Burning Pine - First Impressions

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jwoair23

I am burning some white pine slabwood I bought from an Amish gentlemen last year around this time. I stacked it outside and brought it in under the porch last month. It is nice and dry and I am burning it now by mixing it in with my White Ash and a little bit of other types of hardwood. I also have burned cordwood pine that I cut off of our property that is standing dead from bugs or a tree that needs to go because there are too many in that area. As long as it is dry it is a nice hot fire! Glad to hear you like the pine. The more sources of heat the better.
 
Great for startup and heating a cold stove,also great for shoulder seasons when you need a short hot fire. Im burning a load of 100% pine right now. Ill probably get a slightly shorter burn time but loads of heat and a nice fire show.
 
My eyes have recently been open and although I don't have much ready right now, I will now be cutting up the downed pines that aren't in my way and prepping them for the future instead of letting it rot in place.

I mentioned to some family and friends that have been burning wood pretty much their whole lives about how pine was good if seasoned and they were having none of it. I didn't feel the need to press the issue. Sometimes you just can't teach an old dog new tricks, or something.
 
My eyes have recently been open and although I don't have much ready right now, I will now be cutting up the downed pines that aren't in my way and prepping them for the future instead of letting it rot in place.

I mentioned to some family and friends that have been burning wood pretty much their whole lives about how pine was good if seasoned and they were having none of it. I didn't feel the need to press the issue. Sometimes you just can't teach an old dog new tricks, or something.
Hey thats OK more PIne for the rest of us.
 
jwoair, we also cut some pine today. Haven't burned pine for a long time now but won't hesitate to burn it.
 
that reminds me.....i have to drop one that the top was taken out of when big gum tree blew over about 30 feet of trunk still standing.

cass
 
Here is what I get when I say I'm burning pine to the seasoned veterans. You can burn pine....that is all they burn out in the midwest, but they burn it hot to keep the creasote down.
 
I don't go out of my way for pine but I'll burn it. I've burned about a 1/3 cord or so of Scotch pine so far, I have a bunch of them that are dying. The ones that have been standing long enough to get punky go to the neighbor with the outdoor boiler, the stuff that is still solid gets split and stacked for shoulder season wood. I would've never messed with it when I had my old stove but the BK can control the burn enough to go 24 hours during the warmer days(40-50).
 
Thanks. Sandy gave me a great deal of white pine falls that I'm currently working on before the snow comes. Tons of wood that would be a sin to waste. I clean my chimney 3+ times a season so I sleep quite well.
 
Equal opportunity burner . . . if it is seasoned . . . it gets burned.
 
Hmm, so basically all the people telling me that burning pine is bad are full of it. What ever kind of wood it is, you can burn it as long as it's seasoned well. Except for the poison varieties which I wouldn't be touching in the first place.

I better stop burning poison ivy vines...;)
 
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Well, I certainly wouldn't burn any wood this winter that was alive and standing before Sandy came through. It would be way too green/wet. Pine especially would make a real mess of things.

But once good and dry, pine can be a great wood. You realize, of course, that in some parts of the country, pine is virtually the only tree that is available for firewood.
 
One other comment on the pine, now that I have burned it a few days. It leaves like zero coals, which I actually like right now. Its not that cold at the moment, and its nice to not have to worry about coals, it burns down really really well.
 
I got a whole pine tree from a neighbor when it came down during sandy.. It was already cut, all i had to do was split it. Needless to say, it is stacked and on deck for next year. It is about a good half cord not counting the small branches.
 
Suprz, by next year that will be great on it own but especially good mixed with hard woods to kick start a roaring fire.
 
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"pine blindness" ain't no joke. I used to be able to read too, but now, thnks to pine, I can only interpret pictures.o_O
 
I know I keep replying to my own post, so forgive me. :) I have been burning pretty much only pine for the past week or so, and the more I burn it, the more I love it!
  • Lights VERY easily, I only need a few coals for it to take off in a blaze
  • Burns quite hot
  • Leaves zero coals, which is a relief after burning Maple which was leaving ridiculous amounts of coals
  • Also is leaving very little ash
  • Smells good while burning :)
  • Actually doesn't burn as fast as I thought it would, its no black locust, but its not bad at all
I actually think I may make sure I have some pine for next year too. The biggest thing that I like is the zero coals, because my fiancee has to load the stove half the day, and she doesn't ever rake coals forward, so they buildup very quickly.
 
Compare your opening post profile pic to this last one. I can see your hairline receding. Just looking out for ya, buddy.

(and quit telling everybody that pine is good. Jeesh, next they will start to want the stuff and that would be bad for the rest of us).
 
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Compare your opening post profile pic to this last one. I can see your hairline receding. Just looking out for ya, buddy.

(and quit telling everybody that pine is good. Jeesh, next they will start to want the stuff and that would be bad for the rest of us).
haha I'm still in denial about the hairline, so that is not happening at all, I'm certain of it.

Maybe a mod should delete this whole post to keep the fact that pine is great a secret! haha ;)
 
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I pick it up at my leisure, I know if I don't call on a scrounge immediately it will still be there tomorrow. I like using a couple of splits to get the stove up to temp then loading up with good hardwood.
 
I pick it up at my leisure, I know if I don't call on a scrounge immediately it will still be there tomorrow. I like using a couple of splits to get the stove up to temp then loading up with good hardwood.

I always cruise the free ads on craigslist and in my area right now there are two trees one pine and the other is listed as "evergreen"?? But they arent close to me so i have been passing up on them, but they have been listed for at least 2weeks, and just keep getting reposted. I might have to make a plan to rent a uhaul some weekend and make a few runs on sat and sunday... It is only 18.00 for the rental and whatever gas i use. But i should actually get to cutting up that huge black locust in my backyard....
 
There is a guy trying to get rid of about 3 full cords, of fully seasoned, some almost punky pine. I have already picked up a cord and will be going next week to get another load. Mix this stuff with the dogwood and cherry of I have and it will be all I burn this year. I'm scrounging other wood, but putting it up for the next few years. my stacks are probably up to 5 full cords, but then I have only been at this for a few months.

Bring on the pine. Keeps me warm
 
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