Pine

[NextEndeavor]

Back to mild weather here again, darnit. I put in half a load of 100% pine cause everybody says the house is too warm. Burnt fast as planned, just right for the day. Started with no ashes after morning cleaning and now still have nearly no ashes when done. Guess I don't remember that stuff leaving nothing but you start out with half the fiber weight by volume. BTW, nothing wrong with pine, my opinion. Just relit with BL for overnight burn.

 

[dafattkidd]

I love burning pine. I just scrounged a truckload of pine and cedar cut to size. Shoulder season wood for a few seasons.

 

[dafattkidd]

By the way- truckload was a 450 dump truck

 

[robertk]

Ya, its great stuff. when I don't have anything else I can burn it green and it still puts out a lot of heat. I'll probably take some flack for that though.

 

[corey21]

I use it for starting my fires that's about it.

 

[ailanthus]

I was able to use pine for almost the entire way through December. Categorized as 'junk wood' a lot of times in this area, and can usually be had for free/cheap if lucky. I love the quick start-ups and if I'm able to keep getting enough of it, it means I might have 4 years' worth of hardwood already stacked.

 

[firefighterjake]

Ya, its great stuff. when I don't have anything else I can burn it green and it still puts out a lot of heat. I'll probably take some flack for that though.

Yup . . . burning any wood unseasoned is not a good idea as unseasoned wood will produce creosote. If you continue to burn unseasoned wood please be sure to check your chimney on a regular basis to see if it needs to be swept.

 

[Machria]

I find Pine burns VERY hot.

 

[dafattkidd]

I find Pine burns VERY hot.

Oh yeah. Hot and quick.

 

[Machria]

I have some dryer than dry 10+ year old pine and cedar I got from a neighbor that sold his house (gave me his CSS wood on way out...), if I load with that stuff alone, I get a rager in minutes!

 

[robertk]

Yup . . . burning any wood unseasoned is not a good idea as unseasoned wood will produce creosote. If you continue to burn unseasoned wood please be sure to check your chimney on a regular basis to see if it needs to be swept.

You are absolutely right it creates creosote. I have a stainless steel liner in a interior masonry chimney and I clean it every two to three weeks. I get about 1/4" to 3/8" buildup in that time, its the powder type so its easy to clean. I get about a quart jar worth in a 20 foot flue.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

You are absolutely right it creates creosote. I have a stainless steel liner in a interior masonry chimney and I clean it every two to three weeks. I get about 1/4" to 3/8" buildup in that time, its the powder type so its easy to clean. I get about a quart jar worth in a 20 foot flue.

Wow!

 

[NextEndeavor]

Southern Iowa has more pine than we could possibly use....... Something is killing most of it off. I've lost several scotch pines, a few spruce and three white pines. It's happening all over down here. That said, another observation and question for those of you who pretty much have no choice but pine. I just lit up a few pieces that where dead standing over three years ago when I cut them. They dried outside over a year well ventilated c/s/s then placed in an open shed (mostly only a roof) for two summers. These pieces tonight were from the lower half of scotch pine today measuring less than 10%MC (in some cases can't get any reading) and very light to handle. Placed them on bed of coals and saw a little liquid boiling up from side where it was once limbed. So is this just rosin? It smoked coming off the pine. Stovetop was 630 so I went outside to see the stack. Secondaries did great, no smoke. Will I have a creosote concern burning this stuff for long burns? My guess is yes for shoulder season with two cold starts/day but what about going 24/7 with pine where insulated flue stays hot?

 

[dafattkidd]

You can definitely go 24/7 with pine. Lots f people do. I would split them large and expect to reload the stove a little more often. I'd still use hardwood for those cold nights if you have it.

 

[Machria]

Not being a wise guy, but there are tree's in Iowa? I had an office in Dubuque IA, and once drove from Cicago Ohare airport to Dubuque, I think I passed 1 tree the entire 4 hour drive! Nothing but miles and miles of corn fields....

Prolly the Japanese Beatle killing the pine tree's. they ripped thru LI in 2 years....

 

[NextEndeavor]

This part of southern Iowa is a lot of hills/pasture land full of trees. I'm ahead of the fuel game by 4 years, all in hardwoods like: black locust, honey locust, walnut, cherry, ash, hard & soft maple and mulberry. Oh, c/s/s a cord of walnut last fall prolly ready next fall but don't need. Have three large bur oaks waiting for my saw too, just next door. Blight killed them. Don't need the pine but its gonna go to waste if somebody don't burn it.