I’ve been burning some of the ash in the fire pit, and I’m nowhere near as impressed as some of y’all. The tree blew over winter before last, I bucked it this past winter, and split it last month… some of it was plenty dry enough to use. First of all, it wasn’t any easier to split than a lot of the standing-dead elm I do. Heat output is decent, but not what I’d call great. It doesn’t make nice after-dark flames like I’m lookin’ for at the fire pit. It burns fairly fast, seems like I have to add wood to the fire more often than burning even elm. It doesn’t coal-up all that well, and what coals you do get are short lived… not much good at all for building cookin’ fires.
Maybe I’ll like it more in the furnace firebox this coming winter… but so far, not so much. Goin’ on what I’ve seen, I’d haf’ta say it’s (so-called) “shoulder season” wood at best… and not even as good as standing-dead elm for that purpose. With EAB on its way to my area I thought I’d be well supplied with excellent standing-dead firewood in my woodlot for the coming years… Now I’m not so sure. When dad saw me haulin’ it out of the woodlot he asked why I was wasting my time on that stuff… and when I told him it was supposed to be great firewood he just shook his head and said, “Boy, the only great firewood in that woodlot is the oak… but you’ll learn the hard way I guess. By-the-way, ya’ better be burnin’ that hard maple this comin’ winter, or it’ll be crap by the winter after.” I’m thinkin’ he’s right, as he always seems to be.
Maybe I’ll like it more in the furnace firebox this coming winter… but so far, not so much. Goin’ on what I’ve seen, I’d haf’ta say it’s (so-called) “shoulder season” wood at best… and not even as good as standing-dead elm for that purpose. With EAB on its way to my area I thought I’d be well supplied with excellent standing-dead firewood in my woodlot for the coming years… Now I’m not so sure. When dad saw me haulin’ it out of the woodlot he asked why I was wasting my time on that stuff… and when I told him it was supposed to be great firewood he just shook his head and said, “Boy, the only great firewood in that woodlot is the oak… but you’ll learn the hard way I guess. By-the-way, ya’ better be burnin’ that hard maple this comin’ winter, or it’ll be crap by the winter after.” I’m thinkin’ he’s right, as he always seems to be.