Im new to wood burning. I recently got a good deal of basswood.... about 18 18" rounds of it. I wasteimg my time splitting all this ( by hand) storing/seasoning it? From some of what I have been able to gather its pretty undesirable in the pecking order of wood. Any advice appreciated.
Basswood Question
- Thread starter Todd95
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Jon1270
Minister of Fire
Similar density / BTU value to pine, i.e. a bit better than half the heat value per cord of white oak. Probably dries out fairly quickly. Might be good for brief fires in shoulder seasons, but burn up too fast in colder weather, requiring constant reloading of the stove.
Shane N
Feeling the Heat
I'd take it. It's free, and already cut into rounds. Since you are splitting by hand, the only cost to you is excess fat on your body you'll burn splitting it 
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Hopefully when you say a "good deal" of basswood you mean " a lot" of basswood and not "the-price-was-right-on-what-I-paid" for the basswood . . . assuming you mean you have a lot of basswood.
Definitely not the best wood . . . but keep it . . . it's very good for kindling and the shoulder season . . . just don't burn it in middle of January and expect the fire to last all night long.
Definitely not the best wood . . . but keep it . . . it's very good for kindling and the shoulder season . . . just don't burn it in middle of January and expect the fire to last all night long.
I wouldn't go out of my way for basswood, but like Shane said above it's already cut into rounds, so I say go for it. Good shoulder season wood, not the most pleasant smell when burning but free is free.....
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
It will burn and you can also make some great kindling from bass wood. Split it, stack it and use it in last spring or early fall and it will work out nicely for you.
Auzzie Gumtree
Minister of Fire
- Oct 17, 2012
- 535
If its free wood process it - once you feel you are far enough in front then be a little selective in choosing your 'free' wood. Where i live there is always another scrounge just around the corner. I use a spreadsheet i made with all the GSM ( (lb/ft3) of all the firewood i could find anything about. I use this as a guide what it doesn't tell you though is how easy the wood is to split.
Thanks to all the above for the replies. It was all free so Ill process it and use it as recommended
husky345 vermont resolute
Feeling the Heat
711mhw
Feeling the Heat
jdp1152
Minister of Fire
Odd timing for this post. I'm drinking a bottle of Tilia Malbec right now. Tilia is the genus for Basswood.
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