Resin in wood

[Biddlesby]

Now I'm in two minds about this. Lots of people seem to say pine resin is good for lighting fires. However, I seem to remember being taught that resin in wood means that the energy of the fire is taken up heating the resin. Am I confusing resin with moisture or some other un-combustable liquid?

[innocent bystander]

You've just got to look at fatwood. Man that burn's...But it does burn in a torch like sort of way, i think....

[shinobi]

Hiya,
resin is very good for lighting fires. If you then add a little kindling, the resin acts like the wax in a candle. It maintains the flame until the flame catches.
I wouldn't bother using the resin once the fire has caught well, save it for fire lighting.
You ban also make lovely bush candles with resin for that romantic evening under the stars ;)

Cheers,

Martin

[bambodoggy]

Am I confusing resin with moisture or some other un-combustable liquid?

Yes.

As Martin and the others have said, Resin burns really well. What you're confused with is water in the wood....dampness or it being green. If you strip a willow bough it will actually be soggy under the bark, that's an example of moisture that doesn't help burning.

Does that make more sense now buddy? :)

Bam.

[shinobi]

thinking about it and this isn't meant to sound patronising or facetious but you're not confusing resin with sap are you?

Martin

Edit - oops, looks like Phil's thinking along the same line as me :D

[bambodoggy]

thinking Edit - oops, looks like Phil's thinking along the same line as me :D

Lol....I'm just following you round the forum posting over the top of all yours this morning... ;)

and yes, I think that's where the confusion lays :D

[shinobi]

Haven't you got a bergan to go and pack Phil ???
Oh and Jakunen is trying to get hold of you on the e-mail group.

Martin

P.s. sorry for thread-jacking. Back on topic now !!

[bambodoggy]

:D Actually I've got a wedding to go to shortly....need to slip into my best Armani suit!!!!!

Jak's texted me....I'd forgotten to reply to his pm about picking him up at stupid o'clock on Sunday morning.....all sorted now...

Definately back on thread now ;)

[Biddlesby]

I probably am confusing resin with sap, now you mention it. I presume then sap is not good for fires?

[shinobi]

I probably am confusing resin with sap, now you mention it. I presume then sap is not good for fires?
Sap is the fluid the tree is transferring to the upper parts of the tree for nourishment and growth and flows like water. Resin is a sticky fluid containing oils that the tree uses to heal breaches in the bark and sets to a hard lump on contact with air.
Both have their uses but it is resin that you want for fire lighting due to the oils in it.
Hope that helps?

Martin

[Biddlesby]

Yes, thanks. I just saw some resin, and see the difference now. I don't believe I've come across resin in real life, not consciously anyway.

[Ogri the trog]

Biddlesby,
As an aside, even when you've got your fire going, think twice about trying to burn green wood with sap in, this can boil inside the log and cause spitting or even bursting of the log in question :eek:
Resin will be more abundant on evergreens, its the sticky goo that is hard to wash off when you cut a fresh Christmas tree! ;)

HTH

Ogri the trog

[bambodoggy]

As an aside, even when you've got your fire going, think twice about trying to burn green wood with sap in, this can boil inside the log and cause spitting or even bursting of the log in question :eek:

I've heard about this but never known it to happen so it must be rare, it's certainly not somethin I ever worry about (unline wet rocks which are dangerous!). I sometimes use alternate green and dry logs to keep a fire in over night or the same with our woodburning stove at home. Birch, imo, burns best green as it burns too fast dry.

I always thought that resin/gum where both just "types" of sap. And the two rules of thumb were that hardwoods were burned dry because their sap was watery and not flamable and softwoods had the resinous sap so burned hotter and gave more light but burned faster. The difference between resin and gum being that gum disolves in water and resin doesn't.