Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[Deleted member 149229]

I don't, but the guy I got the locust from a few weeks ago is a real smoked meat aficionado that would appreciate some I'm sure. Wait, what... now I'm giving wood away on the wood scrounging thread!!

Yould be surprised how many times that act turns around and gets you more.

 

[H-Ranch]

Yould be surprised how many times that act turns around and gets you more.

How do you think I got the offer of the locust in the first place? LOL. I've given him a few chunks of various wood to try over the past few years.

 

[95custmz]

I got to try out the Fiskars Isocore over the weekend. Wow, can this thing split some crotchety wood! I got winded a few times. Swinging that thing will make a man out of you. LOL. Got about a rick of Cherry split in the rain and called it a day.

 

[James Miller]

I don't, but the guy I got the locust from a few weeks ago is a real smoked meat aficionado that would appreciate some I'm sure. Wait, what... now I'm giving wood away on the wood scrounging thread!!

I send some hickory and cherry to the one guy at work and it turns into food for my family.

Yould be surprised how many times that act turns around and gets you more.

This

 

[Jeffkrib]

Sounds like every time I go up to my cabin. Luckily we have not had any vandalism up there, but we are certainly vulnerable to it. Also fear animal invasions, mostly the porcupines which will eat through almost anything except the cement board + metal, but I have also heard of bear break ins now and then. They can tear through a cabin wall fast if they want to. We did have a cooler attacked by a bear one night, luckily it was out side. He just bit it and flung it into the air like it was nothing. Luckily, it was a fairly young one, and we were able to chase him off.

My friend said if he had a video of me running after and chaining it wearing nothing but my boots and my underwear, with a flashlight in one hand and my Glock in the other hand, he could have made a fortune on youtube! We had "shooed" him away multiple times that night, but after I ran after him and chased him into the woods, he did not return. We were staying in the cabin while building it, and did not have the front door installed yet.

I’ve seen some of your pics of you cutting logs Mike and to be honest I didn’t think you were that scary looking. I guess It must be an entirely different story in your underwear if you can scare fully grown bears.

 

[James Miller]

I’ve seen some of your pics of you cutting logs Mike and to be honest I didn’t think you were that scary looking. I guess It must be an entirely different story in your underwear if you can scare fully grown bears.

Mike's not that scary looking in person either. But there the ones you have to watch.

 

[James Miller]

Any of you local folks have anything you need a hand cutting? Haven't started a saw since Steve's gtg and I'm getting restless.

 

[farmer steve]

Any of you local folks have anything you need a hand cutting? Haven't started a saw since Steve's gtg and I'm getting restless.

there's stihl plenty here to cut.

 

[square1]

Yeah, some of it may end up coming in for the fireplace. It's either that or the outdoor fire pit - seems too good to go in the OWB. I thought it is above oak on a lot of btu charts though. Just hard to get a lot of it.

Not above oak, unless the list is arranged alphabetically; )
It's above ash though, whether listed alphabetically or by BTU content.

 

[H-Ranch]

Not above oak, unless the list is arranged alphabetically; )
It's above ash though, whether listed alphabetically or by BTU content.

Both of these charts have apple above red oak and white oak for btu's. Some charts have it the other way. Lots of variation though I'm sure - there are hundreds of apple species! Most of us aren't burning apple for heat content it seems anyway so we won't know either way.
http://firewoodresource.com/firewood-btu-ratings/
http://mb-soft.com/juca/print/firewood.html

 

[JustJeff]

Apple is comparable to sugar maple for btu and coals. There are a lot of orchards in my area and sometimes you get lucky with a scrounge where they have ripped old trees up with a hoe. I came across an old orchard scrounge once where it was all grown up with weeds and small trees. Apple will send up root suckers I call them. It wound up being too much effort for too little gain. Unfortunately Apple wood will eventually be a thing of the past. All the newer orchards are dwarf or super dwarf trees. We use Apple for smoking as well.

 

[MustangMike]

BTUs - A lot of it depends on where the tree grew, and what device you are burning it in. Ironic how White Oak is sometimes above Red Oak and sometimes not. Around here, I believe it is a denser wood.

Was also surprised how low Black Maple was on one of the charts, as it is harder than Sugar Maple and is used for flooring in gyms and bowling alleys. (BTUs were lower than Sugar Maple). Go figure!

 

[Deleted member 150358]

I was surprised black cherry was right with red elm and higher then American elm. Much lighter so must have to do with the sap/resins in the wood.

 

[square1]

Both of these charts have apple above red oak and white oak for btu's. Some charts have it the other way. Lots of variation though I'm sure - there are hundreds of apple species! Most of us aren't burning apple for heat content it seems anyway so we won't know either way.
http://firewoodresource.com/firewood-btu-ratings/
http://mb-soft.com/juca/print/firewood.html

I do stand corrected
Shows to go ya, old wives tales and hearsay you "learned" while growing up should not be considered gospel truth.
And apple does smell great burning!

 

[Philbert]

Both of these charts have apple above red oak and white oak for btu's. l

Thanks for posting these. This is one of the important take aways to me as a 'scrounger', as opposed to a 'snob':

"All firewood has about the same BTU per pound. Non resinous wood has around 8000 to 8500 BTU per pound and resinous wood has around 8600 to 9700 BTU per pound. Less dense softwoods have less BTU per cord than more dense hardwood but they also weigh less per cord. Resinous wood has more BTU per pound because the resins have more BTU per pound than wood fiber has"

So, some species may require a lot more cutting, and some may leave a lot more ash. But it depends on what options you have, and how choosey you are.

Philbert

 

[James Miller]

there's stihl plenty here to cut.

I have a spot down the road from me that I'm not allowed into till January due to hunting. Theres a bunch of stuff there but I'm always willing to take a break from my own stuff and lend a hand.

 

[Deleted member 150358]

This is after I finished yesterday's chunks.

Then I dragged out a big cherry limb and chunked it up and split it. Got me a little deeper in the pile for next year.

Then one of my uncle's dropped by. Since he from Benson/Starbuck area I hang out till he left. Now I may go out and cut some elm branches 2-4" to burn tonight and tomorrow. Its just too nice out not to take advantage!

Just to show @Philbert I'm no wood snob. The ugly backside of the pile is punky elm.
popular names from 1960

 

[turnkey4099]

Thanks for posting these. This is one of the important take aways to me as a 'scrounger', as opposed to a 'snob':

"All firewood has about the same BTU per pound. Non resinous wood has around 8000 to 8500 BTU per pound and resinous wood has around 8600 to 9700 BTU per pound. Less dense softwoods have less BTU per cord than more dense hardwood but they also weigh less per cord. Resinous wood has more BTU per pound because the resins have more BTU per pound than wood fiber has"

So, some species may require a lot more cutting, and some may leave a lot more ash. But it depends on what options you have, and how choosey you are.

Philbert

Yep. that is how I wound up heating this house with nothing but willow for over 30 years. There was noting else availble that was even close on a doller/per btu basis. Then the locust borer moved in and I clear cut stands or single trees for 30 miles around. Still do burn willow mixed in with good wood. I also have a customer that has taken 3 cords a year since back in the 80s and has uped the order to 6 cords willow for next year.

 

[James Miller]

@farmer steve hope this is enough Christmas wood for you.

 

[farmer steve]

Apple is comparable to sugar maple for btu and coals. There are a lot of orchards in my area and sometimes you get lucky with a scrounge where they have ripped old trees up with a hoe. I came across an old orchard scrounge once where it was all grown up with weeds and small trees. Apple will send up root suckers I call them. It wound up being too much effort for too little gain. Unfortunately Apple wood will eventually be a thing of the past. All the newer orchards are dwarf or super dwarf trees. We use Apple for smoking as well.

Mulberry is the new Apple for smoking.