Hi everyone, I hope that the weather is improving where you are. Question, say you are splitting a 16"-20" dia. log for your boiler. Do you split it into 2, 4, 6, 8, or more pieces? I know there are many factors that go into this equation. I am looking for your personal experience as to what you have learned. If I am going to cut, split, stack, and burn wood for the next 20 or so years if I could benefit from your collective knowledge it would be much appreciated. Thank you and happy spring!
Optimum size to split wood?
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with my gasser i like to see it split pretty small. The biggest 4 inches square? Like you would for an old fashioned cook stove. With that being said I have burned some pretty good sized pieces. I am now buying my wood all processed, and sometimes it's bigger than i like. I put about 1/2 small splits on the bottom and top off the firebox with bigger splits. My rational is once the bigger ones hit the bottom, there is a big bed of coals. With a gasser the smaller splits burn hotter faster. Thats kinda what you want
I think it really depends on what kind of wood boiler you have. I know the guys with the OWB like the whole logs or as big as you can lift in, but for gassers it's different. I know my econoburn does better with larger spilts about 4 inches in dia. or a little larger. If I load it with a full load to the top with small splits than I get some back puffing, but if they are larger I don't have any trouble. That said I tend to spilt based on when I will need the wood, if I will be burning it soon I will spilt it small so that I will dry quicker or larger if it will have more time to age. Like I said a lot of variables here. As always dry wood is best.
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Like it was said it depends on the boiler.
When I first got into this way of life I wasn't sure what the Wood Gun would like to burn and just did what I had heard here.
I heard that gasifiers like small dry splits, like the size of a playing card
But heres what I learned
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...ut-i-doubt-the-wife-will.121997/#post-1635383
When I first got into this way of life I wasn't sure what the Wood Gun would like to burn and just did what I had heard here.
I heard that gasifiers like small dry splits, like the size of a playing card
But heres what I learned
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...ut-i-doubt-the-wife-will.121997/#post-1635383
I oversplit but generally try to keep the pieces no bigger than 6x6, although occasionally some flat slabs make it past me. I tend to oversplit to decrease drying time. Of course with white birch unless its less than about 2" I try to split it at least once and preferably in quarters. On birch its real important to have a 2/3rds bare wood to 1/3 bark at minimum ratio to keep it from rotting under the bark.
My old burnham undergrate boiler likes to burn real hot as it has no secondaries, small wood gives a lot hotter fire and the firebox isn't very large. No such thing as an overnight burn with an undergrate air system and refractory lined pit. Its basically full tilt or none.
My old burnham undergrate boiler likes to burn real hot as it has no secondaries, small wood gives a lot hotter fire and the firebox isn't very large. No such thing as an overnight burn with an undergrate air system and refractory lined pit. Its basically full tilt or none.
Interested in hearing others input... amassing a giant stockpile of firewood here and would prefer to split it to the right size the first time around.
I like a variety of sizes from playing card size to 6x6 plus the odd Knurly one that may be larger. I batch burn so therefore light a new cold fire every day. Assuming that the smaller pieces catch fire faster than the larger ones, those are the ones I place on the charcoal that is left over from yesterday's fire and as I load more off the cart I will choose the ones that are progressively larger saving the larger ones on the cart for later. The firebox is loaded to a level that is half to slightly over half full and is touched off by torch from beneath. After 2 to 2.5 hours I will make a trip to the boiler and add enough larger splits that will bring the storage to a desired temperature range. The larger splits will burn slower and help my storage which is now near the high limit of the boiler absorb the output and keep it from going to idle.
I'm usually home during this part of the afternoon because my burn time encompasses the dinner hour plus the daily chores that accompany dog ownership which means it's also feeding time and poop walk time. If for the odd reason, I will not be home during that time, I will usually just fill the firebox starting with the smaller splits and then progressively larger.
I'm usually home during this part of the afternoon because my burn time encompasses the dinner hour plus the daily chores that accompany dog ownership which means it's also feeding time and poop walk time. If for the odd reason, I will not be home during that time, I will usually just fill the firebox starting with the smaller splits and then progressively larger.
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