Anyone burn spruce?

[bogydave]

I cut down a dead 35 ft spruce in my front yard, a couple of years ago. Bucked it into 12-14 inch lengths and when I went to split it, I found that it had to be the darned toughest stuff to split. So many knots, that ran (I swear) from one side, clear to the other. I said screw it and piled it away for two years. I finally got around to it and ripped the rounds with the chainsaw, made alot of nice "noodles' - great for fire starting. Anyway, it burned nice and hot, didn't last long though, but I would certainly burn it again, if given the chance. Made very good fire starter material.

I had the same experience, already bucked so it was hard to pass up, and yes lots of knots that hold that wood together like glue, no problem for the hydraulic splitters, but if you're like me and just an ax, prepare for some noodles.

Before I got a Hydraulic splitter, I'd split it mid winter, -10°f or colder & it splits with a maul just fine.

Dave, the next time I get a spruce, I'm going to wait until it get to 10 or 15 below before I split it. Might be awhile, say 10 years or so between cold snaps like that around here (NC). Thank God for that too. :roll:

:lol:
You folks down there don't want 3 months of our weather. There aren't enough plumbers in your state to keep up with frozen busted pipe problems.
But any wood you had would split (fly apart) easy.
Rent a splitter if you ever need too, lots cheaper :lol:
Warmed up here to 12 today. -4 nights. Fairbanks warmed up to -3 day, -25 night. °f