White Pine

[user 122190]

I looked up it's BTU rating and it's not considered a quality firewood. Yet, I've burned a bit and found it to be an easy burn, put out lots of heat, and residual ash is minimal. What gives? Some people poo poo it, and other swear by it as the best.

Up the mountain road from me, is 100s of dead standing White Pines, some with bases 4 to 5 feet in diameter (more then I can handle). I dropped one last Sunday (<2' diameter), and this morning cut up the last of it, and it's some heavy stuff. I've my eye on one more and my 8 - 10 cords of firewood cutting goal for this spring/summer will be complete. I'm starting to wonder if I should go after an even larger Ponderosa Pine I found last year, dead standing near the road, etc.

New stuff is a collection of white Fir, Ponderosa, Spruce, Red Fir, and the lastest White Pine. Filling in the gap will complete the 17'x13', that so far is 4' high.

 

[unclemoustache]

Go for it. Wood is wood. I prefer harder woods, but some stuff isn't worth it, depending on conditions. If you have an OWB, then people don't tend to care much what they put in there. If you split by hand, then you avoid elm and other stringy woods. If you have access to lots of oak, why bother with anything else, unless you plan to sell a bit?

Where you at in the glorious state of Montana? I grew up in Billings, but have been out here for 15 years now. I'd go back in a heartbeat if I could.

 

[svk]

It splits easy except for knotty pieces, smells nice, and puts out OK heat.

Some people are afraid of pine and that's half the problem.

It's a sappy mess when fresh, if you've got standing dead you are ready to go, pine is real nice to work with at that point.

I've got 3 cords of Norway pine in queue for next year's pile.

 

[user 122190]

N.W. Montana, Mineral County. Not a lot of hardwoods here. I'm an opportunity firewood cutter. i.e. what can I get that won't wear me out. Often times I don't know what it is that I'm cutting, and pretty sure it wouldn't matter -- if it's easy I'm on it.

 

[user 122190]

Some people are afraid of pine and that's half the problem.

No kidding. Seems that everybody is an expert about burning pine. If 1/2 of it was true, most people in Montana would die halfway thru their first winter here. If it doesn't rot out the stove pipe, start a chimney fire, burn the cabin to the ground, it will knife you in the back while you are sleeping.

 

[svk]

My aunt's family has burned pine in their sauna for the last 60 years. Never one problem and I doubt the chimney has ever been cleaned.

 

[Hddnis]

I've read spokesmen from major fire departments back east dissing pine and talking about fire hazard. I grew up burning softwoods, then lived where I could burn hardwoods, I really didn't see the huge controversy. Hardwoods had pros and cons, same with pine and other softwoods.

The same rules apply to both for seasoning and burning safely.

I honestly think humans make up stuff just to argue about. Especially those east coast people, they argue more than most. (Haha! See what I did there, made up something to argue about.)



Mr. HE

 

[unclemoustache]

N.W. Montana, Mineral County. Not a lot of hardwoods here. I'm an opportunity firewood cutter. i.e. what can I get that won't wear me out. Often times I don't know what it is that I'm cutting, and pretty sure it wouldn't matter -- if it's easy I'm on it.

Ahh, the best part! Some mighty fine mountains there.

.

 

[Coldfront]

I had a big 40" dia. White pine fall by my house in a storm a couple years ago I got enough wood to keep my garage and house warm for one winter. I have no problem burning dry pine, in my house I mix it with a little oak, the pine burns hot and the oak burns long and leave nice coals. The only problem with burning just pine is when it goes out there are no coals left.

 

[066blaster]

Around here you couldn't give it away people are scared of it. The only thing I'm afraid of is burning railroad ties. My dad had a nasty chimney fire when I was a kid burning old ties.

 

[pennsywoodburnr]

I've burned white pine on occasion, mainly as I run into it from tree removals. I think as long as you split it early and let all that sap really dry out, you shouldn't have a problem. It's worked for me so far. The only thing my wife hates about pine it that it pops and farts all over the place. While I'm at work she'll tell me about all the embers she has to scoop up with the shovel and toss back into the fireplace.

 

[zogger]

I've read spokesmen from major fire departments back east dissing pine and talking about fire hazard. I grew up burning softwoods, then lived where I could burn hardwoods, I really didn't see the huge controversy. Hardwoods had pros and cons, same with pine and other softwoods.

The same rules apply to both for seasoning and burning safely.

I honestly think humans make up stuff just to argue about. Especially those east coast people, they argue more than most. (Haha! See what I did there, made up something to argue about.)



Mr. HE

I'm the only guy I know who burns pine a lot. Last winter though, I had no one complaining when they got hardwood from me and I threw a lot of pine rounds on the top of the load. As a general rule though, ya, big prejudice against pine on the east coast most places. The only exception is fatwood, but, people only burn small quantities of it.

I find pine easy to split once it has sat in the round for awhile and the bark is off. Fresh cut green it sorta sucks, it's rubber wood.

 

[steved]

I'm the only guy I know who burns pine a lot. Last winter though, I had no one complaining when they got hardwood from me and I threw a lot of pine rounds on the top of the load. As a general rule though, ya, big prejudice against pine on the east coast most places. The only exception is fatwood, but, people only burn small quantities of it.

I find pine easy to split once it has sat in the round for awhile and the bark is off. Fresh cut green it sorta sucks, it's rubber wood.

Same here...I am currently lugging home a batch of pine that no one else called about. It is considered unsafe because of the creosote, even my father believed that until I started burning it...he had been burning wood for at least 50 years. Even I thought it was bad to burn until reading on here...

Another aspect is that you don't get into pine as frequently around here...its almost ornamental. That's what I'm cutting right now, front yard trees.

As for splitting, it depends on the pine. Some splits easy and straight, other that I have doesn't split at all.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G730A using Tapatalk

 

[nomad_archer]

Burned pine last year at the beginning of the season and it did a nice job it was light and easy to handle. I have more in the back yard for this year. Everyone says you dont want to burn that but I have been educated since I joined here and I will burn it. Nothing worse then burning some high btu oak when a little pine will due to knock the chill out of the house.

 

[steved]

Burned pine last year at the beginning of the season and it did a nice job it was light and easy to handle. I have more in the back yard for this year. Everyone says you dont want to burn that but I have been educated since I joined here and I will burn it. Nothing worse then burning some high btu oak when a little pine will due to knock the chill out of the house.

+1

 

[ponyexpress976]

If I have to put a saw into it, that wood will end up in my stacks. Burned nearly 3 cords of it this past winter. All of it had been cut and split for at least 18 months. Saved all of my oak/locust for the overnights. The only real problem is you have to be around to feed it or you're starting from scratch.

 

[user 122190]

Burned pine last year at the beginning of the season and it did a nice job it was light and easy to handle. I have more in the back yard for this year. Everyone says you dont want to burn that but I have been educated since I joined here and I will burn it. Nothing worse then burning some high btu oak when a little pine will due to knock the chill out of the house.

Yup, to get a piece of Tamarack going the stove has to blazing. If it is cold enough for Tamarack, I start with pine till the Tamarack can burn without having to fuss with it.

 

[svk]

Yup, to get a piece of Tamarack going the stove has to blazing. If it is cold enough for Tamarack, I start with pine till the Tamarack can burn without having to fuss with it.

I was always told from the old timers that Tamarack would burn so hot that it would melt a barrel stove. I know it is popular around here for OWB's now though.

Only problem is it normally grows in bog or very wet swamp so tough to access unless you are cutting in the winter.

 

[chucker]

tamarack/larch wood is hot as hell ! good wood for fence post or bottom lumber in wet ground that will last for over 100 years .........

 

[svk]

tamarack/larch wood is hot as hell ! good wood for fence post or bottom lumber in wet ground that will last for over 100 years .........

I know its impossible to work with once dry, every try to split it when its still wet? Just curious how it is.