Who is cutting wood?

[Game Over]

I was thinking the same thing. Pretty low quality, at least the western stuff - down there with white fir.


Until you have to carry it very far.

Of course you keep your small saws for limbs, climbing etc!

Also I'm a fan of white fir. Chick the link below. Not only will the btu rating surprise you but look at the Btu:weight ratio while green. It is one of the best if not the best.

http://firewoodresource.com/firewood-btu-ratings/

[Meadow Skipper]

Always heard white fir called piss fir because of the way it smells. But there are always exceptions and other points of view.

[XXX-er]

a bigger saw is more likely to be a real saw, one that you can take out and run for a 6hr shift day after day without it melting, whereas a smaller saw is more likely to be something made mostly out of plastic ... even the engine block is plastic

but a good rule of thumb IS get the orange one

[DougW]

I have used cottonwood for firewood on two occasions due to the convenience of easy gathering and short tranport. The first was when I helped family clear some land for their home and the second time was after a storm where multiple cottonwoods were blown over in a yard and I helped clean up. After each incident I took some of the wood home and split it. I would never take cottonwood or any other popple while out cutting firewood. It burns fast, fairly cool, and produces a lot of ash.

I burn a fair amount of aspen and yes the ash content is high. I always thought it was just the same mass but light and took up volume. Last year I started pushing the ash to one side and really the mass of ash with aspen was higher. But its 40% of my forest so I'm always going to have some.

[From_the_NEK]

Same here on my property with poplar. I only burn it when I cut it near my house. Makes good shoulder season wood and well as getting the fire started/reflamed. The branch wood bark stinks like piss when burned.

[garyfromterrace]

You burn cottonwood?
.

Never considered burning this shit for heat. It even sucked in the backyard fire pit.

[DougW]

I think my aspen needs two years to dry. Sometimes dries to nothing ( light as a feather) as most of the wood was dead when I cut it , sometimes its pretty solid wood and seems to have some heating value.

[DougW]

I was thinking the same thing. Pretty low quality, at least the western stuff - down there with white fir.
.

I think cottonwood is a lot lower, Spruce and sub alpine fire are lower than white fir, which I have never run into. Just got about 1/2 cord of sub alpine fir which compared to spruce is splitting very well , about the same as the Doug Fir which I also got at same time.

[Flyoverland Captive]

I've got a cord of Juniper that needs splitting. FML.

[bodywhomper]

i gather that certain areas in the west have restrictions on chainsaw use when the wildfire hazard exceeds a certain threshold. What are thoughts on this restriction? what about in areas, like california, that do not have restrictions? how and when do peeps draw the line, if at all? nobody wants to start a forest fire, but i hear chainsaws running most days of the year in my general neighborhood.

[~mikey b]

You're supposed to cut with a shovel and water or fire extinguisher nearby. Spark arresters are required and could be inspected in the field. I always have ax, shovel and fire extinguishers handy out in the world. At home I cut when I want regardless of fire hazard and time of day.

[cat in january]

Surprised on the wood cutting forums how many guys take their spark arrestors out to open up the saw. Sharpen the chain. 90% of your time is not spent on the throttle.

[Buster Highmen]

I should be ashamed but I bought 3 cords of sweet dry split doug fir for $500 this year instead of staggering around sweating and lugging logs and rounds.

I did go for some cleanups @ the inlaws farm and ended up with another cord of big leaf maple. It doesn't burn as hot as the doug fir, but it needed doing.

[~mikey b]

I buy my hardwood. Can't always rely on a good source for cutting. I can get 1/4 cord boxes of almond for $50. Two fit easily in the truck and it's not too much mileage so why not? Got a cord of oak delivered today for $200. I have so much pine, fir and cedar that it's worth buying oak and almond.

Fired up the wood stove tonight. Wife is "freezing" at 56 outside and 68 inside.

[Buster Highmen]

First fires of the season with the rain coming down and it looks like the old man is getting on.

[XXX-er]

we didnt have too many fires up in the narthwest it was the central/southern interiour that got hit bad

And its been raining lots so no danger of starting an FF

Gona start cutting a new ski run on saturday and that 1st day running saw is gona hurt

I need reliable even heat on demand so i burn gas here in the slum ... i don't even burn wood

[bodywhomper]

First fires of the season with the rain coming down and it looks like the old man is getting on.

I hope your roof doesn't cave in!

[idahospud]

I hope your roof doesn't cave in!

I want to know how to get to Bigfoot County!

[Meadow Skipper]

I should be ashamed but I bought 3 cords of sweet dry split doug fir for $500 this year instead of staggering around sweating and lugging logs and rounds.

I did go for some cleanups @ the inlaws farm and ended up with another cord of big leaf maple. It doesn't burn as hot as the doug fir, but it needed doing.

I find myself thinking about buying my wood this year...but I guess I won't. It's just that I've been working 9-10 hour days clearing ski trails, dropping tons of nice clean dry spruce in the middle of nowhere and the idea of going out on my own time with a saw is getting a little less appealing. A lot less appealing actually.

I kind of hate fall because of all the things I gotta do.

[~mikey b]

Fall is busy

[riser4]

a bigger saw is more likely to be a real saw, one that you can take out and run for a 6hr shift day after day without it melting, whereas a smaller saw is more likely to be something made mostly out of plastic ... even the engine block is plastic

but a good rule of thumb IS get the orange one

[~mikey b]

http://youtu.be/RZCD-Mu-ZXQ


James to the rescue!

. ...

[bodywhomper]

What are you all doing with your bark. My splitting area has several years worth built up. I'm thinking of piling it up away from the house next to my driveway and letting it slowly rot. Someday doing something with the mulch.

[Flyoverland Captive]

Bark burns nice in a fire pit.

[~mikey b]

Yeah I have a hudge pile of cedar bark for campfire. Smells good.