# Punky wood



## Ironworker (Dec 18, 2010)

I am new to wood burning, 4 years cutting my own but would like to know if this is punky and can I burn it in my wood stove












Thanks, all help will be appreciated
p.s. here is an update on load I got last week


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## pook (Dec 18, 2010)

looks good 2me


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## savageactor7 (Dec 18, 2010)

Sure go ahead. Dry punky wood is something you might burn when your home on a Saturday watching football.

I use it as a shoulder season wood too. 

It's not a wood you want to see in your hardwood purchase buy but heck if it's there in the back yard burn it...you can either burn punky wood or dollars.

Nice deck you have there.


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## indiansprings (Dec 18, 2010)

No question about it, I would burn it without hesitation. Is there better wood to burn?, yes, but it all will put out heat.


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## TreePointer (Dec 18, 2010)

Punky wood can be deceiving. Take red oak, for instance. The outside inch or so can be punky, but cut/split/season it, and you won't know the difference.


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## pook (Dec 18, 2010)

drive a hammer into it?


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## Ironworker (Dec 18, 2010)

pook said:


> drive a hammer into it?



what do you mean?


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## woodbooga (Dec 18, 2010)

Critical question for me is what was paid for that load.

I see nothing there I'd hesitate to burn. But if you paid the going rate for a grapple load, I'd ask for a partial reimbursement. Maybe 20 unless the seller was up front about the conditions of the logs.

There's 3 issues with punk wood. Lower heat content. And it sponges up moisture. Direct moisture from rain and snowmelt if you don't have a wood shed. And it also absorbs environmental moisture more than solider wood when the relative humidity of the air is high. Finaly, when splitting punky wood, it seems to 'chunk off; when you hit where a branch shot out or at a crotch.

Still, if that load was free or real cheap, there's a good load of heat there. 

Like earlier said, there's some wood like oak that rots outside in - sapwood gets flakey but the heartwood remains damn solid. Black cherry (not pin cherry) is like this too - though less forgiving in terms of time than oak that can sit in length for many years before being unusable.

Looks like you have a lot of maple and some black birch. These species rot from the inside out. Much less forgiving before going to punk. But what's pictured is still some good firewood for personal use, if not for retail sale.


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## woodbooga (Dec 18, 2010)

greyfox said:


> what do you mean?



Don't want to speak for another, but I use my truck key to determine if a log's worth it. If with hand strength it goes in too easily too deep (think on the ground popple after a few years, I'll move on.

I usually sometimes use the pike point of my peavy to the same effect.


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## Oldtimer (Dec 18, 2010)

That wood is not punky. It's the colored "heart" you are seeing.

And even if it was truly punky, which is another term for rotten, WGAF. Burn it. Your stove can not tell the difference.

I have a saying, as I sell log truck loads of wood for firewood all the time...

"Into every load a little punky wood must fall."

I don't know a maple (it's almost always a maple that is punky) is rotted until I cut it most times. Looks solid, but the heart will be rotten.
What can I do? I have to pull it out, and I have to sell it. I can not separate a few punky trees, so it goes right on the truck with the rest. If there's a LOT of it, then I adjust the price to reflect it. But it's a rare load of firewood that doesn't have a little punk in it in NH.

BTW, the second picture down...is that Hard Maple? Hard Maple that has been tapped for syrup will have that pattern in the wood.


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## Gypo Logger (Dec 18, 2010)

greyfox said:


> I am new to wood burning, 4 years cutting my own but would like to know if this is punky and can I burn it in my wood stove



This log is interesting, would make some nice boards. Not sure if it's ingrown bark or bird peck.
Often times the wood around a punky area is alot tighter and harder than the rest of the sapwood or heartwood. Just the way nature bolsters up a weak area in a tree.
Also, an Asian log buyer once told me that the most interesting grain is immediately around a hollow or rotten area.
John


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## Oldtimer (Dec 18, 2010)

Could be bird peck. Good call John.


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## Gypo Logger (Dec 18, 2010)

Oldtimer said:


> Could be bird peck. Good call John.


 
At first I thought it might be just mineral deposits, but if that was the case I would think that it would have a much larger and darker heart.
John


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## Wife'nHubby (Dec 18, 2010)

I wonder how that would compare to pecky cypress?






Shari


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## England14 (Dec 18, 2010)

I know some wood turners that wold to love to have a log like that or just part of it me included. :biggrinbounce2:


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## stint (Dec 18, 2010)

TreePointer said:


> Punky wood can be deceiving. Take red oak, for instance. The outside inch or so can be punky, but cut/split/season it, and you won't know the difference.



My old farmer pal loved to sell that kind of wood.
Called it "yuppie wood" because it was so easy to get a good fire going when both come home from work late and tired

Don't need boy scout fire starting skills with that stuff

That outer inch is best 'starter' wood you will ever find


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## Gypo Logger (Dec 18, 2010)

Usually those types of inclusions are endemic to some sort of mechanical damage to the sapwood, such as tapping for maple syrup.
In this case it looks like it was repeatedly shot with a low powered gun, but then there would be evidence of a slug.
Maybe a trapper repeatedly drove nails to secure a leghold trap.
Regardless, it's a strange situation.
John


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## Rickochet (Dec 18, 2010)

Burn it and you will NOT regret it!


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## Gypo Logger (Dec 18, 2010)

Nothing wrong with anything punky, but I won't take it to my customers as it 'looks' BTU challenged. The farther north you go, the less fussy a wood burner is..
It all burns and when it's 30 below, you just keep feeding the firebox with both dampers open. You won't notice any difference when it's this cold.
If anyone balks about punky, just tell them it's 'magic firewood.'
John


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## Guido Salvage (Dec 18, 2010)

Yukonsawman said:


> Also, an Asian log buyer once told me that the most interesting grain is immediately around a hollow or rotten area.



A former coworker of mine has gotten into turning wood to make upscale pens. He buys the ink cartridges in bulk and turns the pens out of 1" blanks. I have been supplying him with some wood, he started out wanting walnut but now I have him turned onto dogwood. Harder wood and tighter grain. He told me the most interesting grain came from knots and branch forks.


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## Gypo Logger (Dec 18, 2010)

Guido Salvage said:


> A former coworker of mine has gotten into turning wood to make upscale pens. He buys the ink cartridges in bulk and turns the pens out of 1" blanks. I have been supplying him with some wood, he started out wanting walnut but now I have him turned onto dogwood. Harder wood and tighter grain. He told me the most interesting grain came from knots and branch forks.



Yes, pens and knife handles, they just seem to love wood. Even low grade hardwood skids can yield some pretty awesome grain.
But it reminds me of a toothpick company that went out of business because they had to buy a log that year. Lol
John


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## Alan Smith (Dec 18, 2010)

greyfox said:


> I am new to wood burning, 4 years cutting my own but would like to know if this is punky and can I burn it in my wood stove
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 looks good to me


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## Iska3 (Dec 18, 2010)

If it makes heat and didn't cost much, It's good. I'll bet that it's a lot better than you think. 

When you cut it and it makes chips, it's good to burn.


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## Ironworker (Dec 19, 2010)

this log is 16" round and about 25" long, is it worth try to sell it to a mill or hobbiest and about how much will it fetch and thanks for all the help, you guys are very helpful.


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## GeeVee (Dec 19, 2010)

It LOOKS hard and solid, how does it feel? Do you think it weighs what it should?

Natter- wood should burn. 

The pretty log? Yes, find a hobbyists and gift it to him by letting him make an offer, and you take it. Sure is pretty, cut two inches off squarely, dry it on the stove, and sand and coat it with your choice of laquer or urethane, and make yourself a clock, just for fun.


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## Gypo Logger (Dec 20, 2010)

greyfox said:


> this log is 16" round and about 25" long, is it worth try to sell it to a mill or hobbiest and about how much will it fetch and thanks for all the help, you guys are very helpful.


 It's only worth what it's worth. Most funky wood reaches it's max value as a finished product. That's why most woodworkers want it raw for a song or a dance. Try some bowl turners and trade the wood for a finished bowl.
John


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## Tesen (Dec 20, 2010)

That is generally the wood I pull out of the forest; I will take punky wood (though to me, on the punky scale that stuff is a 3 out of 10 at best, probably 2) over just fallen. The fallen stuff unless very thin will be there next year.

Sigh had no real time to get wood this year, so will be dealing w/ really punky stuff next.

Tes


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## komatsuvarna (Dec 20, 2010)

Yukonsawman said:


> Usually those types of inclusions are endemic to some sort of mechanical damage to the sapwood, such as tapping for maple syrup.
> In this case it looks like it was repeatedly shot with a low powered gun, but then there would be evidence of a slug.
> Maybe a trapper repeatedly drove nails to secure a leghold trap.
> Regardless, it's a strange situation.
> John



Just a guess, but reckon that could come from years of sap suckers? I got a good size pecan tree in my yard that looks like somebody has went around it with a 1/4'' drill bit. Kinda looks like it could look like that, but dont know.


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## Gypo Logger (Dec 20, 2010)

komatsuvarna said:


> Just a guess, but reckon that could come from years of sap suckers? I got a good size pecan tree in my yard that looks like somebody has went around it with a 1/4'' drill bit. Kinda looks like it could look like that, but dont know.



Yes, mechanical damage can't be ruled out. If it was a mineral situation I'm sure the heart would be bigger and darker. Otherwise the tree looks pretty healthy. Birds no doubt.
John


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## 1harlowr (Dec 20, 2010)

woodbooga said:


> I see nothing there I'd hesitate to burn. But if you paid the going rate for a grapple load, I'd ask for a partial reimbursement. Maybe 20 unless the seller was up front about the conditions of the logs.




Before you start asking for a refund of some of your money, ask yourself how much you want to keep that logger that sold you the wood. If only a couple of the logs were like in the pics, that's not bad. Around here if a new firewood/log customer starts complaining for nothing, that's the last load he gets. 
Last winter a friend that sells wood got a complaint from a first time customer that the wood delivered was to long. The wood was exactly the length he asked for verified in front of the customer with a tape. Wood was taken back with a shorter length delivered. Later last winter he called begging for more wood when he ran out. My friend did put him on his delivery list (at the bottom) and charged him $25 more (told him because he was a PIA last time).


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## woodhounder (Dec 20, 2010)

1harlowr said:


> Before you start asking for a refund of some of your money, ask yourself how much you want to keep that logger that sold you the wood. If only a couple of the logs were like in the pics, that's not bad. Around here if a new firewood/log customer starts complaining for nothing, that's the last load he gets.
> Last winter a friend that sells wood got a complaint from a first time customer that the wood delivered was to long. The wood was exactly the length he asked for verified in front of the customer with a tape. Wood was taken back with a shorter length delivered. Later last winter he called begging for more wood when he ran out. My friend did put him on his delivery list (at the bottom) and charged him $25 more (told him because he was a PIA last time).



Yep, don't complain about the small stuff, it can get a lot worse!


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## Racerboy832 (Dec 21, 2010)

When I moved into my home I had a ton of large rounds all over the yard. The neighbor came over and told me that the wood was all punky and garbage. I listened to him and took my Polaris 6X6 and made about 20 trips and dumped it into the woods. Well that winter I wasn't prepared with enough wood and it was cold. Now, Punky, pertty or perfect I burn it all. If I paid for a load and it was all junk i'd be upset unless it was dirt cheap. If it was free , live with it.


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## savageactor7 (Dec 21, 2010)

Oldtimer said:


> ..."Into every load a little punky wood must fall.".../QUOTE]
> 
> LOL that's a good one!


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