New Homeowner, million questions:

[FishZapper]

Hello there, I recently bought a first home and with it, came some forested land and a yard full of trees. On the land I have a fairly diverse standing crop including some fairly old looking silver maples and some good size oaks as well as some neat umbrella magnolias in the gulches.

Anyway, as this property was logged sometime in the past, a good bit of it got pretty eaten up with sumacs and mimosas....trees I find somewhat undesirable. My questions to start mainly have to do with these.

Would these types of trees make for decent firewood since they're fairly large in some cases? I do have a fireplace Im itching to use.

How long should they be allowed to dry before attemting to use as firewood?

Now that I have a good bit of land and forest, I need a chainsaw. One that will last a good long time. Doesnt need to be too fancy or made from carbon fiber/titanium or anything.
Thanks.

I have a million more questions to do with general forest care, but will wait a bit on that.

 

[Stihlboy088]

Tools

Stihl Stihl Stihl/Husqvarna as far as chainsaws go maybe a dolmar and definately safety equipment. How big are the sumac and mimmosa, diameter? height? i don't now how well it will burn in a fireplace but it'll burn in a OWB no problem.

 

[FishZapper]

Probably the largest of the bunch is around 14" in diameter, but as Im sure you know they get pretty tall even being so thin. Probably around 40' or so.

Oh, and what does "OWB" mean?

 

[Stihlboy088]

owb

Outside Wood Burner. Dependant on how green the wood is and if you have a place to season it 1-2 years i would if i was going to burn it inside a fireplace. But i like my stuff nice and dry so most of my stuff is seasoned a 3-4 maybe even 5 years. As far as saws go; a Stihl MS 260 PRO with an 18" or 20" bar would do well the dispacement is around 50-51 cc's i think, if you've never been behind a saw before i would'nt recomend anything bigger to start with i have one and it is a very good little saw for firewood applications. i Know this is redundant but as a PPE Nazi i can't stress enough the importance of chaps and a helmet. Yeah they are expensive but a whole lot cheaper than any hospital bill Ive ever had. Work Smart, Cut Safe, Have Fun.

Dave,

 

[computeruser]

They won't make especially good firewood from a BTU, coal quality, or duration of burn standpoint, but if your goal is to have a nice ambience fire in your fireplace then you should be fine. Split small, get the stuff good and dry, and you'll be set. This presumes that the sumac is not Poison Sumac, of course.

I would give it at least a full 12 months to dry, unless you have a nice sunny, breezy spot to stack your wood. If you do then drying time could be cut in half.

If you pop over to the chainsaw forum and use the SEARCH function a bit, you'll find LOTS of discussions about guys in similar situations to yours. I think most folks would agree, though, that a mid-grade 50cc saw with a 16" bar would be a good starting point for thinning out the undesirable trees; a high-end 50cc-60cc saw would be nice if $$$ isn't an issue. Stick with the big brands - Stihl, Husqvarna, Jonsered, Echo, Shindaiwa, Dolmar - and you'll have a good saw. Stick with the brand that has the best dealer support in your area and you'll have a pleasant saw owning experience!

 

[FishZapper]

Awesome guys, thanks.

I should also say that I have alot of downed timber on my land of a pretty wide diameter...probably 30" or so, so Im not sure that I want a small saw. I dont mind spending a bit on a saw so long as it lasts several years.

The sumacs, I dont think are poison from the guide I have.

Also, I know these things can regenerate vigorously. Is there a recommended tree to replant that can outcompete them? Much of the growth is in a gulch that I dont want eroding any more. I know tulip poplars grow quickly, as do pines.

 

[Newt*]

FishZapper, you should find some helpful info and resources here.
http://www.utextension.utk.edu/topics/Environment/default.asp

Newt

 

[rb_in_va]

Stick with the big brands - Stihl, Husqvarna, Jonsered, Echo, Shindaiwa, Dolmar - and you'll have a good saw.

Dang Brandon, you put Dolmar at the end behind Shinny and Echo?

FZ,
As far as tree growth is concerned, the slower the growth the stronger the tree. It depends on what you are trying to achieve with your grove.

 

[Dixie1]

Awesome guys, thanks.

I should also say that I have alot of downed timber on my land of a pretty wide diameter...probably 30" or so, so Im not sure that I want a small saw. I dont mind spending a bit on a saw so long as it lasts several years.

The sumacs, I dont think are poison from the guide I have.

Also, I know these things can regenerate vigorously. Is there a recommended tree to replant that can outcompete them? Much of the growth is in a gulch that I dont want eroding any more. I know tulip poplars grow quickly, as do pines.

i believe the tulip poplar is your state tree. should do well in your area.

 

[treeseer]

The sumacs, I dont think are poison from the guide I have.
Also, I know these things can regenerate vigorously. Much of the growth is in a gulch that I dont want eroding any more. .

/expecting tulip poplar to replace a thicket of sumac in a gulch is asking a lot. I recommend cutting the sumac to the base--coppicing--this winter. It will come back smaller and prettier and better at stopping erosion. Go ahead and plant tulip poplar in the bare spots if you like; they will shade out the sumac over time.

 

[BobEMoto]

I should also say that I have alot of downed timber on my land of a pretty wide diameter...probably 30" or so, so Im not sure that I want a small saw. I dont mind spending a bit on a saw so long as it lasts several years.

If money isn't an issue, the Stihl 440 is a good bet. Make sure to take breaks when you get tired.
It really depends on your beefiness. If you get a small one and after 6 months still have 30"ers to do, you'll wish for a bigger saw. If you get a big one and after 6 months dread picking it up, you'll wish for a smaller saw. But for sure the 260 will be challenged on the big logs.

 

[stevethekiwi]

Awesome guys, thanks.

I should also say that I have alot of downed timber on my land of a pretty wide diameter...probably 30" or so, so Im not sure that I want a small saw. I dont mind spending a bit on a saw so long as it lasts several years.

1 saw wont do you if you have a tonne of 30" wood and you want to cut up all the 14" junk as well. Trust me......

You will either:

1. you will buy a big saw with a big bar, and it will work wonders on the 30" rounds. Big smile territory there... makes a man out of you. Your wife will think you're crazy, and your mates will think you're cool. You will go to use it to fell and cut all the small junk, and it sounds like you have a lot, and give yourself a heart attack trying to move the saw around all day. Its harder than it looks, the extra weight makes a huge difference!

2. you will buy a smaller saw like a 346xp w/ 16" bar, and this will be perfect for the junk. you could throw this thing around all day, and it has more than enough power being probably the best 16" pro saw on the market. You wont end up with a hernia etc, and still have a massive grin at your days accomplishments. You will then use it on the 30" rounds, and spend all day rolling logs and moving from either side of the log to cut it. You will give up and the logs will sit there for another season until you buy a second saw.