Firewood, regional differences

[TGlock24]

When I started out I carried a chainsaw. Big he man was going to cut his own wood, chop it, kindle it; yeah baby, campfires!

About 2 years in I sold the chain saw, just wasn't using it enough. I found it was a lot easier to pay $5.oo for a bundle of wood. Then I found out there is a big difference in the type of wood that is being sold, and another difference in how the wood was aged.

We have been west of the Mississippi for quite some time, lots of pine. It light's quick and burns quick, you need lots of it. We have now ventured back east and have been camping in Alabama and Georgia, they sell a lot of red oak. Now red oak burns really good, but if it isn't aged for about 2 years it tends to be "wet" and hard to start. A bit frustrating when I am used to light and go. Saw a neighbor with some chem logs he used as starter, hilarious, burning a whole chem log just to get your firewood dried out and burning... anyway.

Just thought I would throw this out there for a fireside chat...

Attachment 30825

As a word of caution be careful burning drift wood. If it is not completely dried out the water trapped inside will expand and acutely explode blowing red embers everywhere. This happened to me and my family and it scared the #%*^ out of us. Luckily no one was hit with a red ember. I still keep a 12” Dewalt battery chain saw on board for cutting my wood if needed but most of the time I buy bundles of white Oak (2 bundles a night). Here in Kansas, Arkansas, and Missouri. There is no problem with dead wood drying out quickly in this part of the country. 😀

[Zymurgist]

Haven't seen it mentioned here, but the best fire starter in the world is completely natural and harvested from pine tree stumps. It's called "Fatwood" and has a naturally high oil content. Starts super easy and burns a long time to get even the hard to start woods going. Once you've tried them, you'll never go back. I bought a box at this site 5 years ago and still have lots left, and I use it a lot. https://www.plowhearth.com/p/12213?a...gaAt14EALw_wcB

I've been using wood pellets (for pellet stoves, not smokers) for past two years. Place about two cups in the fire pit. Add a little charcoal lighter fluid and they burn nice. Gets the kindling going in no time. $5.00 for a 40 lb is cheap and it will last me for months.

[Nogrey]

I've been using wood pellets (for pellet stoves, not smokers) for past two years. Place about two cups in the fire pit. Add a little charcoal lighter fluid and they burn nice. Gets the kindling going in no time. $5.00 for a 40 lb is cheap and it will last me for months.

Everyone has their own way of doing things. I have a pellet smoker that I take camping with me. I still find that fatwood is not only a more convenient and natural way to light a campfire, but it is not explosive like lighter fluid is, and is completely natural, does not leave any telltale petroleum smells. Also, considering weight, lighter fluid, which cannot be used for anything else, is a petroleum based product. I just like the fact that fatwood is a completely natural product and requires no other fluids or petroleum products in order to provide an excellent way of starting a fire. Far superior to any lighter fluid one cold use.

[fez111]

Ahh. The memories. When we were kids (late 50's/early 60's) camping as a family in Michigan state parks my dad would take the two oldest boys (I'm the oldest) in the 14 foot Wards Sea King boat across the lake and beach it on a sand dune that led up into the woods. We would fill that boat so full of downed limbs that there was nowhere to sit and it would barely float back to the camp without sinking. Then we would take turns with a hand-saw seeing who could cut a given limb in the fewest strokes. That was when the fire pits were on the ground where you could actually keep warm sitting next to them.

Sadly, now, it is no longer legal to glean downed branches from the woods on Michigan state land. Also, you would have to build a 30 inch tall deck around the new fire pits to be able to keep your feet warm. I realize that the height thing is to keep young'uns safe from getting burned, but I remember we got spanked if we got anywhere near the fire...until driving age, I think? That seemed to work pretty well. New age, new parenting techniques. I just want to keep my feet warm! My baby brother still has that Wards Sea King and motor...

[ckreef]

Fat Lighter is great for starting fire pit fires. I live in middle GA and collect it naturally from time to time. It's basically natural kerosene. Don't breath it in when starting the fire and definitely don't use it to start a fire you're going to cook on.

[CharlieB]

You’ve got the right idea. And if your in Georgia, there is some around. I had a pine stump I chipped from for a couple years.

[Misterpiano]

So only one other in the replies, so I will also add that we bought a propane fire pit and have been using that. Went an entire week on one 20 lb bottle of propane for $12. Previously we would burn an average of two campground bundles at $5 or $6 each per day. Up here in Mass we also have restrictions on bringing in firewood and some campgrounds actually have rules that all firewood be purchased at the campground. The propane firepit puts out the same amount of heat, instant on, no embers to deal with when time to put it out, and best of all no smoke in the clothes or in the camper. However all that being said, we do lose something in the ambiance and that "cracking" sound.

[Zymurgist]

Everyone has their own way of doing things. I have a pellet smoker that I take camping with me. I still find that fatwood is not only a more convenient and natural way to light a campfire, but it is not explosive like lighter fluid is, and is completely natural, does not leave any telltale petroleum smells. Also, considering weight, lighter fluid, which cannot be used for anything else, is a petroleum based product. I just like the fact that fatwood is a completely natural product and requires no other fluids or petroleum products in order to provide an excellent way of starting a fire. Far superior to any lighter fluid one cold use.

Just wondering how much petroleum product you burn hauling your rig?
BTW... charcoal fluid is not explosive.
You are correct... people have different ways of doing things. That my friend is a beautiful thing.

[Nogrey]

Just wondering how much petroleum product you burn hauling your rig?
BTW... charcoal fluid is not explosive.
You are correct... people have different ways of doing things. That my friend is a beautiful thing.

I burn a lot of petroleum pulling my rig, running my side by side, heating my RV, and the list goes on. That being said, should my point be to give up on trying to reduce that use any way I can? Charcoal fluid is not explosive, yet there are many accidents every year by exploding charcoal lighter fluid exploding because of improper use (ie, pour more on an attempted fire because the first poor wasn't enough). Atomized charcoal fluid is very explosive. My point really was that this cannot happen with fatwood. Not saying no one should use it or that your way is wrong. I was simply suggesting a very neat, natural and tidy alternative.

[attaboy]

Fat Lighter is great for starting fire pit fires. I live in middle GA and collect it naturally from time to time. It's basically natural kerosene. Don't breath it in when starting the fire and definitely don't use it to start a fire you're going to cook on.

Am I correct in assuming Fatwood and Pine lighter is the same thing?
My pine lighter is the heart of a pine tree after the bark and soft wood rot away.
I keep all I can find for starting outdoor fires for burning all the trees blown down by recent storms.
Bob A.