# Anyone burn Ironwood?



## USMCWoodMan (Oct 16, 2008)

My God this is awesome wood!  Hard as nails, better bring your sharpening tools if your cutting it and have fun trying to split it by hand!  The tree grows in a spiral and very tight grain but get it seasoned and it burns like coal!


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## RAY_PA (Oct 16, 2008)

yessir! I burn some of it, but honestly, I dont cut it unless I have to, (its in the way or gets hit by a falling tree) just becsuae of how hard it cuts/splits. Too much other good wood that doesnt kick your arse, for me to mess with it.


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## savageactor7 (Oct 16, 2008)

Huh? I wonder if that's the same ironwood we have around here. 

It's more brushier that tree like, sometimes multiple stalks, doesn't get over 20-25 feet, hard to cut and weighs a ton when cut? Oh and sometimes it has white berries too. I've never burned it inside cause the largest trunk I ever had was maybe 5-6" or so. Does that sound like your ironwood...if it's as good as you say I'll give it a shot.


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## MarcM (Oct 16, 2008)

I've never seen it grow very big around here, but yes I've burned it before.  We've always called it ironwood, but I'm curious, I believe it's also called blue hornbeam?

At any rated, I've never cut it big enough to split, but even the small pieces burn forever and man... hard as a rock.


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## smokinj (Oct 16, 2008)

USMCWoodMan said:
			
		

> My God this is awesome wood!  Hard as nails, better bring your sharpening tools if your cutting it and have fun trying to split it by hand!  The tree grows in a spiral and very tight grain but get it seasoned and it burns like coal!


very hot burning, carbide chain the way to cut it!


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## burntime (Oct 16, 2008)

Northern Wisconsin people burn ironwood.  It is some dense stuff!  Makes great firewood.  Kind of like shagbark hickory by me.  You would swear it was concrete


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## USMCWoodMan (Oct 16, 2008)

I should say this too, throughout the world there are over 100 species claiming the name "Ironwood" gennerally because of the hardness, weight, and density.  Once I identify the particular species I have here in Northwestern Lower Michigan I'll update.  Another minor interesting bit of trivia:  South Americans call these trees "Quebracho" or Axebreaker!


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## Dill (Oct 16, 2008)

I've never cut an iornwood tree that was big enough to bother splitting most I've run into are in the <4in range. 
It seems to burn decent. If in fact it burns like hickory than it would be great.


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## USMCWoodMan (Oct 16, 2008)

What I've managed to come up with is this: I have the Eastern Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) not American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)also called "Musclewood" around here; it's from the Birch family, very shredded bark, grows in a tight spiral or twist creating it's density and strength. Again, it burns phenominally if you care to take the time to cut and split (if required, rarely do I find one that big). Dad used to tell me the story of how when he was young and dumb he tried to cut one up with an axe for Grandma's fireplace not knowing what he was in for, the stubborn SOB actually finished the job though....perhaps that's where my bull-headedness comes from, he always said it came from Mom....


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## beagler (Oct 17, 2008)

Got any pics of this stuff?


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## USMCWoodMan (Oct 17, 2008)

I'll try to get some this weekend.  Also, here is a link to a BTU by species table.
http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm


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## flyingcow (Oct 17, 2008)

The ironwood(hornbeam) we have up here makes excellent stakes for sides of trailers, or any kind of poles to stack stuff against. I've used it as trail marker stakes on snowmobile trails. Used only a few in this application, just in the problem areas of sleds breaking off weaker stakes.


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