Whats The Smallest Wood you bring home to burn?

[Blowncrewcab]

I Bring home some branches 2"-3" Dia (probably have a full cord of it) My wife says I'm waisting my time. I tell her I'd rather have a stove full of that, than a stove full of nothing. I don't go out looking for the small stuff, but if the tree has a good top and I'm there cutting it up anyway I get all I can. Just wondering at what size you all stop bringing it home.. The only heat I have is wood and I go through allot of it.

 

[Wood Scrounge]

I take the small stuff also and use a chop saw to cut it up quick. Years ago I was traveling a lot for work so I had to buy wood that year. I went up the road to an Amish farm and they filled my truck to the top of the cap with stuff that was no bigger then 3" for $50.

 

[stihl sawing]

I take the small stuff also and use a chop saw to cut it up quick. Years ago I was traveling a lot for work so I had to buy wood that year. I went up the road to an Amish farm and they filled my truck to the top of the cap with stuff that was no bigger then 3" for $50.

You and me think alike. Do the same as you, Try not to waste anything.

 

[czeigler]

I Bring home some branches 2"-3" Dia (probably have a full cord of it) My wife says I'm waisting my time. I tell her I'd rather have a stove full of that, than a stove full of nothing. I don't go out looking for the small stuff, but if the tree has a good top and I'm there cutting it up anyway I get all I can. Just wondering at what size you all stop bringing it home.. The only heat I have is wood and I go through allot of it.

I don't usually mess with cutting it up in the woods, but i cut in 6-8 foot lengths and throw it on the trailer to cut it up at home in my leisure. It helps the back with not having to keep bending over in the woods and carrying all of those smaller pieces. I even do that with 6" pieces if I can lift them.

 

[Griffbm3]

I have been on a quest for how to burn snow. But since I still haven't found it, I will also burn small pieces of wood. When the tops are down near a logging operation, I go for it... The white oak tops dry nicely, and burn great.

Jason

 

[skid row]

I will pick up dead 2" thick branches off the property during the heating season and toss them in the wood furnace. With the price of heating oil it's like picking money up off the ground.

 

[timberwolf]

Same heat be it 2" or 12". Actually lb for lb more heat is likely netted out of smaller wood as it burns more efficiently, quicker too. Smaller the sticks the less wood and more air in a stacked cord though.

Just not what you want to fill the stove with before turning in on a cold January night.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

What size I save depends on what it is I am cutting in that day.
Most hardwoods, I'll take down to about 2". Why waste the BTU's ?
Hedge and Locust I will gather the small stuff down to about the dia. of my thumb. Smaller than this and the # of thorns seems to go way up. For lighter wood it just depends whether it is less work loading and hauling as opposed to dragging it to the brushpile.

There are days a small hot fire is all that is needed. When cooking on the woodstove the little stuff perks things up some for the front burner.

In the summer I will save trimmings from Pecan, Apple and Plum to a much smaller size for the grill and smoker. Why buy charcoal when I dont need it ? A coffee can full of 8" long, dry twigs burns with a nice even heat and enough smoke to flavor nearly any meat I decide to put on there.

 

[TJ-Bill]

Anything i cut off my own property I keep everything from 1" up.. they're great for filling in the small gaps when your packign the stove to leave for the day..

 

[Jibber]

Depends on how far I am from home. I hate to take space up in my trailer with the little stuff if I have a lot of big wood to move. I'm surrounded by woods, but I get a wood permit from the state park down the road and haul quite a bit out of there in the fall.

Here at home I chip anything under about 3 inches and cut up the rest for the wood stove.

If I've got a mountain of chips for landscaping, I'll pile the smaller stuff and use it in our fire pit for those cool summer night gatherings.

 

[BlackCatBone]

I cut from national forest too, and try to take most of everything I cut. If I fell a tree, I take everything that is not ridiculous. Over 1" and it's coming home. Like some others have said, I usually take it in branches and mess with it at home.

 

[abohac]

I Bring home some branches 2"-3" Dia (probably have a full cord of it) My wife says I'm waisting my time. I tell her I'd rather have a stove full of that, than a stove full of nothing. I don't go out looking for the small stuff, but if the tree has a good top and I'm there cutting it up anyway I get all I can. Just wondering at what size you all stop bringing it home.. The only heat I have is wood and I go through allot of it.

if it burns im pretty likely to take it home

 

[olyman]

hardwood, down to 2 in, softwood to three inch---

 

[JBinKC]

There is nothing wrong with the small pieces. You eliminate a step of processing (splitting) when you get them.

For me sometimes I will take everything if its a tree species that I commonly use for smoking and almost out of it.

For heating it depends if I am low on small pieces or not. In the mid south you commonly start up and burn out fires to ashes so you always need the small branches for startup. Actually I am more concerned on how the piece will stack than diameter.

 

[rms61moparman]

I guess I'm cheap, I take it down to twigs!
Like the others said I'll take them in brush and chop 'em off in lengths with a hatchet.
Mike

 

[cbrslider]

I help out my dad with gathering his wood, so we get down to 2-3" diameter, which makes loading his little potbelly stove easier. He has me cut it to about 10-11" long and it is really easier for him to handle(75yo). It's a pain seeing that my wood is cut 24" long and can be left in 12" diameter chunks. BUT it is really nice to see the smile on his face when he isn't burning propane and he has a nice warm house.

Ray

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

...l it's like picking money up off the ground.

Couldn't of said it better myself. My FIL says to leave it on the forest floor. I say bring it home, what's too small to ahndle gets past through the chipper for mulch.

Woodwork Safely,
Jim Barry
woodchuckcanuck.com