Firewood Question

[Lady Laura]

Ok guys, I think this is your area of expertise.  Will the trees that have been cut and laying all over our curbs be dried out enough by next Friday for me to pilfer and use as firewood?  I'm sure it depends on the thickness of the thing and such.  It sure would help in the funds department if I don't have to spend a ton of money on firewood.  Can anyone give me some advice?

[Element of Air]

I am by no means an expert but it depends on the type of wood. I can tell you pine (I think) has a lot of sap in it that will pop and make noise and is kinda messy when it burns. However I don't know how long it will take to dry. I think it also has to do with the humidity in the air during the drying period.

If no one helps, I would say to take a piece of it the day before you leave for Fair and burn it to see if it works. If not you can go get wood on your way out to Fair.

*shrug* But what do I know. Hope that helped a little.

[Lady Laura]

You know, I like your idea of burning some beforehand.  I'll drive around after work and look for some to test out.  Then if it works, I'll get the rest from the pile.  Not a bad idea at all.  Thanks 

[Taffy Saltwater]

Have to laugh a little bit - where I am there are piles of wood all over the place - gee, thanks Ike - which could be here for several more weeks.  You might want to take advantage of Ike's generosity & see if you can pilfer some from the curbsides, as long as you don't strew the unusable stuff all over.

[LadyJessica]

As long as it's not pine you should be fine.  And if you're not using it to cook oak would be great and it burns longer.  But for cooking look for pecan as mesquite usually grows in north texas and you won't find much of that here.  And yes it should be dried out by then and if not the oak will still burn but it may go out on you more.

[Lady Laura]

Dang!  You know your wood Jess     Thanks!

[*Teach*]

another trick to getting new wood dried out for ya would be to go ahead and get just one fireplace log to start it with. It'll help dry out the wood and help the fire get going well. If your fire is hot enough, the wood will be regardless of how green it is... but its gotta be pretty darn hot for that
Another thing to think on, the campground will be wet from rain next week so make sure to bring a spare tarp to lay the wood on until ready to use it.

*and also don't forget to bring an extra sip of rum for me*

[KiltedPrivateer]

Just when I thought I might be able to burn the last of my wood and get it out of my backyard, Ike comes through and knocks three big ole limbs out of my tree.  Wish I could just drag the limbs up there and throw them on the community fire pit.

[Amras Elfwine]

Just to reinforce whats been said already about pine...do not burn it in an  indoor  fireplace, period. If not used for cooking, in an outdoor pit, it'd be ok, if a bit annoyingly-smokey(careful of the bits that get spit out, though), but indoors, its dangerous to boot!
It will coat the inside of a chimney with creosote, a very highly flammable substance that is the cause of hundreds of houses burning down every year.

We don't want to lose any of you!

[Macintyre]

alot of the wood from the fallen trees should be ok to use and dry enough to burn once your fire is good and going.  but yes stay away from pine indoors and i wouldn't use it in small out door fires....now if you wanted to add it to the big fire at faire, then hey, why not they burn everything else in there.  but if you think the wood you have isn't dry enough, then split it and it will dry out faster.

[Lady Laura]

I'm also thinking, with the rain possibility all next week, that I might go scavenge enough this weekend before the rain ruins it.

[Zaubon]

Like Teach said, any wood will burn once you get it hot enough. My experience has been that if it hasn't had a minimum of six months to cure the smoke is going to be a lot more than I'm willing to deal with. Of course your mileage may vary and different people have different tolerence for smoke.

[Lord Dragonspyre]

I prefer huisache for firewood, as it burns hotter for longer.

[Lady Laura]

I don't like a lot of smoke either Zaubon, especially when I come home and the tent, tarps, airbeds and everything else that was blanketed in the smoke smells like it for months.  Hmmm, now I'm not sure what to do!  I really don't want to spend any money on firewood, but I'd rather know for sure that it's going to burn, and burn without too much smoke.

[Chandler]

To repeat what's been said, if it's only been a couple of weeks, it'll eventually burn, but it's going to be horribly smokey. 

I'd set this year wood's to the side for next year and you'll be set