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Thread: Best Type of Wood to burn?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    ontario
    Posts
    266

    Default Best Type of Wood to burn?

    Hi guys...wondering what most guys burn in there rigs... I have a 2x6 CDl raised flue... I tried dry hardwood but the ashes pile up to fast and block any air from entering the box... tried mostly dry pine and softwood this year and ashes are minimal but I burn twice as much wood and have to load the box non stop.
    Wondering which is best route to go
    2010 - 28 taps, homemade brick arch
    2011 - 421 taps, 2' x 6' homemade evaporator
    2012 - 276 taps
    2013 - 385 taps, new 2' x 6'
    2014 - 600 taps, new 7" short bank filter press

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Halifax, VT.
    Posts
    773

    Default

    Most guys blend the two. We have always done that(the 4 years I've been doing it) but this year I bought a big load of hemlock slabs and went with primarily that. What I found out was that although the slabs burn up quick, when I kept it stoked, the evaporator was super productive. I mean big time. With two of us, we are able to do it that way and it's the way to go for us. I still use a blend of hardwood especially in the early part but transition to all slabs 1/2 way through. I get a log truck load of slabs stacked right outside my door for $300. and run the saw through them before I boil as I need them. Another great thing is I still have 2/3 of my hardwood still stacked for next year. No cutting evaporator wood this year.
    Last edited by madmapler; 04-05-2017 at 07:22 PM.
    Sean

    2013-1st year...94 taps, 12x24 sugarhouse, home built evap. Gast 2065 pump with bender
    releaser.
    2014-30x36 sugarhouse, 2.5x10 "Jutras" evaporator, 1200+ taps on vacuum, sap brothers RO. 2 sihi 2 stage pumps, 440 gal.

    2015- 1000gph memtek RO, 3250 Taps, 1200 gallons

    2016- Modified grimm 4'x12' evaporator with auf and aof with air preheater. Home built airtight arch front. 4250 taps?

    2017- 2400gph. Lapierre RO, 10" filter press, 5000 taps

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Volney, NY
    Posts
    275

    Default

    Hickory is plentiful here and it's got more BTU's by volume than maple, cherry, oak, locust or beech. I burn some ironwood too, and it is #2 on the BTU list of northeast tree species. Slabs contain a higher percentage of useless bark than cordwood.
    Last edited by Daveg; 04-15-2017 at 12:55 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Potsdam in far northern New York
    Posts
    775

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    A narrow hook-shaped poker dragged under the fire now and then will take care of the ash build-up. I start my day with a load of softwood, and then fire with hardwood for the rest of the day. When I see from the level in the tank that I have about a hour's time left, I switch back to softwood. A softwood fire is quick to heat up, but also quick to die out. I like the fire to finish up just when I get to the last of the day's sap and not linger on like hardwood coals will. Too much heat under the pans will continue reducing the contents of the evaporator after you've left the sugarhouse, and can lead to an uncontrolled mess when you come back next.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Belleville, Ontario
    Posts
    48

    Default

    We have burned a lot of Cedar slabs the past two years and our 2x8 just rips. Hardwood slows it down for us. This year I put a small blower on the unit like the woodsaver from leader. And we went from 30 GPH to 60GPH. But our stove pipe went from a slight yellowish colour mostly just above the back flue pan to almost black all the way to the top this year. We have a tempature guage on the pipe but it died last year from the heat. I would guess that the pipe was well over 1000 deg to tarnish the SS pipe black.
    2019 Upgraded to 2.5x12 Lapierre Force 5 & 600 RO (850 Taps + 400 Buckets)+ Buying sap
    2017 & 2018 Still Running about 815 taps
    2016 Added additional 75 Taps (800 total)
    2015 Tubing installed 700+ taps
    AirTech Vacuum Pump and CDL extractor
    20x36 Sugarhouse built (and still not big enough)
    250 CDL Hobby RO
    2014 2x8 Cross flow
    300 taps+
    450 Honda ATV
    2013 3x4 single pan
    50 taps
    40L Made last year off propane and one pan

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    NE PA (Pocono's)
    Posts
    1,426

    Default

    We like a 50/50 split while boiling but try to burn only soft at shutdown do we are not waiting around waiting for fire to die down
    CDL 2x8
    Around 4000 taps
    Polaris ATVs, Ski Doo snowmobiles to get around
    Atlas Copco pumps
    Lapierre two post RO




    http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/j...Sugar%20shack/

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Canton, NY
    Posts
    245

    Default

    I burn exclusively hard wood with minimal ash. Make sure your fire is getting plenty of air and you should get a complete burn.
    Ian
    New sugarhouse fall '06. 3x8 drop flue by Phaneuf. Kubota L2800. 260 buckets for 2012. 504 taps for 2013. 320 buckets, 207 on 5/16" and 200 on 3/16" gravity tubing for 2014. 2017: 280 buckets, 920 on 3/16" tubing, selling sap from 560 of that. Son Gavin is in 3rd successful year of selling maple equipment as MacK Maple Supply.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Western PA
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Does anyone use mostly poplar wood? I Thought it burned fast, but it burned hot.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Northeast Vermont
    Posts
    649

    Default

    i burn a lot of poplar. it does burn hot and fast. it also dries quick and splits like a dream! i burn whatever i got. some ash, maple, beach, pine, hemlock, slab wood etc... whatever needs to be taken out of the sugar bush gets thrown on the pile. i do prefer slab wood however. easier to handle and burns super hot.
    Awfully thankful for an understanding wife!

    “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
    - Vincent “Vince” Lombardi

    Good luck to all!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Sugar Camp, Wisconsin
    Posts
    298

    Default

    I burn mostly popple sometimes I have a little pine mixed in its usually the trees I cut to clear around maples and to keep the roads clear. The popple burns great and I second everything TCross says about it. Right now I'm working on cutting a road through the woodlot so next year I'll have a mix of popple, hemlock, pine. Best of all its free. Jay
    Zucker Lager

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