Using a campfire spit

[Nyckname]

Found that out the "hard way"....
LD

Aw, crud...another learning experience.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Really old dry seasoned wood tends to burn like paper. Hot and fast.
To make coals, with really dry wood you need to restrict the oxygen essentially making charcoal first. Not an easy task in an open campfire.
One of the reasons I like to "cheat" and use charcoal in the first place, or at least add it to the fire, as a "booster" extender.

Depends mostly on what it is. Stacked outside for years was half dry rotted and near Williamsburg was full of ambient humidity. Old poplar will match light and consume itself to ash in a few minutes. Much of the problems was "stacked outside" subject to decomposition. Outdoor stacks are subject to blowing rain and snow and then are shaded from the sun so they do not dry well. I have two and three years old rough cut oak, stored in a barn. Absolutely no such problem. I always took "dry" wood along to rendezvous for the simple reason that stacked outside may be seasoned but not fit to burn. Why do you think folks had "wood sheds"? just for a place to discipline youngins?