Box elder

[rackmup]

Hi All...

I have a big ole box elder that has to go. How well does it split/burn?

 

[ewoolsey]

for fire wood you can't get much worst.

 

[mdotis]

I burn it in the fall and again in the spring. It lights easy burn hot but burns fast. I have heard it called Gopher wood. Fill the stove and then go for more wood .

If you have a splitter it will be fine. I split by hand and it is some where between oak and elm. Not as easy as oak but not any where near as hard to split as elm. I cut it mostly because it grows on the fence lines and it has to go anyway. Might as well get double duty out of my time cutting wood. If it is free burn it.

Korey

 

[vwboomer]

Hi All...

I have a big ole box elder that has to go. How well does it split/burn?

Since you're not paying for it burn it

 

[Dalmatian90]

heats better then a snowball...

 

[wdchuck]

It's great wood for spring/fall, or as a good companion to oak, hard maple, hickory, black locust, or hedge.

It generally splits easily enough, especially with an engine powered unit.

If you haven't cut it up yet, visit your local wood carvers supply shop and let them know you are dropping the tree, the turners may be interested in certain parts of it.

It's in the maple family.

It's odor when burning is less pleasant than cherry.

If you have a straight section of trunk, it will make fine lumber, similar to pine boards.

 

[savageactor7]

Splits easy burn kind of fast...good wood for shoulder season. Hey ...it's right in your backyard, why not?

 

[woodhounder]

Splits good, burns hot, but doesn't burn very long. :greenchainsaw:

 

[HARRY BARKER]

heats better then a snowball...

:agree2:

 

[Wood Doctor]

Bottom of the Barrel

Smells worse than any wood I know of as it dries. Burns like paper. Take it from there.

 

[MN Ripper]

Used to not care for it much, but I've put some through my new Drolet this winter and now I don't mind it that much. Lasted much longer than I expected or got out of previous airtight stove. Guess it depends on what you plan to burn it in? You can send all the free boxelder you want my way-I can put it to good use!

 

[TreePointer]

Just don't be alarmed when you think you've injured yourself while splitting it. The red color is normal:

 

[Blazin]

Fire it up! Spring or fall it works ok for me in the OWB.

 

[Blackjack1234]

I've burnt a lot of box elder, its everywhere around here. Kind of brushy if the tree is out in the open like on a fence line but if you can cut those 12-20 inch trees in a wood lot, nice tall straight trunk, easy cutting, splits good. I generally start my fire with it to heat up the shop then start throwing in the ash and oak. Also works well when the temps start getting into the 30's and 40's and you don't need that much heat.

 

[dms]

I got a "free" tree and I did not know what kind wood it was and it was ooozing red from it when cutting ... I had to double check all body parts. Cool to know what it is.

I hand split and found that it splits best frozen as I am finding with most wood.

 

[MJR]

Burns like cedar without the sparks. I do like to mill it and wish I had more.

 

[1harlowr]

If it's free and burns, why not. I have about 30 12"-24" sumacs that I have to cut I'm even going to burn it in my OWB. Nothing can be as bad as sumac.

 

[ewoolsey]

you guys must be hard up ? you would get laughed at around here useing it or willow is about the same, maybe we are lucky to have lots of good hard woods here .

 

[jcappe]

Last year I burnt quite a bit of it. A local contractor cleard a bunch of it where he was putting in new houses. It was easy to get to and easy to cut. It isn't my favorite wood by far but it is wood and it burns. To me it burns about like soft maple.

 

[wdchuck]

Last year I burnt quite a bit of it. A local contractor cleard a bunch of it where he was putting in new houses. It was easy to get to and easy to cut. It isn't my favorite wood by far but it is wood and it burns. To me it burns about like soft maple.

It is soft maple.