Fire wood, types and qualities...

[MrPhil]

I have been looking for some sort of list covering type of wood, what uses it has and more importantly (and hence this section of the forum) what properties it has when using it as a fuel. If you think its a good idea, please add to the list...

Ash
Good wood for burning, produces both heat and flame and some people say it will also burn when green.
Can be used for tool handles, canoe paddles and food bowls.
Is a fine wood great for holding detail and patterns.

 

[malente]

These were handed down for generations here in the forum (thanks demographic):

Beechwood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year,
Chestnut's only good they say,
If for long 'tis laid away.
Make a fire of Elder tree,
Death within your house will be.

Birch and fir logs burn too fast
Blaze up bright and do not last,
It is by the Irish said
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.
Elm wood burns like churchyard mould,
E'en the very flames are cold.

Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes you choke,
Apple wood will scent your room
Pear wood smells like flowers in bloom
Oaken logs, if dry and old
keep away the winter's cold
But Ash wood wet or Ash wood dry
a king shall warm his slippers by.

And another...

Logs to burn; logs to burn;
Logs to save the coal a turn.

Here's a word to make you wise
when you hear the woodman's cries;
Never heed his usual tale
That he's splendid logs for sale
But read these lines & really learn
The proper kind of logs to burn.

Oak logs will warm you well,
If they're old and dry.
Larch logs of pinewoods smell
But the sparks will fly.
Beech logs for Christmas time;
Yew logs heat well;
'Scotch' logs it is a crime
For anyone to sell.
Birch logs will burn too fast;
Chestnut scarce at all;
Hawthorn logs are good to last
If cut in the fall.
Holly logs will burn like wax,
You should burn them green;
Elm logs like smouldering flax,
No flame to be seen.
Pear logs and apple logs,
They will scent your room;
Cherry logs across the dogs
Smell like flowers in bloom,
But ash logs all smooth and grey
Burn them green or old,
Buy up all that come your way
They're worth their weight in gold.

 

[Fallow Way]

Those peoms are lovely, but I can never remember poems in genreal (a bit of Tennyson and that is about it).

I have spent a few years gathering, seasoning and then buring wood of as many different types as possible, repeatidly, running comparrisons with other species to really get a feel as to what each species under a range of conditions is going to give me.

It really is worthwhile spending a few years doing this and thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyable.

 

[British Red]

The poem about elder and "graveyard mould" are about right though IMO

I've got loatds of the stuff to fell and I'm tempted to just bung it all through the chipper!

 

[malente]

I find it strange that elder, of all woods, makes a good bow drill material...

 

[jungle_re]

I find it strange that elder, of all woods, makes a good bow drill material...

Are you sure you dont mean Alder?
I have used Alder as a bow drill heath to decent effect but never tried elder

 

[British Red]

The soft pith in elder does work well - very like using a hand drill

 

[MrPhil]

I have been asking around about this Elder tree and have come up with some uses for it.

The soft pith of an Elder branch is easily pushed out, leaving you with a tube and some pith. The tubes can be used as blow pipes for blowing fires and the pith can be used for fishing floats. Whistles, small pegs and weaving needles can be made from the hard wood, which also polishes up well.

 

[MrPhil]

Alder on the other hand...
The bark from the main trunk can be used for a reddish dye, the young shoots will produce a yellow dye and the catkins will dye green.

As a wood to work with, the Alder is a very good choice if you need something to work with water and in days of old they use to build bridges from this stuff. Bowls, spoons and water pumps can be made from this wood and it has a good pattern to the grain of mature wood.

Is it true that the Alder tree is a good sign that water is about, like a stream or lake?

 

[British Red]

Nope - they grow on high chalk with no standing or running water within miles!

 

[superc0ntra]

Too bad you don't speak swedish. Yngve Ryd has written a book "eld" (fire) where he describes the sami "secrets" of firemaking going into great detail about wood, weather, time of year, what the fire is used for, traditions etc. Based on countless hours of interviewing old (80+) sami men and women. It's an awesome book.

 

[VirusKiller]

I've asked this before, but never got an answer: What does "holly burns like wax" mean?

 

[jimford]

I was given some holly logs about 1ft diameter and 1ft long. The ones with no branches split OK. The ones with branches have really tough wild grain. I whacked my 'log grenade' wedge flush with my 8lb maul and the log still wouldn't split. I also couldn't get the wedge out again! I left it for a few weeks and gave it a good seeing to with the maul, and eventually got it out. I've abandoned the other logs with wild grain!

The moral? Be careful in selecting holly logs that need splitting!

Jim

 

[British Red]

Log grenades - a bit of inferior kit with a fancy name to trap the unwary and inexperienced!

Working with old fashioned paired steel wedges you simply can't get into such a state

I gave a log grenade away after trying it - it just doesn't work on areas where limbs protruted etc. Whereas a maul and two or four steel wedges always does.

Nice macho name though - clever bit of marketing

 

[MrPhil]

Too bad you don't speak swedish. Yngve Ryd has written a book "eld" (fire) where he describes the sami "secrets" of firemaking going into great detail about wood, weather, time of year, what the fire is used for, traditions etc. Based on countless hours of interviewing old (80+) sami men and women. It's an awesome book.

I did a quick search online and came up with this page...
http://www.taigarescue.org/index.php?view=taiga_news&tn_ID=1137

It mentions at the bottom that they are looking to publish the book in English, so I think I might hang on till then - might be quicker than trying to learn another language, although another language up my sleeve may have its uses?!?

I also read that its not the easiest book to get hold of, will save the name and have a look laters. Cheers for mentioning it any ways.

Phil.