Branches for burning or kindling

[mass_burner]

I have about 12 medium sized Lowe's boxes full of dry stove size and smaller branches ready for burning. Question is, should I burn these by the stove full in shoulder season, or save them to use as kindling throughout the season?

 

[Applesister]

Save it for kindling. I know its a pain to keep the boxes around but they will all be gone by spring.
I rake up the slivers from splitting and save them in cardboard boxes.

 

[red oak]

I agree. I do the same thing. Keep it where it's dry and when there's snow on the ground you may be glad you have it.

 

[mass_burner]

they also make a lot more ash as kindling. the other pain is keeping a kindling box handy.

 

[PDXpyro]

I've never been fond of using small branches as kindling in a stove. Give me a few rounds of straight-grained Western red cedar and I'm good for a burning season... it's the best, and will split down to pencil-sized stuff easily. I enjoy splitting kindling, esp. with red cedar.

 

[mass_burner]

About. 40-50 % of my small branches are cedar. We have them ringing half of the property line. They do burn well.

 

[Fred Wright]

I'd save it for kindling and starter wood. We keep a couple trash barrels full of small cut branches outside the door for just this purpose. Fill a tote and bring it in as needed. It's extra work, playing pick up sticks in the woods but you'll appreciate those little rounds when starting your fires.

Dry sticks make excellent kindling and you don't have to split anything. Just break the stuff up by hand. Lay a handful on some newspaper, it lights up quick.

 

[mass_burner]

I'd save it for kindling and starter wood. We keep a couple trash barrels full of small cut branches outside the door for just this purpose. Fill a tote and bring it in as needed. It's extra work, playing pick up sticks in the woods but you'll appreciate those little rounds when starting your fires.

Dry sticks make excellent kindling and you don't have to split anything. Just break the stuff up by hand. Lay a handful on some newspaper, it lights up quick.

yes, I remember those times last winter.

 

[tomc585]

I keep "emergency" kindling and well seasoned split logs on my deck in a plastic deck box (found in the trash). I rarely need to restart a fire once the cold sets in. I've gone 2 months without having to restart a fire. A few hot coals and some well seasoned wood are all I need.