Crunchy ashes?

[Steve NW WI]

I've never noticed this before, but I'm getting some "crunchy" ashes out of my woodstove lately. It's lightweight, mostly hollow, and the edges are a bit sharp. Kind of like a pumice stone.

Anyone got ideas as to the cause of this? I have some theories, that I'll share later.

Here's a pic:

 

[CTYank]

Getting fused by high temps. BTDT.

 

[Bushmans]

I think your cat is yakking in your stove when your not looking!

I have no idea! Is it tucked back in the corners? What kind of wood are you burning?

 

[Steve NW WI]

It seems to be pretty randomly distributed. If it's in my wood stacks, I've been burning it. Mainly elm and oak lately, with some maple, ironwood, pine, and cottonwood mixed in - the whole range of the BTU charts, just depending on if I'm around and want to play with fire, or gone somewhere.
'

 

[Chris-PA]

I get something similar when I get a split that drips out the end - sometimes a random split just isn't dry enough, probably because it got thrown on the wrong pile or whatever. It drips into the ashes and makes something like that, kinda like a cat pee in the litterbox.

But you should ask Spidey, he's got all the right answers today!

 

[Steve NW WI]

Why do you think I posted this today?

I haven't seen any wet/hissing/dripping wood in a long while, my wood stock is bone dry right now, it's all been in the basement for weeks, and whatever moisture was still in it is long gone. Humidifier ain't keeping up either right now.

 

[Cheesecutter]

I have heard its the minerals in the wood, usually elm. I does look metallic in mine.

 

[Speed]

I saw a little bit of the same thing. At first I thought the same as what Chris said. Then I wasn't so sure as that didn't add up in my brain. Any moisture SHOULD have evaporated. I'm curious to see what your theory is on this. BTW, I was getting it from some dead standing white ash directly out of a fence row. So there was a bit of moisture in the wood when I saw this stuff.

 

[Ironworker]

Elm sucks up a lot of minerals, one year my logger brought me a load with a bunch of rock elm and the following year when I burnt it I would have chunks of that in my ashes, probably pieces about 5" wide.

 

[Hinerman]

I have seen these also. The only thing I have in common with you, Steve, is Maple. I burn a lot of it (95% of my current stock). Occassional piece of oak, ash, etc.

So let us in on your theory. I, for one, have no clue.

 

[aaron]

Clinkers

 

[Chris-PA]

I can't explain it fully with wood that is really dry, other than maybe moisture can get trapped. I do know that I see it when I know I've got a hisser, and if I can't hear it I rarely see that stuff in the ashes.

 

[Vermonster]

Hmmmm. I only had one chemistry course at Univ so I'm of no help. There's has to be a chemical eng here somewhere. Or,................. someone who's really good with Google.

 

[zogger]

Oh that's easy..boron titanium alloy, because the tree grew over a crashed and unrecovered alien space ship.

man...rookies...

 

[phantomblack]

I get it in my wood stove or my OWB when I am burning elm.

 

[haveawoody]

IMO one of two things.
Could be elm Clinkers, almost a random thing to get Clinkers to form but American Elm is the number 1 maker of them.
Or could be firebrick that has gotten to hot, pretty easy to happen with the crazy cold and massive burns we have all been doing.
I've had a couple bits of brick chips in mine this week with the very hot fires going.

Next time your fire is all but out have a good cleanup and inspect brick for holes/chips if not then Elm clinkers is my guess.

 

[branchbuzzer]

I think you just grabbed a few pieces from the extra crunchy pile instead of the creamy by mistake. Pretty easy to do what with the labels nowadays.

 

[TreeTangler]

I've been burning a ton of well seasoned elm this year and am getting the exact same thing. I usually dont burn that much of it but came into a ton free very close to home. I too was wondering what it was.

 

[Steve NW WI]

My theory: roadside wood with a lot of sand/salt in it. The cottonwood was literally growing in the ditch, the elm less than 50' from a busy roadway.

Both trees were he** on chains and had lots of sand and grit under the bark.

I can't completely discount Del's pine theory either. The pine Ive been burning is heat treated scrap lumber, some with a lot of pitch in it.

 

[Vermonster]

roadside wood with a lot of sand/salt in it. The cottonwood was literally growing in the ditch, the elm less than 50' from a busy roadway.

That info may have been a helpful clue.