Curran wood pellets: Not many posts about them

[turbotech]

In doing some searching around I came across Curran pellets. There are only a couple of posts from 2011 where some are burning them. Are they a better pellet than the Greene Teams?

 

[jtakeman]

I was contacted by Brian from Curran. He asked me if I had tried his pellets yet with my testing. Mainly about the softwoods. I told him I can only get Currans at Lowes and its only the blends they carry.

Long story short, Brian sent me 3 sample bags to sample and post results on. I got 1 bag each of Softwood, Hardwood and blend. So I will post some feedback on the wood pellet review site once I get a chance to burn the samples.

What do you have locally? Hardwood, Softwood or Blend?

I did burn the blend in last seasons testing and also purchase a half ton to finish the season out. I thought they burned pretty well.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/42511/

 

[Fsappo]

Last year I sold a few hundred tons of Curren blend. A few folks complained of high ash, but folks were mainly happy. They were ashy though. This year I switched to the softwood. Slightly more heat than the mix and much less ash. Nice thing about Curran is they are local (to us) and they harvest most of their own raw materials. This gives them better control over their quality. Much more consistant. So while others I tried seemed to be a little better, like Barefoot, with Curran I know what I am selling to my customers year after year. Things may change though, I just saw a Curran truck goin down 49 towards Meniellys who sells pellets for $15 bucks a ton profit. If they end up whoring out the Currans at next to cost, I may switch to Okies next year.

 

[doone060]

Curran's are a good pellet and the people that make them are knowledgeable and friendly to work with.
They had a price reduction last week. So the next load we get in will be cheaper.

 

[turbotech]

I am not sure what the blend or type was. I figured they only made one blend. I will look the next time I stop by.

 

[Meneillys]

Last year I sold a few hundred tons of Curren blend. A few folks complained of high ash, but folks were mainly happy. They were ashy though. This year I switched to the softwood. Slightly more heat than the mix and much less ash. Nice thing about Curran is they are local (to us) and they harvest most of their own raw materials. This gives them better control over their quality. Much more consistant. So while others I tried seemed to be a little better, like Barefoot, with Curran I know what I am selling to my customers year after year. Things may change though, I just saw a Curran truck goin down 49 towards Meniellys who sells pellets for $15 bucks a ton profit. If they end up whoring out the Currans at next to cost, I may switch to Okies next year.

Hey we make $20 not $15! No Currans for us... yet. I hear good and bad on them but mostly good. Softwood seems to burn the best from what I hear. I know one thing Curran has one hell of a bag clear and strong. I think that was a Cubex truck heading our way we cant keep them in stock they sell so fast. Okies would be nice but they are pricy to get to us in the area due to trucking. Maybe we can each buy half the truck load.

 

[Harman-p68a]

I am currently burning currans softwoods I like them I bought 3 ton early in the season.I use them in my harman and I get nice fine almost black ash heat is amazing very hot pellet ,the bags are indestructable nice heavy bag clear and not alot of dust whatsoever, they also have very nice packaging the skids i bought were double wrapped very nice,I can say one thing about currans they run a top notch outfit I have been to there shop where they work on the forestry equipment in Massena Ny very profesional operation. I dont think they do anything Half assed so to speak.Geting back to the pellets I am tired of the stigma about softwoods when you tell people what you are burning"Dont they burn quicker" "oh you gotta have hardwood" you try and tell people it is not a wood stove where you want a big bed of coals.My opion is this I like the softwoods they are cleaner and hotter to me ,the cleaner parts is what is the seller for me I have limited time in the winter because of work so the less messing around I have to do with the stove the better, I like it just dump in the bags and let it do its thing ,shut it down every 3 weeks or so and give it a thourough cleaning fire it back up.I would like to try the blend they have some say they burn very well.I know finding the softwoods here in watertown is tough because of the stigma of hardwood some people are just hard headed I guess but when I see softwoods I try and buy them I like em!

 

[jtakeman]

I am currently burning currans softwoods I like them I bought 3 ton early in the season.I use them in my harman and I get nice fine almost black ash heat is amazing very hot pellet ,the bags are indestructable nice heavy bag clear and not alot of dust whatsoever, they also have very nice packaging the skids i bought were double wrapped very nice,I can say one thing about currans they run a top notch outfit I have been to there shop where they work on the forestry equipment in Massena Ny very profesional operation. I dont think they do anything Half assed so to speak.Geting back to the pellets

I am tired of the stigma about softwoods when you tell people what you are burning"Dont they burn quicker" "oh you gotta have hardwood" you try and tell people it is not a wood stove where you want a big bed of coals. My opion is this I like the softwoods they are cleaner and hotter to me ,the cleaner parts is what is the seller for me I have limited time in the winter because of work so the less messing around I have to do with the stove the better, I like it just dump in the bags and let it do its thing ,shut it down every 3 weeks or so and give it a thourough cleaning fire it back up.I would like to try the blend they have some say they burn very well. I know finding the softwoods here in watertown is tough because of the stigma of hardwood some people are just hard headed I guess but when I see softwoods I try and buy them I like em!

AHH, The softwood versus hardwood dabate! I hear you loud and clear. I have a local dealer that is a hard headed hardwood only guy! Just doesn't believe and will not stock any either! They just don't get the fact that the pelletizing process equals the playing field(moisture and density)! All I know is it takes one heck of a hardwood pellet to burn as clean as the softwoods do. I also found the softwoods don't really burn all that much faster once I put the hour meter on the stove. And when I found a hardwood pellet that produce as much heat as the softwood the burn length was pretty much equal overall. Pellet size and density have more of an overall effect on how long they last then what the pellet fiber is. And yet the softwoods still produced a bit more heat. So much for there theory on that bubkus!

Check the chart, The pellet that burned the quickest overall was a hardwood. A comparable softwood in heat output lasted a few hours longer! Myth Busted.

 

[Fsappo]

Last year I sold a few hundred tons of Curren blend. A few folks complained of high ash, but folks were mainly happy. They were ashy though. This year I switched to the softwood. Slightly more heat than the mix and much less ash. Nice thing about Curran is they are local (to us) and they harvest most of their own raw materials. This gives them better control over their quality. Much more consistant. So while others I tried seemed to be a little better, like Barefoot, with Curran I know what I am selling to my customers year after year. Things may change though, I just saw a Curran truck goin down 49 towards Meniellys who sells pellets for $15 bucks a ton profit. If they end up whoring out the Currans at next to cost, I may switch to Okies next year.

Hey we make $20 not $15! No Currans for us... yet. I hear good and bad on them but mostly good. Softwood seems to burn the best from what I hear. I know one thing Curran has one hell of a bag clear and strong. I think that was a Cubex truck heading our way we cant keep them in stock they sell so fast. Okies would be nice but they are pricy to get to us in the area due to trucking. Maybe we can each buy half the truck load.

The bags are strong but you should see how they are wrapped on the pallet. Its like they are designed to survive a nuke. And no, there was a big ole Curran truck. Had curran all over written all over it. I'll find out where they went to.

Charge more for your pellets! And stop by the showroom one of these days and say hello.

 

[hooter04]

No Jack don't overprice your pellets,that's why I buy from you. I can get currans for 259.00 a ton,but I like the cubex myself.

 

[slls]

How do you tell Curran softwood, hardwood, blend. Was just in Lowes at $187 a ton, $3.75 a bag.
Clerk said hardwood, couldn't tell by bag, were flying out the door.

 

[jtakeman]

How do you tell Curran softwood, hardwood, blend. Was just in Lowes at $187 a ton, $3.75 a bag.
Clerk said hardwood, couldn't tell by bag, were flying out the door.

AT the front up on the top it says what they are. Blend bag is white others are clear.

From left to right below. Softwood, Hardwood and then the blend. Hope this helps!

 

[slls]

Thanks, they were blend.

 

[jtakeman]

I finished the Curran softwoods.

(broken link removed to http://woodpelletreviews.com/The-BurnPot/Curran-Softwoods.html)

 

[Harman-p68a]

my bags are clear ,and it was written on the outer skid wrapper when I un loaded them and they also smell like a sheet of plywood real piney smell,it is -23 outside right now and its 74 in the house here supposed to get to -30 they say.....

 

[turbotech]

Thank you for the testing. I don't know how many times I have looked at that chart. I can't wait to see the test results for the blend.

 

[Duke53]

... it is -23 outside right now and its 74 in the house here supposed to get to -30 they say.....

It is -33° right now supposed to get to -40°. Brr ... !

76° in my living room and kitchen. Loving these Hamer's Hot Ones !

p.s. I live about an hour from the Curran plant and have never seen them for sale in a store around here; some of our local loggers supply Curran's (Seaway Timber Harvesters) with sawdust and do haul some home for their own use.


.

 

[turbotech]

I was contacted by Brian from Curran. He asked me if I had tried his pellets yet with my testing. Mainly about the softwoods. I told him I can only get Currans at Lowes and its only the blends they carry.

Long story short, Brian sent me 3 sample bags to sample and post results on. I got 1 bag each of Softwood, Hardwood and blend. So I will post some feedback on the wood pellet review site once I get a chance to burn the samples.

What do you have locally? Hardwood, Softwood or Blend?

I did burn the blend in last seasons testing and also purchase a half ton to finish the season out. I thought they burned pretty well.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/42511/

From the tests results it looks like the Curran blend is the same quality as the Fireside Ultras I have right now. I may be by the store later this week and pick up a few bags of the Curran blend to try. The Maine's Choice looks like it is a little bit better, correct?

 

[dmaclaren]

i just picked up some of the currans from lowes, all the bags had 4 - 5 holes on the side. it was done without pellets in them. the punctures are veyr small and I wonder why the have them, any ideas?

 

[turbotech]

I thought all bags had small holes. Since the bags are not vacuum sealed then the air would shrink and expand from changes in the weather. The holes are needed.

 

[dmaclaren]

so I guess I won't purchase to store, I'll get what I need this season

 

[turbotech]

so I guess I won't purchase to store, I'll get what I need this season

Why not? How big are the holes in diameter? I think all manufacturers need the holes for changes in air volume. It is like shrink wrapping a bunch of ballons at 40* F. Throw that shrink wrapped ballon thing outside in the beating summer sun. All the ballons grow pushing on the shrink wrap. Something has got to give..........ballons or shrink wrap.....pop/boom. The only way around this is having holes of some sort. It sounds like the Curran brand are bigger and more noticeable.

Please let us know how they burn.

 

[dmaclaren]

I have not noticed holes on other brands. these are like a hole from a push pin

so I guess I won't purchase to store, I'll get what I need this season

Why not? How big are the holes in diameter? I think all manufacturers need the holes for changes in air volume. It is like shrink wrapping a bunch of ballons at 40* F. Throw that shrink wrapped ballon thing outside in the beating summer sun. All the ballons grow pushing on the shrink wrap. Something has got to give..........ballons or shrink wrap.....pop/boom. The only way around this is having holes of some sort. It sounds like the Curran brand are bigger and more noticeable.

Please let us know how they burn.

 

[terrybj]

The holes that you are seeing in the side of the bag near the top are to allow air to escape from the bag after filling. This is correct the holes are made in the bag when the continous film is cut in to a bag by the side seal. Once the bag is filled it travels on a belt thru a flattner table that forces all the air out of the bag and makes the bag flat and uniform, the flattned bag then conveys to a robot which stacks the bags on a pallet. Without the holes to allow air to escape it is likey that the bag will burst at the top seal (weakest spot of the bag) when palletized from the weight and pressure. in addition to the bags being stacked on each other when the pallets are stored in the warehouse and at some retail locations pallets are stacked on top of each other, this adds additional pressure forcing more air out of each bag. I think you will find the majority if not all manufactures use holes in their bags for this reason. We try to keep these holes to a minimum quantity and diameter but they are required for this reason. Hope this helps!

Brian
Curran Renewable Energy
www.curranpellets.com

 

[Fsappo]

Meneillys, your pop was in our showroom a day or two ago. I couldnt talk him into raising his prices. Now that I know Curran is being sold in Lowes, that explains that Curran truck that was going by my shop. Is that true Brian? Curran in Lowes?

And Meneillys, thanks for your fuel and diesel business sir.