[Stoves] List of woods for TLUDs?

neiltm at uwclub.net neiltm at uwclub.net
Fri Apr 28 12:01:43 CDT 2017


I live in the UK, so my references below to species of wood are biased 
for this part of the world.

I have been looking for information about the burn quality of different 
woods, but mostly can only find information relating to open fires.

Poplar in its various sub species is generally rated low as a desirable 
burning wood, and described as 'smoky'.  I just burned some dried Italian 
poplar in the Reed sl woodgas campstove, and although it made a smoky 
start, which was probably down to my lighting technique or lack thereof, 
once underway it burned completely smokelessly and with no stinging of 
the eyes until just before the end when it again produced some smoke 
briefly.

I would like to understand more about the qualities of different woods in 
relation to TLUD stoves and wondered if anyone has ever attempted to 
classify or rate woods for these stoves?  I understand that some woods 
like hornbeam, plum, hawthorn are the most dense (highest mass), and 
therefore likely to liberate more heat or a longer burn per batch, and 
that woods like willow or poplar are at the lighter end of the spectrum.

With poplar in particular I would like to understand why it is a smoky 
wood, which it is if you burn it on an open fire?  Should that not mean 
it produces more wood gas, thereby making it ideal for TLUDs?  I have yet 
to find a problematic wood for these stoves unless it is our cultivated 
apricot in the garden which has always been truly terrible, even when 
dry.  Yet fruit woods are supposed to be prized!

Neil Taylor




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