Willow.....Any good?

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Harry, Is this one of the giants you mentioned ?
east.jpg


That is a bit of a monster.

I always thought willow and Cottonwood were about equal for heat.

Nah, that would be what I consider a 'good sized' locust' Only about 26-28" DBH. I have done them a lot larger than that.

See the pics in thread "Big Locusts"

Harry K
 
Got an OWB coming in a couple weeks. In the mean time, I've been stocking up on firewood.

Got a guy at work that just cut down a huge willow tree and wants someone to just get rid of it. Another coworker told me that don't bother with willow. Said it doesn't burn very well no matter how long it sits.

Being sorta new to all this, what are you guys thought about willow?


Do I get it or forget it?
I will burn anything in my furnace except willow. And as for cottonwood? There is no comparison. Cottonwood gets a bad rap (not that it's a piece of Ash or Oak) but it is decent stuff if taken care of (split, stored off the ground and burned not too long after dry). Tell the guy to keep the Willow and look for something else.
 
I will burn anything in my furnace except willow. And as for cottonwood? There is no comparison. Cottonwood gets a bad rap (not that it's a piece of Ash or Oak) but it is decent stuff if taken care of (split, stored off the ground and burned not too long after dry). Tell the guy to keep the Willow and look for something else.

Just curious. What specifically do you have against Willow? I burn a lot of it and don't see any drawbacks except for it being a very low density wood, i.e., gofer.

Now Cottonwood I won't touch because the one I did try would not split even after the rounds drying for over a year and then cutting them in half.

Harry K
 
Just curious. What specifically do you have against Willow? I burn a lot of it and don't see any drawbacks except for it being a very low density wood, i.e., gofer.

Now Cottonwood I won't touch because the one I did try would not split even after the rounds drying for over a year and then cutting them in half.

Harry K

It's the work getting it and the usual clean-up after it for the BTU's I'm getting. Now there is a lot of windbreak willow (at least that's what we call it) that isn't bad burning at all. I just won't waste my time with a weaping willow or a box elder. And you are right about the cotton wood. very stringy and very heavy when green. Not a ton better but in my opinion better than the willow and I get a lot more wood for the work.
 
:agree2:

I'll burn about anything (went through a Ranger load of box elder 2 winters ago and have about a 1/4 cord of poplar and cottonwood that'll go in the spring or height of day burning when the sun is high and solar heat through our many windows supplements the stove.)

I've not heard too many complimentary things about willow and have not burnt it because I haven't had the chance. But I hear all sorts of slander about poplar, pine, linden, and other low BTU species that have all performed their part in keeping me warm.

That said, if I had the choice between poplar and red oak, the chainsaw's gonna be attracted to the oak like a grazing deer to magnetic north.
 
Perhaps apocryphal, a kind of woodburning urban legend, but here goes for post #500:

I've heard it said that parents would give newly-wedded children cord upon cord of poplar and willow when it came time to set up housekeeping. Mostly as a strategy to compel the newlyweds to find alternative ways of keeping warm and increase the prospect of grandchildren.:) :) :)
 
Perhaps apocryphal, a kind of woodburning urban legend, but here goes for post #500:

I've heard it said that parents would give newly-wedded children cord upon cord of poplar and willow when it came time to set up housekeeping. Mostly as a strategy to compel the newlyweds to find alternative ways of keeping warm and increase the prospect of grandchildren.:) :) :)

So that's why my dad gave me that load of cotton wood!! Well he has three grandchildren now so he should be happy.:)
 
It's the work getting it and the usual clean-up after it for the BTU's I'm getting. Now there is a lot of windbreak willow (at least that's what we call it) that isn't bad burning at all. I just won't waste my time with a weaping willow or a box elder. And you are right about the cotton wood. very stringy and very heavy when green. Not a ton better but in my opinion better than the willow and I get a lot more wood for the work.

Aha. Makes sense. I think you are around a different willow than out here. Here they come big. I just finished the end of July 8 and bit cords out of 3 trees. Still one H*** of a lot of work just piling the brush though. Same here, no box elder (don't even know if there is any here) and weeping willow. Who plants them abortions anyhow? Also some 'scrub willow' not worth touching. Usually growin one in a swampy area, small and all brush.

Harry K
 
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