I help run a university wood shop, and a large crop of freshman Architecture students just finished an exercise in making experimental building components by modifying 8" lengths of 2x4 to interlock in various ways. Spring break is over and the students are moving on to other things, so now there are more than a thousand pine blocks up for grabs. I brought some home last night and found that a tight stack of 20 or so pieces fills the firebox about halfway, lights easily, warms the stove quickly, produces moderate heat for a few hours and leaves little ash behind. The timing could hardly be better, since my supply of dry cordwood is pretty well exhausted.
I've done the same thing for many years now. So long as the wood isn't pressure treated, makes great starters and even partial loads. Careful when loading the stove full with that stuff, though........gets mighty hot in a hurry!!
I buy Doug Fir 2x4 at HD and cut and split it into kindling this year. Works great, and the Doug Fir Burns like hardwood.
I can relate Jon, I do the same thing with off-cuts from the job site. The underneath of my porch looks like a lumber yard in the fall.
Our first fire in the new stove was made entirely of the pine crate it came in, burnt great! Last year a majority of what we burned was assorted scraps from a nearby pallet company, about 80% pine. It worked, but glad we don't have to do it that way any more.
2 X 4's make good (re)starters. Always on the lookout for new stick built homes being framed out. Pretty often the framers are happy to be rid of the leftover dimension lumber ends and chunks.
Good luck getting them from our jobsite. We need something to keep the burn barrel raging during the polar vortex, rounds 1-13....and counting apparently. Wind chill of 0° this morning. Not supposed to be above freezing till Thursday. Hello spring...you look different to me...
