WhAT do you use for kindling?

[sapratt]

I've been trying to save the bark from the wood that I have been splitting to use for kindling.
But everytime I leave it out to dry it gets wet and moldy. So I have been burning it or throwing
it away. I have some 2x4 cut offs I have been saving but I don't think that is enough. What do
you all use for kindling?

 

[MishMouse]

I normally use the brudh pile as a source of kindling.
Those dry sticks and twigs are an excellent fire starter.

 

[BrotherBart]

I have containers that I put all of the "splitter trash" in and that is most of my kindling. During the winter I also split up some small pieces of pine.

A lot of people buy the fireplace "logs" at the store and slice pieces off of them for fire starting. I tried that but I want things rolling faster so I grab a handful of kindling, lay it on top of small splits and use bow-tied newspaper sheets on top of that for a top-down starting burn.

 

[Elderthewelder]

I use pallet wood, pallets are real easy to come by for me, I cut them up with my chainsaw and put them in a big wooden box in my garage. When its time to make a fire I grab a couple handfulls, put a 1/4 of a supercedar firestarter in with it and i have a instant fire, wait a little while and add splits. works great

 

[fossil]

I have containers that I put all of the "splitter trash" in and that is most of my kindling. During the winter I also split up some small pieces of pine.

Me too. Then, when the kindling's burning pretty well, I put in some bigger pieces of pine. And then I put in some really big pieces of pine. And then I carry some more pine in to replenish my wood bin next to the stove. I'm just pining away my life here. 8-/ Rick

 

[trailblaster]

With all that pine, you must not need any of the pine air fresheners you see hanging from rearview mirrors.

 

[Carl]

Just split up a large garbage can full of cedar for starters. I have used the store fire starters and cut them up but messy. I tried some of the cedar fire starters they sent me and they worked good but still debating the cost of them. May spring for a 100 box since they are smaller, cleaner, and less messy than the store bought firestarters. Meanwhile will live with the garbage can of cedar splits I did. Took about an hour to fill the can with small splits.

Reminds me of splitting fish shanty stove wood when I was a kid.

 

[sapratt]

Fossil how does the pine burn? I have some but my neighbor says not to burn it because of creasote. Of course he's the same one that said particle board was ok to burn in the stove.

 

[fossil]

With all that pine, you must not need any of the pine air fresheners you see hanging from rearview mirrors.

No, I don't need those things, cute as they are :shut: . Each of my vehicles has an appropriately sized green pine split dangling from the rear view mirror. I have to change them out after a while for fresh ones as the old ones season. It's made me a somewhat smoother driver, but I also find I have to keep a stock of mirror adhesive on hand. :wow: Rick

 

[fossil]

Fossil how does the pine burn? I have some but my neighbor says not to burn it because of creasote. Of course he's the same one that said particle board was ok to burn in the stove.

no man, I've told the story many times before, but I certainly don't mind repeating it. Properly seasoned and properly burned, pine will result in no more creosote formation than any other species of properly seasoned and properly burned firewood. I get some fir and some juniper, larch and a couple of different species of pine, and that's pretty much all I get. I burned 7 cords during this last season. No problem. Just make sure it's dry...like any other wood. I'm going to paste one statement from the following article:

https://www.hearth.com/what/guidelines.html

The statement reads: "The type of wood you burn is not as important a factor in wood burning as the creosote formation from improper burning technique (see Starting a fire and Tending a Fire). There is not much difference between creosote forming from burning dry softwood as compared to burning green hardwoods. Hardwood, if unseasoned or wet, could even produce more creosote than pine."

If you got pine, don't be afraid to burn it. Rick

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Thanks for the ongoing defense of pine, I have a lot on my property, even though I live in "hard wood country". I am drying some now and hope to use it next winter. I also have a lot of Eastern Red Cedar and plan to burn some of that too.

There's a lot of false information about the woes of burning pine, see for example:
(broken link removed to http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070226125519AACveUa)
I'm not saying the stuff in the above link is true, but it appears to be a consensus from a number of "experts". :bug:

 

[BrotherBart]

All pine is terribly dangerous to burn. All pine should be disposed of immediately by send it via FedEx Freight prepaid to the Manassas, Virginia FedEx Freight terminal Attn:BroBart. It will be picked up wearing appropriate safety gear and disposed of in a safe, approved manner next winter using the EPA approved Englander 30-NC Pine Disposal Unit.

BrotherBart is a professional. Do not try this at home.

 

[fossil]

Thanks for the ongoing defense of pine, I have a lot on my property, even though I live in "hard wood country". I am drying some now and hope to use it next winter. I also have a lot of Eastern Red Cedar and plan to burn some of that too.

There's a lot of false information about the woes of burning pine, see for example:
(broken link removed to http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070226125519AACveUa)
I'm not saying the stuff in the above link is true, but it appears to be a consensus from a number of "experts". :bug:

"Experts", indeed. (I think NOT!) These people are just passing myths and legends down from one generation to the next through their songs and dances around their woodburning campfire. I wish I could have all the pine they're going to leave somewhere to rot...I'd be warm & safe for winters to come. Rick

 

[sapratt]

You know its funny saying passing a myth because this guy (my neighbor) hasn't heated his house with wood for about 15yrs.

 

[RedRanger]

I use this for kindling

 

[fossil]

You know its funny saying passing a myth because this guy (my neighbor) hasn't heated his house with wood for about 15yrs.

Well, no man, I wouldn't just dismiss the man right off the bat, I understand pine's changed a lot in the last 15 years...at least that's what I heard around the campfire a couple of nights ago. :lol: Rick

 

[begreen]

I use cabinetry shop scraps and unfinished flooring cut offs. They're easy to get and burn great.

 

[Carl]

Opps, now I did it. Cut this down a couple of years ago and am burning it now in the brats fire pit. Kind of aged but if I cut any more down I will certainly process them for burning in the house stove. Not proud anymore.

(broken image removed)

 

[fossil]

...Kind of aged...

Carl, you talkin' about the wood, the chain saw, or the guy standing there? :cheese: Rick

 

[sapratt]

Is that a 16in bar on that saw? If so how was it cutting that tree? The cherry tree I cut down looks about the same size. Let me tell ya that little saw didn't like it but it did the job.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Okay, with the trust I have in you guys, including BrotherBart's funny offer to dispose of the dreaded pine, I'll keep collecting pine and stacking it in my wood pile for use when dry, maybe by December. All the pine I have has come from my property, I've not gone into the woods to collect any, but have eyed with some interest the at least 20 dead or near-dead pines in her pack property, even more than I have. That section of property was set up by the original owner (sold about 10 years ago) as a pine tree farm, I guess Christmas Trees, but he never got around to selling, so the trees just kept growing, and too close together for all to be healthy.

 

[savageactor7]

My wife grabs up the splitter trash like it's gold...when I can get away with it I just pile it up in the wheelbarrow and burn it in the campfire pit...how much kindling does a person need anyway? I tell her we burn 24/7 so we always have hot coals. truthfully I just don't like keeping kindling around. For me it's just as easy to get a fire re-started with junk mail.

 

[Todd]

I don't go through much kindling since I burn 24/7, but when I do I use scraps left over from splitting, pine scraps from works or just split it as needed from my firewood pile.

As far as Pine goes, nothing wrong with burning it. It sparks and pops more than most other woods, so look out when you open up your stove door, and you just go through more cords compared to good hardwood. I'm kind of spoiled by all the Black Locust and Oak I have, so no need to burn Pine in the stove but I do have 1/2 cord for my outdoor pit.

 

[Carl]

...Kind of aged...

Carl, you talkin' about the wood, the chain saw, or the guy standing there? :cheese: Rick

By the looks of them, they are all gracefully aged.

 

[fossil]

...Kind of aged...

Carl, you talkin' about the wood, the chain saw, or the guy standing there? :cheese: Rick

By the looks of them, they are all gracefully aged.

Can't argue with that, my friend...not one bit. Rick