Safe wood

[milius2]

Hi guys, we wen't out for few bushy days last weekend. Decided to try out a group shelter for three people, made out of sticks and fallen leaves, with fireplace inside and a hole in top. One thing. The wood we burned was hazel. There were loads of it available around. What we find out to our dissapointment, that this wood is NO GOOD for "indoor" use as it spits quite a lot. One fella wake up with three holles in his sleeping bag. From what i saw, I think you can actually get yourself on fire from those.

We had a choise: pine (wet), hazel (plenty of dry standing), spruce (mostly wet), some ash and birch (long walk to get and it was wet) So what would be your choise in this situation?


Pictures added

outside of shelter - entrance.

me, munching on sorrel soup

chiken on sticks

 

[gregorach]

Given that choice, I'd probably go for the hazel and not get too close. Second choice would be ash, wet or not (if it was dry, it would be first choice no matter how far). Pine and spruce spit like crazy, and birch burns too fast.

 

[Golb]

Not an answer to your question, but sweet chesnut also spits like hell. Good for carving, but not for a pleasant campfire.

 

[milius2]

Golb, this is good to know. Thank you. Any more of these nasty woods?

Thank's Gregorach.

 

[Harvestman]

I used some sweet chestnut in my bushbuddy the other day, and it was like cooking on a box of fireworks.

Good flame and heat and all that, but snap, crackle, pop, BANG!

 

[revol]

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.
But Ash new or Ash old
Is fit for a queen with crown of gold.
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.
But Ash green or Ash brown
Is fit for a queen with golden crown.
Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes you choke.
Apple wood will scent your room
With an incense like perfume.
Flames from larch will shoot up high,
And dangerously the sparks will fly...

Oaken logs, if dry and old.
Keep away the winter's cold.
But Ash wet or Ash dry
A king shall warm his slippers by.

 

[Ray Britton]

I would have gone for the hazel, but would have placed any spare hazel around the fire so it could dry out a bit more (if it was wet or damp), as this reduces any any spitting in my experience. Once the hazel is fairly dry (35-45% moisture content (bearing in mind that 20% is dry)), the wood will usually just let any moisture of of its ends as vapour, and spit less.

 

[milius2]

You could do that. But there was a pile of wood, a large one, for the whole night, so what you suggesting is a bit too difficult to do as this would take a lot of time to shift the wood arount the shelter and no time to sleep It could be done though with a bigger shelter.