# swamp white oak?



## nick harvey (Oct 14, 2011)

Got a good chance of scoring big on some swamp white oak. I have to cut it and haul it back to my place. Anybody have some info on how this stuff burns? I've done some research on line, but as far as I'm concerned, you folks have the expertise short time burners like myself need. All info is greatly appreciated

nick


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## Joey (Oct 14, 2011)

Gonna be quite some time before you can burn that in a modern epa stove.  I'm sure others will chime in and give other opinions.  If its not even cut yet,thats definately gonna be an issue.  What kinda stove are ya burnin it in???


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## nick harvey (Oct 14, 2011)

I just rebuilt a Dutchwest medium noncat. Runs great if you feed it right. I kow that the oaks take 2, if not 3years to fully season. I just didn't know if there was something unusual about SWO. I'm just a bit north of you in MA.


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## Thistle (Oct 14, 2011)

Wood is identical in appearance,weight,density,strength & working/burning properties to White Oak.Takes quite a while to dry thouroughly also.


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## nick harvey (Oct 14, 2011)

I grabbed a leaf off the tree and took it home to ID it. It's a scrounge job, but I think I'm slowly becoming addicted. Got a nice score on some silver birch a couple of days ago in a Home Depot parking lot! The SWO had me thinking it was a Caucasian WO until I found out they only grow near southern Russia. A score is a score and I love free wood. Gotta get the wife to stock up on Aleve. Thanks for the info.


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## stejus (Oct 14, 2011)

I dropped a White Oak up here in MA about 2 years ago.  I'm not sure it's the same species as the Swamp White Ock.  Mine is nice and dry and will be in my stove this Dec/Jan.  It's harder than Red Oak and a little softer than Black Birch.  Boy, it's going to be a tough season trying to figure what to throw in the stove


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## nick harvey (Oct 15, 2011)

I hear so much about the oak species here and other places..."oak's good/bad/whatever". I (in my limited knowledge) lean toward "if it's seasoned properly, burn it". I'm going to chunk up this puppy today and then split it. It'll be 2 years before it comes anywhere near my stove. I know I'm a little late this year as far as splitting goes, but time is of a premium around here. I'll see if I can post some pictures, but I don't even know how to put up my profile picture. I'm much better with a router in my hands than this stinking computer.


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 15, 2011)

I've never heard of swamp white oak but we have lots of white oak around here; some in the swamps and some on the high ground. It all burns really nice if you give it enough time.


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## nick harvey (Oct 15, 2011)

SWO grow along rivers and creeks. The leaves are the same as WO except for the lobes. That's what threw me when I tried to ID the tree. Just chunked it today.Now I have to find a way of getting a truck to where the wood is. I LOVE FREE WOOD


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 15, 2011)

If not a truck, a wheelbarrow can work well or a 2 wheeled cart. Or you can also use a toboggan or just some vinyl; something that can slide on the ground really easy. Of course if you wait for some snow....  You could also take the mower deck off the lawn mower for pulling power.


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## nick harvey (Oct 15, 2011)

Since it's piled next to a busy route behind a line of trees,  I'm afraid someone's going to snag it before I can round it up. Such are the perils of scrounging, I guess. Thanks for the advice but I think good ol" heavy labor's going to be the remedy here. I'd love to post some pic's but I don't know how. Someday I'll join the 21st century, most likely kicking and screaming.


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## stejus (Oct 16, 2011)

Here's some White Oak eye candy.  The first four photo's show when the tree was dropped in Nov 2009.  The last pic shows the pile 2 years later (today) with the White Oak seasoned.  There's some Maple and Red Oak in there too.


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## firefighterjake (Oct 17, 2011)

firelite said:
			
		

> I hear so much about the oak species here and other places..."oak's good/bad/whatever".* I (in my limited knowledge) lean toward "if it's seasoned properly, burn it". *I'm going to chunk up this puppy today and then split it. It'll be 2 years before it comes anywhere near my stove. I know I'm a little late this year as far as splitting goes, but time is of a premium around here. I'll see if I can post some pictures, but I don't even know how to put up my profile picture. I'm much better with a router in my hands than this stinking computer.



I too share this philosophy . . . I figure for every species of wood out there is a time and place to burn it . . . some wood is best for use as kindling, some wood is best for burning int the Spring or Fall and some wood is good for those winter days when you're home and don't mind reloading a bit more often and some wood is good for when you're heading to bed or leaving the house and need a nice, long burn.


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