lets talk pine

[Lumber-Jack]

Random thoughts . . .
Keeping you, your wife and children safe . . .

a) Install your stove to the manufacturer's specifications. Do not cut corners. Make sure it meets and even exceeds clearances, hearth requirements, etc.
b) Learn how to start your fire correctly -- i.e. no flammable fuels and learning how to get a fire going quickly and efficiently.
c) Learn how your woodstove works and runs . . . how the controls work . . . this is something that has to be experienced and learned in time.
d) Dry, seasoned wood . . . if you put unseasoned wood into your stove you will be unhappy with the results and will gunk up your chimney and glass . . . and not be happy with the lack of heat.
e) Check and sweep your chimney frequently . . . especially in the first few months. I would recommend a newbie at least inspect their chimney once a month . . .
f) I have seen more fires caused by the improper disposal of wood ash -- put the ash in a metal, covered container outside on a non-combustible surface away from the home, garage, deck, porch, etc.

These are the good points, funny thing is I'll bet a lot of those same people who think it's dangerous to burn pine and tell people you can't burn it, ignore many of these really important issues.

 

[mywaynow]

The main reasons I don't touch it are because I have great access to premium wood species and Pine is so dirty to deal with I can't stand the idea of giving up a pair of pants, gloves and a shirt due to sap all over everything- not to mention my new saw!

 

[Intheswamp]

I read something a while back about something you could spray on your gear after processing pine that would get rid of the sap and resin. Whatever it was was a common item you could buy at the grocery store or Wallyworld. Anybody got an idea of what I'm talking about? Man I wish I could remember what it was! :shut:

I've gotta take a break in the next week or so and get a cord or so of pine. I've got some dried oak, but only about 1/4 cord. I figure I can get some bug pine that is still standing that it should be well dried by winter if I get it c/s/s before long. If things stay as dry as they've been around here then some of my oak might be ready (clear-cut stuff) by winter. I'll get some pine to be sure.

Ed

 

[Llamaman]

IF IT'S FREE IT'S FOR ME SCROUNGE LOTS OF PINE AND ADD IT TO YOUR PILES!

 

[Beetle-Kill]

[quote author="Intheswamp" date="1305861533"]I read something a while back about something you could spray on your gear after processing pine that would get rid of the sap and resin. Whatever it was was a common item you could buy at the grocery store or Wallyworld. Anybody got an idea of what I'm talking about? Man I wish I could remember what it was! :shut:


Lighter fluid and a match? ;-P

 

[DexterDay]

IF IT'S FREE IT'S FOR ME SCROUNGE LOTS OF PINE AND ADD IT TO YOUR PILES!

Just picked up a Good scrounge load of Pine yesterday (half cord). Me and my 9 yr old son split it up today. The guy I got it from (CL add) owns a Tree Service company and he is a "Woodburner" too. Said he will call me in for every load of Pine he has. All good rounds. Bucked real nice. He even helped load every round into my truck.. Helluva guy.... Has been a Rash of Pine adds around me. I prob wont burn it this season. Best to let it sit. But I wouldn't mind sitting on a few cords a it.. Wont hurt to have.. Better to "Have" than "Have not"....

 

[wannabegreener]

I read something a while back about something you could spray on your gear after processing pine that would get rid of the sap and resin. Whatever it was was a common item you could buy at the grocery store or Wallyworld. Anybody got an idea of what I'm talking about? Man I wish I could remember what it was! :shut:

I've gotta take a break in the next week or so and get a cord or so of pine. I've got some dried oak, but only about 1/4 cord. I figure I can get some bug pine that is still standing that it should be well dried by winter if I get it c/s/s before long. If things stay as dry as they've been around here then some of my oak might be ready (clear-cut stuff) by winter. I'll get some pine to be sure.

Ed

I think you may be thinking of OVEN CLEANER. I use it on my woodworking saw blades and it does a great job cleaning them up. I also just used it on my chains since they were covered with 'stuff'. It definitely takes everything off of the tools, so if you use it on your chains, be sure to lube them up before putting them back on your saw.

I also wear gloves when cleaning with it, it will strip everything off of your hands and beats up your hands pretty nasty.

 

[Intheswamp]

I read something a while back about something you could spray on your gear after processing pine that would get rid of the sap and resin. Whatever it was was a common item you could buy at the grocery store or Wallyworld. Anybody got an idea of what I'm talking about? Man I wish I could remember what it was! :shut:

I've gotta take a break in the next week or so and get a cord or so of pine. I've got some dried oak, but only about 1/4 cord. I figure I can get some bug pine that is still standing that it should be well dried by winter if I get it c/s/s before long. If things stay as dry as they've been around here then some of my oak might be ready (clear-cut stuff) by winter. I'll get some pine to be sure.

Ed

I think you may be thinking of OVEN CLEANER. I use it on my woodworking saw blades and it does a great job cleaning them up. I also just used it on my chains since they were covered with 'stuff'. It definitely takes everything off of the tools, so if you use it on your chains, be sure to lube them up before putting them back on your saw.

I also wear gloves when cleaning with it, it will strip everything off of your hands and beats up your hands pretty nasty.

Thanks wbg! I'm not sure that that is what I read about but I'll definitely keep it mind...probably go ahead and pick up a can of it to have on hand!

Ed

 

[Intheswamp]

I read something a while back about something you could spray on your gear after processing pine that would get rid of the sap and resin. Whatever it was was a common item you could buy at the grocery store or Wallyworld. Anybody got an idea of what I'm talking about? Man I wish I could remember what it was! :shut:


Lighter fluid and a match? ;-P

A friend of mine claims that all problems can be solved with a inner tube, a match, and a gallon of gas. hh:

Ed

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Have you ever felt like being a rebel? Have you ever felt like bucking conventional wisdom, being a maverick, going rogue?

Arrrgh, I burn the pine with pride. Silver Maple, Siberian Elm, and Tulip Poplar too. Probably 2/3 of my stock. Now, if people start giving away the good stuff like the lessers, I might get snobby. Now, they just throw me a bone every now and then to keep me hauling away the lessers for them.

Umph, sorry, I didn't have the 'sarc' button on. 90%+ of what I burn is Pine. The other is Aspen, with a smidge of cottonwood. It's all good.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

I read something a while back about something you could spray on your gear after processing pine that would get rid of the sap and resin. Whatever it was was a common item you could buy at the grocery store or Wallyworld. Anybody got an idea of what I'm talking about? Man I wish I could remember what it was! :shut:


Lighter fluid and a match? ;-P

A friend of mine claims that all problems can be solved with a inner tube, a match, and a gallon of gas. hh:

Ed

I like your friend. :coolgrin:

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I have access to tons of free pine, some dead, some green, some dry. Now I have been told by several people that burning pine is a big NONO, but as I read online some say "thats all I burn" . So whats the deal???????

It causes chimney fires. . .

 

[Beetle-Kill]

I have access to tons of free pine, some dead, some green, some dry. Now I have been told by several people that burning pine is a big NONO, but as I read online some say "thats all I burn" . So whats the deal???????

It causes chimney fires. . .

uugh! wetcoast- urp, derp. *facepalm*

 

[mecreature]

I have access to tons of free pine, some dead, some green, some dry. Now I have been told by several people that burning pine is a big NONO, but as I read online some say "thats all I burn" . So whats the deal???????

It causes chimney fires. . .

probably so..

I have a couple cord of cottonwood/pine 50/50 mix. Should get me way into the season next year.
If I need to I can throw a couple splits of mulberry or locust in...

 

[ruserious2008]

Well here's my thoughts and what I've read.
First- some branch of our US government states that pine SHOULD NOT be burned in an indoor fireplace or woodstove. I think its the USDA but google the concept and you'll find it. Our government would not lie or be wrong right?? Ya sure
I got into this issue with a score of about 10 cords of free pine already bucked that just needed to be hauled to my house about 3 miles away. Been hauling it and have about 5 cords split so far. I run a small stove and plan to run one piece of pine along with 2 pieces of hard.
Further research - google- and I found a web site from some forestry school that did a study and they claim that oak will produce more creosote than pine! I love it when some nasty little fact ruins conventional wisdom. Put that in yur pipe and smoke it pal!
When I tell people I burn pine I get all kinds of weird looks and lectures about all that "pitch and sap" will cause chimney fires la de da.
The 10 or so cords I got this year were downed and bucked last year and as I split and stack it now I see no and feel no sap or pitch and except being lighter it looks and feels no different to me than the hardwoods I split and stack. Moisture on that pine is about 22-24% now. I've tried to "smell" it to see if I could learn to tell if something was pine or not and while I know the smell of pine needles I have not smelt anything from the pine I have split. Maybe the fresh green stuff "smells" - the one year old stuff doesn't.
Its been pointed out on these forums that in some parts of the US and Canada that people there burn only pine as its the only species available for such. I think those of us in the north east get spoiled as we have the largest diversity of tree species in the world here outside of a rain forest. And one would think that if pine caused chimney fires you'd see these regions where people only burn pine having lots of pretty light shows each night as peoples chimneys and houses sparkle. Have not read anything saying places like that have more chimney fires than "hardwood" regions.
Still I think the predominant theory in my area is burning pine is crazy as evidenced not just by what I quoted above but also by all the FREE pine available. After scoring my 10 cords I'm turning it down for now. I bet between CL and people I know I could easily score 100 cords of pine over the course of a summer if I could possible move and store it. Check out the NH craigslist if you don't believe me.
My theory on why people say "pine causes chimney fires" is perhaps because pine does burn hotter and if you already have a dirty and creosote filled chimney you are more likely to ignite it with a fast and hot pine fire than a slower and cooler hardwood fire.
In my never so humble and someone inexperienced opinion I think its improperly cleaned chimneys that cause chimney fires, not pine. Its like guns don't kill people..people do.
And its now May 20th and I'm still lighting one up each evening to take the chill off with some kindling and a piece of pine that gets the stove up to temp quick but doesn't make the rooms hotter than we want.
Pine is fine- just clean your damn chimney as you should with any wood burning!

 

[Woody Stover]

I'm going to grab some Pine that's available from a neighbor, and I've got a fairly large one in the yard that's on its last legs. I'm hoping that from a cold start it'll get the stone stove hotter, quicker and let me engage the combustor sooner. Anybody had success with this?

I think those of us in the north east get spoiled as we have the largest diversity of tree species in the world here outside of a rain forest.

Yeah, but aren't you a little light on Black Locust and Bodark? ;-P

 

[firefighterjake]

I read something a while back about something you could spray on your gear after processing pine that would get rid of the sap and resin. Whatever it was was a common item you could buy at the grocery store or Wallyworld. Anybody got an idea of what I'm talking about? Man I wish I could remember what it was! :shut:


Lighter fluid and a match? ;-P

A friend of mine claims that all problems can be solved with a inner tube, a match, and a gallon of gas. hh:

Ed

Huh . . . I always thought it was duct tape, WD40 and a BFH.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I read something a while back about something you could spray on your gear after processing pine that would get rid of the sap and resin. Whatever it was was a common item you could buy at the grocery store or Wallyworld. Anybody got an idea of what I'm talking about? Man I wish I could remember what it was! :shut:

I've gotta take a break in the next week or so and get a cord or so of pine. I've got some dried oak, but only about 1/4 cord. I figure I can get some bug pine that is still standing that it should be well dried by winter if I get it c/s/s before long. If things stay as dry as they've been around here then some of my oak might be ready (clear-cut stuff) by winter. I'll get some pine to be sure.

Ed

I think you may be thinking of OVEN CLEANER. I use it on my woodworking saw blades and it does a great job cleaning them up. I also just used it on my chains since they were covered with 'stuff'. It definitely takes everything off of the tools, so if you use it on your chains, be sure to lube them up before putting them back on your saw.

I also wear gloves when cleaning with it, it will strip everything off of your hands and beats up your hands pretty nasty.

Thanks wbg! I'm not sure that that is what I read about but I'll definitely keep it mind...probably go ahead and pick up a can of it to have on hand!

Ed

I think WD40 will also do the trick nicely.

 

[ruserious2008]

"Yeah, but aren't you a little light on Black Locust and Bodark?"

Black Locust and Bodark? What are d'ose? We're talking about trees here- not insects

 

[Woody Stover]

Yeah, but aren't you a little light on Black Locust and Bodark? ;-P

Black Locust and Bodark? What are d'ose? We're talking about trees here- not insects

Yep, those are 1000 lbs + Walking Sticks; We grow 'em big down here. :lol:

 

[chrisfallis]

Enough of the talking about pine. If you have excess pine you can always send it to me in Colorado. Post paid, of course.

 

[moosetrek]

That's it, this pine thread has me all nervous. I'm going with oak for next year. How long does it take to grow anyway, if I plant now will I be OK for 2012-2013? I'll even pay the postage on the acorns.

 

[Llamaman]

on the fence about a massive Craig's List Pine score - looks like maybe 2 cords worth all bucked and free.........was all pumped up and now rethinking as it's next town over and about 9 miles - I am concerned that I am losing my obsession with scrounging and getting lazy now that I have good piles - if it wasn't pine I would have been over there with my trailer last night - oh Pine, you are an enigma

 

[SolarAndWood]

I am concerned that I am losing my obsession with scrounging and getting lazy now that I have good piles - if it wasn't pine I would have been over there with my trailer last night

I'm afflicted with the same thing. Just remember the competition gets more and more heated as we get into summer. By September, it can get down right ugly.

 

[moosetrek]

on the fence about a massive Craig's List Pine score - looks like maybe 2 cords worth all bucked and free.........was all pumped up and now rethinking as it's next town over and about 9 miles - I am concerned that I am losing my obsession with scrounging and getting lazy now that I have good piles - if it wasn't pine I would have been over there with my trailer last night - oh Pine, you are an enigma

Wow - 2 cords only nine miles away? Even if it's (Dreadful) Pine, that's still not bad - how close is the rest of your wood? I guess if it's in your back yard that makes sense though.