- Jan 5, 2013
- 247
So I live in the state of nothing but pine ! Why is it so hard to find a local quality softwood at a fair price ? We have the raw material but no supply of quality !
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Pine tree state ?
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P38X2
Minister of Fire
You need to live in the Douglas Fir state 
I don't think pine, specifically white pine, is the best softwood species to make pellets with. It certainly works well as a component of the "blends" various manufacturers offer, but on it's own, falls short of the output of the western species such as DF, Lodge Pole, etc. Anyway, the main reason is what's available for raw materials. 'Pine Tree State' or not, the fact is the eastern part of the country is innundated with hardwood, be it in the form of whole trees or manufacturing by products.
I'm sure there are other factors such as public perception of softies being "inferior" to hardwoods, but in the end I think it just boils down to what's available for raw materials. Ya, it kinda sucks.
I don't think pine, specifically white pine, is the best softwood species to make pellets with. It certainly works well as a component of the "blends" various manufacturers offer, but on it's own, falls short of the output of the western species such as DF, Lodge Pole, etc. Anyway, the main reason is what's available for raw materials. 'Pine Tree State' or not, the fact is the eastern part of the country is innundated with hardwood, be it in the form of whole trees or manufacturing by products.I'm sure there are other factors such as public perception of softies being "inferior" to hardwoods, but in the end I think it just boils down to what's available for raw materials. Ya, it kinda sucks.
MWP has softies in a limited run. But like the others said. Get more for them selling as lumber. Maybe the new Energex softies are made from Maine softwood logs? Energex is marketing some super premiem softies and hardwoods in the Golden Pellet bags. Do you have a dealer that carries Energex in your area?
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movemaine
Minister of Fire
Living in Maine is crazy. The pellets are middle of the road at best, yet we have a huge lumber industry. And you can't find a fresh piece of fish at any restaurant (only deep fried haddock). WTH?
- Jan 5, 2013
- 247
I did get some energex this year ( 60/40 ) from the Canadian plant . I ordered the 100 % softwood but that's another story !
DOLLARBILL
Feeling the Heat
All Maine Brands have been tried either by myself or friends , at the current prices i just as soon not burn them ! As for fish my Business partners son inlaw is captain on a fishing boat we all eat some pretty fresh fish !
midfielder
Feeling the Heat
Oh, I dunno 'bout that. VTs are white pine only and go toe to toe with the doug firs from out west. Maybe a little behind, but just barely.You need to live in the Douglas Fir state
P38X2
Minister of Fire
That's a great question. Haven't burned em myself but have heard they're great. I'm assuming MWP's softwood offering is also white pine, and I've read mixed reviews on those. What's the difference? Seeing VWP produces softwood only (I think), maybe the production is slightly different? Maybe the raw material is ground differently, different die setup, etc. I know my Orford softies weren't anything great as far as heat output goes. I believe JT found out those were made of white pine out of a Canadian plant, but not Valfei. The ash was fairly low though. They were NOTHING like the Eureka/Future Fuel out of Montana that wally world was selling around 2005 for $174. Hands down the best pellet I've burned or likely will ever burn. Virtually zero ash. Never seen anything like it.
Same die setup, but you're right ~ something is drastically off between the two. I burned MWP's softwoods in 2011/2013 and loved them. This past winter (2012/2013) I burned them and had all kinds of soot issues. My hopper holds 4 bags ~ this past winter I could only get 3.5 bags in ??? Definitely a compression issue. Was this the cause of all my soot ~ IDK, but I still have a ton of the ch!t left and am unsure if I should use it or not.
P38X2
Minister of Fire
Are we SURE they use white pine exclusively? Couldn't find any mention of wood species on their site, but apparently it's all tree to chip. Maybe it's some secret blend of a few different evergreens.
Wish they were sold in my neck of the woods.
Wish they were sold in my neck of the woods.
The MWP Softies? The pellets smell like pine. But both VT and MWP use primarily pine, but also hemlock and spruce.
P38X2
Minister of Fire
midfielder
Feeling the Heat
I talked to Valfei on the phone - here's the post with the details and documents the rep sent me. Orford softwoods are a pine/spruce blend.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/some-info-on-valfei-pellets.111957/
midfielder
Feeling the Heat
![[Hearth.com] Pine tree state ?](/talk/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi19.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb161%2Fmidfielder%2FVTPelletBag2_zps22dc0346.jpg&hash=f194a048cd66479d370ebd35cd568298 "[Hearth.com] Pine tree state ?")
P38X2
Minister of Fire
The Ds
Feeling the Heat
Anxious to see if anyone else has tried this years crop of the AWF Ultra Premium White Pine pellets....Went and got a few bags to try{our first softwood} and were so impressed by the clean burn and good heat that we now have 1.5 tons of them in the garage...This will only be our 2nd winter burning-we are still relative newbies- but these softies are definitely a notch above the rest in our stash...got them for 234/ton early in the season....will attempt to put a couple pics up...lol
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I burned the AWF Softies last year, they were my favorite pellet. Ordered 5 tons, they are in the basement. I believe they were still last yeas stock as I ordered them in may I believe to get a good shipping/price deal. Very good heat, pleasent smell, low fines, minimal ash. I think if you research them they do actully have a blend of hardwood in them.
The Ds
Feeling the Heat
Yes they do say "softwood blend" in one of the photos above........Not sure if that means a blend of softwoods/hardwoods or just a blend of softwoods
Despite the Pine Tree State motto, Maine is mostly spruce/fir these days. HB Wood in Baldwin Maine has an on gain off again project to build a huge pellet plant that would go along with their sawmill which saws primarily pine but they plan to do bulk export so they may not end up on the market
movemaine
Minister of Fire
And yet, you can't get Spruce or Fir pellets here...Maine, as usual, shoots itself in the foot...
midfielder
Feeling the Heat
I agree - it's kind of hard to imagine. For one thing, there's got to be enough pine in the state of ME to make pellets - Vermont is tiny compared to Maine, and VT Woodpellets finds the logs to do it. I mean, the great north woods are huge. Even if it weren't pine, you'd think there'd be a softwood species there that would make excellent pellets. It's like a big WTF...
St_Earl
Minister of Fire
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