Show us: your log burners and open fires

[MrGrumpy]

Must admit our fire is on most nights for a bit now. Got a hold of a few big chunks of oak as well. Not quite fully dry but it does burn well . Throw it on once the fire is going well.

 

[rogerzilla]

Agreed, oak is not the best for starting a fire. If you cleave it into thin strips with a hatchet it's better, but not as good as birch strips, which go up like a torch.

 

[Archie_tect]

Mrs A_T having a quiet night in, reading her favourite book of 2020 -
got it for her birthday in October and she'd finished by the next day, then I read it - she's right!

 

[Reynard]

I'm currently burning my way through a large stash of field maple - that burns right hot too...

Though it's bloody hard to saw and split, so it's warming me up more than once!

 

[straas]

Anyone got a nice guard that goes around the hearth? Got to keep an inquisitive toddler away from the hot thing.

 

[figbat]

Update: sweep came this week and gave the fire a clean bill of health, reporting nothing but light soot in the flue. It’s nice to have evidence to confirm your wood and burning techniques are up to scratch.

 

[postman]

Got a belting fire going at the moment.A fireplace scene on YouTube on the telly.

 

[rockyroller]

about 3 years ago, while riding on a remote, unpaved rail trail, at the start of a "you'd better stay home" blizzard, I tried out some goggles. condensation from my perspiration fogged the goggles & then froze. wiping them with dry but frozen cloth or tissues did nothing but move the frozen fog a little. so I stopped & lit a fire. the frozen fog cleared almost instantly. all it needed was a little warm dry air. since then I removed the foam air filter inserts so it won't fog anymore


View: https://youtu.be/1b254MRzI3U


not to worry when I was done I put the flames out & made sure there were no hot embers, then scattered the debris. leave no trace right?

 

[randynewmanscat]

For 36 out of the last 43 days there has been a fire lit here, sometimes remaining lit for 4 days and nights straight, emptying the ash pan when it burns right down.
Every winter the house needs dusting more frequently and its not just more occupancy that is to blame. After two days glossy plastics such as TV bezels start to show a very very fine dusting, it is I believe from particulate discharged when I open the door to charge it with fuel.
I know its harmful because every winter my nose tells me so by being dry, its not the heat, its the particles. Short of having a furnace with a bucket type charge door that operates like a bank deposit safe there is nothing you can do but be swift in putting fuel in.
Whether any particles get out through the top air wash vent when partly open I don't know, I could do with finding out.
I posted this because I was skimming the online newspapers and found this today, another, nother study into air pollution caused by solid fuel heating and if correct it confirms what I suspected.
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...iple-harmful-indoor-air-pollution-study-finds

 

[Ridgeway]

For 36 out of the last 43 days there has been a fire lit here, sometimes remaining lit for 4 days and nights straight, emptying the ash pan when it burns right down.
Every winter the house needs dusting more frequently and its not just more occupancy that is to blame. After two days glossy plastics such as TV bezels start to show a very very fine dusting, it is I believe from particulate discharged when I open the door to charge it with fuel.
I know its harmful because every winter my nose tells me so by being dry, its not the heat, its the particles. Short of having a furnace with a bucket type charge door that operates like a bank deposit safe there is nothing you can do but be swift in putting fuel in.
Whether any particles get out through the top air wash vent when partly open I don't know, I could do with finding out.
I posted this because I was skimming the online newspapers and found this today, another, nother study into air pollution caused by solid fuel heating and if correct it confirms what I suspected.
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...iple-harmful-indoor-air-pollution-study-finds

data based on 19 homes in Sheffield.....

No reference to wood type, quality other than “seasoned” no reference to flue draw or chimney type etc etc = all pretty meaningless

 

[stephec]

Ah, I let the cats deal with the spiders.

I'm all kitted up with the protective clobber - make sense when you've a wood to manage. Most important really, is to respect the saw. Folks out here still get a bit "alpha male" when they see a woman using power tools and doing a man's job, but if I don't do it, who else will? Besides, it's bloody good exercise - who needs gym membership.

A couple of years ago, a new neighbour heard the saw going and took it upon himself to enter the wood. Seeing me felling a dead oak, he tried to be all gallant like, you know, "I'll do that for you if you give me half the logs", and I'm like yeah, right, I've been doing this for twenty years... I told him where to stick it I guess, by saying he could help himself to deadfall. Haven't seen him since... Not surprised he tried to pull a fast one, as logs are expensive out here in the fens...

I'm also a dab hand with one of these...

View attachment 554838

I'm trying not to do a chopper joke, I know it's very childish and I shouldn't, but it's really hard. 😄

 

[randynewmanscat]

data based on 19 homes in Sheffield.....

No reference to wood type, quality other than “seasoned” no reference to flue draw or chimney type etc etc = all pretty meaningless

Indeed it looks like another hatchet job to further dissuade people from using solid fuel.
What I said about my own place is correct though.
Flue draw is 14.5 pascal's and the fire begins to draw immediately after lighting.
I burn quite a lot of wood during a winter, between 13 and 18m3 and never less than 2 years drying.
Without dusting my lounge a good layer of talcum like dust would build up, it's nothing like normal household dust.
I keep the humidity at around 40% by leaving a copper pot full of water on the stove so it's not dry air that causes my dry sinuses. I think the dust is a desiccant, it is alkaline too.

 

[Reynard]

I'm trying not to do a chopper joke, I know it's very childish and I shouldn't, but it's really hard. 😄

*GIGGLE*

 

[randynewmanscat]

Previous delivery early November lasted a week longer than I estimated, mild weather to thank, todays delivery 6M3, €300.
Sunday morning 8:30 stacking wood with the old boys, I would have preferred a lie in.
Camera sensor is dying on my phone.

 

[Notafettler]

For 36 out of the last 43 days there has been a fire lit here, sometimes remaining lit for 4 days and nights straight, emptying the ash pan when it burns right down.

Riddling grate on mine possible to keep it in.......forever!
It will probably go out occasionally if not looked after correctly. As in decent embers put biggest log on with the bark on all round. Then close down for an overnight burn. Will normally only be half burned through 8 hours later. Kettles are still nice and hot.