# lumber made into wood alcohol



## swilgus (Sep 24, 2009)

hello everyone. In a nutshell, I am reading a Kindle book, by the author "Joe Nobody". I have a basic chemistry question: can cut and construction used lumber be used to make wood alcohol for fuel? I mean, can you tear down old buildings and use the recovered lumber to make fuel alcohol?

This is a serious question as it could impact many people after a "Crunch" situation.

Thanks all!


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

I think making alcohol from wood is a "too detailed and complicated" process for the average "back-yarder" to undertake.

Most folks using wood as a fuel source either burn it for heat/cooking... or run it in a gasifier to make wood gas (vapors) and run their engine on that.

Do a search for "Imbert Gasifier" or "Missouri Wood Gasifier".

There is a also a Yahoo group for woodgas experimenters. http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/WoodGas/


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

swilgus said:


> hello everyone. In a nutshell, I am reading a Kindle book, by the author "Joe Nobody". I have a basic chemistry question: can cut and construction used lumber be used to make wood alcohol for fuel? I mean, can you tear down old buildings and use the recovered lumber to make fuel alcohol?
> 
> This is a serious question as it could impact many people after a "Crunch" situation.
> 
> Thanks all!


no, lumber has been either air dried or kiln dried


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Wood gas would be the way to go in that situation imo.


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