Bacteria in deadwood logs

[cornish wood burner]

could anyone help me here,bought 25tonne of spruce which was deadwood in march ,processed all of it in to nets 7inch logs ,sold some to a customer last week they said the wood wasn't burning very well,they are trying to say the wood could have gained bacteria ,its not rotten its under 20%moiture content ,could there be any sense in what they are saying here?[/quote

 

Last two winters I have been burning spruce in my rayburn. It certainly dries well but burns slightly differently to the woods I used previously.

Heat output is fairly low but OK as it was free.

My logs come from large diameter trees 4 ft plus so little bark. Consequently I get little ash or glowing embers to keep the fire alive. I have found smaller pieces, plenty of air and constant feeding is the way to go. This way heat output is fine. If the fire is allowed to die down too much it does not recover like other woods. Possibly your customer needs to feed his fire differently although should be easier than mine as your wood comes from smaller diameter so has a higher percentage of bark

[cornish wood burner]

could anyone help me here,bought 25tonne of spruce which was deadwood in march ,processed all of it in to nets 7inch logs ,sold some to a customer last week they said the wood wasn't burning very well,they are trying to say the wood could have gained bacteria ,its not rotten its under 20%moiture content ,could there be any sense in what they are saying here?[/quote

 

Last two winters I have been burning spruce in my rayburn. It certainly dries well but burns slightly differently to the woods I used previously.

Heat output is fairly low but OK as it was free.

My logs come from large diameter trees 4 ft plus so little bark. Consequently I get little ash or glowing embers to keep the fire alive. I have found smaller pieces, plenty of air and constant feeding is the way to go. This way heat output is fine. If the fire is allowed to die down too much it does not recover like other woods. Possibly your customer needs to feed his fire differently although should be easier than mine as your wood comes from smaller diameter so has a higher percentage of bark

[devon TWiG]

Are you sure that they do not mean the logs have gone a bit mouldy ? this will happen even if quite dry but have restricted air flow , I have seen this in dumpy bags of kiln dried wood , just spread them out in the sun for a day or so .

[kindlett]

no they are not mouldy ,ill just play by and see how it goes .

[TRADITIONAL LOGGERS]

So having burnt hundreds of sacks then complain! Think the campers need a lesson in fire lighting.

[kindlett]

I agree they need lessons .

[loskie]

As per Cornish, I cut a lot of windblown spruce for my wood burner. Never burned well on its own but fine if mixed with a different flavour of logs.

Didn't seem to leave a bed of embers or give a foundation for a fire.

[Logsnstuff]

I find spruce burns great, can practically light it with a match no kindling required true it burns so clean there are no embers left but excellent to get the initial temp up although if buying softwood id rather go for douglas fir.

[cornish wood burner]

I find spruce burns great, can practically light it with a match no kindling required true it burns so clean there are no embers left but excellent to get the initial temp up although if buying softwood id rather go for douglas fir.

 

Agree with that. Starts a fire well but having burnt between 6 and 8 tons of only spruce I certainly would go for Douglas fir if I had to part with any money. Spruce is the only wood I have burnt (MC sub 20) that went out when I shut the Rayburn down.

 

As loskie says mixing is better so as you have 25 tons on your hands could mix at your end or sell your customer some Douglas or similar for them to mix.

Failing that suggest they feed their wood burner little and often with plenty of air.It will burn just you have to drive your fire differently. It is a pain thou