Should I take some free cottonwood?

[Moddoo]

There is a lot near my house where the owner took down a large cottonwood.
It is over 48" DBH. Some of the trunk rounds have a 12"-18" hole throgh the middle.
He has chipped all of the tree except for about 2 cords of the trunk.
I think he just wants it taken away, It has been sitting there for a month.
He doesn't live on the property, so I haven't talked to him yet.
The land is about 5 minutes from my house.

So, a lot of people don't like cottonwood, but I have never burned it.
I have a decent stash of oak already, and more I can cut, but "oakland" is 30 min from my house.

What do you guys think?

 

[ShoerFast]

There is a lot near my house where the owner took down a large cottonwood.
It is over 48" DBH. Some of the trunk rounds have a 12"-18" hole throgh the middle.
He has chipped all of the tree except for about 2 cords of the trunk.
I think he just wants it taken away, It has been sitting there for a month.
He doesn't live on the property, so I haven't talked to him yet.
The land is about 5 minutes from my house.

So, a lot of people don't like cottonwood, but I have never burned it.
I have a decent stash of oak already, and more I can cut, but "oakland" is 30 min from my house.

What do you guys think?

No self respecting Minnesotian will burn a Cottonwood, sort of like eating a bass!

There sure are a lot of better trees that you could be burning, 30 minnutes for a wood that burns hours longer is a good trage!

 

[JBinKC]

I would say how charitable do you want to feel. That seems like a lot of backbreaking work to me especially handling such large pieces. Green cottonwood is among the heaviest wood species out there and when dry will become the one of the lightest. Once seasoned it provides half of the BTUs of oak. The wood also tends to retain rain water also so it is best to be put under a woodshed to dry. Once seasoned it deteriorates very fast if left in the elements. The only positive is it splits fairly easily.

 

[habanero]

When I was in high school Dad and I worked up a big old cottonwood that was down on a neighbor's property. I'll be the first to admit it wasn't the greatest wood in the world, but it burnt okay. I agree it doesn't last all that long in a pile, though.

If it came down to paying for oak, or getting cottonwood for free, I'd take the cottonwood. If it is free oak vs free cottonwood, then it's a no-brainer.

 

[olyman]

you people that dont like cottonwood--i burn it at the start of the season when you dont need a hot fire--and the output of btu's is dang close to soft maple--which i burn at the same time--then hardwoods when it gets colder---its free--and im warm---

 

[Moddoo]

I'm listening guys

I think I could cut it on site and I don't mind using the saw.:greenchainsaw:

How about the bark, this stuff is probably 4+" thick.
If I take the wood, should I avoid the bark?
Do I have a choice? (will it seperate easily?)

I thought I might burn some of it in the backyard as a recreational fire once in a while.

 

[habanero]

As I recall, the bark burns okay, though probably produces a few more ashes than the wood itself.

 

[olyman]

moddoo--if you stack it after you split it---when you go to use it--the bark will fall off----at least it has on all that ive done---

 

[Sprig]

Its free.

Its wood.

It burns.

Could be worse, like balsam pine or some such, but I personally wouldn't be picky, heck, you could always start a 'charity pile'

 

[JBinKC]

I would also be prepared to split the cottonwood on site with pieces that large. A cord of oak and cottonwood weighs very close to the same green but a cord of cottonwood will lose 1200 more lbs of water than oak when seasoned so 1 cord of oak which weighs 3800 lbs will be equivalent to around 1.75 cords seasoned cottonwood in weight value. If you have the storage space and don't mind the extra work by all means go for it.

 

[Tom_Scheller]

If it's free,
It's for me.

TS

 

[BIG JAKE]

I won't take cottonwood even if it is free. A few reasons for that are a boring fire, low heat output(no it's not wet), and a lot of ash in my little woodstove when compared to pine or fir which leave very little. That means more continous burn time without shoveling. Since I heat my house with wood that's important to me. Having said that I'm not a big fan of oak either except when we're away from the house for 5-7 hour periods. That's when I load it with oak.
That doesn't mean it won't work for you. You can try it and if you don't like it you can give it away and don't get any more of it.

 

[BC_Logger]

Its free.

Its wood.

It burns.

Could be worse, like balsam pine or some such, but I personally wouldn't be picky, heck, you could always start a 'charity pile'

My thoughts exactly

 

[fuzzle]

Its free.

Its wood.

It burns.

Could be worse, like balsam pine or some such, but I personally wouldn't be picky, heck, you could always start a 'charity pile'

Yep, if it burns and it's free take it.

 

[SWI Don]

How does it smell when burnt? I haven't had to mess with it but my bro the arborist says it smells like urine when you cut it. If you are burning it in a stove or insert it may not matter but for a fireplace or bon fire it may not be so enjoyable. I haven't had to mess with it so I defer to those who have.

I have had several opportunities for cottonwood and I haven't had to go that low on the rating scale. Lowest so far is some silver maple and dead American Elm. They were standing dead and dry enough to burn well as they stood.

He should be able to get the trunks sold for hardwood pallet wood. There is a sawmill close to my dad's that used to cut a lot of cottonwood for pallets.

Don

 

[goof008]

Cottonwood is a great bonfire wood, used about 2 cords of it at deer camp last fall. It had only seasoned about 6 months and burned great. I'd never put in my stove though. And season it too long and it's like balsa wood.
Free wood is better than no wood, but there a lot of better woods to burn. Just my 2 cents.

 

[WoodTick007]

No

 

[computeruser]

It's wood, it's free, it's local. I'd take it. You can always split it and give it away to a needy family if you change your mind.

 

[bama]

I would leave it and go for the oak. I used cottonwood when in the Black Hills because it burned longer than the pine I would cut, but since moving back here, I only cut oak and ash. The bark will come off, sometimes when you don't want it to(like in the house!). Way more BTU's in oak and ash.

Just my $0.13(adjusted for inflation)

 

[mga]

i have several of them out back. some close to 70' tall. i've dropped a few and burned them as filler wood. it's a light wood and it burns hot and fast.

if it's free wood.....take it.