# Sassafras ???



## Dale (Jan 28, 2010)

Hi all, been a while since I was on the Firewood Forum. Have a Q. I have a woodlot that is flooded with Sassafras, and I would like to thin it out. Is the Sassafras worth bucking for firewood, or do you reccomend just letting it lay. I'm pretty sure it doesn't put out BTU's like Locust or Oak, but........ Oh, I might add, I have plenty of other viable firewood species to cut so the Sassafras is not a real big need. Thx.


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## Wood Scrounge (Jan 28, 2010)

Dale said:


> Hi all, been a while since I was on the Firewood Forum. Have a Q. I have a woodlot that is flooded with Sassafras, and I would like to thin it out. Is the Sassafras worth bucking for firewood, or do you reccomend just letting it lay. I'm pretty sure it doesn't put out BTU's like Locust or Oak, but........ Oh, I might add, I have plenty of other viable firewood species to cut so the Sassafras is not a real big need. Thx.



drys fast, burns fast, lots of quick heat. I save it for spring and fall when I don't want a fire burning all day, or when I come home and the house is cold and I want quick heat.


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## Laird (Jan 28, 2010)

Wood Scrounge said:


> drys fast, burns fast, lots of quick heat. I save it for spring and fall when I don't want a fire burning all day, or when I come home and the house is cold and I want quick heat.



:agree2:

Can't add much to that!


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## City Slicker (Jan 28, 2010)

*Carving wood?*

How far are ya from Ridgway? What diameter are we talking? I'll be in Ridgway next month for the 11th Annual Chainsaw Carving Ridgway Rendezvous .


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## howellhandmade (Jan 28, 2010)

Sure, it's worth bucking up for firewood. Best in a mix for tailoring your heat, but beats nothing if it's all you've got. If you're flooded with Sassafras there will be no shortage of people willing to take it off your hands. Ahem. You know, depending where you are in PA. Just sayin'.

Jack


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## reccutter (Jan 28, 2010)

I like burning sassafras. Something has been killing them before they get too big,so they are dead when I cut them.I have a 55 gal drum filled with small branches as kindling and smells great if you happen to get a whiff of the chimney.burns good too.


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## super3 (Jan 28, 2010)

Don't forget to dig up a few roots!


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## Dale (Jan 28, 2010)

Hmmmmmm. Sounds like it may be worth bucking up. Actually it's weird, as it is all in what I'd call Pole Stage. Scores of trees in the 6" or so range, and they don't seem to want to get bigger... which is fine with me. Ridgeway I believe is in Elk County..... 4 hours anyway from me. I'm in Southwestern PA.


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## Dale (Jan 28, 2010)

> Don't forget to dig up a few roots!



Tea I presume ?


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## howellhandmade (Jan 28, 2010)

Dale said:


> Hmmmmmm. Sounds like it may be worth bucking up. Actually it's weird, as it is all in what I'd call Pole Stage. Scores of trees in the 6" or so range, and they don't seem to want to get bigger... which is fine with me. Ridgeway I believe is in Elk County..... 4 hours anyway from me. I'm in Southwestern PA.



I got some good heat out of a couple of big sassafras trees a few years ago. 6" split is great for the middle layer building a fire. Might be of limited use compared to quantity if you've got the other firewoods, but don't just let it lie. Especially if your part of SW PA is close to me. 

Jack


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## Dale (Jan 28, 2010)

Jack, I've got plenty of other hardwoods to cut up... Large Dia. Locust that has died for some reason, and plenty of Cherry. Reckon if I cut it, I can get my quad and trailer in there and pull some out. It wouldn't be beneficial for you to retrieve, as it's not next to an access point, but thx for the offer.


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## iowa (Jan 28, 2010)

I cut one up that was 16" + dia. I throw it in the furnace. Also if you smoke meat. BBQ. It's great for that too.


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## barton174 (Jan 28, 2010)

That's about all my dad burns... He's got a pot belly stove in the basement, and likes to burn a fire in the evening that's slowing down when he goes to bed, and likes to light a fire when he gets up in the morning, and have it on the down-hill side when he leaves for work, so it's not growing while my mom is asleep (retired and sleeps like a log)... It works out pretty well for him... It's a quick, hot fire, and doesn't hardly rot at all...

Mike


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## super3 (Jan 28, 2010)

Dale said:


> Tea I presume ?





Yes


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## super3 (Jan 28, 2010)

iowa said:


> Also if you smoke meat. BBQ. It's great for that too.



I'll 2nd that one. Sassy smoked fish is hard to beat also.


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## craddock (Jan 28, 2010)

If you burn it indoors watch for sparks as it pops alot and throws sparks. Does smell nice and is easy to get a hot fire with it.


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## Streblerm (Jan 28, 2010)

The twigs are great tinder/kindling. You can light a green twig with a match and it will burn like a candle.

Pretty much what others said about it. It does smell really nice when burning


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## MrJimH (Jan 24, 2013)

light weight, cure easy, split easy, no coals, oil in bark make it easy to start, can be used for posts (Osage orange, black locust, red part of red cedar).

I have never found the green / dry weight per cord for my firewood spread sheet tho.


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## Chris-PA (Jan 24, 2013)

reccutter said:


> I like burning sassafras. Something has been killing them before they get too big,so they are dead when I cut them.I have a 55 gal drum filled with small branches as kindling and smells great if you happen to get a whiff of the chimney.burns good too.


I have lots and none of them get very big either. I have searched but have found not info on what might be wrong with them, but I'm convinced something is after them. I believe sassafras is supposed to get reasonably large. 

I burn it - works great in the secondary combustion stoves. For a short while. They seem to have a lot of volatile stuff that cooks of nicely, they just don't weigh much.


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## MrJimH (Jan 24, 2013)

found the heat value.

63% of Hickory

http://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/files/heatingwithfirewood.pdf


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## mountainmandan (Jan 24, 2013)

It is highly regarded as a material to make canoe and kayak paddles. I made a canoe paddle with a sassafrass shaft and a fiberglass blade, and it is a nice one. It kind of looks a little rough, but performs well.

Dan


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## Morgan in AR (Jan 25, 2013)

It's my favorite light weight wood. If there is just a couple of glowing coals left, throw on some sassafras splits and you will have a roaring fire very shortly. It can be lit in a cold stove with just a twisted up piece of paper. Doesn't get punky like soft maple or some of the other light woods people like. I don't think I have ever cut one down that wasn't full of ants, though.


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## brenndatomu (Jan 25, 2013)

iowa said:


> I cut one up that was 16" + dia. I throw it in the furnace. Also if you smoke meat. BBQ. It's great for that too.



I heard that when you are burning sassafras in those Kuuma furnaces they'll have a cup of tea waitin for ya when ya come down to reload in the morning?!? You try that out yet iowa?  :hmm3grin2orange:


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## saw dog (Jan 25, 2013)

There is two types of sasifrass here, white, and red. The white dosn,t get very big but I have some red that is 24" to 30" dia.
There are many uses for the red and makes good fire wood. Like others have said. Good in the morning and evening for quick heat.
Buck it you will love it.
Safe cutting all


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## cheeves (Jan 25, 2013)

Wood Scrounge said:


> drys fast, burns fast, lots of quick heat. I save it for spring and fall when I don't want a fire burning all day, or when I come home and the house is cold and I want quick heat.



Also break the root the root up and boil it in a kettle on the wood stove. Makes the best blood purifier there is!! Root goes off at an L and is orange colored. What the old rootbeer was made of.


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## Jere39 (Jan 25, 2013)

I'm spoiled by my access to standing Dead Red Oak, but I had this Sassafras that died this past year, and decided to cut it down rather than wait for it to fall. I've used a little of it in some Summer patio pit fires, but never tried it for indoor. I do know it cracks and spits. 







We use the roots to add flavor and spice to our Apple Butter while boiling it down. 

View attachment 275519


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## Dale (Jan 28, 2013)

> Makes the best blood purifier there is!!



I'll bit. What is a blood purifier ?


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## MrJimH (Jan 29, 2013)

Dale said:


> I'll bit. What is a blood purifier ?



something made up by "natural" medical people so their placebos will work on something.

The kidneys do that job just fine


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## whatscooking (Jan 30, 2013)

Years ago i heard my dad and his friend talking and i it was said if you burn Sassafras your wife will get pregnant, always made me nervious to bring any home.


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## mountainmandan (Jan 30, 2013)

Blood purifier

In the ozarks people dug sassafras roots in the spring.

They could not go to the store for fresh fruits and vegetables, and by this time, their supplies of preserved fruits and veggies where either running out or the nutritional quality was declining. The point is they where likely deficient in many essential nutrients.

Add some real vitamins and minerals that are fresh and concentrated with some sugar or honey and make a tea. Guess what? It made them feel a lot better. They were not trained in nutrition, or physiology, so they said it was a blood purifier. Remember a deciduous tree stores its resources in the roots to prepare for the spring.

People today are not likely to be deficient in many nutrients unless there is some other disease process going on, so no it is not going to have the same effect, but I like the taste and smell. 

Dan


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