Making kindling

[spirilis]

Hi everyone-

Just took delivery of 2 tons of WoodBrickFuel today. After stacking it in my garage I asked the guy if I could take the pallets and he let me keep 'em. I was wondering, does pallet wood make good kindling? Was thinking of chopping it up with a handsaw and splitting it into smaller pieces. Would it be advisable to heat-dry it ahead of time? Might fire up my Defiant one of these cooler nights and lay some of them on the top surface to kiln-dry... if it's worth the bother. What kind of things do you use for kindling? Right now I'm using those campfire firestarter sticks, but those are a bit pricey for what you get. Looking to secure a good pile of kindling for starting my bricks.

 

[spirilis]

Heh, just realized there's like a couple thousand threads on this topic. Short answer: yes, looks like pallets work well, as do many scraps. Might call around and see if any local furniture makers/etc. have scraps I can have for free.

 

[ROBERT F]

Lots of people use pallets for kindling, and others use it for their primary source of wood, or in addition to their cord wood. There are some things to be aware of, such as treated wood, painted wood, and chemicals used in the muanufacturing of the wood used to make the pallets. as for me, i burn 'em whenever i get 'em. lotsa stoves owners manuals say not to burn any type of dimentional lumber in them.

 

[Bigfoot]

Now I wonder why the stoves manual says not to burn dimentional wood??? Maby it burns hot, I dont know

 

[CowboyAndy]

ya lots of people use pallets for kindling. i prefer dimensional wood over pallets because they are easier to handle and get into manageable pieces, but last year i used pallets. no drying/seasoning needed!

 

[savageactor7]

Another option go for a short walk with a paper grocery bag ...that'll quickly fill with sticks and branches you break up as you move along. We're surrounded by kindling...it's everywhere, it's everywhere. Down in MD you occasional burners will need a lot more than us 24/7 burners up north.

 

[Wood Duck]

I think the reason stovemakers caution not to burn dimensional lumber is that it is a lot drier than cordwood and burns hotter. It is easy to overfire the stove, I guess. Still, lots of people burn it without problems. Just be aware that it might burn hotter than you're used to.

 

[LLigetfa]

Some pallets are chemically treated for pests. Even some of the heat treated ones are chemically treated before kiln drying.

(broken link removed to http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/homillends.htm)

 

[Danno77]

Heh, just realized there's like a couple thousand threads on this topic.

that's all? I figured there were more than that!

 

[John_M]

If you have not yet already done so, check out the link provided by LLigetfa. That provides all the info you will ever need about why you should not burn certain kinds of wood in your stove. The entire chimney sweep site is an encyclopedia of info about woodstoves and related subjects.

John_M

 

[LLigetfa]

One however, must keep things in perspective and moderation. Using a couple of small pieces of mill ends for kin'lin is not the same as using it as your primary heat source. Back when I was building my house, the wood stove was put in long before the gas furnace and I used the mill end scraps mixed in with the wood that I had cleared off the property but was less than ideally seasoned. I had cleared the land in March and started work on the interior in December.

 

[efoyt]

does your dump have an area where wood is dumped??? I love useing scrap lumber ( non treated ).

 

[spirilis]

does your dump have an area where wood is dumped??? I love useing scrap lumber ( non treated ).

heh, that's a very good question. One of these days I might get off my butt and go searching for some of these sources. For now, it wouldn't hurt me to dig out my pneumatic reciprocating saw and see how well it works cutting those pallets...

 

[Tony H]

Now I wonder why the stoves manual says not to burn dimentional wood??? Maby it burns hot, I dont know

You hit it most stoves don't care but many of the metal chimneys can not take the heat from burning the kiln dried lumber. On the other hand I know one guy that burns tons of it in his fireplace with a full masonry chimney with no problems.

 

[firefighterjake]

It's already been said, but I'll say it again.

Yes, you can use pallets for kindling . . . and in fact as long as it isn't pressure treated, painted or covered in any mystery fluids they pallets typically work out pretty well as kindling.

I wouldn't load up my stove with the stuff due to the danger of overfiring, but getting the fire going with pallets should not present any real issues.