Charcoal, electricity and lasting fires

I like how a lot of equipment has charcoal and electric varieties: hotplate vs charcoal smoker, electric forge vs charcoal forge, water purifier vs charcoal water purifier. Both resources are renewable. (Funnels actually work! Yay acid rain!)

That aside… I want to build a fireplace in an underground base, that I could read, cook, craft and sleep by. So I’ve been considering best fuel for a fire, one that would last long enough to sleep and could be stockpiled nearby with relative ease. I haven’t conducted extensive testing yet, but I’m under impression that 50 two-by-four planks will burn up in exactly the same time as one two-by-four plank. Maybe I should try logs or charcoal…

Yes, the amount of fuel does not matter. This is why books are great- you tear em up and cook like 10 steaks over 1 piece of paper.

Use a log. Just one will probably be enough. Light it. When it burns out, light it again. Forever.

I see. Sleeping by the fireplace for warmth is out of question, then. Ah well, don’t need that much warmth underground.

Sleeping bags or furs are really good for warmth while sleeping. Just drop clothes on your bed and you’ll automatically huddle into the pile for warmth. If you’re a crack shot, wearing a fur sleeping bag is a great idea for dipping into the first few floors of a cold lab, too. Just don’t forget to take the damn thing off. The encumbrance is crippling when you’re not risking death by frostbite.

This makes me happy.

I know. I don’t have a technical problem with staying warm.

Just thought that fireplace would be cool.

If you want lasting fires two by fours are the way to go, a pile of 15 burns almost for an entire night

[quote=“keldoclock, post:2, topic:4146”]Yes, the amount of fuel does not matter. This is why books are great- you tear em up and cook like 10 steaks over 1 piece of paper.

Use a log. Just one will probably be enough. Light it. When it burns out, light it again. Forever.[/quote]I’ve just done an experiment.

1-“Burnt log” can’t be burned again.
2-a stack of 9 2x4s took more than 8+ hours to be burned completely, while a single 2x4 took 2 hours or so.
3-The more stuff you set ablaze (in a heap) the longer the fire will last, they take turns to be burned one by one.

You’re basically accurate, but there’s a hidden intensity stat that accumulates in a fire field, small fires only burn the first two items on the stack, but a medium fire will burn four at a time, and a raging fire will burn six at a time. So it has an effect of accelerating. 2x4s and heavy sticks are specifically tuned to make long-lasting fires instead of ones that grow fast, but if you throw other stuff on the fire it might get out of control (or if you’re lucky it’ll just eat through your fuel too fast).

I could see dual-wielding with that bag on anytime

In fact it’d probably improve movement. I mean, just look at that guy’s strides.

[/quote]

thank you Rivet. This image will haunt my dreams. You are horrible. XD

That image is both funny and disturbing at the same time.

[/quote]Only in Japan…

Good to know.

GOD DAMN IT RIVET THIS IS BRILLIANT
gone for the nearby sporting goods shop

Cool, thanks!