We've got a bunch of sweetgum trees to trim and cut some down. Anyone
know if they make decent firewood? If not we'll dispose of it,
otherwise I may cut it up and keep it for next year....
Thanks

In article .com, "ncstockguy" wrote:
We've got a bunch of sweetgum trees to trim and cut some down. Anyone
know if they make decent firewood? If not we'll dispose of it,
otherwise I may cut it up and keep it for next year....
Thanks

Come back and ask this question after you have split the wood, because it is
next to impossible to split, even with a power splitter.

We've got a bunch of sweetgum trees to trim and cut some down. Anyone
know if they make decent firewood? If not we'll dispose of it,
otherwise I may cut it up and keep it for next year....
Thanks

Come back and ask this question after you have split the wood, because it
is
next to impossible to split, even with a power splitter.

So, would it burn really slowly, if it is that dense? In winter, I like to
put on a fair-sized, unsplit (but cured) log in the wood stove before bed,
so there are still live coals in the morning. Is it heavy even when cured?

I HATE sweetgum balls, so I would be delighted to have an excuse to take
down a few of mine. Especially the ones that would be a good diameter for
an unsplit overnight log.

Interested to hear more,

laurie (Mother Mastiff)

In article , "laurie \(Mother Mastiff\)" wrote:

So, would it burn really slowly, if it is that dense? In winter, I like to
put on a fair-sized, unsplit (but cured) log in the wood stove before bed,
so there are still live coals in the morning. Is it heavy even when cured?

The problem with trying to split sweetgum is that the "fibers" don't separate.
After you mostly split the piece with a wedge or maul, you usually have to
chop the pieces apart with an axe.

Nosmo King wrote:
In article .com, "ncstockguy" wrote:

We've got a bunch of sweetgum trees to trim and cut some down. Anyone
know if they make decent firewood?

It's usable, but not optimal. Makes some gummy residue.

Come back and ask this question after you have split the wood, because it is
next to impossible to split, even with a power splitter.

The trick with this and some other woods (like sycamore) is to split
"flakes" off the main trunk. In other words, don't try to split it down
the middle. Set the logs upside down from how they grew and hit off
center all the way around. It's still not easy, but it *will* "warm you
twice."

MT

On 2005-10-21, Nosmo King wrote:
In article .com, "ncstockguy" wrote:
We've got a bunch of sweetgum trees to trim and cut some down. Anyone
know if they make decent firewood? If not we'll dispose of it,
otherwise I may cut it up and keep it for next year....
Thanks

Come back and ask this question after you have split the wood, because it is
next to impossible to split, even with a power splitter.

I "split" some a long time ago. More accurately I tore it apart. I can
't remember if it was green or dry. There may be a diff and one easier
than the other. It burns ok.

--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

Thanks for the comments on sweetgum. Trees are cut. I'll give it a try
next winter after its cured. Just keeping some small to medium sized
logs from branches.

On 25 Oct 2005 18:25:22 -0700 in .com ncstockguy wrote:
Thanks for the comments on sweetgum. Trees are cut. I'll give it a try
next winter after its cured. Just keeping some small to medium sized
logs from branches.

If you still have some of the larger diameter chunks, I could
probably dispose of a few for a bonfire this winter.



--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

In article .com,
ncstockguy wrote:
We've got a bunch of sweetgum trees to trim and cut some down. Anyone
know if they make decent firewood?

Yes, it makes decent firewood after it has had a chance to dry out.
Splitting hasn't been a problem. It almost shatters with a splitting ax
when green.

OB gardening:
Freshly cut sweetgums are good for cultivating shiitake mushrooms,
considered second to only oak for trees commonly available around here.
I took down a medium size sweetgum and innoculated it early last spring.
We've been picking shiitakes for the last few weeks, but it will be next
year before it really gets going.

--
Steve

Steve wrote:
Yes, it makes decent firewood after it has had ..
Freshly cut sweetgums are good for cultivating shiitake mushrooms,

I'm pleased to know sweetgums are good for SOMETHING.

I've always regarded sweetgums as the second-greatest
nuisance in a residential area. Only the mighty pine
("Mother Nature's 100-foot weed") seemed more of a
bother. ;-)

_______________________________________________
Ken Kuzenski AC4RD ken . kuzenski at duke .edu
_______________________________________________
All disclaimers apply, see? www.duke.edu/~kuzen001

In article , wrote:

I'm pleased to know sweetgums are good for SOMETHING.

You will notice that both of these uses involve cutting the sweetgum
down.

--
Steve

In article , Steve wrote:
In article , wrote:

I'm pleased to know sweetgums are good for SOMETHING.

You will notice that both of these uses involve cutting the sweetgum
down.

They can be nice trees to have, if you have a LARGE area they can grow in,
where those d*mn "booley-balls" won't fall into your lawn, driveway, etc. The
trees grow fast, are hard to kill and can look nice.

I live in deep woods and have all kinds of trees. I just make sure
that anything I burn in my fireplace is at least one year dead. I
find that dogwoods (unfortunately dying on their own here at a rapid
rate... I would never cut down a live one) are THE best fire in the
fireplace, but they burn relatively fast.
The only species I avoid burning in the fireplace are pine and
cedar. In many cases I have no idea what the species is.
I just smashed my thumb trying to split some big sections of wood (I
thought I had given up that endeavor years ago). Anyway, why split
wood?
My fireplace: I put a BIG whole log section in the back. I then
put layers of (bottom to top) kindling twigs, branches, limbs, in
front of that one big log. As those burn, I just add more. It takes
about 1/2 day for the big guy to burn, and then I dump in another one.
My theory is that this back wall of the big log directs the warmth out
into the room, rather than up the chimney. (I have my heat pump
turned off.) Unless it is REALLY cold, this really does warm my house
enough to not need to put on the heat pump. This from a fireplace; I
don't have a wood stove.
Some species seem to not burn at all but just slowly shrink to
nothing. My main species are, in order of frequency, dogwood (I glean
them [dead ones] from wherever I can), oak, poplar, hickory, elm,
maple, ironwood, etc. (Helpful hint: Pawlonia will spit out big
chunks of burning embers way onto your rug!) Actually, I never chop
anything alive down for firewood, but all my firewood is from trees
and limbs that died and fell by themselves. (But I had to clear a
small area where trees leaned toward my house... I didn't burn those
for a year... had tree guys cut them to fireplace length... no
splitting).
My chimney sweep comes about every 3 years, and tells me my chimney
accumulation looks good.... so I must be doing something right. I
hope this might be helpful.
Kira