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  1. Bacffin Feeling the Heat

    Smooth bark and heavy. Nice large chips from the saw with out any gumming up. No appearent aroma, but I have a bad sniffer.

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    zap likes this.
  2. onetracker Minister of Fire

    joined: Aug 11, 2011
    593 posts
    rondout valley ny
    silver or red maple
    smokinj likes this.
  3. smokinj Minister of Fire

    joined: Aug 11, 2008
    15,417 posts
    Anderson, Indiana

    My vote silver.
  4. scotvl Burning Hunk

    joined: Oct 23, 2009
    168 posts
    southern ontario
    Can you take a closer pic of those leaves?
  5. Wood Duck Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 26, 2009
    3,762 posts
    Central PA
    These guys are on the right track - Silver or Red Maple. I don't see anything to make me think it isn't Red, but I see more Red than Silver so Red is my default soft maple ID.
  6. TimJ Minister of Fire

    joined: Apr 10, 2012
    1,029 posts
    Southeast Indiana
    silver.......smoother bark
  7. new_wood New Member

    joined: May 9, 2011
    57 posts
    Ohio
    My vote is for silver maple.
  8. Bacffin Feeling the Heat

    O, those leaves are from another shagbark under the pile. All the ones that have leaves I'm taking pictures of. Anything to help you guys on the decision making process. Thanks again!
  9. Bacffin Feeling the Heat

    Are silver and red both soft maple?
  10. Dieselhead Member

    joined: Feb 21, 2011
    146 posts
    New Haven County CT
    burned some last night. 1 year seasoned burned pretty well. That shagbark hickory I see in the pile is great wood too. good for overnight coals
  11. smokinj Minister of Fire

    joined: Aug 11, 2008
    15,417 posts
    Anderson, Indiana
    Some say soft but it is a hardwood about 18btus per cord.
    Woody Stover likes this.
  12. scotvl Burning Hunk

    joined: Oct 23, 2009
    168 posts
    southern ontario
    20121008_134045.jpg
    Then I'd say it's silver, the red I have seems to have a darker heartwood.
  13. nrford Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 26, 2011
    649 posts
    NW lower Mi.
    Soft Maple.
  14. Wood Duck Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 26, 2009
    3,762 posts
    Central PA
    Yeah, both Silver Maple and Red Maple are called soft maple but both are hardwoods- all broad leaved trees are classified as hardwoods. To further confuse the issue, Red and Silver Maples are both fairly dense, falling about in the middle of the wood density spectrum. I think the term soft maple comes from the lumber industry and is used to separate Silver and Red Maple from Sugar Maple, which is called 'Hard Maple.' So yeah, they are called soft maple but no, they aren't particularly soft. I think soft maple is nice firewood.
    Scotty Overkill and smokinj like this.
  15. Backwoods Savage Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 14, 2007
    24,158 posts
    Michigan
    Yes, silver and red are both soft maple. One of the fastest drying woods there are. Fantastic kindling can be made from this too.
    Scotty Overkill likes this.
  16. WOODBUTCHER Minister of Fire

    joined: Mar 1, 2006
    935 posts
    Pomfret, CT
    Red Maple.

    WB
    Scotty Overkill likes this.
  17. Scotty Overkill firewood hoarder

    joined: Sep 24, 2011
    6,818 posts
    central PA
    Yeah, that looks like red maple. it is a hardwood, but on a scale of 1 to 10 (black locust and hophornbeam being up near the 9-10 area), red maple sits around 3, maybe 4 on that scale. It's a great wood, I wouldn't be without it or silver maple (about a 2 on that scale) in my stacks
  18. Thistle Minister of Fire

    joined: Dec 16, 2010
    3,907 posts
    Central IA
    LOL Black Locust,Hophornbeam,,Hickory are 5-6 compared to 8 for Osage/Hedge, 10 for Lignum Vitae,African Blackwood,African/Asian Ebony,9 for Cocobolo & a few other assorted tropical species. ;)
    Scotty Overkill likes this.
  19. Scotty Overkill firewood hoarder

    joined: Sep 24, 2011
    6,818 posts
    central PA
    Well, yeah.....I guess I was talking domestic woods......

    But if you have any of the mentioned species, I'll trade ya some red maple for it!!;lol::-);)
    Backwoods Savage and Thistle like this.
  20. Thistle Minister of Fire

    joined: Dec 16, 2010
    3,907 posts
    Central IA

    LOL sorry. I agree with your domestic description though,its spot on.
  21. Bacffin Feeling the Heat

    18MBTU/cord, looks like medium on my chart here. Thanks
  22. smokinj Minister of Fire

    joined: Aug 11, 2008
    15,417 posts
    Anderson, Indiana
    Yea thats what I said! ;) I have cut so much of that stuff I can Id it on the phone....The call always goes its kinda big but nothing you cant handle. I seen them at 63 inchs across.
  23. Bacffin Feeling the Heat

    63 inches!
  24. smokinj Minister of Fire

    joined: Aug 11, 2008
    15,417 posts
    Anderson, Indiana

    Yep and have done two at that size and Never Again! (heres one of them) silver.jpg
    Bacffin, Thistle and Backwoods Savage like this.

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