New driftwood

[WhistlingBadger]

Just as a thought... While I agree with some others about boiling breaking down the wood fibers how about throwing in an oven and baking??

I don't know. That's why I do sunshine and scrubbing--I'm pretty sure it doesn't hurt the fibers. However, pasteurization of liquids like milk only involves temps of around 150F. I doubt those temperatures, liquid or dry, would destroy the wood fibers. So maybe cooking it in a 150F oven for several hours would do the trick. Would probably smell wonderful, too.

 

[jaylach]

I don't know. That's why I do sunshine and scrubbing--I'm pretty sure it doesn't hurt the fibers. However, pasteurization of liquids like milk only involves temps of around 150F. I doubt those temperatures, liquid or dry, would destroy the wood fibers. So maybe cooking it in a 150F oven for several hours would do the trick. Would probably smell wonderful, too.

I was thinking of the oven being more like 225-250F to match boiling temps. It would be like matching the temperature of boiling along with the drying using the sun but done quicker.

I take "Would probably smell wonderful, too." as a bit sarcastic but I don't know.... I sometimes like the smell of wood being 'cooked' as in a BBQ or pizza oven. Still, at the temperatures I'm thinking, I don't know if there would actually be much odor.

 

[jaylach]

Where I'm at in Sheridan WY I'm afraid of getting wood from the creek in the nature reserve behind my apartments. My concern is chemicals. Biological stuff can be killed by boiling, scrubbing and other methods but what does any of that do for chemicals. The creek behind me has trout but it is reported that the meat is kind of mushy due to runoffs from ranches upstream. The fish are totally safe to eat but the texture is off. If the fish are affected I would assume that everything else is also. If the runoff affects the fish in the creek would it not also impregnate wood along the creek adding the possibility of affecting the fish in my tank?

Does your town spray for mosquitos or other pests? If so these chemicals travel a large distance and could also contaminate wood that you would think safe. Sadly, due to us humans, a lot of nature is contaminated even if we don't see direct results. If I want more wood I will buy it from an outfit that I trust to sell properly processed stuff.

That is just like there are some areas around my apartments that are rock beds with some pretty cool looking rocks that would look great in a tank but I won't touch them. Again it is chemicals. They spray the lawns which means that some of the stuff is also getting on the rocks. Once again it is the problem that you can kill biological contaminates but the same cannot be said for chemicals.

 

[10 Tanks]

Just as a thought... While I agree with some others about boiling breaking down the wood fibers how about throwing in an oven and baking??

Hello jay. The sun does the same thing. It just takes a bit longer. I wouldn't really want to put a piece of driftwood in the same place I cook my food. But, that's just me.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

 

[jaylach]

Hello jay. The sun does the same thing. It just takes a bit longer. I wouldn't really want to put a piece of driftwood in the same place I cook my food. But, that's just me.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

Hmmm, interesting... Ever roast hotdogs or marshmallows over a fire??

 

[10 Tanks]

Hmmm, interesting... Ever roast hotdogs or marshmallows over a fire??

Hello again. Haven't since I found out the stuff that goes into hot dogs and that most marsh mellows contain high fructose corn syrup!

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[jaylach]

Hello again. Haven't since I found out the stuff that goes into hot dogs and that most marsh mellows contain high fructose corn syrup!

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LOL! Actually I don't do hotdogs either but Bratwurst are a different matter. Actually I DO have a hotdog now and then but only from a local butcher that makes his own and they are 'clean'.

Sigh, to be honest I haven't had marshmallows in over a year. The only time I really ever use them is to layer with mashed yams and bake.

Have to give you this round but still I have to ask if you ever do an outside BBQ or eat pizza done in a wood burning oven?

Trust in that I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything, just interested in your viewpoint as I would have no issue with throwing a hunk of wood in my oven at a low temperature. While I've never actually done so I just don't see an issue.

 

[10 Tanks]

jaylach. No problem. Just trying to make things easy. I'm all about easy.

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