bark what to do

[sublime68charger]

I know this is an older thread but instead of starting a new thread on Bark I did a search and found this thread so I thought I'd just chime in on what I due.

I have around 12 55 Gallon Barrells that have a Metal lid held on with a ring that I use to put bark in.

I got the barrells for free,

anyway's I had a big elm tree in the front yard of the house that I cut down and then cut/split into fire wood and it had left a huge mess of bark and small spilts from using the wood spltter on the blocks.

well I was gonna have to rake all the stuff up and just haul it away to the compost pile.

when I thought I can fill up these barrells with bark and scraps and now I have some great fire starting material Plus the barrels not in use can be stored outside upside down on a pallett next to the wood pile so rain/snow will drain away from the bark and such.

so that is what I due with my excess bark and small scrap's.

I keep a barrell in the garage that I can dig out bark and scraps from for starting fires and then on day's when I'm working out next to the wood boiler I just shovel straight from the barrell into the fire box, It only last about 2 hours but heck I'm working in the same room as the boiler so I can reload when needed. "I go through about 3 barrells a year and from the initail tree clean up I had 15 barrells"
Plus the Barrells make great little work tables for putting tools/beverages on when working out in the garage.
only problem then is you have to move your tools/beverages in order fill the fire box.
such is the life I suppose.

sublime out.

 

[LLigetfa]

I leave the bark and chainsaw cuttings on the ground as a carpet. It saves on the chain should I misjudge where the nose is. I also loose pile all the splits (bark side down) on a thick bed of the stuff. It helps to keep them clean and a bit dryer. Eventually when it all starts turning black I rake it up and put in on my large compost pile. Large pieces go on the burn pile.

Birch bark I hate with a passion and will take off as much as I can. What doesn't come off right away I take off after it seasons on the loose pile before stacking in the shed. Other bark I take off only if it is loose.

 

[gzecc]

If that was a dutch elm and you have other elm's you may want to try to reduce the elm disease. I believe you are supposed to burn the bark before the spring time. The larve that killed the tree live and layed eggs in the bark. I would burn it outside.

 

[sublime68charger]

I have other elms out in the woodland, Most of them are not fairing very well these day's. but all the bark and scraps from my elm in the front yard have not left the house lot. I have the barrels on a pallett next to my reserve wood pile at home from there they go to the garage and into the fire. I had my barrel in the garage down to 1/2 level and then swept out the truck from hauling in 5 loads of wood over the last 2 weeks and now the barrel is full of bark and scrap's again.
Guess this means I need to find a weekend project that I have to work on in the garage so I can heat all day out of the scrap barrel.

thanks for your thoughts

sublime out

 

[Redox]

Did anyone else make the connection that the guy with Bob Ross as his avatar is going out of his way to take care of squirrels?

-SF

No, I missed that. We've come to expect strange musings from AP...

Funny this subject should come up. I just chased a squirrel off the back porch before it could get into my bark collection!

I threw a bunch of maple bark under cover last spring just to get it out of the way. I figured on chipping it up or recycling it somehow, but never got around to it. Anyway, I resisted lighting the stove for as long as I could this year and decided to throw some bark in the stove to see how it burned. Suprisingly, it worked pretty well. It smokes a little until the fire gets going, but once it's lit, it really goes! I guess because of all the surface area, I had to damp it way back to keep it under control, but the secondaries lit off and it burned pretty well. The surprising thing was the huge amount of coals left behind. This wouldn't be a good thing if it were really cold out, but as a shoulder season fuel source, it gets my vote. It does make a lot of ash, but in the off season, this isn't a problem. It is delaying the inevitable consumption of my better wood, and that's a plus. Try some for yourself and see. I'll definitely be doing this again.

Chris

 

[fossil]

Every time I read the topic title of this thread, all I can think of is that this is what the Alpha Male must learn to do to keep the pack focused on the objective..."Bark what to do". Rick

 

[ScottF]

Did anyone else make the connection that the guy with Bob Ross as his avatar is going out of his way to take care of squirrels?

Yes I did except that is not just Bob Ross. It is Bob Ross doodling a picture of some crazy azz punk rocker dude named Tesco Vee. I think he was the lead singer for the meat men. You have to consider the whole picture to see the irony.

 

[Gooserider]

If the bark falls off I will use big peices like shingles to help cut down on the weeds around my garden patch. Smaller chunks get used either as kindling / firestarter or as mulch in garden or around trees and such.

If the bark doesn't fall off, it goes in the stove with the rest of the wood.

Gooserider

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Ok I am in the process of splitting elm and I have chunks of bark coming off of the wood 1" thick 4-8" wide and 16" lpus in length what does everyone do with it?

I burn it.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I burn bark in the stove in the daytime when I can add it frequently. It does seem to make more ash than wood but there is pretty well the same amount of heat per pound in bark as in wood. Also I live in the city with limited space so can't just dump all the wood debris in the back forty. I cut and split all my wood in the driveway so as to not chew up the lawn, then sweep up all the little stuff and burn it more or less immediately in the stove, since our rulers outlawed all outdoor burning a couple years ago.

I actually like ash, I mix it with the compost and consider it a desireable resource.

Are you effing essing me? They try pulling that schiznit down here and this hill billy simply will not tolerate it.

 

[Redox]

I burn bark in the stove in the daytime when I can add it frequently. It does seem to make more ash than wood but there is pretty well the same amount of heat per pound in bark as in wood. Also I live in the city with limited space so can't just dump all the wood debris in the back forty. I cut and split all my wood in the driveway so as to not chew up the lawn, then sweep up all the little stuff and burn it more or less immediately in the stove, since our rulers outlawed all outdoor burning a couple years ago.

I actually like ash, I mix it with the compost and consider it a desireable resource.

Are you effing essing me? They try pulling that schiznit down here and this hill billy simply will not tolerate it.

Just so's you are aware:

http://www.co.mason.wa.us/community_dev/fire_marshal/residential_burning.php

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70.94.743

Hate to see a neighbor fink on you...

Chris

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I burn bark in the stove in the daytime when I can add it frequently. It does seem to make more ash than wood but there is pretty well the same amount of heat per pound in bark as in wood. Also I live in the city with limited space so can't just dump all the wood debris in the back forty. I cut and split all my wood in the driveway so as to not chew up the lawn, then sweep up all the little stuff and burn it more or less immediately in the stove, since our rulers outlawed all outdoor burning a couple years ago.

I actually like ash, I mix it with the compost and consider it a desireable resource.

Are you effing essing me? They try pulling that schiznit down here and this hill billy simply will not tolerate it.

Just so's you are aware:

http://www.co.mason.wa.us/community_dev/fire_marshal/residential_burning.php

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70.94.743

Hate to see a neighbor fink on you...

Chris

I'm aware of the rules, but short of an outright burn ban the rules are easy to fudge.

 

[leaf4952]

I bust it up a little & throw it down where I suppossedly SHOULD have manicured pathways outside my house. Bark and pine branches actually give better traction under boots than any smooth walkway ever would with the re-snowing, slush re-freezing and the incredible crusting mix & remix winter conditions we get up here on the Pocono Plateau. You can shovel till the cows come home but its never that simple. This is not the fluffy snow up here. I have given into the WOODS and now shun "civilized" walkways! One foot segments of Christmas tree with the spine of the branch facing upwards - make for awesome traction and stay there frozen till spring. I have enough obstacles out my front door like dog poop, a 500 lb bear (just before hibernation time when they're REAL hungry), iceicles, a car that might not start at 10 below with wind chill factor, or 2 bucks standing between my front door & my car looking at me like "eh, forgeet aboudit" !

 

[leaf4952]

Did anyone else make the connection that the guy with Bob Ross as his avatar is going out of his way to take care of squirrels?

-SF

Yeah, and I love the way the soft spoken gentle man Bob Ross is painting a picture of a VERY ANGRY man ! Perhaps he needs to burn wood and get in touch with his real self. Maybe throw a few nuts.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

If I haul it home it gets burnt. A BTU is a BTU. I havent learned to be a btu snob yet.

Matt