Beach

[Sandhill Crane]

I like it...except.
First I like it because it seasons well compared to Oak, and still burns hot. Very little bark, and it doesn't fall off like most woods when seasoned.
The 'except' is the burn is not complete, like Oak, and charcoal size ash builds up to four inch deep rather quickly. My wife says she gets more slivers from Beach as well.
We have a about a cord left, then back to one year seasoned Oak.
Was a bit lax the last couple year putting wood up for ourselves to keep two years a head.

 

[Marshy]

I'll take ash, beach and hard maple over oak all day. All three will season to less than 25% moisture in one year. Not oak!

 

[066blaster]

I like beech, thin bark , nice and clean, burns hot, splits easy. even the small branch wood holds up good after 2 years of seasoning uncovered. and its not really worth anything for lumber. I always feel guilty using a nice oak for firewood

 

[Marshy]

Yes, beach is considered invasive. A weed of the woods so to say. Makes great firewood. Hard to find it growing straight lol.

 

[avason]

I agree...beech is one of my favorites to burn. Splits nicely and doesn’t take long to season. I have an OWB so I don’t notice the stuff that sand is talking about.

 

[066blaster]

We have about 3 acres of solid blue Beech trees. they do take over a woods. but every time i cut a big one down, about 20 nice maples start growing in its place. they say beech is the last stage in the cycle of soft to hardwood in a woods, since they germinate well in shade

 

[avason]

Funny...we had our property logged about 13 years ago and it seems the beech saplings come up real strong. Don’t know if they will stick but I do like the trees. I hope they do. I think they are very symmetrical and beautiful. I have one in the front of my yard that I think the beetles got.

 

[Marley5]

Beech is exceptional firewood......not with black locust or shagbark but just as good as oak.
Drying time doesn't really play a roll as wood cutting is my hobby so I stay several years ahead. Lol

 

[turnkey4099]

Beech is exceptional firewood......not with black locust or shagbark but just as good as oak.
Drying time doesn't really play a roll as wood cutting is my hobby so I stay several years ahead. Lol

Sounds like I will be disappointed. I just finished processing a big oak top. Got almost 3 cords from nothing but limbs. I have it stacked as a single row crosswise of the prevailing wind. I was hoping to burn that next year.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I split April through November to sell the following year. Did not hit it to hard this year. However, those that buy for winter heating see a big difference if they buy early in the spring (the wood split the previous spring sells first to those that call early) which gives it two summers to season. Huge difference for Oak. Those that buy in the fall get wood split the previous fall, so one year/one summer.

 

[Marshy]

A large portion of my firewood this year is black locust. I scrounged it from a local person who had it in log form and had been cut last year. It seemed fairly dry when I cut and split it. It was split and stacked late spring/early June in a wide open field with full sun. I was disappointed to find out it is between 30-34% moisture. All of the ash and soft maple is 20-24% and was cut last winter and split/stacked by early June as well.

 

[GVS]

I like it...except.
First I like it because it seasons well compared to Oak, and still burns hot. Very little bark, and it doesn't fall off like most woods when seasoned.
The 'except' is the burn is not complete, like Oak, and charcoal size ash builds up to four inch deep rather quickly. My wife says she gets more slivers from Beach as well.
We have a about a cord left, then back to one year seasoned Oak.
Was a bit lax the last couple year putting wood up for ourselves to keep two years a head.

Beach is one of my favorite firewoods.None of your "excepts" bother me in the least.Some stuff you just live with.

 

[GVS]

I like beech, thin bark , nice and clean, burns hot, splits easy. even the small branch wood holds up good after 2 years of seasoning uncovered. and its not really worth anything for lumber. I always feel guilty using a nice oak for firewood

Not only that but Budwieser makes barrels of beach to age their beer in!

 

[Trapper_Pete]

Not only that but Budwieser makes barrels of beach to age their beer in!

not exactly

they use beech wood in their ageing process because it sounds good and it adds surface area to the bottom of the tank for the yeast to settle on , they have thin splits of beach wood they spread out on the bottom of the tank the tank is about 20 feet high and 40 feet deep there are rows and rows of them that go on for near a mile.
they can clean and reuse the beach splits several times , the beach imparts essentially no flavor on the beer.

my aunt is a long time AB employee I got the tour from her co-worker one of the brew miesters when we went to visit.

 

[Trapper_Pete]

for wood , I get mostly maple but I like anything free that splits well and provides good heat for the labor I have into it.

but I currently have a sweet deal cutting blow down and standing dead sugar maples that comes with a skidsteer loader taking them out for me , I just cut 8 foot lengths and the land owner moves them to clearing near the road with the forks on the loader so I get clean logs where I want them and can back the truck right up to the pile any time I want.

so maple I am a burning and one summer in the shed it is ready to burn since it is all a few years dead .

just when I think I might see the end of the pile a wind storm seems to come through and blow over some more hollow bottom maples.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

The beach sounds nice right now. Better than snow and mud at least.

Now beech, that's a completely different thing.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Not only that but Budwieser makes barrels of beach to age their beer in!

Would think the beer would be sandy?

 

[Marshy]

Would think the beer would be sandy?

I'm guilty.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Now beech, that's a completely different thing.

Oh... crap! Do I feel stupid.
Kind of fits in my day.
Finally got back across the street to cut some tops. One of their parents brought a tractor for a couple days in October to finish cleaning up their back yard. They piled the logs in random lengths and said I could have them. First, it's free, so there is that. Then there is a considerable amount of snow and frozen dirt, much of which is difficult to see. So I cut some at thirteen foot six inches and used the quad and log arch. The first one weighed considerably more than me and the quad, which just spun tires on the first slight rise. Used a bucket of wood chips. Normally ashes work good but they have a four year old with a sled. Rain Saturday so no big deal either way. The log arch was a slow go so I switched to the atv trailer and splitter. Now I'm making more cuts, in dirty logs. Get the trailer piled up with splits and again, no go. Unload half the trailer to make a run and re-sharpen. Third cut, more dirt.
On the plus side, I set some tools on a snowy stump, a peeve and bucket with bar oil, tape, etc. and discovered my missing pulp hook. Yesterday I ordered three more from Labonville. Go figure.
Ain't that a beech...

 

[Cowboy254]

I like beach too.