eucalyptus tree

[Jeffkrib]

I’ll will add yes density will vary depending growing condition, rainfall ect but I have burnt oak (English) for one season and it was not particularly dense. In fact I have burnt dozens of species of eucalyptus they were all denser than the oak. I would say in like for like growing conditions the eucalyptus will probably be denser and longer burning than oak.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

If it's blue gum, the most common Eucalyptus in CA and probably the US, it splits reasonably well when wet but can be a bear when it's dry. You'll need a power splitter with a lot of force for that. The wood is very dense. You'll get a lot of BTUs from it. It takes two years to dry.

Here it brings a medium price for firewood. Your market may vary. Some people think it burns "too hot" or does not burn well, probably because they didn't dry it long enough. It really holds on to its water.

Euc in California has never been a big high dollar seller for the last fifty years that I am aware of. However many upon many people buy Euc because they can and it is available. When mixed with some other woods it burns OK. Then there are those who just burn Euc and like it very much but it is not a cooking wood. As far as getting it seasoned ready for sale it is about the same as Oak. I have had a few occasions to haul fresh Euc to one of the desert communities near by in Southern California with great results. It can take up to four weeks to dry which is the same for Oak. A few 120 F days with less than 40% humidity can do a quick dry on any thing. With the nights near a 100 F and some active winds it is pretty much very dry on steroids. However in our mountains Oak or Euc can take all summer to be very dry and burn nice. Or does not become very marketable during the winter. Thanks

 

[sb47]

Euc in California has never been a big high dollar seller for the last fifty years that I am aware of. However many upon many people buy Euc because they can and it is available. When mixed with some other woods it burns OK. Then there are those who just burn Euc and like it very much but it is not a cooking wood. As far as getting it seasoned ready for sale it is about the same as Oak. I have had a few occasions to haul fresh Euc to one of the desert communities near by in Southern California with great results. It can take up to four weeks to dry which is the same for Oak. A few 120 F days with less than 40% humidity can do a quick dry on any thing. With the nights near a 100 F and some active winds it is pretty much very dry on steroids. However in our mountains Oak or Euc can take all summer to be very dry and burn nice. Or does not become very marketable during the winter. Thanks

I always roll my eyes when people post that it takes 2/3 years to season wood. And yes I suppose in some places that may be true. But here in south Tx I can get split wood to season in 30 to 60 days. Whole logs do take much longer but I have red oak rounds that are less then a year old that are already rotting out and ends up all punk wood. Pecan rounds will punk out in less then a year down here.

 

[ericm979]

I'm using an EPA stove which does not like wood with more than 15% water content. It's rarely over 95 in the summer here with no rain but in the winter we get 45" of rain average. I don't get a lot of drying in the winter, it's all in the summer. The other species I burn- live oak, tan oak, black oak, madrone, and bay, all dry sufficiently in a summer once split and stacked. I was surprised that the year old Eucalyptus I tried to burn last winter was too wet for my stove to be happy.

Live oak is supposed to be even denser, by a little, than blue gum. But I sure can't tell from handing it. Both are really heavy. The gum seems to hold a lot of water in the wood- I can often see squeezing out on the splitter, like squeezing a sponge.

 

[Cowboy254]

If it's blue gum, the most common Eucalyptus in CA and probably the US, it splits reasonably well when wet but can be a bear when it's dry. You'll need a power splitter with a lot of force for that. The wood is very dense. You'll get a lot of BTUs from it. It takes two years to dry.

Here it brings a medium price for firewood. Your market may vary. Some people think it burns "too hot" or does not burn well, probably because they didn't dry it long enough. It really holds on to its water.

My own experience is that it will vary a fair bit from one tree to the next in terms of splitting. I have had some where the X27 and the 8lb maul have bounced back off like I hit it with a rubber mallet but others that have split reasonably well by hand. Drying time might depend on your local conditions, I'd suggest. Cut and split in winter or early spring over here and it is good to burn next winter. I imagine that down in Texas, drying wouldn't be a problem at all.

 

[GoldField]

My tree guy called and asked if I wanted some eucalyptus for firewood. I'm not familiar with it.
Said he was going to take down 8/10 18'' to 24'' strait trunk trees. He said it smells real good when burned and a lot of people like it.
I can't recall ever burning it. If I did I didn't know what I was burning.
Is it any good?
How well does it cut and split?
Does it pop when burned?
Does it burn fast or slow and does it burn hot?
Can you cook with it?
Is there a market for it?
Does it bring a high or low price as firewood?
Is it rot resistant or does it punk out fast?

I think there are approximately 700 different species of eucalyptus. We burn a lot of eucalyptus (Bluegum). It burns very hot, slow and produces very little ash. Eucalyptus does have a very slight smell when burned which some describe as slightly medicinal. I think it smells like "eucalyptus" and I find it it refreshing. I have been told that the eucalyptus oil actually repels many insects and makes it resistance to rot . Based on my personal experience with eucalyptus , I would concur with this.

Eucalyptus is extremely dense and I find the key to burning it is to have a bed of coals to get it to ignite.
We burn almond, eucalyptus, oak, pecan, prune and walnut. Almond and eucalyptus are probably my favorite.

 

[sb47]

Got a load of the euc this weekend. It seems to have been standing dead wood because it's already very dry. Nice clean wood that seems to be very hard and dense. Good looking wood for sure. I started cutting some of it this morning and it cuts very easy and splits very easy as well with a nice cent to it.
After seeing it and smelling it, I'm sure I have worked with it before. The ol Countyline 40 ton is having no trouble what so ever in splitting it although it is nice strait grained wood. If I can get it all split up now it should be ready to burn this winter since it's already almost dry. I worked up just over a half cord this morning before the yellow nuclear sun beams started burning a hole in my head. I had shade up until about 8 am but the heat index was still pretty high. It should make for some pretty good firewood.

 

[tfp]

Excellent. Can you smell it as you split it or do you need to hold it to your nose? I realised when I said I can’t smell it is probably because I’m so used to it and associate it generally with any fire we have here it’s just normal and common. To non-Aussies it might be very strong and noticeable.

 

[sb47]

Excellent. Can you smell it as you split it or do you need to hold it to your nose? I realised when I said I can’t smell it is probably because I’m so used to it and associate it generally with any fire we have here it’s just normal and common. To non-Aussies it might be very strong and noticeable.

The sent is very mild and not strong at all. I can barely smell it when cutting or splitting it. I suspect that's because it's almost dry.
I have got almost the whole load cut now, I've been going out and running a tank of fuel in the saw then taking a break because it's so damn hot.
I'm gonna try to split the rest tonight or early in the morning.
I wanted to jump on it rite away so I could find out how it's gonna cut and split before he brings me any more. From what I have found on you tube is that it's very hard to split when dry, But I'm not finding that at all. It cuts faster then oak and splits about the same as red oak or post oak. I'm running the countyline 40 at just above idle and it splits it just fine. To problem working it at all.

 

[Cowboy254]

Splittability certainly varies. I've had it green and unsplittable by hand, but this blue gum log was green and splittable with the X27.







Then I've had dry blue gum that was the same, some ok - especially if you can hit the cracks and others no go. Looks like you got some good splitting ones. How about a couple of pics while you're taking a break?

 

[Jeffkrib]

Hey Cowboy, did that log lifter you’ve got there actually pick up that log?

 

[Ted Jenkins]

Some Euc will not be touched by a 40 Ton any thing but what you describe is small and easy. Most Euc that I have worked with cuts about the same as White Mountain Oak. We have some Pine trees that are much heaver denser and nearly impossible to cut with a conventional chain saw. It has do with elevation, area, exposure with surrounding tree. Some Euc trees near the railroad are not cut with out a huge amount of effort and chain sharpening. The climate is very arid with sand blowing constantly. So a semi chain will last between fifteen minutes to half hour before a thorough sharpening takes place. Then there are trees where the rings are so tight that a chain will need to be sharpened every six inches. It is all good but I will not touch Euc in the summer because I have Oak in the mountains. Thanks

 

[Cowboy254]

Hey Cowboy, did that log lifter you’ve got there actually pick up that log?

No Jeff, too big. The farmer had laid the logs out to mill (you can see a couple more in the background from the same tree) then decided against it. So it was sitting nicely on the ground and I could get through without cutting dirt. The woodchuck can raise a log of up to about 22in providing the log is not too long (too much weight for the operator). It is great for long logs of about 10in diameter though as you can do a heap of cuts without needing to reposition.

 

[sb47]

Splittability certainly varies. I've had it green and unsplittable by hand, but this blue gum log was green and splittable with the X27.

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Then I've had dry blue gum that was the same, some ok - especially if you can hit the cracks and others no go. Looks like you got some good splitting ones. How about a couple of pics while you're taking a break?

I put my camera somewhere where I wouldn't loose it, now I can't find it.