Trying to get some wood ribbons as I use them for tinder. From what I've heard, you get the ribbons and not wood chips by noodling the wood or cutting WITH the grain. Fine strips of wood ribbons come out and I've used them for tinder. For some reason now, it doesn't seem to be working. All I'm getting is sawdust and occasional chips. Tried on white oak round and even a round of Siberian Elm. Same effect. Is there a definite technique to this? Or is it because my wood has been sitting for 10 months? Does temps affect it? It is 15 out right now. Trying to get my fire going for the foreseeable future. Any advice is appreciated.
Wood ribbons?
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Prof
Minister of Fire
That is interesting. It sounds like you have noodled before, so I doubt it could be technique issues, but just to rule this out. You lay the round on it's bark and cut lengthwise (like you stated, with the grain). I'm curious if temperature would matter. It is -1 F at my house now with some wicked wind, so I'm not curious enough to go try it. I think I'll be more curious when temps get above 10 F.
EbS-P
Minister of Fire
So wait...don't stand the round up and cut it down it's middle? Normally how I noodle. Wondering if temps could be the issue
So as to split it down it's middle correct? Think I'm realizing something. Let's say it's a tree. Normal tree but at 4ft tall and 4ft wide. Would I take the saw as normal, lay it across the top of the tree and work my way down towards the ground vertically? Or....should I be pointing the saw up at the same direction the 'tree' is pointing and cut along that same vertical line? Hope that analogy wasn't too confusing.
I have heard of these. And working better with green wood could be my problem. None of this wood is even remotely green and probably somewhere in the mid to low 20s.
Figured it out, lay the round on its back and noodle it. Ribbons came out. Definitely technique. Not afraid to admit it was user error. Hopefully this will help any noobs searching or vets that forget from time to time like me lol
Prof
Minister of Fire
Glad you figured this out. It saved me from freezing my butt off tomorrow to see if it was the temperature.
dryer lint is good fire starter
i have been burning full time for 14 years,never any shortage of kindling till my GF starts the fire.
I take off the loose bits from a split before it goes into the fire,that gets me more than enough kindling.
Plus the scraps from around the splitter.
i have been burning full time for 14 years,never any shortage of kindling till my GF starts the fire.
I take off the loose bits from a split before it goes into the fire,that gets me more than enough kindling.
Plus the scraps from around the splitter.
I had plenty of kindling. I just needed tinder. My kindling pieces won't light on their own.
2 pieces newspaper and a small piece of cardboard for my boiler will get it roaring.The kindling doesn't stand a chance.
Terminology may be in play here,i never hear anyone say tinder around here
Kindling here is anything wood that you use to start the fire.
Could be possible. Not sure if it's wrongful terminology tho.(Honestly not being rude here) but I've read that tinder is like the stage down from kindling. So an even finer firestarter. Tinder>Kindling>Firewood
Newspaper is an excellent tinder. I just don't have any really. With the amount of wood I have, ripping is an easy, free solution for tinder. So the super small pieces from splitting get bagged as tinder...and the medium pieces get used as kindling.
Isaac Carlson
Minister of Fire
Technically, there is crosscutting, ripping, and noodling. Noodling is easier than ripping.
Crosscutting is when you are cutting across the grain and the direction of the cut moves across the grain. (Cutting rounds off a log)
Ripping is when you are cutting across the ends of the grain while the direction of the cut moves along the grain. (The round is standing up and you are cutting down it)
Noodling is when you are cutting along the grain while the direction of the cut moves across it. (The round is laying down and you are cutting parallel to the log)
Noodling can quickly clog a saw with wood fibers, so chain grind, bar angle, and clutch cover design all matter. Some saws clog more than others. One way to prevent it is to cut up from the bottom and spray noodles off the end of the bar.
They make excellent fire starter.
Crosscutting is when you are cutting across the grain and the direction of the cut moves across the grain. (Cutting rounds off a log)
Ripping is when you are cutting across the ends of the grain while the direction of the cut moves along the grain. (The round is standing up and you are cutting down it)
Noodling is when you are cutting along the grain while the direction of the cut moves across it. (The round is laying down and you are cutting parallel to the log)
Noodling can quickly clog a saw with wood fibers, so chain grind, bar angle, and clutch cover design all matter. Some saws clog more than others. One way to prevent it is to cut up from the bottom and spray noodles off the end of the bar.
They make excellent fire starter.
Wow great information there. I guess I myself had been using ripping and noodling interchangeably when they are in fact different. I've been meaning noodling this whole time. I just assumed even though they were the same technique, they were for different purposes. One for shavings, and one for splitting wood.
The more you know....
Isaac Carlson
Minister of Fire
No, no, no. I forgot to mention that ripping requires a different grind on the chain. Ripping is for making lumber, but you can cut rough boards by noodling too, but the surface finish will be very ripply and the boards may not be straight. Noodling is how you quickly saw down bigger chunks for easy handling. Ripping chain is usually about 10° on the cutter while crosscut chain (which is what is used for noodling) is usually around 30° on the cutter.
Ripping chain is just for ripping logs into lumber
Crosscut chain is for cutting logs to length (and noodling chunks into smaller pieces)
I am single at the moment.My house produces more paper products then i can use up as tinder for starting fires.I still end up with box's full of paper and box board that ends up going to be recycled.I leave most of the junk mail at the post office.
There is about a foot deep of splitter trash where i split my wood if things got tight for kindling.
Isaac Carlson
Minister of Fire
We can't burn all of our paper trash either. Have to make runs to recycle.
With all the talk of whether or not stuff actually gets recycled (all recyclables go in a compactor here, but they used to go in different bins), I am tempted to set up a burn barrel and skip the dump.
With all the talk of whether or not stuff actually gets recycled (all recyclables go in a compactor here, but they used to go in different bins), I am tempted to set up a burn barrel and skip the dump.
A lot of the junk mail is made with coated paper. Probably only 50% of content in the paper is actually cellulose that will burn. The rest is clay and titanium dioxide (AKA ash). It can be problem with catalytic combustor.
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