Punky wood let down.

[711mhw]

Don't you hate it when you cut into a really nice log, that nice straight log, your favorite diameter log, a log that you have been kinda saving cause you just know that it's going to be sweet to carve up that baby, you can almost hear that sweet sound of good tight wood, freshly split hitting the other wood in your splitter stack and that you can just visualize it on your splitter and in your shed, and eventually, finally, happy thoughts of putting that nice stick of wood proudly into your firebox... and then you see the end grain of your cut, and BUMMER it's kinda punky.

 

[offroadaudio]

Still worth a burn if there's any meat in the middle - shoulder season.

 

[firefighterjake]

All wood is good wood . . . I figure when I run across punky or wood with a rotten core that it is a good thing I am using the wood since it would have just rotted out in the woods if I had not taken it for firewood.

 

[Wood Duck]

I hate to be choosy, but I am kinda down on punky wood lately. The last few punky pieces I have burned just turned into a spongy mass of coals. Not a lot of heat came out, but it took up space and seemed to require a lot time to disappear. Nevertheless I enjoy burning the punky stuff on a warmer day when I don't need a lot of heat. It prevents me from burning better wood.

 

[3fordasho]

If it's total punk it gets thrown in the firepit or the 50' drop off into the quarry behind my property. If it's partial punk I'll use it but only if it's plenty dry and covered. The punky parts soaks up rain like a sponge.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

It just depends upon what stage of punk it is. If just starting, it will burn okay. If a lot of punk, I'll simply not burn it but throw it on a brush pile.

 

[billb3]

I can usually tell while cutting whether I should bother to continue cutting or not.

Even more saddenning when an army of carpenter ants floods out even while cutting.

 

[stint9]

Unless punky part is very small, I just throw it away

Sure; wood is wood

But at my age, I just feel I work just as hard cutting hauling and feeding junk

Junk produces lots less heat for same amount of work

Throw it away and concentrate on the good stuff

 

[Kenster]

A little punk, no more than an inch at most, is not bad if you keep it dry. It's like a built in firestarter. Some of the wood I've found is punky but the the core is rock hard so it burns great - slow and hot. I'll save punky for 'next year' but it won't go in the same stacks with the good clean oak and hickory.

 

[Woody Stover]

I've got a down Red Oak that I'm going to grab, thinking it'll be dry by fall. Most of the sapwood is punky. I'll probably go to the trouble of trimming off the trash...just because that's how I am.

 

[Kenster]

I've got a down Red Oak that I'm going to grab, thinking it'll be dry by fall. Most of the sapwood is punky. I'll probably go to the trouble of trimming off the trash...just because that's how I am.

Sometimes I'll use a hand hatchet to knock off some punk if it's really think and if the heart wood is good. But just a little punk doesn't bother me.

 

[mayhem]

Don't you hate it when you cut into a really nice log, that nice straight log, your favorite diameter log, a log that you have been kinda saving cause you just know that it's going to be sweet to carve up that baby, you can almost hear that sweet sound of good tight wood, freshly split hitting the other wood in your splitter stack and that you can just visualize it on your splitter and in your shed, and eventually, finally, happy thoughts of putting that nice stick of wood proudly into your firebox... and then you see the end grain of your cut, and BUMMER it's kinda punky.

In my opinion, you have way too much time alone with your thoughts. You need another hobby and maybe a girlfriend...just don't let your wife know.