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  1. mattjm1017 Feeling the Heat

    joined: Oct 23, 2012
    260 posts
    Corapeake NC
    I bought a cord of wood from a guy he told me it was all maple hickory some gum and a little oak, but as I was sorting through it and stacking I came upon a lot of splits that are really light and a lot that the bark looks like pine.most of it has a reddish heart though and I don't think pine has a red center does it? Heres some pictures of it.
    #1

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  2. mattjm1017 Feeling the Heat

    joined: Oct 23, 2012
    260 posts
    Corapeake NC
    Oops sorry here they are. IMG_20121215_170658.jpg IMG_20121215_170710.jpg IMG_20121215_170721.jpg IMG_20121215_170733.jpg
  3. Scotty Overkill firewood hoarder

    joined: Sep 24, 2011
    6,839 posts
    central PA
    the bark kinda looks like it in the pics......make a fresh split and give it a sniff.
    Pine has a distinct smell to it. Some pine has a reddish heartwood to it.
  4. jatoxico Minister of Fire

    joined: Aug 8, 2011
    727 posts
    Long Island NY
    Could it be cherry?
  5. nrford Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 26, 2011
    649 posts
    NW lower Mi.
    No pine there, Looks like you got what he told you you where getting.
    Backwoods Savage likes this.
  6. BIGDADDY Member

    joined: May 17, 2012
    175 posts

    I agree with cherry it can be light when it's well seasoned.
  7. bogydave Minister of Fire

    joined: Dec 4, 2009
    7,780 posts
    So Cent ALASKA
    By the pictures, could be cottonwood or some type of poplar.
    Cross Cut Saw likes this.
  8. weatherguy Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 20, 2009
    2,716 posts
    Central Mass
    Looks like a maple, not sure what species.
  9. missedbass New Member

    joined: Mar 6, 2012
    22 posts
    long island
    cedar maybe?
  10. nrford Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 26, 2011
    649 posts
    NW lower Mi.
    The photos are GUM
  11. Woody Stover Minister of Fire

    joined: Dec 25, 2010
    3,403 posts
    Southern IN
    Save it and hand it out to the kids next Halloween. ==c
  12. mattjm1017 Feeling the Heat

    joined: Oct 23, 2012
    260 posts
    Corapeake NC
    I'm pretty sure its not ceded it doesn't sell like that at all. I was thinking pine just because of the bark it looks like pine but it doesn't peel off in chunks like the pine does. I'm thinking some of it is willow or cotton wood cause its really light and some is stringy. If it is pine is it ok to burn and if its not could that explain why it burns up so fast? Some of this stuff will burn down to nothing in a couple hours. Thanks for all the help.
  13. mattjm1017 Feeling the Heat

    joined: Oct 23, 2012
    260 posts
    Corapeake NC
    Heres another one Im not sure about. I split it and it smells almost sweet I think what should pine smell like? IMG_20121225_103906.jpg IMG_20121225_104229.jpg
  14. Cross Cut Saw Feeling the Heat

    I grew up in Colorado and we have LOTS of cottonwood there, I agree with Bogydave that bark and last split looks like cottonwood to me.

    That being said, I know absolutely nothing about ID'ing a tree!
  15. Scotty Overkill firewood hoarder

    joined: Sep 24, 2011
    6,839 posts
    central PA
    I've never cut nor burned gum before......one of the few species in the northeast that I can say that about. These guys seem to think it's gum, and I'd take their word any day. Not like any poplar or cottonwood I've ever seen. As for the smell, pine would smell, well, piney! Sweet smelling? Not pine, thats for sure.
  16. Backwoods Savage Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 14, 2007
    24,181 posts
    Michigan
    I'll almost always go with nrford's answer. He has lots and lots of experience with this.
    nrford likes this.
  17. nrford Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 26, 2011
    649 posts
    NW lower Mi.
    Thank you for your support. It's a Christmas and Birthday present from Savage!
    Backwoods Savage likes this.
  18. cptoneleg Minister of Fire

    joined: Jul 17, 2010
    1,373 posts
    Virginia

    No way no how you gonna split Virgina Gum that slick
  19. cptoneleg Minister of Fire

    joined: Jul 17, 2010
    1,373 posts
    Virginia
    SDC10279.JPG

    We have done this many times here on hearth.com this is gum when split, not split its still in one piece, Black Gum, so I have to disagree on any of those splits being gum unless they were sawed insted of split.
  20. mattjm1017 Feeling the Heat

    joined: Oct 23, 2012
    260 posts
    Corapeake NC
    Thats whats bugging me its not saw cut its split and ive never seen gum split clean. Im not saying anyone is wrong im the last person to make a call on that I have minimal knowledge of what tree is what but im trying to learn. I really appreciate everyone's input here hopefully ill figure things out one of these days. Im not to worried about burning pine but I would hate to have bought one thing and got another.
  21. mattjm1017 Feeling the Heat

    joined: Oct 23, 2012
    260 posts
    Corapeake NC
    Upon further investigation im leaning towards it being sweet gum or popler based on that it doesn't smell piney and the bark isn't in chips like pine but more so one piece with furrows in it. Im thinking poplar mostly cause its split so nicely, but who knows ill try and split one of the bigger pieces this weekend and see how it does with an ax.
  22. ChrisNJ Feeling the Heat

    joined: Sep 25, 2009
    371 posts
    Burlington County
    In some instances pine would be better than some of the "hard woods" as you describe.
  23. blades Minister of Fire

    joined: Nov 23, 2008
    871 posts
    WI, Milw
    Just to toss another type in the mix Box Elder ( also known as Ash Maple) generally has redish or streaks of red in heart area which fade with exposure to the elements, Sections can split very clean or very stringy depending on how it grew. Heavy when green, very light when dry, lot of moisture in it. Technically a hardwood, very low btu rating.
  24. patdale New Member

    joined: Mar 17, 2012
    46 posts
    NE Md
    That is sweet gum. I have some that looks just like it.
  25. mattjm1017 Feeling the Heat

    joined: Oct 23, 2012
    260 posts
    Corapeake NC
    ChrisNj why do you say that? Just curious, I'll take all the advice I can get.

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