wood fuel options

[sams64]

I am getting ready to start boiling on a concrete block evaporator and am starting to wonder about fuel sources. I have some cord wood available to me and an unlimited amount of pallet wood. It would be my strong preference to keep my cord woo for the fireplace and burn pallets.

Are pallets a good fuel source or should I use the good stuff?

sam

[collinsmapleman2012]

good friend of mine uses alll pallets, and they burn good and hot. also, if they are free, good and cheap too!!

[pamaple]

I burn off cut lumber form a local amish saw mill. 4ft square bundles of wood for $8/ bundle. the pieces all vary in size but seem to work great for me and a decent price. I have burned 8 bundles so far and made 150 gal of syrup so far

[waysidemaple]

The local paper has free pallets that I pick up and burn whenever there are some. They seem to work okay for me and they're free.

[Groves]

We found a flooring mill in town. Scads of free kindling, all 3/4 thick and bone dry. A sugarmaker's dream.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Find a local fence company and get in good with them. Alot of good dry Cedar. Small tree companys without woodlots have to get rid of it someway:)

[jmayerl]

My buddy cooks 300 taps on nothing but pallets-FREE ones

[sams64]

Whats the best way to cut them up? I am worried about the chain saw and nails.

sam

[Haynes Forest Products]

Be careful:rolleyes: When it comes to pallets cut along the spacer piece and then only between the slats. Make a saw buck so your not having the neighborhood kids standing on the pieces as you cut them. When you take a power tool that can cut your hand off in an instant and a piece of lumber that is loose on the ground bad things can and will happen. BUT BUT thats true with cutting the Thanksgiving Turkey or a good steak Its called CONTROL either you control it or it controls you;)

[SAP EATER]

Anybody every try throughing some coal in with the wood,would'nt it burn nice and hot - also last longer?

[Mac_Muz]

I'ld use a circular saw if I were going to cut up pallets. make a stack about waist high as a cutting table and toss up the ones you want to cut so your not down on your knees. A chain is bound to get into a nail that is broke off and you don't see.

Sugar wood should be cut 'Fine' so it burns real fast, almost an explosion.

My pipes turn dull red at night and the flame emiits around 3 feet and is blue.

The barrel turns dull red hot too at night. I am sure it is in day light too, but the red color is dull.

Sometimes that stove makes shadows of the wood just tossed in.. You see that from looking at a red hot barrel.

Cord wood works but is a tad costly and should be split several times more.

I use standing dead white pine, which is more or less the Traditional wood for NH, but mine is still on the stump as I type. Just more work :o