Does anyone here other than myself make their own kindling? For years, I have been splitting cordwood into kindling. I make a pretty big pile, stack it, and let it season like that for a year. I even give a big wagon full to my favorite neighbors too. Works awecome. I usuallly use either some wood 'tinder' or newspaper, then throw about seven peices of this kindling and then top it off with a few splits. Fires right up, and good for reviving a fire too. I can't keep a stove running 24/7 throughout the season, so a good supply keeps me going all season long.
What do you use for kindling?
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At the beginning of last season (my first burning) I used a hatchet to split up smaller splits into kindling size pieces. After a couple months, and because we were burning 24*7, our need for starting fresh fires pretty much went away as we were always able to restart our fires with leftover coals.
This year, though, when my wood was delivered (I'm not cutting and splitting my own yet) and I started stacking it, I threw all the smaller kindling size pieces that were mixed in, into a pile. In the end it wound up being quite a bit, so I've got plenty for this year, and probably next.
This year, though, when my wood was delivered (I'm not cutting and splitting my own yet) and I started stacking it, I threw all the smaller kindling size pieces that were mixed in, into a pile. In the end it wound up being quite a bit, so I've got plenty for this year, and probably next.
I like to collect every little scrap left over after splitting and usually fill a bunch of 5 gal. buckets. Lots of little peices I call tinder. Never thought of the pallets though. I have stacks of them at work. You got me thinking now. But some of them seem kind of punky.
The softwood pallets make the best kindling;the hardwood pallets,I mix in with my cordwood......wicked heat!
My favorite is soft maple. When I am splitting wood in the Spring, when I get a nice soft maple with no knots, I split that, using the log splitter, into small pieces. Using the splitter really works neat and is fast. I usually sit on an old milk crate and with one hand on the control and the other on the log it's just a matter of just a little up and down with the plunger...just a few inches, and it is done.
You do have to be careful as maple sometimes has a tendency to throw a piece of kindling once in a while. Stings if you get hit in the leg! Never though has anyone here got hurt from this but you must be careful anyway.
The kindling is then stacked to dry. My wife also insists on cleaning up around the log splitter where little pieces have dropped. They do make good kindling but you can't stack that stuff. In the stove you just throw some in on top of some crumbled paper (no colored paper), place a couple small splits on top and light it.
You do have to be careful as maple sometimes has a tendency to throw a piece of kindling once in a while. Stings if you get hit in the leg! Never though has anyone here got hurt from this but you must be careful anyway.
The kindling is then stacked to dry. My wife also insists on cleaning up around the log splitter where little pieces have dropped. They do make good kindling but you can't stack that stuff. In the stove you just throw some in on top of some crumbled paper (no colored paper), place a couple small splits on top and light it.
My favorite is soft maple. When I am splitting wood in the Spring, when I get a nice soft maple with no knots, I split that, using the log splitter, into small pieces. Using the splitter really works neat and is fast. I usually sit on an old milk crate and with one hand on the control and the other on the log it's just a matter of just a little up and down with the plunger...just a few inches, and it is done.
You do have to be careful as maple sometimes has a tendency to throw a piece of kindling once in a while. Stings if you get hit in the leg! Never though has anyone here got hurt from this but you must be careful anyway.
The kindling is then stacked to dry. My wife also insists on cleaning up around the log splitter where little pieces have dropped. They do make good kindling but you can't stack that stuff. In the stove you just throw some in on top of some crumbled paper (no colored paper), place a couple small splits on top and light it.
You do have to be careful as maple sometimes has a tendency to throw a piece of kindling once in a while. Stings if you get hit in the leg! Never though has anyone here got hurt from this but you must be careful anyway.
The kindling is then stacked to dry. My wife also insists on cleaning up around the log splitter where little pieces have dropped. They do make good kindling but you can't stack that stuff. In the stove you just throw some in on top of some crumbled paper (no colored paper), place a couple small splits on top and light it.
I found that when using the splitter like that works great. And every once in a while, actually pretty often, the peices will POP and go flying too. When I try to hold a bunch of them they POP against your hand and it can hurt. But, it is fun.
I have some pine that has been split and stacked for two years now and I have a few wheelbarrows full of bark and other various small pieces I shoveled up from around the splitter. I laid it on my concreter patio for a few weeks so do. I'm hoping that will work for me.
Because i live in the woods, I have access to all the dead branches I could ever want. I cut a bunch of 1" diam oak, red maple, hemlock, hickory, whatever and have tons of that stuff stored. I use small pine splits which you can almost light with a match, then 8 to 10 of the branches, softwood on bottom, hardwood on top and let her go. 20-30 mins later I've got great coals starting for adding the real wood in. the branches are great for perking up a quick blaze from coals that burned down too far also.
I spent 20-30 minutes this year with a splitter and split small/med sized birch kindling from small rounds...its enough to last all winter and its really, really dry. I will post a picture soon.
The WoodButcher
The WoodButcher
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I have used basially all different kinds..The absolute best kindling that I have ever found was when we remodeled a house and it was full of lathe and plaster..Let me tell you, that lathe is awesome..and easy to bundle.!
Now I basically use what is leftover from my log splitter but have also been using ends of rough sawn hemlock 1"..They are about 14" long and I just pop them with a hatchet and then bundle them up
Now I basically use what is leftover from my log splitter but have also been using ends of rough sawn hemlock 1"..They are about 14" long and I just pop them with a hatchet and then bundle them up
Here in the NW we use western red cedar 1x6" boards for our fences. My neighbor wants a 5 foot fence but the boards come in 6 foot lengths. Lucky me lucky me I get all the one foot cutoffs which split like magic into superb kindling. The other years I simply find a nice straight knotless piece of cordwood and split it finely. This year I also have a lot of red cedar cordwood and I am saving the striaght pieces in case I run out of fenceboards. If you're really lucky you can get a roofer to let you have a removed cedar shake roof.
Every Spring I use the splitter to thinly slice Silver Maple, Black Birch, Cherry, Poplar or Ash. They are all great for kindling as they ignite easily.
get some 2x scraps at the local lumberyard. It is kiln dried, cheaper than sin and splits if you just point the maul it it... I put mine in rubermaid bins, since I think the moisture content is already lower than ambient so keeping humidity off it might be better that putting it in the woodpile. Besides I cant 100% protect my woodpile, but I can 100% protect my kindling.
I cut it to approximately 8"lengths since it will allow me to stack it in the stone in multiple funky ways, which you can't do with long splits.
I cut it to approximately 8"lengths since it will allow me to stack it in the stone in multiple funky ways, which you can't do with long splits.
I used to use kindling (I've got loads from splitting), but in recent years I simply pull the dried stringy stuff off the seasoned splits I bring in to start the fire and make a small pile on top of some paper...that's really all it takes for me. THis is coming from someone who used to use fatwood...I've come a long way ;-)
I picked up 3 tall wheeled plastic garbage containers at area Depot or Menards. Has a lid that holds on when handle is upright. Drilled bunch of holes in sides and bottom for aeration/drainage, and I chuck in bark/split scraps/twigs, etc. This way it will stay dry and I can move it easily in the wheeled cans.
Yard waste like twigs small branches, very small pieces of nontreated scrap lumber and bark from splitting rounds are fair game for my firestarter. I store it in 2 covered 40 gallon garbage pails on my deck which I rotate as it dries and that serves as my kindling.
i get mine kiln dried from the lumberyard for free, and from construction jobs i ask and they tell me to take it away 99% of the time. i actually just loaded my plmouth neon front back and trunk from a newly constructed home... and the best thing is theres still more!!
Adirondackwoodburner said:
I'll second that opinion on using lath. If you can find some, grab it fast. It is great. But there don't seem to be many old homes left with lath and plaster. If you find someone remodeling an old farm house, check on it. They are usually happy to get rid of it and you'll have some of the best.
One time many years ago on a Saturday we attended a wedding. On the way home I noticed a pile of lath in front of a home. They had put it out by the curb for trash pickup. We saved the trash people some time as I stopped and threw it all in the back of our van. Picture me out there doing that in my Sunday go-to-meeting clothing! But all went well.
I find that after using the log splitter (27 Ton Troy Built, 5.5 Honda got it at Lowes $990 assembled. It was reconditioned and have not had a problems in 2 seasons.) That I end up with 2-3 garbage pails of kindling scrap. I too would never waste the real stuff by splitting into kindling.
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