Woodburning Hall of Shame

[TradEddie]

This is the beautiful view I enjoy every morning. New owners in the house since February, I never saw smoke before they moved in. Hurricane Sandy brought down a huge oak onto the lawn of this house, it seems like they are already trying to burn it! I realize they are in a valley, and its obviously a calm day, but I don't think I could generate this amount of smoke unless I threw oil soaked rags into the stove!

TE

 

[bag of hammers]

I had from an outside fire last weekend - when piling on an armload of old bark and other assorted scrapes from the ground around the wood stacks, I pretty much fogged up the area for the 5 or 10 minutes - before it took off on the hot coals (good thing I have no neighbors within a half mile or so right now). Kinda looked like your pic. I'd freak if I had that coming out of my chimney, would never do that to the neighbors.

What about a visit, bearing some house-warming gifts (pardon the pun) - like a pack of super-cedars, and some sage advice about how best not to burn the house down (by sloppy burning practices)..?

 

[DanCorcoran]

My stove always smokes on startup, then clears after 15 minutes or so. I didn't know you could start a cold stove without any smoke.

 

[TradEddie]

I've seen this go on for more than an hour. Everyone gets some smoke on startup, but its should never be this bad, and should not last.

TE

 

[bag of hammers]

I've seen this go on for more than an hour. Everyone gets some smoke on startup, but its should never be this bad, and should not last.

TE

Was kind of assuming that was the case. I get a bit of smoke on startup too, but even on the muggy days it's nothing like that pic, and very short lived....

 

[begreen]

We have a local with a new fireplace that is a similar dilemma. Other than the smoke, looks like a nice neighborhood. Looks like your trees are starting to catch up to where ours are at.

 

[webby3650]

My stove always smokes on startup, then clears after 15 minutes or so. I didn't know you could start a cold stove without any smoke.

It should never smoke like that! None of mine ever have.

 

[westkywood]

Got a good chuckle out of the thread title once I saw the pic.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Picture tells the story.

Also you are well ahead of us on Spring! Hopefully we'll catch up soon.

 

[begreen]

Apples and pears blooming here. Lilacs will be out soon. Lots of green leaves on the alders and maples. Elm is just sprouting.

 

[Woody Stover]

My stove always smokes on startup, then clears after 15 minutes or so. I didn't know you could start a cold stove without any smoke.

Try a top-down start sometime for virtually smoke-free start up. It takes a bit longer to get up to temp, but it's really clean getting there. Put the small kindling starter stuff and small splits in the top/front of the box after you've loaded the rest. Since the wood that's catching fire is below the small stuff that's already flaming, the smoke from the stuff that's catching will be burned up by the flames above it. Easiest to use this method with a cold stove.

 

[BobUrban]

My neighbors OWB is always smoking - like 24/7. he is one of those that thinks the best thing about an OWB is that you can burn green wood.

 

[Defiant]

Maybe he is chasing the skeeters away Just a thought?

 

[ScotO]

We occasionally get some smoke on start-ups, restarts, and reloads, but as was mentioned, very short lived (15 to 20 minutes MAX). Kinda sounds like you nailed the culprit, TE. Sounds like he's burning that fresh oak.......big NO-NO on that. Guaranteed creosote in that chimney, sounds like a friendly intervention may be in order......for he and his families' sake...

 

[Backwoods Savage]

My neighbors OWB is always smoking - like 24/7. he is one of those that thinks the best thing about an OWB is that you can burn green wood.

Bob, that seems to be the case with about 99% of them. Not sure why it seems so important to burn green wood but they certainly make more work for themselves although you may not convince many of that. Another case of leading a horse to water but can't make him drink.

 

[ddahlgren]

Hope no one is home to get hurt when it catches on fire. I have tried top down and bottom up starts as long as you have plenty of good kindling to get the draft going and get some heat in the bricks I have not seen much of a difference though never timed it either. Ido find it impossible to get a zero smoke startup though no matter how it is done.

On a real plus they are talking days in the 60's and nights in the 50's later this week. A few more fires then it is over for me with my first year with a EPA stove.

 

[BobUrban]

Honestly Dennis - this guy knows everything - and you don't need to ask, he just walks up and starts telling you why what you are doing is wrong and how he would do it right!! There is no way I could ever get this horse to the trough even if he just strolled across a desert - he is too proud and a damn fool.

He is my next door neighbor but with 5 acre lots the OWB is far enough away to give me a laugh, not choke me out and he is prevailing down wind so typically I don't even notice. But I do find it funny. Typical cut in November guy for this years burning. I am super surprized he has not stopped by to inform me of how my 17 cord will rot before I use it. I know that talk is coming - he cannot help himself.

 

[Wood Duck]

I have a neighbor like that - the chimney smokes almost constantly. Thing is, they have lots of wood in the yard so I think they are at least a year ahead, maybe more. I am not certain how they manage to smoke as much as they do.

 

[Flatbedford]

There's an old timer about 1/2 mile from me that does that all winter from his barn and the house. He just cut and split a bunch of Sandy Red Oak. It is stacked in his usual shady spot and i'm sure he'll burn it next year. If seen him move wood right from the splitter to the front door. Sometimes he has his whole end of the street smoked out.

 

[fossil]

This thread going anywhere other than, "We're smart, they're dumb, we've tried to teach them, but they won't listen." If not...we've been here, done this...lots of times, so what's the point? Rick

 

[Hogwildz]

Oh let the guys share and vent a lil. Lighten up Fossil.

 

[fossil]

I didn't slam it shut, Bro...just asked a question.

 

[katwillny]

Sandy was 4 minutes ago, that oak aint ready. someone should tell them it takes oak much longer than since sandy.

 

[ScotO]

I don't think anybody is slamming anyone here, just offering suggestions and friendly advice. As far as the OWB talk goes, facts are facts. Most guys who have 'em burn green wood in 'em. And the way the OWB's are designed to smolder all the time, that's just the way they are going to perform........they're going to smoke like a fiend.....

For the original post we simply offered a suggestion for TE to kindly go and offer some advice to the newby up the street. Please don't turn this into something it isn't, Rick.....

 

[Hogwildz]

A guy that owns a wrecked Avalanche I looked at, is going to burn waste oil in his. Not sure if is has a separate system to hook up like an oil furnace. But don't sound good to me.