Best use of wood as a fuel source.

[Wonko486]

Alright, given randon world generations are infinite, wood has become an infinite resource. Which means we can burn it to our hearts content in forges and camp fires. But I'm always interested in maximizing burn time, so I did a little math.

-One log from a tree burns for 3 minutes and 12 seconds.
-If you process the log into lumber, it'll burn for 3 minutes 20 seconds, but you use all 16 pieces.
-If you process the lumber into wood posts you get 25 post which will burn for a whopping 13 minutes and 20 seconds with an entire piece of lumber left over!

I haven't gone through the rest of the wood products yet, but it kinda seems like wooden posts are the stand out fuel form for wood.

[Chaoslink]

Dunno the exact numbers, But take crysanthemum and make redwood planks. Two flowers plus one log's worth of planks makes 16 blocks of wood. Last I remember, they burn quite long. Next they just need to make crysanthmum farmable.

[Wonko486]

I messed up the math. 15 lumber makes 20 wood posts which burns for 10 minutes and 40 seconds.

[Asmo]

Do you mean the old wood poles? i cant find posts. But i think you mean poles? :3

[Wonko486]

More math!

-Red Wood: You get 16 blocks from 16 lumber, each burns for 12 seconds, which means 16 burns for 3 minutes 20 seconds.
-Red Wood Pillars: You get five pillars from a lot of 16 blocks, each one burns for 36 seconds, which means it burns for 3 minutes straight with some lumber as change.
-Stairs: You can make 16 stairs from 16 lumber, each one burns for 48 seconds. About 12 minutes 50 seconds total burn time.
-Regular pillars: Takes 6 lumber to make 1, you get two from one log, each burns for 1.12: total burn time is 2.24. and you get some lumber as change. NOT impressive.
-Fences: they burn for 1.48, take 9 lumber to make, you get one from each lot with change.
-Tree Trunk Spikes: Takes FOUR logs to make four, each one burns for 2.08. Which means the mean burn time per wood log is... 32 seconds.

Seems like stairs are the best bang for your buck.

[Wonko486]

Yes, poles. Sorry.

[Chaoslink]

Guess they changed the burn time then, used to be about 48 seconds or more for the redwood.

[Mytheos]

@OP

I just use coal...the burned out Biomes have fields...

[Wonko486]

Yeah, When I find a burn zone, I usually make twice weekly runs and keep stocked. Haven't found on my current game, which kinda lead to this frame of thought.

[dpelectric1]

Consider also that time spent processing logs into something else is time that could be spent instead on other crafting projects. I think it's a lot easier to just dump logs (or coal) on a fire and keep moving to the next pressing task.

[Qinji]

this is good info to know...I've been burning wood spikes (from sticks) for 9.5 minutes per log used. But definitely if stairs gives you 12 minutes of burn time, it's a better fuel especially if you consider the processing time to make them.

processing time is definitely a consideration, but also remember that you'll likely not have something processing in your crafting table at all times. When the crafting table is empty, why not put it to use in improving efficiencies? because you might want to also consider that it takes time to go cut more logs down when you run out...and that coal is a (relatively) finite resource that's used better for ammunition...

[dragonlordxakel]

This is exactly the information I was looking for. A game I started with a buddy has developed some large projects, which require a lot of resources. I've been making logs into planks then into wood frames and using them as fuel. I haven't done the math, but I'm sure it isn't as efficient. If turning logs into stairs makes better fuel, it makes tree farming a smaller project. Anyone that's played Minecraft and has built a large base, knows it takes a lot of lumber.

[Thundercracker]

Originally posted by dpelectric1:

Consider also that time spent processing logs into something else is time that could be spent instead on other crafting projects. I think it's a lot easier to just dump logs (or coal) on a fire and keep moving to the next pressing task.

you dont have to watch the progress bar fill up. you can exit the crafting interface once you've started crafting and do something else.

[dragonlordxakel]

I've discovered that these number must have changed, as wood stairs appear to now burn for only 12 seconds each.

[Chaoslink]

Originally posted by dragonlordxakel:

I've discovered that these number must have changed, as wood stairs appear to now burn for only 12 seconds each.

Yeah, this is a bit old, was suprised to see myself as having posted. Anyways, lately I find my favorite fuel is wooden chairs. It only takes 3 planks and 6 sticks and you get 3 chairs. Each chair burns exactly 1 minute. It seems efficient enough to me, and because it is one minute, its real fast and easy to figure out how many you need.

[Wonko486]

Yeah, I did this ages ago, there have been... an ungodly number of updates since then. I haven't played recently (too many other new titles to get to...) but I might see my way fit to redoing the math again at some point, maybe when the game it out of beta.