@thomas rubino that's mighty fine advice, m8. Will use that tire "trick" for sure. It will help with less frequent bending and log positioning when splitting.
Unfortunately 0.5 meter logs will still be pain to split on small enough pieces sized for the feeder of small rocket stove.
I think should go with 0.33meter lengths (~13"). That would be much easier for splitting, even as the shorter lengths would mean more tending and more frequent feeding to the rocket stove. Can't have it both ways.
Glenn Herbert wrote:In the US, purchased firewood generally comes in 16" (40cm) lengths, more or less, and is split to fireplace/woodstove size. Is it expected where you live that firewood customers will cut and split the wood themselves? Or do stoves generally use 1 meter unsplit logs?
If you do have to cut the wood down yourself, 0.5 meter pieces are probably on the long side but if the wood is straight it will probably work. You definitely need small pieces, finger to 2-finger size, for kindling to get the fire well started, but according to Ernie and Erica, after the fire is burning well you can use wood up to a size that only maybe two pieces will fit in the feed tube at a time. This will burn a bit slower and last longer between loadings than kindling.
Here, wood comes in form of 1 meter unsplit logs. After that it's my concern to pay somebody to saw and split the logs, or do it myself. Stoves are regular sized, 12" or 16" lengths of wood. 1 meter logs would do for some mighty big woodstove!
Tnx for the input, unfortunately it seems that things are as I was afraid - wood for rocket stoves needs more processing time. More if the rocket stove is smaller.