Rich pine stump found !

[Robbie]

In the woods today I found an old pine stump about 2 ft wide and 2 ft tall, grey in color and the tree looks to have been cut many years ago. Center is gone, outside is 8 inches wide all the way around and honestly as hard as nails.

It was a job to cut down through this thing, amazing since it has been cut many years I'm sure.

And guess what..............I cut some of it up and split it in small pieces and it burns like it's been soaked in kerosene, and you can see the sap sizzle in it. A tiny piece burned for about 4 to five minutes with a huge flame.

You should try to find one of these, I am shocked at how well it burns and there is enough in this one stump if split right to last me many months for starting fires.

Robbie

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

Thats fatwood.

 

[Robbie]

Yes, I figured.

Man this is rich stuff. It smells very rich and looks very redish inside. I wish someone in the tree business could explain to me why so much sap is left in the stump after all these years.

And how come the stump does not rot like most pine trees do ?


Robbie

 

[stoveguy2esw]

i think (not sure) that it depends on when the tree is felled, i remember when i was a kid in florida, we used to dig old pine stumps out for the "fat lighter" and store it in chunks in burlap bags for camping trips, you could dang near pull wood out of a creek and light a campfire with that stuff, its the best campfire starter ive ever run across. and it will keep for years once taken out and stored, best method is with old burlap bags, like military sandbags. great stuff!

 

[Corey]

It's my understanding that the sap from the pine tree builds up in the lower section of the trunk over the life of the tree. It doesn't matter so much how you get the wood as long as it is from that resin rich section of the trunk? Maybe someone can explain it better or set me straight!

Corey

 

[Robbie]

Update: My wife informed me that her uncle cut this tree about 20 or more years ago and it was a large white pine.

I've got to go get the rest of this stump, this stuff is amazing !



Robbie

 

[Robbie]

Updated update.........


I just cut up enough wood out of this "hot" stump to start fires easily the rest of the season.

I used a band saw to cut the pieces up into small strips.

I have only cut up about 1/20 th of this stump so far. This stuff burns so hot and long, at this rate the stump might outlast me making fires. %-P

Oh, there is still about half of the stump left in the woods.

You've just got to find one of these.

See second picture down in this link, be sure and read what is says,

http://www.watersheds.org/farm/tarkiln.htm


Robbie

 

[restorer]

Updated update.........


I just cut up enough wood out of this "hot" stump to start fires easily the rest of the season.

I used a band saw to cut the pieces up into small strips.

I have only cut up about 1/20 th of this stump so far. This stuff burns so hot and long, at this rate the stump might outlast me making fires. %-P

Oh, there is still about half of the stump left in the woods.

You've just got to find one of these.

See second picture down in this link, be sure and read what is says,

http://www.watersheds.org/farm/tarkiln.htm


Robbie

Robbie:
Congratulations. Sounds like a great Christmas package for your wood burning friends. Of course, don't give then too much, or the envy will not be there.

Word of caution. Speaking from my woodworker mode. Make sure you carefully clean your saw after you're done. You may even want to remove the blade and make it dedicated for this use. Sap will accumulate and harden. More like glue than anything else. It will cause the blade to drag, could break the blade, and will definitely play havoc with the bearings. If you've got a build up on the blade already, just soak it a few days in paint thinner, turpentine is better, lightly brush and wipe down. If the blade is a total mess, use oven cleaner, or caustic. Same time and process as solvent.

It's cool to take a piece and set it in a dish on top of the stove where it won't start a blaze, of course, and enjoy the fresh balsam. I do that when I'm using hide glue in the shop. That stinks so bad, I put some shavings in a pan and heat to about 250. Smells a lot better than the mange wet smell of a stay dog.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

and dont cut yourself!! if you do you just spent all the money you saved on not buying fatwood by the bag!
On my stump i just shave of slices with my hand hatchet.. not saying thats any safer or anything...

 

[BrotherBart]

and dont cut yourself!! if you do you just spent all the money you saved on not buying fatwood by the bag!
On my stump i just shave of slices with my hand hatchet.. not saying thats any safer or anything...

And don't ya just hate it when those little slices go flying halfway across the yard/room/all of the above.

 

[Robbie]

As I said in my previous post, I found a "fatwood" stump in Jan. so I thought I would process some of this for next winters fire starting today.

I used a band saw to cut the stump into 8 inch long pieces and then I sat on a stump in the shade and split the stump pieces into smaller pieces with a hand ax.

This kind of activity is good for the soul I think..........slow and steady, but in just a short time I had a plastic wheel barrow full to the top with rich smelling home grown fatwood.

I wear leather gloves so when I hit my fingers with the sharp hand ax (as I always do) it will not go through the leather.

My wife feels sorry for me and brings me gatoraide and ibuprofen........... %-P

I then placed all the small split pieces into a plastic trash can sealed in a garbage bag for next winter. This barrel is 3/4 full and should last all winter for fire starting.

Now is the time I think to be preparing for the cold............ ;-)


Robbie

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

As usuall, i havent done a thing to prepare for next season. I need to get on it, its only 8 weeks away!