The Best Wood for Kindling?

[redoakneck]

Noodles, pallets or cedar, the key is being very dry!!! Pine needles work great too but how much sap and smoke u want???

 

[ReggieT]

Noodles, pallets or cedar, the key is being very dry!!! Pine needles work great too but how much sap and smoke u want???

I'd like plenty of sap and no smoke...not even going up my freakin chimney!

 

[zogger]

I use pretty thin split pine for bundles*, what doesn't make the cut for that because of odd lengths or knots, etc., goes into my kindling box. the thing is though, I really don't need it for myself, as I cut small branchwood as well. but, I use the leftovers.

* a handful wrapped in plain brown paper goes in the center of my oak bundles. So they are a full cubic foot, 3/4 oak nice splits, no bark, 1/4 real dry thin split pine, no bark.

 

[ReggieT]

I use pretty thin split pine for bundles*, what doesn't make the cut for that because of odd lengths or knots, etc., goes into my kindling box. the thing is though, I really don't need it for myself, as I cut small branchwood as well. but, I use the leftovers.

* a handful wrapped in plain brown paper goes in the center of my oak bundles. So they are a full cubic foot, 3/4 oak nice splits, no bark, 1/4 real dry thin split pine, no bark.

Thanks Zogger...you can always be counted on as voice of reason & a non-sarcastic one at that! LOL
But...I just did some reading up on the potency of "pine-knots" as a great fire starter and survival tool...looks like I'll be scrouging the woods now for old rotted pine logs and kicking or cutting the knots out!

 

[brenndatomu]

Hello,
When I built a 3 car garage on my second house, I had to take the cedar lap siding off the wall where it joined into the house. That was the BEST kindling that I ever used. I just took the long pieces and cut them up to about a foot long. It was a little work, but what a payoff !!! When I needed a little kindling, I would take a few pieces out of the box I stored it in and then took a hatchet and split it into small pieces ( it split like butter) !!!! You could just light it up with a match, no paper needed. If you ever get a chance to get some of that, jump on it !!!!!

Henry and Wanda

Agreed, Cedar is SOOO easy to light. It's is no wonder the Ins Co charges extra if you have Cedar roof/siding! Old dry Douglas Fir works good too. I tore down an old chicken coop that was built totally of dougfir, found out after I threw it on the neighbors junk burn pile what great kindlin it would have made

Fatwood is supposed to be the best, whatever species that is.

Yep, fatwood works good too (Pine BTW)

Another trick someone told me about that works well is Matchlight charcoal. A bag lasts a long time too, and the price is right compared to buying "firestarters"

 

[dor-moor hands]

I split up whatever shorts I have and use that. I like poplar a lot lights and splits so easy.

 

[zogger]

Thanks Zogger...you can always be counted on as voice of reason & a non-sarcastic one at that! LOL
But...I just did some reading up on the potency of "pine-knots" as a great fire starter and survival tool...looks like I'll be scrouging the woods now for old rotted pine logs and kicking or cutting the knots out!

The best is the fatwood, center tap root from old pines. Everything else around it will rot, but not that part. Almost pure resin, you can light it when it is wet. Sometimes you can lay on and kick them loose and yank them out, other times, not so easy, but it is the most primo fire lighter out there. Small boxes of it go for folding money. A small chunk in your bag when camping, shave a little bit off, will get a fire going.

 

[BGE541]

Dry noodles for sure, then cedar splits... my .02

 

[Erik B]

Skinny and dry work for me.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Poplar was mentioned here a few times and is good, sometimes smokes a bit but it works good. I like Silver Maple as it ignites very easily and burns real clean little smoke. Black Birch also ignites easily and smells nice, and Ash is a great "utility" wood that works from kindling to main fuelwood.

I'd say Silver Maple would be my choice but that's me and it depends on what you can get.....

 

[mountainmandan]

If you can call a roofing company that does shake roofs, the old shakes are western red cedar or sometimes eastern white cedar. Its dry, won't rot, and comes with #30 felt that is impregnated with asphalt. It is a waste product for them, so they would love for you to take some. You can get your own fatwood of sorts, b looking for old shortleaf pine stumps. You don't have to dig it up, just cut close to the ground. It will be oozing sap. I don't think it is technically the same thing as fatwood, but I am guessing you are not going to be digging up any stumps.

 

[fearofpavement]

fatwood, fat lighter or whatever term it goes by is pine wood that is completely saturated with pitch. It can be lit with a match and people pay a lot for it. I don't actually use it although I come across it sometimes. If you put a piece of lighter wood on a wood splitter, the pieces will shoot off the side when it splits as it's hard and brittle. You can sometimes make it by cutting a pine stump off about 2 feet above the ground and then come back months later and recut it flush. If the sap was flowing good when it was cut, it will be lighter wood. You can smell fat lighter as it smells like turpentine.

 

[Marine5068]

I use any softwoods I can scrounge or cut from my property
Pine, Spruce, Poplar, Maple twigs, and some splits from processing.
We have lots of Cedar here too, but it pops a lot so I prefer not to use it.
If I'm starting the fire, I prefer Pine, Spruce or Poplar.
I have about a cord of Poplar right now that needs to be split into kindling or smaller sizes for sale as campfire wood.
The key is for it to be dry and sized according to your stove/fireplace
I keep some Birch bark for tougher starts too.

 

[ReggieT]

fatwood, fat lighter or whatever term it goes by is pine wood that is completely saturated with pitch. It can be lit with a match and people pay a lot for it. I don't actually use it although I come across it sometimes. If you put a piece of lighter wood on a wood splitter, the pieces will shoot off the side when it splits as it's hard and brittle. You can sometimes make it by cutting a pine stump off about 2 feet above the ground and then come back months later and recut it flush. If the sap was flowing good when it was cut, it will be lighter wood. You can smell fat lighter as it smells like turpentine.

Excellent idea...thanks!

 

[esshup]

A local cabinet making company puts out their hardwood trimmings. The pieces are roughly 1" thick and anywhere from 1/16" to 2" wide and 8' - 12' long. I will get a trailer full and cut to length/store inside. Since it was for cabinets, it was very dry to start with. A trailer load will last me 3+ years.