Ever been tempted?

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Butcher

Minister of Fire
Nov 2, 2011
530
N. central Ia.
Normally I try to keep a half a full cord of wood in the basement but this time of year I just throw in acouple of days worth at a time. Every trip I make out to the wood stacks I keep looking at the Red Elm I got waitin to go for next year. The urge to grab a stovefull of that stuff and burn it is almost overpowering knowing how good it is gonna burn next year. Some that I split last summer would probably be ok but I have to keep tellin myself, no,no, just leave it be....
 
Go ahead, just one piece. It'll make you feel good...real good.

WATCH OUT. Its a gateway species. Next thing you know, you will be doing it all the time.
 
Might be dryer than you think if it was dead when you cut it.
 
Butcher said:
Normally I try to keep a half a full cord of wood in the basement but this time of year I just throw in acouple of days worth at a time. Every trip I make out to the wood stacks I keep looking at the Red Elm I got waitin to go for next year. The urge to grab a stovefull of that stuff and burn it is almost overpowering knowing how good it is gonna burn next year. Some that I split last summer would probably be ok but I have to keep tellin myself, no,no, just leave it be....

I had a bad night Butcher, finally brought in some Sugar Maple that I cut in the summer of 2008.


zap
 
I am in the same - or nearly - the same boat. I am trying to ration the wood I have stacked for this year to get through to spring so that I don't have to touch my pile of future wood. I have plenty in the "future" pile that is ready to burn but just don't want to get into it and make any sort of dent at all in the pile. So much so that I have been cutting down some long standing dead, smaller ash and elm that is ready to burn and hand splitting it in the basement to supplement my 2011/12 stash, keeping off the new stacks.

I realize this is a bit silly but I just want to keep the wood in separate stacks and then when I begin next season with the new stove I can more accurately determine the volume of wood I burn through. Depending on the weather I am pretty sure I can get through w/o touching any of the new stacks and I am determined to do so.

Time and "heat" needs will ultimatly be the determining factor.
 
oldspark said:
Might be dryer than you think if it was dead when you cut it.
Real wet and sandy where I cut at. Them Elms bleed like stuck hogs when I tip them over. Cleaned all the standing dead out several years ago.
 
BobUrban said:
I am in the same - or nearly - the same boat. I am trying to ration the wood I have stacked for this year to get through to spring so that I don't have to touch my pile of future wood. I have plenty in the "future" pile that is ready to burn but just don't want to get into it and make any sort of dent at all in the pile. So much so that I have been cutting down some long standing dead, smaller ash and elm that is ready to burn and hand splitting it in the basement to supplement my 2011/12 stash, keeping off the new stacks.

I realize this is a bit silly but I just want to keep the wood in separate stacks and then when I begin next season with the new stove I can more accurately determine the volume of wood I burn through. Depending on the weather I am pretty sure I can get through w/o touching any of the new stacks and I am determined to do so.

Time and "heat" needs will ultimatly be the determining factor.

I'm nowhere near outta wood for this year. I just like how Red Elm burns with my setup and dont have any left for this year.
 
I have a two cord stack of soft maple and ash I should be burning this mild winter, but it looks so nice. I don't want to ruin it. I've been burning oak that has been sitting around for three years instead.

I really just want the oak gone from where it is. I'll still have 2.5-3 cords of for next year, then it will be cleaned up.

It's tough, deciding which stack to burn.
 
zapny said:
Butcher said:
Normally I try to keep a half a full cord of wood in the basement but this time of year I just throw in acouple of days worth at a time. Every trip I make out to the wood stacks I keep looking at the Red Elm I got waitin to go for next year. The urge to grab a stovefull of that stuff and burn it is almost overpowering knowing how good it is gonna burn next year. Some that I split last summer would probably be ok but I have to keep tellin myself, no,no, just leave it be....

I had a bad night Butcher, finally brought in some Sugar Maple that I cut in the summer of 2008.


zap

Zap, you should be ashamed. Let that stuff dry for a while.
 
firebroad said:
billb3 said:
Butcher said:
Ever been tempted?.

Not by wood.

I have. :red:

Heh, good one. (Did nobody else catch this?)


I walk by my stacks daily. Never really been tempted to burn what I know is not ready, or have not allocated to burn this year. Besides, I still have some Red Oak to burn up (Punky sapwood, makes a mess. Dry though) before the heating season is over.

Cheers.
 
Ash_403 said:
firebroad said:
billb3 said:
Butcher said:
Ever been tempted?.

Not by wood.

I have. :red:

Heh, good one. (Did nobody else catch this?)


I walk by my stacks daily. Never really been tempted to burn what I know is not ready, or have not allocated to burn this year. Besides, I still have some Red Oak to burn up (Punky sapwood, makes a mess. Dry though) before the heating season is over.

Cheers.

Caught it - wasn't gonna touch it. ;-)
 
Jags said:
Ash_403 said:
firebroad said:
billb3 said:
Butcher said:
Ever been tempted?.

Not by wood.

I have. :red:

Heh, good one. (Did nobody else catch this?)


I walk by my stacks daily. Never really been tempted to burn what I know is not ready, or have not allocated to burn this year. Besides, I still have some Red Oak to burn up (Punky sapwood, makes a mess. Dry though) before the heating season is over.

Cheers.

Caught it - wasn't gonna touch it. ;-)
Yep, getting too old to even joke about it any more. :blank:
 
A couple weeks ago I burned a full load of 18 month c/s/s hedge on a 30* night just because I could. I liked it.
 
Jags said:
Ash_403 said:
firebroad said:
billb3 said:
Butcher said:
Ever been tempted?.

Not by wood.

I have. :red:

Heh, good one. (Did nobody else catch this?)


I walk by my stacks daily. Never really been tempted to burn what I know is not ready, or have not allocated to burn this year. Besides, I still have some Red Oak to burn up (Punky sapwood, makes a mess. Dry though) before the heating season is over.

Cheers.

Caught it - wasn't gonna touch it. ;-)

haha me neither :smirk:
 
Thistle said:
Jags said:
Ash_403 said:
firebroad said:
billb3 said:
Butcher" date="1330552310 said:
Ever been tempted?.

Not by wood.

I have. :red:

Heh, good one. (Did nobody else catch this?)


I walk by my stacks daily. Never really been tempted to burn what I know is not ready, or have not allocated to burn this year. Besides, I still have some Red Oak to burn up (Punky sapwood, makes a mess. Dry though) before the heating season is over.

Cheers.

Caught it - wasn't gonna touch it. ;-)

haha me neither :smirk:

This seemed like a classic set-up then punch line. No need for me to mess it up by trying to add anything.
 
Butcher said:
Every trip I make out to the wood stacks I keep looking at the Red Elm I got waitin to go for next year. The urge to grab a stovefull of that stuff and burn it is almost overpowering knowing how good it is gonna burn next year. Some that I split last summer would probably be ok but I have to keep tellin myself, no,no, just leave it be....
I've got probably 2/3 cord for next year. It's mostly around 18% now but, like you, I'm trying to leave it alone. It's hard though; Stuff burns great. I put three splits in the back the other night and the stove stayed at 500 for quite a while. I keep telling myself it can't be true, but it seems like the Red burns better than White Ash or Sugar Maple...
Ever since I saw somewhere that certain woods burn smokier than others I've wondered if, since a cat burns smoke, would smokier woods put out more heat than another wood that might be higher in BTU but not as smoky. Seems counter-intuitive, though...
 
Woody Stover said:
I've wondered if, since a cat burns smoke, would smokier woods put out more heat than another wood that might be higher in BTU but not as smoky. Seems counter-intuitive, though...

Different woods can have different burn characteristics, but the fact is that ALL wood puts out darn near the same btu per pound.
 
It is always tempting to see how what is stored for next will burn. I really thought the subject line would discuss a different topic. You know...about how the tree in your yard that you don't like being cut up for your stove, but if you cut it down the wife would divorce you! Anybody ever have that temptation?
 
I threw a few of next year's, Red Oak in the other day. That was some good stuff! I am really looking forward to burning at after I get through another 3 cords of Black Locust.
 
Woody Stover said:
Butcher said:
Every trip I make out to the wood stacks I keep looking at the Red Elm I got waitin to go for next year. The urge to grab a stovefull of that stuff and burn it is almost overpowering knowing how good it is gonna burn next year. Some that I split last summer would probably be ok but I have to keep tellin myself, no,no, just leave it be....
I've got probably 2/3 cord for next year. It's mostly around 18% now but, like you, I'm trying to leave it alone. It's hard though; Stuff burns great. I put three splits in the back the other night and the stove stayed at 500 for quite a while. I keep telling myself it can't be true, but it seems like the Red burns better than White Ash or Sugar Maple...Ever since I saw somewhere that certain woods burn smokier than others I've wondered if, since a cat burns smoke, would smokier woods put out more heat than another wood that might be higher in BTU but not as smoky. Seems counter-intuitive, though...

Zactly on the elm burn. I got abot 2 cords left for this year but its all mixed wood and the elm is kinda scattered in the stack. Last night I loaded up the oslo with some elm that I sorted out and man was that a good far. Blue flames and alot of heat. We had some runnin to do today and I didnt spark a far till about 3PM. Had to clean the ashes as they was gettin deep but I still had good coals after over 15 hours and they smelled like coal and still hot as the hubs a hell. Got 7 cords of the Elm waitin and ready for next year though. All sorted and lookin good.
 
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