Basics

This page aims to examine different fuels that could be used in small fireplaces and stoves such as a TLUD or Bio-Lite Camp Stove etc
- While relevant (see Should One use Wood or Charcoal Gasifiers ) the gasifier fuel seems largely settled on Charcoal (less Tar issues, less Moisture Issues, easy to Crush/Shred to size etc) re: Charcoal Gasifier

Wood Sticks

Least Processing Required
- Can be gathered directly from the forest with no snapping, or simply with hands/boots
- Alternately can be made from fallen branches or Tree Pruning debris (ESPECIALLY from Willow and Crape Myrtle with a hand saw or Reciprocating Saw etc
Can be stacked like Cordwood / Firewood
Cannot be as easily moved around mechanically unlike Wood Chips and Wood Pellets
- Re:
  - Wood Chip Storage and Conveyance
  - Wood Pellet Storage and Conveyance
  - Wood Chip Fuel Bunker / Wood Pellet Fuel Bunker
    - There are these FASCINATING off the shelf units in Europe that have an infrastructure almost like Heating Oil delivery but with Pneumatic Conveying of the pellets/chips to the tank, almost like a Mulch Blower
      - Alternately a Dump Truck like an old school “Coal Bunker” can be done, Slinger Trucks may be good as well.
A (potentially 3D Printed ) Wood Stick Fuel Cutting Jig may be very useful
- One would have a pile of sticks on one side, the jig on the table with your saw of choice, stack or full bucket/drum of uniform length fuel on the other side

While they do require processing with a dedicated machine, a Wood Chipper / Hamermill these tend to be somewhat simple compact and low to medium cost devices
As with Wood Pellets , Wood Chips can be conveyed via Augers or Pneumatic Conveyors etc
Also due to increased surface area they may dry faster (Citation/Research Needed)
Main downside is needing the woodchipper, especially since most seem to be Gasoline Powered
- Some have demonstrated running these on Wood Gas / Syngas , a Diesel powered model could be run on PPO or Biodiesel etc
Electric Woodchippers are worth looking into bust especially non 220v ones seem rather anemic short of small feedstocks that may be better used as stick fuel

Probably the best fuel type, but also requires the most processing
While ‘’in theory’’ a Pellet Mill is all that is needed, best practice uses:
- A Hamermill set to make powder/FINE chips and flakes, and/or sawdust from Power Tools
- An Air Classifier and/or Calibrated Mesh Sizes
- A Water Content Sensor
- Potentially Binders such as Starch
- A Pellet Mill
Once made however due to the partial remelting of the Lignin and so on the are more water resistant, they are near exactly uniform, even moreso than wood chips
They are a high value product (citation needed)
Other Solid Fuels / Feedstocks can also be blended into the feedstock before the Powder Mill

Charcoal Briquettes vs Lump Charcoal and Charcoal Shredder / Biochar Shredder for similar discussions but with Charcoal
Torrefaction
- How fuel morphology effects this process may be worth looking into