Wood Burners

[Ben@Forest]

Coal or wood firing creates sparks, unfortunately there are lots of trees beside the line, oil firing is 'safer'

Long, dry grass would catch fire easier. If they managed it without trees they'd need regular mowing. I've been told that in the days of steam the rail companies did have mowing gangs (I'm prepared to be shot down as I've not read that!).

Of course there'd be fewer leaves on the line!

[pwa]

I think we are reaching a point where there is no such thing as "waste wood" from manufacturers using timber. Offcuts are just a resource with another purpose. My own fuel is mostly offcuts.

When larch is felled in the South Wales valleys you get regrowth of some larch mixed in with lots of birch and the odd oak and other species.

[Bonefishblues]

Conifers are no use for burning - too much resin.

Half of Europe uses softwood for burning - in terms of calorific value most softwood is about 70% of that of most hardwoods; but it's still a good product.

There's a bit of hardwood snobbery about, probably mainly because vendors always promote 'seasoned hardwood'.

The best quality, even for burning, -1
Surely there is plenty of waste wood, pallets, wood from demolished buildings, offcuts

Often treated with toxic substances. Not a good idea.

I expect I will also be told I am wrong here

[Ben@Forest]

There's a bit of hardwood snobbery about, probably mainly because vendors always promote 'seasoned hardwood'.

The best quality, even for burning, -1
Surely there is plenty of waste wood, pallets, wood from demolished buildings, offcuts

Not quite sure what you mean about best quailty. If you are growing a stand of timber then lower quailty thinnings are more likely for the firewood or chip markets, and as the stand matures the better quality and obviously bigger timber goes into roof trusses or floor planking.

You can't grow a stand of commericial timber without thinning to favour the better trees. But the smaller diameter thinnings are ideal for firewood - there's less processing cost for a start.

[Paulatic]

[
Often treated with toxic substances. Not a good idea.

I expect I will also be told I am wrong here

OK I think you’re wrong. If you’d replaced often with some then you’d have been correct.

If they are stamped MB then probably best not to burn. Most cheap pallets are KD ( kiln dried) or DB ( debarked)

[pete75]

Conifers are no use for burning - too much resin.

Half of Europe uses softwood for burning - in terms of calorific value most softwood is about 70% of that of most hardwoods; but it's still a good product.

There's a bit of hardwood snobbery about, probably mainly because vendors always promote 'seasoned hardwood'.

Some soft wood is a better all round firewood than many hardwoods. Have been using some well seasoned Yew and it seems to produce a lot of heat as well being slow burning. Not all softwoods are soft though. The hardest wood available is a softwood and the softest is a hardwood.