Any use for cedar?

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Remmy122

New Member
Jan 7, 2011
257
East NC
I found a source for a good amount of Cedar, I dont really know if I want to mess with it but if theres something really useful I can do with it (burn?) I can get tons of it...
 
Best kindling going.
If the chunks are big enough and somewhat clear of branches,and the correct length, a shingle mill would want them.

Will
 
theyre already cut into 2-3ft logs, from what ive seen (didnt look too detailed) it looks like alot of branches, i picked up a few to see how difficult the splitting will be, im pretty sure i wont be disappointed in its stubbornness.
 
I have split lots of eastern Red Cedar, and of course a lot of it had tons of branches - almost all red cedar around here grows out in the open with branches on all sides, very close together. It isn't too bad to split, considering the branches. It makes nice kindling and is an OK wood overall. I like to put a piece in with a load of hardwoods to get the fire going quickly.
 
Cedar is fairly easy to split. I burned some I found on my property and it burns pretty well. Faster than hardwood, as expected, but slower than pine.

It never rots.
 
how about some coat racks? are they large enough (diameter wise) to split length way and lay some stencil lettering/numbering to make signs by chip carving? is it white cedar? or is it the great smelling "acrobatic" cedar that people use in their closets? if it has lots of branches, it might be a pest to split by hand for kindling. cut what you need for kindling and find a use for the surplus.
 
I have burned some when it's free/easy to get. I probably would grab it.
 
Only used to burning eastern white cedar . . . but honestly I try to split up a bit every year as it makes fantastic kindling . . .
 
I've burned white cedar (arborvitae) and red cedar ( about all that's left growing natural) around here.

Pulled quite a bit of red cedar out from the swamp fringes for fence posts, but even treated with creosote, they rot and get infested with termites eventually.

Have burned some.
Pops and sparks a little. If it burned longer than pine I didn't notice it.



some people like it chipped up for mulch.

I chipped up a bunch of white cedars that were 50 years old for mulch in 2005 and the mulch is still pretty good mulch.
 
I split three bushel baskets full yesterday. Makes fantastic kindling. I hate this time of year when I'm lighting every night in a cold stove so I always keep red cedar cut in 10-12" rounds for fall and spring fire starting.
 
I picked up 3-4 logs, not sure what Im going to do with them but I know where to get them if I need them. The owner of the property had 59 trees taken down, mostly bradford pears. the limbs are already cut to length so Ive been grabing them up. I did try to split up a trunk of the bradford pear, that was easy especially if she hauls her splitter down to me, i could be done in no time. Also found a nice river birch in there (score!) and some holly.

Any one know how Holly goes?

I might pick up a few more cedar longs to see how they split, and grab some of the branches to mix in with some poplar i got last week.
 
Stephen in SoKY said:
I split three bushel baskets full yesterday. Makes fantastic kindling. I hate this time of year when I'm lighting every night in a cold stove so I always keep red cedar cut in 10-12" rounds for fall and spring fire starting.

Instead of scrounging for kindling all year like this year (i've burnt half a pack of cedar shakes) I plan on doing that same thing but with pine. I've got 2 or 3 cord of tree length pine out back. Going to buck up in 12" pieces, Split in 1/2 or 1/4 and stack in basement so I can haul of pile and split tiny for kindling all winter long.
 
Cedar makes great kindling. I don't think I'd do a full load of cedar because it burns so hot and fast but one or two smallish splits in the load will really give it a jump start.

A lot of people call 'cedar' what is actually a juniper. In central Texas, lots of people are hit yearly by the pollen of "mountain cedar," (cedar fever, they call it.) Actually, though it's the pollen of the juniper that's getting them. I've never tried to burn any of the juniper on our property but we also have lot's of real cedar. I hardly ever burn any of that, either.
 
Eastern red cedar burns easy and hot. Great fire starter for the oak and hickory. But mine is sappy to the point of ruining my clothes. I have discovered if I drop the tree and come back in 6 - 12 months, it is much easier to work without getting covered in goo. I start every fire with a hand full of cedar.
 
I just picked up a ton from my last score. I am going to use it for the bottom layer of my stacks to prevent rot and bugs. Also along the bottom of any stacks against my house.

Super easy to split I just pick up my fiskers and look in the direction of the pile and it falls apart in fear.

Great kindling. I dont like burning it exclusively because it does not coal at all. One minute it will be a raging inferno, the next it will be completely out. Also it lights so quickly I have to toss it in and close the door fast. Its like it is covered in gasoline.

t
 
I read somewhere that cedar does NOT burn hot an it will cause cresote faster than any other wood so kindling is all I use it for. Guess cause it admits so much smoke.
 
i dont often get the chance to get the cedar which has the champfor oil smell. i did years ago and made lots of discs, small 4'' rounds about 3/4'' thick that i sanded the bark off. they look nice and repel insects and they make great gifts . i still have a few sections in the garage that im going to make more from this summer. if i ever get some more or have the chance to i would definately stock up for kindling. this time of year gets me good when i am restarting the stove a couple times a day.
 
White cedar for kindling and it makes great striped bass poppers on the lathe. Lightweight and easy to turn.
 
A heads-up on splitting the cedar on a hydraulic machine -- I was splitting some for kindling, and it would tend to 'POP' up at me when the round had alot of branches, almost busted my nose! Get it set and stand back!
 
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