Log splitters

[Luckypants]

You are right that they may be too big to burn well, a 4" width is a good rule of thumb. You can burn bigger logs on a bed of coal, so start off with a coal fire if that's what you want to do.

You mention that your logs are on a grate. Is this a wood burner or an open fire? Most wood burners wont have a full grate, but a burning 'platform' with air being circulated from the sides by means of the air control system. So I suspect you have an open fire if you have a grate...

A wood fire needs a bed of hot ash to burn well, hence why wood burners have the 'platform' arrangement. Air for burning comes from the sides of a wood fire, not from below like coal. If you have a wood burner, allow the ash to build up a little so when you like your fire the ash heats and keeps everything going. If you have an open grate, start with a coal fire and bun the logs on the hot fire bed.

Finally, it may be you have species of wood that wont burn readily and needs a faster burning species mixed in to achieve a good fire. Any idea what kind of wood you have in the log basket?

That's good info - thanks. I'll get me some coal. Now idea where from tho!
I believe that the wood is beech (the back looks like it to me).

Yes, it's an open fire in my lving room. The grate has gaps about 1cm wide from front to back so I'm not sure how I'll be able to stop everything from falling down the gaps. certainly the coal will be fine initially but once it's burned a little surely it'll just fall down the gaps?

Oh, when I was in a shop which sells mantlepieces (we're looking to change ours but it's bigger than normal), they sell these blocks which look like a sanding block - about 2cm thick, 6cm deep and 10cm wide - do you think these would be ok to put on to the kindling and be hot enough to burn real logs?

Oh, I'm pretty sure the previous occupants used logs (as opposed to coal) as they had the log shed built and there were a few logs in it when they left the house. That's not to say that they didn't also have coal which they used as a base tho

[Luckypants]

You have a coal grate by the sound of it, so start your fire with coal then use your logs. You are right about the ash falling through, so you will need to top up with a little coal from time to time to keep a good fire bed for the logs to burn on.

Beech is great firewood as it burns slow and hot, but it does need something else faster burning mixed in to keep it going such as pine, hazel, birch etc. Splitting the logs smaller will also help. However, if you use coal to make a fire bed then the beech should burn nicely.

Look up coal merchants online to find one local to buy coal. Never buy coal from a shop or garage, it is expensive and poor quality.

Super - thanks for all the advice. Just looked onlike for a coal merchant and it seems pretty cheap.

thanks

[yorkie_chris]

About £10 a bag here last lot I bought for smokeless briquettes.

[Luckypants]

How big a bag Chris? That's well cheap if a 50Kg bag and expensive if a 25Kg bag.... I'm paying about £18 for a 50kg bag of SupaTherm, delivered.

[yorkie_chris]

25 I think. It was only 4 bags which does my folks for a winter though I know they give a bit of discount for bulk.

you've got your own pit pony tho haven't you?

[yorkie_chris]

Nah, I send our lass down tha nos.