Burning really old firewood

[kmdesautelle]

When I bought my house over 7 years ago (when the oil was 99 cents/gallon) there was about 1/2 cord of split, stacked firewood. In year 2, I moved the woodpile to the back of the yard and left it. Now I just installed my Morso 2110 and have 3 cords of purchased, seasoned, split wood all stacked neatly down the driveway. But the 7+ year old stack is still there.

I have read alot on this website about burning pallets, etc. and basically the rule is not to burn really dry stuff. Can I mix this old firewood with the new and/or and burn it one piece at a time when I am home? I don't want to over-fire and harm my new investment.

Karen

 

[fossil]

So long as it hasn't gotten punky or rotten, you can burn it all you want. In fact, you can burn it even if it has gotten a bit punky. Rick

 

[Jags]

When I bought my house over 7 years ago (when the oil was 99 cents/gallon) there was about 1/2 cord of split, stacked firewood. In year 2, I moved the woodpile to the back of the yard and left it. Now I just installed my Morso 2110 and have 3 cords of purchased, seasoned, split wood all stacked neatly down the driveway. But the 7+ year old stack is still there.

I have read alot on this website about burning pallets, etc. and basically the rule is not to burn really dry stuff. Can I mix this old firewood with the new and/or and burn it one piece at a time when I am home? I don't want to over-fire and harm my new investment.

Karen

If it is still good quality fuel (solid wood), burn it. Being stacked outside, I doubt if your internal moisture content is going to get real low, like kiln dried wood. It should be good to go, but...... keep an eye on it for the first load or two, just to make sure I'm not lying to ya. ;-P

 

[Pine Knot]

My Dutchwest owners manual recomends to not burn wood over two years old. Or mix it with less seasoned wood. So be careful with the first load or two.

 

[savageactor7]

My Dutchwest owners manual recomends to not burn wood over two years old. Or mix it with less seasoned wood. So be careful with the first load or two.

Is the DW a cat stove? I don't think the Morso is ...anyway I'd burn the wood. sure why not?

 

[tutu_sue]

I had some very old wood at one time and it ran away from me - thump, thump, thump - scary!. After that, I mixed 3 to 1, newer vs. old, putting the old one on the bottom to start the burn faster. Worked great and no more heart attacks!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

As this is being written, our wood pile is large enough for a 7 year supply. So, what do you suppose I'll be burning 7 years from now? I worry not.

 

[Risser09]

I'll be burning cherry that my grandfather split in 1997.

 

[woodconvert]

As this is being written, our wood pile is large enough for a 7 year supply. So, what do you suppose I'll be burning 7 years from now? I worry not.

...better mix it with some less seasoned 3-1/2 year old stuff

 

[Adios Pantalones]

I have bow staves that are 8 years old that have been sitting in the shed. I burned most of them- some hickory. I have hedge/osage left. That stuff will throw some AMAZING heat considering it's the king of woods and SUPER dry.

 

[woodconvert]

I have bow staves that are 8 years old that have been sitting in the shed. I burned most of them- some hickory. I have hedge/osage left.

Not to sidetrack the thread but my neighbor hunts with "home made" bows and arrows (he calls them fletchings). He uses a lot of osage and black walnut and man do they look awesome....dunno how they burn though. That's a unique art.

 

[ScottF]

I have firewood that sat 10 years outside with no cover. A lot of the top part was punky. I burned it all anyhow. punky just burned a little faster but it all burned great. No problems at all. You will just get fewer BTU's from punky wood.

 

[allhandsworking]

Its better then burning really old dinosaure bones. "Smoke em if ya got em"

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Fletchings are just the feathers on the arrow. A fletcher is an arrow maker. An arrowsmith makes arrow points.

I've probably made 35-50 bows, including osage and yew. Osage can be quite snakey in grain- and bows made from it are sometimes backed with snakeskin. It's super dense and has the same energy as anthracite coal (no exaggeration).

 

[woodconvert]

Fletchings are just the feathers on the arrow. A fletcher is an arrow maker. An arrowsmith makes arrow points.

I've probably made 35-50 bows, including osage and yew. Osage can be quite snakey in grain- and bows made from it are sometimes backed with snakeskin. It's super dense and has the same energy as anthracite coal (no exaggeration).

Huh...maybe is misheard him. I know he makes his own arrows (maybe he said fletcher..) and I believe he uses store bought tips and feathers. Regardless, they look too nice to use.

He has a local supplier of unique woods so he can look at the grains before he purchases it. Most of his bows that i've seen are laminated and all the arrows are of at least two species of wood. I'll try to get a pic this weekend if he's out in his shop.

 

[ScottF]

It’s super dense and has the same energy as anthracite coal (no exaggeration).

AP, Is it more dense than IPE. I have heard that IPE is so dense it has the same fire rating as concrete.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

It's not more dense than ipe (small letters- it's a name, not an acronym). I have made laminated bows with ipe- but it's so strong that it may overpower the other lams if not made in thin proportion. I still have a full ipe board at home- I have burned some scraps in the kiln. I had some respiratory distress breathing in ipe particles when sanding it. Yew as well. Osage not so much- though it gives you yellow pulpy snot and can cause a skin reaction.

 

[ScottF]

I have burned some scraps in the kiln

So it does burn, the website I read must be wrong. How does ipe burn? I have a lot left over from a deck project that I wanted to burn but I didnt realize you could. Should i put it in the dragon or the fireplace?

 

[billb3]

I think the rule is more along the lines of 'be careful burning real dry old stuff'.


If you've never burned very dry softwood like pine, especially split thin like pallet boards, the quick heat and burn rate can be a bit 'surprising'.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Scott- everything burns at some temperature When the kiln is 2000-2300 F, ipe burns. I don't know about in a stove.

 

[crazy_dan]

Osage is great wood for when it is in the sub-zero range I still got about 3 cords in the shed cut and split just waiting for the right weather to burn it up, It is sad when you have to mix a species of wood with oak to cool it off

 

[Hiram Maxim]

A good friend (mentor) has been burning wood for the last 40+ years in his Gun Shop and home.
He swears that most hard woods take 5 years to season properly. Now granted his wood is split in 10"x10"x36" pieces so that might play a roll.
Lately He has been burning wood that has been standing dead for 10 years and says it burns F A N tastic!

He made his own stove using armor plate from an old Tank. He just retro fitted a secondary burn system for it with 5 tubes.

 

[begreen]

Grab a picture if you can. That should be interesting.

 

[Hiram Maxim]

Grab a picture if you can. That should be interesting.

I assume you mean a picture from me?

If so not a problem.
He built the stove 30+ years ago and its a Monster. Its been to warm to do any serious burning in it yet.

When he fired it up last week to test the system he used some semi seasoned wood (oak) and he said it went to operating temp really fast and when he checked the stack the emissions were clear with no visible smoke.

He has no window so there is no way to check the firebox visibly. He said he might make a viewing window in the not so distant future. Also he used a bronze baffle plate instead of steel or ceramic.

Cheers

 

[begreen]

Cool. Yes pics would be great. He seems to be a great scavenger. Where did the bronze baffle come from? Was it an old memorial plaque?