Quandary

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Garbanzo62

Minister of Fire
Aug 25, 2022
633
Connecticut
I am in a quandary about what should be burned in my new insert. It hasn't even been installed yet. Here is the situation;
1) I had close to 2 cords split and stacked for the past 4 years, but since we only used a fire pit I've given a lot of that to a friend that heated with wood. Guessing I have 2/3s cord left. Additionally, I have some other wood that is split and stacked for a little over a year(Mostly Maple and Birch). Probably a cord in total ready to burn now.
2) I have about a cord (maybe a little more) of Oak Split and stacked, but it was cut down in August. Hoping some might be burnable towards the end of Next winter
3) I have about a cord of Ash recently split and stacked from some dead trees on my property, some is borderline punky, some is real nice. I am thinking some of this might be ready towards the end of this Winter.
4) I have a pile of small stuff (Half pinky width to wrist width) from downed and cut branches that are between 18 and 4 months old. Unfortunately it is not completely separated by age. (Originally destined to burn in the fire pit)
So here is my problem...... My wife insists on burning that Pile of small stuff in the new insert. I keep trying to tell her that the really small stuff will be gone in two seconds and that the Thumb to Wrist size pieces need to dry more (many of those pieces were on living trees this spring). I am pretty sure the real small stuff I can use for Cold starts, but what is the best way to use the thicker pieces even if they are not fully seasoned. Also, the Wrist size piece I can split to check moisture, but how do you do that with a piece as thick as your thumb? Since the pile was intermixed, I can't rely on testing a few pieces.
 
I wouldn't run the finger sized stuff. It might take off too fast, risking an out of control situation (even if the fuel will be gone soon). And if it doesn't take off, it is too wet, see creosote etc.
 
I wouldn't run the finger sized stuff. It might take off too fast, risking an out of control situation (even if the fuel will be gone soon). And if it doesn't take off, it is too wet, see creosote etc.
I am thinking that maybe I could use a pocket knife to get into the center of the smaller pieces and check for moisture, then just use anything smaller than 2 inch diameter for cold starts to build initial coal bed
 
Wife wins. Burn it. 1/3 of a firebox every load. Small stuff will pack to mostly air in the firebox. Good for a fast fire. I wouldn’t worry to much about an over fire Just it gets hot but is over fast. First cold day start with the small stuff. To demonstrate how much better the big stuff is. I wouldn’t worry to much about the moister of the small stuff.


Or have a big bonfire and burn it all. Cook her favorite dish on it.
 
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measuring moisture content on such small branches won't be very reliable; the current flows in a wider path between the prongs (not just along the line). For small branches, their size will interfere with this measurement.

If you're set on burning them, I would not burn whole loads of this, but add them to a certain percentage to larger pieces. If you burn them when it's still a bit warm out, draft will be less, and taking off will be less of an issue too.
 
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Wife wins. Burn it. 1/3 of a firebox every load. Small stuff will pack to mostly air in the firebox. Good for a fast fire. I wouldn’t worry to much about an over fire Just it gets hot but is over fast. First cold day start with the small stuff. To demonstrate how much better the big stuff is. I wouldn’t worry to much about the moister of the small stuff.


Or have a big bonfire and burn it all. Cook her favorite dish on it.
OK. Now I just need to get her to understand I should be cutting and stacking for next year now and not next summer
 
OK. Now I just need to get her to understand I should be cutting and stacking for next year now and not next summer
Let her load of less than seasoned wood after she has is great at reloading the dry stuff. Won’t catch, no heat, ect then make the comments that my wife did “why isn’t the stove working” ;).

Second thought just demonstrate it yourself while she observes.