# Stinky wood when sawing



## KYrob (Jul 18, 2010)

I was sawing some wood yesterday and it smelled horrible when the saw started through it.  Not sure what type wood it was so I figured I'd ask you guys.  Any ideas?

Rob


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## smokinj (Jul 18, 2010)

Willow is the worst smell I have ever cut.


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## laynes69 (Jul 18, 2010)

Cottonwood smells like horse crap.


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## thewoodlands (Jul 18, 2010)

KYrob said:
			
		

> I was sawing some wood yesterday and it smelled horrible when the saw started through it.  Not sure what type wood it was so I figured I'd ask you guys.  Any ideas?
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> Rob




Rob can you get a picture up so we have a better idea, I'll throw in elm.

zap


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## smokinj (Jul 18, 2010)

zapny said:
			
		

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LOL I bet one of us is right! Those are 3 bad stinky woods I cant think of another one off the top my head.


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## boatboy63 (Jul 18, 2010)

I had some that about made me sick with the stench. It felt really slimy and sticky when it was cut. If you peel the bark, it was almost like the wet wood peeled away like wet paper. I was told it was locust. After finding that out, I was happy due to the heat output of it.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jul 18, 2010)

Some popple has to be thrown in there for bad smelling wood. It seems more than one on this forum would add oaks, especially red oaks. Personally though, I really like the smell of oaks.

As bad as some of this wood smells, I have to admit that most smell good to me. I miss the old days of logging and sawmill work simply because I enjoyed being around all those sweet smelling woods.


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## ANeat (Jul 18, 2010)

I too like the smell of oak, poplar as mentioned is pretty bad,  I had a few poplars in the yard that died off and it stunk the place up pretty bad


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## firefighterjake (Jul 19, 2010)

I've cut poplar, elm, oak and willow (no cottonwood here) and didn't think any of them smelled particularly bad . . . however a month or so ago I was clearing some of my property and cut this sapling and egads . . . I called it a Sh!t Tree since it smelled as if someone had dropped a load right there . . . wicked bad smelling tree . . . and then to make matters worse my cat, Theodore Roosevelt, proceeded to rub his head all over the fresh cut stump so he smelled as if he was rolling around in crap. I still have no idea of what that tree/bush was . . .


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## Loco Gringo (Jan 18, 2011)

Us mountain folks call it piss oak. Ive had someone drive up to a pile I had outside and say "I smell dog shat". Burns great but you dont wanna stack a pile next to the fire Ill tell ya that.


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## EatenByLimestone (Jan 18, 2011)

Black cherry smells kind of rank to me.  Especially if you go into it thinking you'll be smelling black birch...


Have we narrowed down your stinky tree yet? :lol:

Matt


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## chinkapin_oak (Jan 18, 2011)

Boxelder has to be the absolute worst smelling wood there is here in indiana.  You don't know what I'm talking about until you cut some.  Bleh!  I have heard tree of heaven is bad, but I've never cut it.


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## -PB- (Jan 18, 2011)

Ailanthus...invasive and nasty smelling. weak for burning as well.


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## woodmeister (Jan 18, 2011)

+1 on the piss-oak


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## scottandlorig (Jan 18, 2011)

I cut cottonwood and willow last year and I remember the willow was stinky too.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jan 18, 2011)

Loco Gringo said:
			
		

> Us mountain folks call it piss oak. Ive had someone drive up to a pile I had outside and say "I smell dog shat". Burns great but you dont wanna stack a pile next to the fire Ill tell ya that.



It seems every so often someone comes on and says that oak stinks. I've never found one that did stink. Simply smells like oak and it is not a bad smell either. Perhaps some types of oaks do stink. Maybe water oak? Live oak? Some of the more southern oaks are no doubt different than the northern varieties.


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## mayhem (Jan 18, 2011)

Willow is pretty stinky, I noticed it when i was splitting, but not when sawing though.

Red oak has a very powerful odor when freshly cut.  I happen to like it and think it smells like money in the bank, but I've heard alot fo people accuse someone of stepping in dog crap when they were near my truck after I put a half cord of freshly sawn red oak in there.


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## billb3 (Jan 18, 2011)

Only willow I've cut  was growing  near a cesspool.
Had grey sap.
Smelled just like the cesspool.

It did not end up in the wood pile.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Jan 18, 2011)

The first time I made it to KY as an adult, I smelled something pretty fine! It wasn't wood though, and I'm not going back anymore. Can't help ya with that ID, sorry.

Maybe this whole 'smelly wood' thang is yet another advantage of cutting in winter??


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## Thistle (Jan 18, 2011)

I've cut some Red/Black Oak that smelled pretty bad,a real sour smell.But White/Bur Oak always smells good IMO,unless the logs have some soft or rotten pockets,then that is quite rank.

Black Cherry & Apple are the best smelling that I've come across.


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## Loco Gringo (Jan 18, 2011)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

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Its a certain oak here. The red, white, chestnut here are all fine. Ive lived in south La and the oaks there smelled fine. Ill try and find out what species it is. Its always a sickly looking tree with some dead branches coming off of it. A layman may identify it as red oak based on the color when split. Im telling ya, it smells exactly like a steamy pile of dog crap stuck to the bottom of your shoe. But it burns perfectly leaving a perfect pile of embers after a long steady burn.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jan 19, 2011)

By your description of the dead branches and burn times it sounds like pin oak, which is in the red oak family. Pin oaks usually have lots of branches that grow pointing down and they die off quickly. That is the only bad thing about cutting them unless you don't like the odor. I've never found oaks to be bad smelling though.


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## Loco Gringo (Jan 23, 2011)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

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I grabbed some white oak from some friends today. They are brothers pushing 80 yrs and have logged most of their lives. They said piss oak is in fact water oak.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jan 23, 2011)

Ah ha. Thanks for posting that. I've always wondered why folks didn't like the smell of oak and now we know.


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