# Burning Pine wood,...............?



## skyskier (Oct 10, 2013)

I was reading in a couple of threads here, seem's like some of you guy's don't like to burn pine ? other than the quick burn rate, any other reason's ? Several years ago, I did a "deal" with a guy here in Southern "Komifornia" he was hauling semi truck & trailer loads of 20 inch "logs" he was cutting up in Flagstaff AZ, I let him use my north pasture to dump & split the logs, then he had a crew that would bundle it up in plastic with a small rope handle on them, he sold the bundles of 6 MAYBE 7 pieces at $3.00 a "bundle" to ALL the 7-11 stores, home depot/lowes, Circle K stores, Walmart,  etc., here and in Arizona. Said he could get 15 cords of the un-split 20 inchers in a truck ( 18 wheeler ) and trailer, figured after it was split he'd end up with 16 cords. The stores get $6 to $7 a "bundle" from the "tourist's" 

I've got a woodshed that will hold 8 cords of split wood, some years I seem to get more pine than the eucalyptus, sometimes I'll luck out an get some walnut, and this year I hit the jackpot, figure I've got 4 cords of REAL red oak and maybe 6 or 8 cords of good redgum eucalyptus, ALL delivered in 20 to 24 inch lengths, I'll have to trim a bit of the longer stuff, BUT, the owner of the tree service company say's it's a hell of a lot easier for him to have HIS crew load it on MY car trailer an drop it here at the ranch. All I gotta do is unload it an have it ready for THEM to pick up the following morning ................................THIS is gonna be a GREAT "burn year" for me, actually, the next 3 MAYBE 4 years.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Oct 10, 2013)

I love your doggy...


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## Swedishchef (Oct 10, 2013)

I don't think it would be too wise to burn that oak for a few years (from what people have said on these forums, it takes easily 2-3 years to burn).

On another note, that is a sweet deal you have with that guy!

Welcome to the forums!!

Andrew


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Oct 10, 2013)

I burn pine in my fireplace.....
	

		
			
		

		
	



	

		
			
		

		
	
it goes quick  and hard, I would not put it in my insert, but I luckily can be picky....


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## JOHN BOY (Oct 10, 2013)

You can burn all the pine you want , you have to c/s/s  it like any other wood it needs to dry and season , just like the rest .   Pine seasons in 9-12 months depending on were you live at . 
It also burns very hot and very fast .    Good for you on  the wood hook-up with tree company , they can be the best sources sometimes 

And welcome to the forum !


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## skyskier (Oct 10, 2013)

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:


> I love your doggy...



That's my "swamper" Moose , IF I could only teach him to drag the logs to the splitter


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## skyskier (Oct 10, 2013)

Swedishchef said:


> I don't think it would be too wise to burn that oak for a few years (from what people have said on these forums, it takes easily 2-3 years to burn).
> 
> On another note, that is a sweet deal you have with that guy!
> 
> ...



Thanks Andrew,.................I KNEW I wasn't the "only one" that takes my firewood serious like. Just happened onto your forums here looking for info on a Lopi stove, lot's of good stuff here !


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## Craig S. (Oct 10, 2013)

Have a chance to grab a quick load of old dry pine, but was a little concerned.  Free is free and I'm about 1/2 cord short on seasoned wood for this winter.  I suppose I can mix it in along the way, and use it to get fires started.  Should I grab it?


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## weatherguy (Oct 10, 2013)

Craig S. said:


> Have a chance to grab a quick load of old dry pine, but was a little concerned.  Free is free and I'm about 1/2 cord short on seasoned wood for this winter.  I suppose I can mix it in along the way, and use it to get fires started.  Should I grab it?


 absolutely, I take all I can get for free, once seasoned it burns nice, not as long as oak or hickory but not much different than silver maple in my stove anyway.


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## Cascade Failure (Oct 10, 2013)

Craig S. said:


> Have a chance to grab a quick load of old dry pine, but was a little concerned.  Free is free and I'm about 1/2 cord short on seasoned wood for this winter.  I suppose I can mix it in along the way, and use it to get fires started.  Should I grab it?



I would.


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## BIGDADDY (Oct 11, 2013)

Wow sweet arrangement. I bet you keep that trailer empty for them. If you cut split and stack the pine for a year it will be great. I like the smell of pine.  Nice pics.


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## Paulywalnut (Oct 11, 2013)

We'll seasoned pine is fine. You just have to fill the stove faster.


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## Jags (Oct 11, 2013)

Burning pine will make you go grey and cause a beer gut.  Or is that "getting older"?  I get confused.

Many of the hardest heating areas don't have a choice.  Its pine or nothing.  Treat it like any other.  Get it nice and dry and it will burn just fine.


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## mass_burner (Oct 11, 2013)

I think alsp the old wives tales persist about the sap and its link to creosote. But we have alot of spruce trees up here and after they are dried for at least a year, there are no signs at all of sap. And with the newer more efficient stoves, even pine and spruce burn for a decent amount of time.


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## Applesister (Oct 11, 2013)

Welcome Rancher, that IS a nice deal with the tree company. Using your trailer directly saves everyone alot of work.
eucalyptus? was that the wood with the grey on the bark? do you get mesquite?


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## Seasoned Oak (Oct 11, 2013)

THis question has been beat to death here ,but it keeps popping up. Pine is fine as long as its dry period. Any wood burned wet or green will cause trouble. I burn mostly pine in 3 different brands of EPA Non cat stoves,cuz i have so much of it. Only difference is you have to load the stove a little more often.


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 11, 2013)

skyskier said:


> I was reading in a couple of threads here, seem's like some of you guy's don't like to burn pine ? other than the quick burn rate, any other reason's ? Several years ago, I did a "deal" with a guy here in Southern "Komifornia" he was hauling semi truck & trailer loads of 20 inch "logs" he was cutting up in Flagstaff AZ, I let him use my north pasture to dump & split the logs, then he had a crew that would bundle it up in plastic with a small rope handle on them, he sold the bundles of 6 MAYBE 7 pieces at $3.00 a "bundle" to ALL the 7-11 stores, home depot/lowes, Circle K stores, Walmart,  etc., here and in Arizona. Said he could get 15 cords of the un-split 20 inchers in a truck ( 18 wheeler ) and trailer, figured after it was split he'd end up with 16 cords. The stores get $6 to $7 a "bundle" from the "tourist's"
> 
> I've got a woodshed that will hold 8 cords of split wood, some years I seem to get more pine than the eucalyptus, sometimes I'll luck out an get some walnut, and this year I hit the jackpot, figure I've got 4 cords of REAL red oak and maybe 6 or 8 cords of good redgum eucalyptus, ALL delivered in 20 to 24 inch lengths, I'll have to trim a bit of the longer stuff, BUT, the owner of the tree service company say's it's a hell of a lot easier for him to have HIS crew load it on MY car trailer an drop it here at the ranch. All I gotta do is unload it an have it ready for THEM to pick up the following morning ................................THIS is gonna be a GREAT "burn year" for me, actually, the next 3 MAYBE 4 years.



Welcome to the forum skyskier. 

Sounds like a great arrangement you have going. You'll find many on this forum who take their firewood serious! As for the bundle sales, you'll find that all over the place. Good price if you can get it. 

We've been in your area a few times as we wintered near Yuma several years. My sister wintered at or near Parker for about 20 years. Many times I sort of wish we could go back down there for a winter or two.


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## skyskier (Oct 15, 2013)

Backwoods Savage said:


> Welcome to the forum skyskier.
> 
> Sounds like a great arrangement you have going. You'll find many on this forum who take their firewood serious! As for the bundle sales, you'll find that all over the place. Good price if you can get it.
> 
> We've been in your area a few times as we wintered near Yuma several years. My sister wintered at or near Parker for about 20 years. Many times I sort of wish we could go back down there for a winter or two.




I've been in Parker since last week, no use AT ALL for a wood burner yet, it's been in the mid 80's all week


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## clemsonfor (Oct 15, 2013)

Yea get the pine. As we have said many times there are parts of the country where they only have and only burn pine. And they burn it in all kinds of stoves.


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## Woody Stover (Oct 15, 2013)

skiskier, what kind of stove are you running?




Craig S. said:


> I suppose I can mix it in along the way, and use it to get fires started.  Should I grab it?





clemsonfor said:


> they only have and only burn pine. And they burn it in all kinds of stoves.


I've got a bunch of Red Pine that I split down to about finger size, and use it for starter. A tiny bit of newspaper and a couple of those sticks will get the fire off and running in short order. Both when burning in the stove, and on an outside fire, I've noticed that Pine gives off black smoke....must be the pitch burning. For that reason I don't like to run Pine smoke through the combustor; Seems like it would mask the cat quicker, necessitating simmering the cat in the distilled vinegar/water solution to clean it more often than I normally would. So by the time I close the bypass and route the smoke through the cat, my starter sticks are all burned up. Maybe I'm overly cautious, but I have plenty of hardwoods to burn so that's the way I like to do it in my stove. That said, I haven't really heard any reports of diminished cat performance over a shorter time frame from the guys that burn a lot of Pine through their cats, so who knows....


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## KarlP (Oct 15, 2013)

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:


> I burn pine in my fireplace.....it goes quick  and hard, I would not put it in my insert, but I luckily can be picky....


 
I'm just the opposite.  I hate burning pine or mulberry in an open fireplace because of all the pops and flying sparks, but I'll happily burn them in my insert with a door.


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## clemsonfor (Oct 15, 2013)

Applied ceramics says something about diminished performance if pine is burned or something. I will have to find out exactly.  

I just replaced my cats.


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## Seasoned Oak (Oct 15, 2013)

Only thing i noticed is it(pine) burns up a bit faster. All kinds of heat and it warms up a cold stove in a hurry. I only use the oak for overnight burns.


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 15, 2013)

skyskier said:


> I've been in Parker since last week, no use AT ALL for a wood burner yet, it's been in the mid 80's all week



I fondly remember one year riding my bicycle on Thanksgiving day and the temperature was close to 80. Great day for a ride.


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## skyskier (Oct 16, 2013)

Woody Stover said:


> skiskier, what kind of stove are you running?
> 
> 
> 
> I've got a bunch of Red Pine that I split down to about finger size, and use it for starter. A tiny bit of newspaper and a couple of those sticks will get the fire off and running in short order. Both when burning in the stove, and on an outside fire, I've noticed that Pine gives off black smoke....must be the pitch burning. For that reason I don't like to run Pine smoke through the combustor; Seems like it would mask the cat quicker, necessitating simmering the cat in the distilled vinegar/water solution to clean it more often than I normally would. So by the time I close the bypass and route the smoke through the cat, my starter sticks are all burned up. Maybe I'm overly cautious, but I have plenty of hardwoods to burn so that's the way I like to do it in my stove. That said, I haven't really heard any reports of diminished cat performance over a shorter time frame from the guys that burn a lot of Pine through their cats, so who knows....




I've got a Lopi Liberty, had it  for about 12 years now. Just finished replacing the "gut's" new bricks, breather pipes, EVERYTHING metal that was in it. It's our one & only source of heat here at the ranch. I took out the propane heater to make a bigger laundry room for Mrs. Skyskier,................"happy wife: happy life" kinda deal


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## EatenByLimestone (Oct 16, 2013)

The only thing I've burnt in the Century this year has been pine.  I'll hit the hardwood when it gets colder and I need longer burns.  I haven't needed any heat from the 30 yet.  Regular cooking has kept the house warm enough.  

Matt


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## clemsonfor (Oct 16, 2013)

Was 77F here today. And I have a 8 month pregnant wife. I'm a long way from burning. Even if its in the 40s at night!


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## eclecticcottage (Oct 23, 2013)

I'm watching beautiful secondaries dancing above a load of scots pine right now.  We scrounge and a lot of folks still believe the pine will burn your house down myth around here so we get a lot of it.  I'd bet 90% of what we burn this year will be pine, with maybe a bit of box elder and misc stuff mixed in.  I LOVE pine.  Easy to find and lighter than oak too (for the lifting of the rounds and stacking), lol.


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## branchburner (Oct 24, 2013)

Here in NH people love hating on pine... they pay you to take it away!
http://nh.craigslist.org/zip/4148335467.html

Wish I wasn't across the state... wouldn't mind being PAID to have heat for a month or two.


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## NH_Wood (Oct 24, 2013)

branchburner said:


> Here in NH people love hating on pine... they pay you to take it away!
> http://nh.craigslist.org/zip/4148335467.html
> 
> Wish I wasn't across the state... wouldn't mind being PAID to have heat for a month or two.



Huh....that's about 25 min from me - might have to hit that up! I've been burning all pine so far - about a cord for this fall and spring - love it and I get pretty decent burn times from it too. Cheers!


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## clemsonfor (Oct 24, 2013)

Yea that would be a deal. If its all rotted up not so much.


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