Clinkers

[daveswoodhauler]

Do different type of woods have a higher propensity to make these "clinkers" ..not sure of the correct terminology?
Basically, I'm running the stove about 500-550 draft 3-4's closed or so....seems like some of the wood I have leaves some bigger chunks of coal....very black.
Most of the splits are 20-22% when resplit in the middle...so perhaps I am just bordeline for burning and need more air.
I am burning maple, oak, beech and both black and white birch.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

There are still burning left in those big chunks. Leave them in the stove and yes, turning up the air towards the end of the burn will get rid of them.

 

[smokinj]

There are still burning left in those big chunks. Leave them in the stove and yes, turning up the air towards the end of the burn will get rid of them.

+1 and looks like your burning some great wood as well!

 

[Wood Duck]

I would call those chunks left in the stove 'coals.' Clinkers are chunks left after burning coal - I think they are the stuff in the coal that won't burn, but sort of melted then cooled into chunks. They are hard and make a 'clink' sound when you hit them against each other, and I always have thought that is how they get the name clinkers. There are big piles of clinkers covered with dirt around some of the steel mills in PA. These piles look like hills, and would be mountains in some parts of the country.

 

[Skier76]

I reuse em'. I put them in between the two splits I lay down when starting a new fire. With my sorta top/mid/somewhere in between down fire, they usually start glowing once things get going. I find they're good to have when you're starting a fire from scratch...which I do quite often.

 

[glacialhills]

I am burning all elm right now and I am actually getting hard clinkers left after the burn on top of the grate in the bottom of the furnace. These are not coals that have went out but actually hard cement like chunks. I dont remember getting any last year but this year I am letting the fire go out because it just is to warm yet to burn 24/7. I will have to fish a few out and get some pics to show they are different than unburned coals.

 

[SWI Don]

You will get kitty litter clumps with elm. I believe it is due to a high mineral content that gets left behind when burnt. It is normal. Just pick them out as needed. They will eventually melt if you dump them outside.

Don