't light off all that well if used as the starter. I'm thinking of doing a mix to get me through my first year as I accumulate wood for the follow on years. Is this common practice?

 

[Battenkiller]

I have extra dry mixed hardwoods and lots of year and a half oak. The oak seems to burn well when loaded in the hot stove but doesn't light off all that well if used as the starter. I'm thinking of doing a mix to get me through my first year as I accumulate wood for the follow on years. Is this common practice?

Common practice is to start your fire with the driest and least dense wood you have. Save that oak for after the fire is well established and the stove is fully up to heat. Even the driest oak isn't the best kindling to get a fire going in a cold box.

 

[oldspark]

I guess we need a sticky with what woods work well for start up and what works well for overnight and long burns.

 

[Jags]

Lets face it - common practice for a newby is to cut and split their firewood in August and feed it to their stove in November and wonder why its not burning. :lol: Your light years ahead of that curve. ;-)

The White Oak may not be "optimal" at 18 months of seasoning, but it will burn. As said above, get your fire established, then feed the white oak to it. You should be fine.

 

[NH_Wood]

I have extra dry mixed hardwoods and lots of year and a half oak. The oak seems to burn well when loaded in the hot stove but doesn't light off all that well if used as the starter. I'm thinking of doing a mix to get me through my first year as I accumulate wood for the follow on years. Is this common practice?

Common practice is to start your fire with the driest and least dense wood you have. Save that oak for after the fire is well established and the stove is fully up to heat. Even the driest oak isn't the best kindling to get a fire going in a cold box.

BK has it - follow this advice and things will get better. Cheers!

 

[woodmiser]

Lets face it - common practice for a newby is to cut and split their firewood in August and feed it to their stove in November and wonder why its not burning. :lol: Your light years ahead of that curve. ;-)

The White Oak may not be "optimal" at 18 months of seasoning, but it will burn. As said above, get your fire established, then feed the white oak to it. You should be fine.

And why are people buying log splitters now?

 

[bogydave]

Lets face it - common practice for a newby is to cut and split their firewood in August and feed it to their stove in November and wonder why its not burning. :lol: Your light years ahead of that curve. ;-)

The White Oak may not be "optimal" at 18 months of seasoning, but it will burn. As said above, get your fire established, then feed the white oak to it. You should be fine.

And why are people buying log splitters now?

Some because splitters are on sale. Some because all the stores have them out on display. Now is wood cutting time. No bugs, cooler to work, no leaves, .
Now it the time most folks start getting next season's wood in, & the season after that.
Once you start getting into burning all season, cutting splitting stacking wood this fall/winter for the next & the next etc...
1 year ahead gives you 1 full year of seasoning the wood before it is to be burned. Oak 2 yrs +.

 

[oldspark]

Yep the wood I will split now will be burnt in 2013 and 2014.

 

[logger]

Your white oak should be seasoned enough. Mine always burns fine after just a year. I usually start fires w maple or poplar splits, then add oak, cherry, or locust.