Big silver maple, hollow though

[wdchuck]

We had a big silver maple along the road, it has been slowly tearing, vertically all spring, well, saturday it came down, blocked the road and ripped off two branches that gave one of my willows balance.
A neighbor had gone to town, and on while he was gone the tree fell, so he went home, got his stuff, came back and started cutting it up to clear the road.
We didn't even hear it fall, but I did hear the sweet sound of a chainsaw, so after getting my chaps and helmet on, down to the road I went with the 460 and 32" bar still on from milling.
15 minutes.....everything cut up, and pushed well clear of the road edge.

After all that hardwork, it was time for a fire, and some water, yeah water, I bet ya I lost a 1/2gal of water wearing all that garb. After the fire was done though, one beer.

 

[Blakesmaster]

Nice pics. Nice fire.

 

[stihl sawing]

Looks like that thing was hollow all the way to the top. Thanks for the pics, I believe ya could cook a few marshmallows on that fire.

 

[Nailsbeats]

That's how we getter done in Wisconsin boys!

 

[wdchuck]

The tree was hollow, from ground level all the way up through two leaders, so not too much for quality firewood, but, strong hollow pieces do make nice planters.
The 32" was just enough to get through most of the stem, but with it being hollow, a 12" bar will do just as well. Only used 2/3 of a tank of fuel, and the semi-skip full chisel was like using a light saber on the solid limbs.
The neighbor looked to have a brand new Stihl 290.

I'll be piling all the brush on the stump/hole for after harvest time, and burn it.

Fixing the fence gives a purpose to some of my odd csmillings.

We tried marshmallows, but a 10' pole was still too close.

 

[stihl sawing]

We tried marshmallows, but a 10' pole was still too close.

LOL, I bet it was.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

How's that stuff for burning? How does it compare to say, oak or cherry? I've got a line on a bunch of free stuff if I want it.

 

[Bowtie]

How's that stuff for burning? How does it compare to say, oak or cherry? I've got a line on a bunch of free stuff if I want it.

Silver Maple isnt very good firewood at all. But free is free.

 

[wdchuck]

How's that stuff for burning? How does it compare to say, oak or cherry? I've got a line on a bunch of free stuff if I want it.

Oak is my night wood, Silver Maple makes up the majority of my daywood for 4years now, it works/splits/burns nice, coals great, give it a fair time to season, so if you have a woodstove its perfect.

I'd put it right next to the cherry around here, similar for burning/heating in my 7+cord per year heating experience.