Sugar Maple

[Woodfarmer1]

Dropped a very big sugar maple this morning started the job with the 066 but ended up finishing it off with the jonny 2171, both great saws. close to 30" at the butt. Should be a lot of burning in it next year.

 

[Ralphie Boy]

Sugar maple grows in my area, but I've never had any. Will it season fast enough to be ready next season?

 

[bigbarf48]

Nice job! Got any pics of that 066

 

[Soundchasm]

I love Sugar Maple. I saved as much as possible when one came down here, and those 1-2" limbs were a dream to start fires with. Knock a few seasoned pieces together and your ears will ring. Wonderful stuff.

 

[BillLion]

Big fan of sugar maple here!

 

[Paulywalnut]

To me sugar maple is the perfect mix between oak and ash.
Nice score. IMO, but who's asking, If its green I'd let it go two or even three years.

 

[Ehouse]

I've had good luck cutting it into rounds and letting it lay on the ground for a summer. The cambium layer rots quick from the sugar and it's easy to debark as you split. Seems to season much faster with the bark off.

 

[weatherguy]

I got a cord and a half last winter, I'm going to let it season another year although a couple pieces I checked were good to go. The bark does come right off, half my splits are bark free.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I've had good luck cutting it into rounds and letting it lay on the ground for a summer. The cambium layer rots quick from the sugar and it's easy to debark as you split. Seems to season much faster with the bark off.

Will season even faster if it is split and stacked off the ground. No rot either.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Sugar maple grows in my area, but I've never had any. Will it season fast enough to be ready next season?

Could be but would be even better is you can wait another year.

 

[bag of hammers]

Knock a few season pieces together and your ears will ring. Wonderful stuff.

+1 Most of the trees on my property are sugar maple. Crack a couple 3 or 4 " rounds together (branches that've been on pallets for a couple years) and the bark flies off. An armload of this is like a supernova in the stove. Hit the big splits with the back of the axe - same thing - bark just gives up and lets go.

 

[Applesister]

My next door neighbor taps the sugars. So they generally dont get drafted.
I like your pic you posted. Very loggerish...
Are you gonna leave the stump or take it to the ground?

 

[Woodfarmer1]

I'll flush the stump next time I lug the 066 out, I only drop dead standing so it should be ready to burn next winter.these trees have to be over 100 yrs old, I really hate when they die, I have a couple dozen in the bush but all the younger ones seem to be dying off early

 

[BillLion]

+1 Most of the trees on my property are sugar maple. Crack a couple 3 or 4 " rounds together (branches that've been on pallets for a couple years) and the bark flies off. An armload of this is like a supernova in the stove. Hit the big splits with the back of the axe - same thing - bark just gives up and lets go.

Sorry to deviate from the topic, but why are many on these threads eager to remove the bark. To me if it falls off, fine, but if not I'm just as happy to burn it. Maybe as someone newer to the game I'm missing something?

 

[Ehouse]

Sorry to deviate from the topic, but why are many on these threads eager to remove the bark. To me if it falls off, fine, but if not I'm just as happy to burn it. Maybe as someone newer to the game I'm missing something?

I just want it to be off in a controlled manner, preferably away from the living space and around the house. If I stack it with the bark on it falls off sporadically while handling, and doesn't season as well because the bark holds moisture and bugs. Woods other than Sugar Maple I don't worry about so much.

 

[bassJAM]

My next door neighbor taps the sugars. So they generally dont get drafted.
I like your pic you posted. Very loggerish...
Are you gonna leave the stump or take it to the ground?

My brother does the same thing. He just partitioned off a whole section of my parents barn to dedicate to making syrup. When the sap starts running, that's all he thinks about!

 

[BillLion]

I just want it to be off in a controlled manner, preferably away from the living space and around the house. If I stack it with the bark on it falls off sporadically while handling, and doesn't season as well because the bark holds moisture and bugs. Woods other than Sugar Maple I don't worry about so much.

Thanks for the reply; I see your reasoning.