Silver... is it worth it's weight?

[all night moe]

Maple that is ....

I could bring cords of this home. Not just a few cords but more than I could ever burn.
This season I brought home a little under 2 cords. Did a few jobs where the only product was silver so I brought some home. I know it seasons quick and burns faster than hard maples with less BTU. Still better than red maple.

I see a lot of guys on youtube processing this stuff. What do ya all think? I'm considering mixing it in with pine for camp wood sales. Possibly $150 a 1ton dump truck load. I would definitely get a production splitter before messing with this to much.

Stuff I have seasoned now I'll mix in with better wood for shoulder season, and warmer daytime temps.

 

[begreen]

Free. wood is free wood. Use it for shoulder season burning and save the harder wood for the cold weather.

 

[all night moe]

Let me clarify. Being an arborist, I could potentially bring home say ....50 cord a season. Probably more. I would have to get my dump truck in action though, and as mentioned, a commercial grade splitter. Just to make the effort worth it.

I'm working towards some fire wood sales, once I get my own 3 year stash established. I'm halfway there now. I'm wondering if the silver maple is worth the effort in volume. In my regular heating wood sales I could put some in the "mixed hardwoods" for a slightly less rate then ''premium'' woods. Also, the camp wood as mentioned above.

Ultimately, the work versus sales will tell me. I'm just looking for opinions.
I don't mind burning some, here and there, myself. It's helping me jump start my current 3yr stash.

 

[begreen]

If you have a continuous wide source of species then maybe not. It makes sense to have it for lower cost sales if a higher priced premium wood is also offered. Otherwise maybe just give away the rounds or donate them to boy scouts or other groups for them to raise some money for their cause.

 

[Woody Stover]

I haven't burned a lot of Silver but it seemed lighter in weight and lower BTU than Red when I did. I have some Red stacked but I pass on Silver.

 

[all night moe]

I haven't burned a lot of Silver but it seemed lighter in weight and lower BTU than Red when I did. I have some Red stacked but I pass on Silver.

I believe you're correct on that. Been a couple years since I've had any red.

donate them to boy scouts or other groups for them to raise some money for their cause

I like this Idea. Good friend of mine is associated with the local BS troop.

 

[ozarkoak]

Any camp grounds close? Wrap it up and sell if as campground wood.

 

[MongoMongoson]

I have burned a bunch of silver maple, because it was free. I have a few cords of it stacked outside, and we make maple syrup from the live silvers in our yard.

There is nothing wrong with it but, living in the Midwest, I would be pretty disappointed if I bought a few cords of "hardwood" for home heating and have it turn out to be silver maple. There are so many better options here... so many options I have never purchased wood. I would burn free silver maple over purchased oak.

It would make ideal campfire wood bundles. Burns fast with lots of flame, doesn't make a huge pile of coals that burn low and slow. Most people like to have lots of flame for their campfires. I think the smoke has a pleasant smell.