Cheap wood question

[b33p3r]

I have a chance to get >8 cord weight of oak 5X5 or 6X6 lumber pretty cheap. They are used by the gas companies in N.E.Pa at their drilling sites. They are bolted together in 5' X 10' mats and used as make shift bridges in the mud. They are laid down and the big trucks drive over them. From what I'm told they are "NOT" treated lumber. I know they are going to be good and dirty but nothing I couldn't power wash. My question is would they be good to burn in an EB? Would they be Too dry? Any one with an EB ever burn lumber rather than timber?
I don't want to miss out on a good deal but not sure if it's right for my boiler?

 

[Hunderliggur]

Clean it yes, else your blade won't last. Too dry? I doubt it. Oak should get to about 20MC eventually, but I bet these are wetter (they have been in the mud you know). I'll take them if you won't. I actually could use the 5x10 pads for my farm.

 

[b33p3r]

$200. for > 8 cord weight delivered. I'm told they are looking to get rid of 90 loads of this stuff. I'm not sure I'd use the chain saw. A contractor friend has a "Partner" saw(I think that's what he called it) with carbide tipped blade. Dirt won't hurt it. It's another option.
Do you want a price on delivery to Md?

 

[North of 60]

Wood can never be too DRY for burning to get the best efficiency out of it.

 

[maple1]

I'd take all of that I could get.

 

[DoubleClutch]

Good luck sawing it up without a carbide saw blade or chain (and even they won't last REAL long).

You can pressure wash it until the next ice age and the wood will still have grit embedded.

 

[Gasifier]

Sounds like a good deal to me. Take that wood. I am lucky to have access to free Ash. Love it.

 

[stee6043]

I personally would pass on this type of deal. But I have easy access to free wood. Dropping and bucking trees is probably less work than you're looking at right here...

 

[bpirger]

It might be "easier", but it isn't as safe....IMO anyways. I'd take it. When the start messing with my water, I mean drilling for gas, in our neighborhood, I'll have to be looking for these. I'm curious, why do they get rid of them? Are they breaking apart? Or is this one of the reason things cost so much in that industry? Much like the $15,000 toilet seat on the shuttle....though that might be special materials for very low weight anyways....

 

[flyingcow]

Seen these when they're done with them. If they give them to you, you wouldn't get a head. It would be a mess. They want to sell by weight? That stuff is heavier than before it was sawed. As pointed out, you'll never pressure wash them. Take a few yrs to dry out. You won't make a full cut before the saw needs sharpening. Good Luck.

 

[b33p3r]

Thanks for all the input. Got a call into the guy but he hasn't returned it yet. I really want to go take a look at them before I order. Flyingcow has a good point. They're selling by cord weight not cords. Probably saturated and weigh twice as much as when dry. We'll see.

 

[Fred61]

You will do alot of swearing when you buck them up. Ever notice that when you cut up a tree that has spent the last 80 or 100 years along side of the road? You hardly make two cuts and your chain is dull just from the dust it has gathered over the years.

Not only that, I would be concerned about erosion of your nozzle from the continuous sandblasting.

 

[Gasifier]

That is a good point Fred61. And some good points by the others here as well. Now that I think about it a little more, I would probably pass on that wood.

 

[2.beans]

i would burn oil first even if was free