GAS-L: Re: re "Best" stoves (for forging)

[Harmon Seaver <hseaver@cybershamanix.com>]

Carefreeland@aol.com wrote:

>      My best guess is that they are using green wood because it is birch and
> would burn up if the same process was used for charcoal making.  The moisture
> controls the pyrolisis. If they used oak (which may not be available that far
> north) even dry, it likes to convert to charcoal before burning, due to the
> high carbon to hydrogen ratio.
>     Birch may be chosen for other reasons like low ash content, but I don't
> know.

      You're right, there was no oak available to them, the only real hardwoods
were birch and aspen (other than the small moose maples and other shrub trees).
Birch has something extra that other hardwoods lack -- people call it an "oil"
but I'm not at all sure of the chemistry of it. At any rate, green birch
definitely burns far better than green aspen, I can testify to that. Most people
up north won't bother to cut aspen for firewood unless they can't get birch
(seldom the case) or the aspen is just easier to get and haul. It sure doesn't
last as long in the stove, or burn as hot, dry or green.
      You can get an idea of how volatile the birch "oil" is by burning paper
birch bark. And birch bark, of course, makes excellent firestarter.

--
Harmon Seaver, MLIS
CyberShamanix
Work 920-203-9633
Home 920-233-5820
hseaver@cybershamanix.com
http://www.cybershamanix.com/resume.html



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