Tree identification

[Btenkhoff]

I live in missouri and this tree dropped on my property. Any idea what it is? I was going to cut it up this weekend. I was having trouble determining what it was via the web. Also any advice as i am new to using my wood furnace. I have started splitting and stacking on my property. Any woods i need to avoid? I am not sure seasoning a supply of 2-3 years is feasible. Is it okay to get away with 12 months split on hard woods like oak, hickory, walnut etc for seasoning? Just not sure I have the space for a 24 month season split. Thanks for the wisdom in advance.

 

[Eman85]

Any woods i need to avoid?

Wood that doesn't burn, basically no only cold people reject any wood.
Your bark looks like Hickory to me.
12mos isn't going to cut it for good hardwood unless you build a kiln.

 

[Btenkhoff]

Good point. I figured as much about any wood seasoned works. I hear on occasion "oh that wouldn't make good firewood". In my mind i think "its wood".

Thanks I was wondering if hickory

I will make a way to season longer then. I appreciate the feedback

 

[SwedeFP]

This may be laughed off, and this does look like smooth bark hickory. But, if you get some split, smell it pretty close to the split part, and if it smells like horse piss, you have hickory.

 

[CincyBurner]

+ 1 for hickory (bitternut ?)

 

[Btenkhoff]

Thanks for the confirmation. It smells more like elephant pee to me but maybe they are similar? haha kidding Thanks again everyone

 

[Mutineer]

My opinion on what would be considered "bad wood" to cut and store is dictated by how much storage space you have and are willing to set up. If it's limited, then low BTU woods like pine, poplar, willow (any of the cottonwood family) will only take up too much space since the value of the space is higher than the value of the BTUs extracted from the wood. Thus the comment of only having room for 24 months of seasoned split wood is dependent on species. Your furnace may burn 1 cord per month of oak or hickory but it would probably burn 2 cords per month of pine.

 

[hawkeye4771]

I have a 10x10 ft. tool shed I keep the snowblower in during the summer. When bringing home wood to split and stack I have big plastic trash cans I throw the odd shaped pieces of wood and/or pieces with knots or twisted grain into. That tool shed gets unbearable hot and humid in the summer. Come late September cool damp nights I can burn those pieces in the woodstoves as they've been cooking in that tool shed all summer and catch fire fast and burn long.

 

[Kevin Weis]

My vote is for Hickory as well.

 

[Kevin Weis]

Just to add, get to it quickly as it like to punk out laying on the ground in short order.

 

[Garbanzo62]

Each species has different drying times. Ash /pine could be ready in a year, Oak 2 - 3, Beach 18 - 24 months etc. As someone mentioned, you can speed up the process by building a solar kiln. How much property do you have and any idea how many cords you are expecting to burn? Check out a btu chart by species. It comes down to is the juice worth the squeeze as to what is a good wood vs bad wood.