Standing dry wood

[SmittysSweetShack]

We are getting our wood up for our first year now, hoping to boil this spring. We are cutting standing dry maple, elm, poplar and splitting it fine. We are wondering if we will get enough heat out of it to boil, it is a 3 x 8 pan.

[wiam]

Not great but it will beat green wood.

[1arch]

We alway have quite a bit of cleaning up to in the woods so we typically harvest either down trees or standing trees that have shed their bark. If the tree is still standing and the bark has already been shed it is ready for the fire fire box and will burn good.

[n8hutch]

I agree, standing dead wood has saved my hind end many times, you could also look for some slab wood or pallets locally, I have a guy near buy that sells face cords of slabs for 20$ they mix in well.

[Maplewalnut]

Cut up some pallets and mix them in.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Reminds me of the year we built the shanty (1975) Dad had us switching off between gathering a load of sap and cutting a load of wood. We would look for dead stuff about 4" in diameter so we wouldn't have to split it. I can still see my uncle standing in the door and telling us to hurry back with a load of sap so the old 3 by 13 Grim wouldn't have to shut down. Some years you may forget but you won't forget this one.

[buckeye gold]

Quality wood is a big part of efficiency.You can't over state how important dry wood is if you want to operate your evaporator at top rates. I agree with others get some pallets or other source of dry wood. I start cutting next years wood soon as I clean up. All my wood is at least 6-8 months since cutting at worst, most of it is a year seasoned or more.

[maple flats]

Standing barkfree wood is fairly good. Just try to cuntinue to cut after you have enough for this year, start cutting for next year. I find it best if my wood is 2 yrs old, split and stacked to dry.

[wishlist]

Standing barkfree wood is fairly good. Just try to cuntinue to cut after you have enough for this year, start cutting for next year. I find it best if my wood is 2 yrs old, split and stacked to dry.
Yea to this! The tops of standing dead would be OK or if the tree is smaller. We have dead ash everywhere and those big ones I wouldn't think about burning in my wood stove in the house without seasoning , too much moisture.

Getting your wood pile years ahead if you can do it is a big bonus. I burn 24/7 and with last year's cold and snow up to your azz I never cut wood. Being 8 years ahead I can pick and chose when to cut. :cool:

One more thing...... I've read where some will cut standing green trees in summer and let lay while the leaves " pull moisture out of the wood" and it will be ready to burn that fall. Total BS ! That may work for sugarmakers in Arizona ( lol) but not in the Midwest . Cut ,split, and stack in an open area will season your wood . Give oak 2 years .

[BreezyHill]

We always have some dry wood standing for those seasons that go on and on. 90% of our evap wood is cut in the fall from down or dead wood. In the fall we use the tractor with pallet fork on the back of the log winch to move cage tank cages. One empty in the bucket and you have two to fill. Any body can drag limbs and dead wood to the trail edges where a two person cut crew will cut directly into the cage and stack the wood. One cutter and one holder. Average fill time is 30 minutes per cage. Another that shuttles the cages to the woods edge or sugar house for storage. We have 15 cages for this season. If the hay fields are wet we leave the tanks in the woods. Back at the sugar house they are covered to stay dry. We don't store wood in the sugar house since we had a powder post beetle issue.

Back in 2012 my youngest, 14 at the time, loved to come home and go get wood with the wheeler and the wood trailer. I wood drop small dead wood and older brother wood drop the bigger ones if I didn't have time. He would bring loads til dark. He did 90% of the wood the last two weeks of the extended season.

[handtapper]

If you have access to pallets they beat the pants off convential firewood

[Moser's Maple]

One more thing...... I've read where some will cut standing green trees in summer and let lay while the leaves " pull moisture out of the wood" and it will be ready to burn that fall. Total BS ! That may work for sugarmakers in Arizona ( lol) but not in the Midwest . Cut ,split, and stack in an open area will season your wood . Give oak 2 years .

now that's funny cause that's how my grandfather used to cut all his house wood and sugar wood. while cleaning up from sugaring or early summer before second hay cutting he would drop the trees, let them lay, and then after final cutting of hay and before rifle season he would pull trees out, cut/split, and then stack. he would fill the sugarhouse with the limb wood, split some hemlock to mix, and the stacked piles he would start burning in the house nov/dec time. always worked for him.

[mellondome]

If the bark is gone, standing dead maple and cherry are great heat sources. Just make sure you keep the saw chain well oiled. And air over fire will help with getting the most heat out of it. For 2 years, that is all I burned. Before AOF, when I fired, it would smoke a lot, as it was not getting enough air to burn the gas completely. ( adding more air in the under fire blower made it worse)

[mapledavefarm]

now that's funny cause that's how my grandfather used to cut all his house wood and sugar wood. while cleaning up from sugaring or early summer before second hay cutting he would drop the trees, let them lay, and then after final cutting of hay and before rifle season he would pull trees out, cut/split, and then stack. he would fill the sugarhouse with the limb wood, split some hemlock to mix, and the stacked piles he would start burning in the house nov/dec time. always worked for him.

That's what I do. If i had the time to get eight years ahead of my wood supply I would have to find another 1000 + taps, a second job, a second wife and get off the computer. Some guys just don't........

[wishlist]

That's what I do. If i had the time to get eight years ahead of my wood supply I would have to find another 1000 + taps, a second job, a second wife and get off the computer. Some guys just don't........

Mapledave, I burn a high efficiency ( over 80%) free standing wood stove . Heat over 1800 square ft house with cathedral ceilings in a well insulated house. On a normal winter I use about 2 1/2 cords ( real cords) , so 8 years isn't much . I also burn nothing that hasn't been c/s/s for at least 3 years .

Since sugarmakers like throwing numbers around , burning wood with a moisture content of more than 20% and up to 35% and you lose 9%-15% of available btu's.

Cutting wood is hard, labor intensive , and basically not fun at times. Since we sugarmakers seem to always be trying to maximize our gph with the evaporator, I'll take the extra btu's for the same amount of work and NOT boil water in the wood !

[mapledavefarm]

Mapledave, I burn a high efficiency ( over 80%) free standing wood stove . Heat over 1800 square ft house with cathedral ceilings in a well insulated house. On a normal winter I use about 2 1/2 cords ( real cords) , so 8 years isn't much . I also burn nothing that hasn't been c/s/s for at least 3 years .

Since sugarmakers like throwing numbers around , burning wood with a moisture content of more than 20% and up to 35% and you lose 9%-15% of available btu's.

Cutting wood is hard, labor intensive , and basically not fun at times. Since we sugarmakers seem to always be trying to maximize our gph with the evaporator, I'll take the extra btu's for the same amount of work and NOT boil water in the wood !

My apologies. I now see under your signature line that you own a stihl. If I had to cut wood with a stihl I would only burn 2 1/2 REAL chords of wood too. That's a lot of work with that pos.

[wishlist]

My apologies. I now see under your signature line that you own a stihl. If I had to cut wood with a stihl I would only burn 2 1/2 REAL chords of wood too. That's a lot of work with that pos.

Lol, let me guess Dave? You own a Huskavarna? Great tool, my wife owns 2 of them and she can sew, hem pants, and make quilts without any issues or warranty work. You made a fine choice . :lol:

I say REAL CORDS because in Michigan we have those infamous face cords.

[mapledavefarm]

I run Dolmars and have for years. Personally I would run a Wal-Mart eager beaver before I would run another stihl.

[RustyBuckets]

I got a Stihl chainsaw when I was 3 years old on Christmas one year, never got to use it, darn thing broke before I got the chance to try it out.

[1tapattack]

What's the difference between a real cord and face cord. Does this require a different saw

[sirsapsalot]

Lol, let me guess Dave? You own a Huskavarna? Great tool, my wife owns 2 of them and she can sew, hem pants, and make quilts without any issues or warranty work. You made a fine choice . :lol:

I say REAL CORDS because in Michigan we have those infamous face cords.

No wonder this guy runs a stihl, he cant spell Husqvarna!

[adk1]

One face cord is 4' high x 4' wide by 8' long stacked. I believe a face cord is 1/3 of a cord. There is something to be said about a well insulated house, which I do not have. I heat 1200 sf and burn 4 full cord and burn more oil than I would like!

[RustyBuckets]

MapleDave his signature says woods ported so he may have a chance at doing better than the eager beaver, it may be neck in neck but there is a slight chance.

[FDA]

I got a Stihl chainsaw when I was 3 years old on Christmas one year, never got to use it, darn thing broke before I got the chance to try it out.

I have to agree with you all stihl chainsaws are not what they used to be years ago.

[adk1]

Let's face it they are all getting cheaper if you ask me. I have had 2 husky saws now, my newest being the 562xp with auto tune. U can plug the **** thing into a computer for Christ sakes, it's a chainsaw!

[1tapattack]

One face cord is 4' high x 4' wide by 8' long stacked. I believe a face cord is 1/3 of a cord. There is something to be said about a well insulated house, which I do not have. I heat 1200 sf and burn 4 full cord and burn more oil than I would like!
See I get confused by this. So on craigslist a cord is a face cord or a real cord. I was thinking about buying a jonsered at TSC but see Walmart has a wild thing chainsaw with the same cc for a better price. What you guys think??

[RustyBuckets]

I have to agree with you all stihl chainsaws are not what they used to be years ago.
The plastic handles that are suppose to hold all the extra weight a Stihl carries is when I gave up on them. That was a whole bunch of full moons ago. I havent run a Husqvarna in years either. I know many loggers that will swear by them though. I have had some pretty good luck with my JohnyRed.

[RustyBuckets]

See I get confused by this. So on craigslist a cord is a face cord or a real cord. I was thinking about buying a jonsered at TSC but see Walmart has a wild thing chainsaw with the same cc for a better price. What you guys think??
A face cord is just what it sounds like, its when you try to pick up a Stihl and find its so heavy the handle breaks off and you fall flat on your face with the recoil cord wrapped around your neck.

[wishlist]

The plastic handles that are suppose to hold all the extra weight a Stihl carries is when I gave up on them. That was a whole bunch of full moons ago. I havent run a Husqvarna in years either. I know many loggers that will swear by them though. I haif ve had some pretty good luck with my JohnyRed.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Husky and Jonsered one in the same ? Different color and maybe cosmetic differences but inside identical?

Face cords are the norm here in Michigan, other places not so much . You buy a cord and as ADK said it's 4x4x8. In fact , I believe in parts of Canada it's illegal to sell a " face cord" which is 4 ft high x 8ft long but there isn't a " standard " for length.

[miller maple]

i have heared that you dont get the BTU's out of slab wood?

[BreezyHill]

See I get confused by this. So on craigslist a cord is a face cord or a real cord. I was thinking about buying a jonsered at TSC but see Walmart has a wild thing chainsaw with the same cc for a better price. What you guys think??

Buying power helps to drive down prices for comparing same model same brand...don't confuse a solid brand for a throw away brand.

Don't confuse todays plastic model with last decades metal model. Grapes and grapefruit don't compare well when you want to work for the day.

When it comes to saws the biggest killer for me is the gas. Run good gas and oil and drain the saw if you are going to let it sit for more than a week and they last ok. Club saw lasted nearly the same years and it gets used for a few hours a year clearing trails, where ours get used for several hours a week.

Stihil MS250 with logging chains and you will gt the job done quickly. Haven't used the 036 or 440 in years. No reason to carry the extra weight around the woods and spin a 20 inch blade when you don't need it. Nice for those huge trees thou.

Remember its the chain that does the work. Junk chain heats a saw up and they are one step closer to the scrape pile.

[wiam]

i have heared that you dont get the BTU's out of slab wood?

I have had no problem when burning slab wood if dried well. Not so much right off the log.

[unc23win]

I have had no problem when burning slab wood if dried well. Not so much right off the log.

I would agree I know a bunch of guys in my area who use 100% slab wood the mill (owned by sugar makers) cuts 100% hardwood and they start filling sugarhouses for next season as soon as this season is over.

[buckeye gold]

I used Stihl for 30 years and then went looking for a new saw and was disappointed with what I saw in the new stihls. They are made for the cheap and not heavy work market mostly. They make a commercial grade, but I still chose to look to another brand. I ended up with a professional grade Jonsered and have ran it brutally for 4 years and my only complaint is hard starting. All makers are putting out consumer models that are cheaper. If you want a hard working professional grade saw don't go to TSC, Walmart or Lowes. Go to a saw shop, where the loggers go, and open up the billfold. The old saying, "you get what you pay for" is even more true with chainsaws. So if your happy saving a few bucks now and respending it in 3 years go cheap. If you want to work a saw hard and keep it for a long time spend the money. As some one else already said take care of your saws and they will work for you. Here are my priorities, 1.) a sharp chain works a saw less 2.) good fuel mixture and good oils 3.) clean that dad-blame air filter, we like to breath and so does your saw 4.) never store it long term with fuel in it.

[maple flats]

See I get confused by this. So on craigslist a cord is a face cord or a real cord. I was thinking about buying a jonsered at TSC but see Walmart has a wild thing chainsaw with the same cc for a better price. What you guys think??
I have run Wild Thing saws in the past, consider them throw-away saws. They are usually good for 1 season. I don't use Stihl saws because I don't like the local Stihl dealer, but Husky's are good. Johnsered and Husky's are the same essentially, made in the same factory, both are quality saws if you buy better than the low end homeowner saws. While I ran Wild Thing saws for 3 years (1 new every year), when I finally wised up, I bought a Husky 359. Been using the same saw for 11 years now. I have a 16 and 20" bar for it. I also run a Husky 365 with a 20 or 34" bar, but that rarely sees action, except when I need the 34" bar for something real big. That saw is just too heavy to use when it's not needed, but when it is needed it sure cuts fast.
I suggest you get either a Husky or a Johnsered. You may pay a few buck less from a box store like TSC, but a dealer is much better, if it ever needs service. I have seen some dealers who turn down repair work or put it on the back burner if you did not buy the saw from them, they try to have you take it back where you bought it, knowing they (TSC or any big box store) then need to send it out to who knows where for repair.

[Cabin]

That all depends on how much bark is on the slab. IIRC all wood has the same BTUs per pound, some wood has more pounds per square foot that others. Bark has more silica/ash and has less btus per pound.