anyone else prefer pallets to cord wood?? iget longer burn times!

[chimneyED]

Hey y'all!!
first time/longtime reader
just registered,not usually a forum posting kind of man. however, i've been reading posts here since i installed my lopi revere insert 3yrs ago(i always wanted an insert - being a chimney sweep and pyromaniac but was too cheap and lazy to do - then a customer wanted their brand new insert and liner removed when they bought there house!! soo $500 in my pocket and i have my dream come true ). since installed i've learned so much here that i recommend site to all my customers!

Anyway to the point- I love pallets since there free, however since using my insert exclusively for heat for three years i've also noticed I get significantly longer burn times compared to cord wood (and I've gone through 5 cords of seasoned hard wood)

I believe this is due to my ability to cut the boards to 18"(stove is 18x18x18) and completely fill stove so there is not a single square inch of airspace left - this is not possible with cordwood! with the pallets i get 14-16 burns compared too 10-12 with seasoned hard cordwood

Anyone else notice this? burn pallets? thoughts?
Ive searched the topic to no avail on this site and would love your thoughts(your all so knowledgeable and dedicated)
Lets get this thread going!! thanks everyone!
btw i've been a chimney sweep my whole life.....

 

[bholler]

yes you can pack the stove tighter meaning more wood and less air movement. That will undoubtedly extend the burn time.

 

[Mainewoodchucker]

I get single use HT hardwood pallets from work. Mostly use for kindling but have used them as main source for heat at times . If stacked they do tend to burn a bit longer than my hardwood splits . But , I can cut/split much more hardwood than cutting up pallets in same amount of time .

I could heat completely with pallets , but the processing time is a lot more than my cord wood . If I had to buy my cord wood it might sway me to burn more pallets .

 

[bholler]

But , I can cut/split much more hardwood than cutting up pallets in same amount of time .

Really? For me it is not even close the other way. I can cut up allot of pallets fast. And the wood is already dry.

 

[jatoxico]

Welcome aboard! Especially good to have a pro on the forum. Pallet wood always burns like match sticks for me but if you have more wood in the box and great control of the stove then I guess I could see it.

Ever tried filling with hardwood then stuffing the cracks with pallet wood, best of both worlds maybe?

 

[Mainewoodchucker]

Really? For me it is not even close the other way. I can cut up allot of pallets fast. And the wood is already dry.

I can cut up pallet wood fairly quick , but I can do 2 cord of hardwood in a day . To get the same amount in pallets would take me a good amount longer. Might be because I don't use any pieces with nails in them so basically just the slats .

 

[bholler]

I can cut up pallet wood fairly quick , but I can do 2 cord of hardwood in a day

I guess if I had a load of logs sitting there I might be able to cut and split it as fast but when I have to go out in the woods cut it bring it back split it then stack it It is nowhere near as fast as cutting up the pallets that have been stacked here from deliveries over the year. And after cutting the stuff up you have to wait a year minimum for the cord wood but the pallets can be burn that day. But yes I still heat primarily with cord wood not pallets. I do use the pieces with nails as well though.

 

[kennyp2339]

Anyone else notice this? burn pallets? thoughts?

If you enjoy burning dimensional wood got to warwick and get sawmill cut off's, I think they sell a pick up load for like $20.00 or something, best to call them ahead, I myself prefer cord wood to pallets due to nails and stuff.

 

[Mainewoodchucker]

I guess if I had a load of logs sitting there I might be able to cut and split it as fast but when I have to go out in the woods cut it bring it back split it then stack it It is nowhere near as fast as cutting up the pallets that have been stacked here from deliveries over the year. And after cutting the stuff up you have to wait a year minimum for the cord wood but the pallets can be burn that day. But yes I still heat primarily with cord wood not pallets. I do use the pieces with nails as well though.

For me , I am clearing land so either way I have trees coming down . I try to process on sight and just bring up the split wood to stack for the next season . With pallets I need to hook up trailer and stack them on at work . Then unload them when I get home . Not what I want to really do after 13-14 hour day .
Yup , if you have to go out to cut wood I can see pallets being faster , especially if they are dropped off for you . I am already in the woods clearing so not really going out of my way . If pallets were delivered to my door I probably would use more of them .

 

[St. Coemgen]

I believe this is due to my ability to cut the boards to 18"(stove is 18x18x18) and completely fill stove so there is not a single square inch of airspace left - this is not possible with cordwood! with the pallets i get 14-16 burns compared too 10-12 with seasoned hard cordwood

Less O2 to the fire simply means you are probably extending the combustion time by increasing your period of incomplete combustion, which has numerous disadvantages, and potential dangers, and is actually energetically less efficient to get maximum heat energy from the wood. Better to just adjust everything for a bit more air (i.e. O2) flow, with a max 8 to 10 hour burn, which is plenty of time to still get a fire going from coals in the morning.

 

[Donk4kyv]

I don't waste pallets burning them. I save them for keeping the wood off the ground when I stack it. A wooden pallet lasts me only about 2 seasons before it rots. I'd love to pick a truckload of plastic pallets from the dump, but they usually have only the wooden ones.

 

[bholler]

I don't waste pallets burning them. I save them for keeping the wood off the ground when I stack it. A wooden pallet lasts me only about 2 seasons before it rots. I'd love to pick a truckload of plastic pallets from the dump, but they usually have only the wooden ones.

Yeah but I have plenty of pallets you would be amazed at the number that accumulate over a year even with a small company like ours.

Less O2 to the fire simply means you are probably extending the combustion time by increasing your period of incomplete combustion, which has numerous disadvantages, and potential dangers, and is actually energetically less efficient to get maximum heat energy from the wood. Better to just adjust everything for a bit more air (i.e. O2) flow, with a max 8 to 10 hour burn, which is plenty of time to still get a fire going from coals in the morning.

Yes if you pack it to tight you are absolutely correct but I like to pack my stove pretty tight. But I still get enough air flow that that it is not an issue.

 

[edthesweep]

Yes,I plenty of airflow too, after using my insert exclusively for heat three winters ago (boiler was down until I made some repairs) which was a very cold winter I only got half a solo cup of creosote out after sweeping chimney. Once I get the stove to temp then run secondary she cruises at 500 600 for 5 to 7 maybe 8 hours.

When load up in the morning before leaving for 12 to 14 hour workday I leave damper and air intake closed so it prob doesn't really get going for a few hours, that's how I such long burn times - SLIGHTLY CHEATING I SUPPOSE hehe

Yes Donk I'd get my hands on some plastic pallets if I was you
KennyP thanks for the heads up I'll have to try that, I bet faster cut and yes less of those darn nails - my pails of "ash" way about 50 Lbs!


Ever tried filling with hardwood then stuffing the cracks with pallet wood, best of both worlds maybe?
No I still try and report back, but I don't think it will ever be as air tight as just dimensional.
Two cords a day? Wow - in a day I can cut stack and move enough pallets for 3 or 4 weeks half inside half on the deck in "staging area" Then it's time to bring home another truck load for work

 

[edthesweep]

Mainewoodchucker
What part of Maine may I ask? I have family in millinocket and visit twice a year.
Two cords? From rounds or logs? Using a splitter and not stacking I'm assuming? My grandfather always had enough split wood stacked for ten years at his cabin in millinocket, it's a Maine thing I believe. When he passed I debated if it was with trying to truck some down but decided not worth it

 

[cableman]

Id be scared of an overfire with that much dry wood!

 

[chimneyED]

Id be scared of an overfire with that much dry wood!

never had a problem calming mine down by just closing the air down all the way (to the secondaries)

 

[chimneyED]

Id be scared of an overfire with that much dry wood!

That and I guess being in "the biz" I am more apt to do things that I tell people not to do everyday LOL