I like burning Sugar Maple, but if I split the smaller rounds before stacking they burn too fast. If I stack them in the round with the bark on, it holds moisture forever. I just recovered some rounds I hadn't gotten picked up since last year and spent an enjoyable hour shucking off the bark. Mostly it came off by hand, but I kept my kindling hatchet handy. By the time I finished the pile, most of it was dry as a bone. seems to me debarking will speed seasoning a great deal. How do you handle Sugar Maple?
Spalted Maple
- Thread starter Ehouse
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
bogydave
Minister of Fire
Very similar to ike birch, round can to get punky easy. Split , stack & top cover after a year.
Logs can rot fast if on the ground over a year.
The smaller rounds, I nick the bark or crack them just not all the way into 2 peices.
Nick the bark with the saw works also.
IMO , the damp/wet sugar water in them speeds the growth of bacteria.
Logs can rot fast if on the ground over a year.
The smaller rounds, I nick the bark or crack them just not all the way into 2 peices.
Nick the bark with the saw works also.
IMO , the damp/wet sugar water in them speeds the growth of bacteria.
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Sorry Ehouse, but I don't understand this statement about the wood burning too fast. We've burned wood in many different stoves and all sorts of dryness and all types of wood but have never had any problem with wood burning too fast.
If you are cutting a live sugar maple there should be no problem with rot. Only time rot should be a problem is a fallen tree that has been laying on the ground. For sure I would never even consider debarking the stuff we burn. The only thing that gets debarked here is the stuff that is dead and the bark falls off naturally.
If you are cutting a live sugar maple there should be no problem with rot. Only time rot should be a problem is a fallen tree that has been laying on the ground. For sure I would never even consider debarking the stuff we burn. The only thing that gets debarked here is the stuff that is dead and the bark falls off naturally.
I have an older Weso (German made tile stove) with a very small firebox (12' lengths optimal). These stoves were EPA certified and are wood/coal compatible. I have excellent draft and a section of 4" pipe off the stove going into 6". The baffle consists of two open ended tubes going along the top sides of the firebox to the rear. The primary air enters from under the grate. The secondary air is an airwash setup in front. The top plate is 3/4" cast. It loves to burn hot! Chugs along at 750* no prob. If I cram it full of smaller splits (especially Maple) it will be at 900* in short order. Using 4" to 6" rounds slows it down considerably. The controls don't restrict the air enough whether on primary or secondary to shut it down once it gets going. I burn well seasoned wood and don't have much creasote (clean 3 times a season). I think the way it's set up, in addition to it's having a tile jacket with heat shields on back and bottom really holds heat in the stove. I'm not complaining, I'm a very frugal burner and I get a lot of warmth out of the little bugger!
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Wow, you would think an epa stove would have much better control but so long as you know how to handle it you will be fine.
I do question the creosote and the well seasoned wood though. With well seasoned wood you should not have creosote and for sure cleaning 3 times in a year can get pretty old. We used to have to do that with one of our old stoves and I hated it even though the actual cleaning and putting away the tools took at most 15 minutes. Just a pain to have to watch it that close. We might clean our chimney this spring as it has new been 4 years since it has been done. I posted some pictures on this forum a while back when somebody asked about it. Chimney looked just fine.
I do question the creosote and the well seasoned wood though. With well seasoned wood you should not have creosote and for sure cleaning 3 times in a year can get pretty old. We used to have to do that with one of our old stoves and I hated it even though the actual cleaning and putting away the tools took at most 15 minutes. Just a pain to have to watch it that close. We might clean our chimney this spring as it has new been 4 years since it has been done. I posted some pictures on this forum a while back when somebody asked about it. Chimney looked just fine.
- Status
