Hollow

  • 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.

ispinwool

Feeling the Heat
Feb 5, 2010
367
Butler County, Pa.
I'm always amazed that trees can remain standing even though they're so hollow. Luckily, our friend Ted noticed the problem and had them dropped safely. (And offered us the wood for the hauling)

IMG_20210402_133229.jpg IMG_20210402_140402.jpg
 
lots of stories on hollow trees like getting a bath because the trunk was full of water. ( not sap)
 
As far as strength to resist being snapped by wind, the trunk is like a beam. More of the bending strength is provided the farther you go from the neutral axis (center). Consider any steel or wood beam. The greatest part of the load carrying ability of the beam is away from the center. For steel, that's why there are flanges top and bottom. For a wood beam, it is strongest when loaded on it's thin edge, rather than with flat side down. Also, the place to make holes in any structural beam is near the center (neutral axis). You never cut into the flanges on a steel beam or notch the top or bottom of a wood beam (although some trades do on occasion notch a wood beam, weakening it substantially). So the core of a tree can be hollowed out by bugs and rot without weakening the tree too much.
 
I haven't cut any myself quite like that one, but many of the fir and spruce trees I've cut down, especially the larger ones, have hollows towards the root flare. I might be pretty salty to cut down a tree that size to find it hollowed out at the best part for the mill!
 
  • Like
Reactions: ispinwool
We use those hollow rounds for "chimney logs" in the campfire. Get it going good, let it die down some, stand a hollow log on end. It's pretty cool, even better with some copper tubing with vinyl hose stuffed inside dropped down the "chimney" (or old Christmas light strings).
 
We use those hollow rounds for "chimney logs" in the campfire.
I have a couple rounds from my haul that are like that, purposely saving them to try that fire method.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ispinwool
I was cutting a limb off a tree once and the water laying inside the tree pours out on my arm. Thought it was blood from chainsaw cut at first.
 
We use those hollow rounds for "chimney logs" in the campfire.
I set those aside also for using in the outdoor fire pit. I've got about 8 of them after this past cutting season, ready to go. It's just fun to have a different fire, the kids roast marshmallow over the chimney. I've never done the copper pipe, but a friend used to.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NickW and ispinwool
I'm definitely gonna try a 'chimney' with a couple! :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: NickW
I'm definitely gonna try a 'chimney' with a couple! :)
I usually set a few logs down first, then set the chimney on them to get it up off the ground, this allows air to draft up. You can also feed sticks from underneath doing that, or just set some in the chimney.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ispinwool and NickW
I have a few nice hollow logs from one of the maples I've been working on.
IMG_20210404_114141.jpg
IMG_20210404_114134.jpgIMG_20210404_114120.jpg

I'm going to be doing a fire in the fire pit soon with some brush that has accumulated over the winter. I'll have to try the chimney thing with those hollow logs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ispinwool