In a message dated 27/11/01 18:03:16 GMT Standard Time,
ThurmanConsult@xxxxxxxxxxx.com writes:
Criteria would be: Ease of ignition, calorific value, and slowness of burn.
There seems to be a lot of disagreement.
I'm sure I never said Tulip was good firewood! But I will say that missing
from all the lists so far is Robinia. I was told that this had the highest
calorific value of any timber. Can't remember who told me that but it
certainly induces high temperatures in my Rayburn. It does need drying though
and smells a bit of burnt laburnum, must be cos its a legume?
Ash is best because it doesn't have to be dried that well and splits so
nicely.
Beech; good but dry it and it can be hard to split.
Sycamore the same.
Holm Oak great but not commonly available for this purpose. I read that in
'Practical Self Sufficiency' years ago.
Red Oak was good but again not commonly available. It might spit.
Elm was never very good unless it had died (DED) and then stood up dead for a
while then it was veritable rocket fuel. Burned too fast though.
Holly is good when dry.
Hawthorn good .
Probably the secret is in the drying. Ash certainly gets hotter the drier it
is. Someone once told me that in Alaska, where I imagine keeping warm is a
bit necessary, that all firewood is dried for 2 years before burning.
Mind you I've sat in March, in the snow outside french alpine cabins being
burned by the sun and you can actually smell the firewood baking. So perhaps
its the quality of drying that really counts.
Open fires? Most of the heat goes up the chimney. Get a stove if you want to
be warm!
Bill.
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