Normally only cut Red & White Oak, Hickory and Cherry. But the private Golf Club I belong to was cutting a huge # of ash. Cut in 8' 4" lengths loaded into my trailer about 4 miles from my house. The only down side was small stuff by my standards and suckers on the arm wood as the tree strived to survive the EAB. Cutting everything on the trailer, (posts laid down so as not to cut into the deck) keeps all the sawdust contained and out of the lawn. The Case DX-33 is coming in pretty handy as does my neighbor who helped unload. Little behind where I want to be for quantity for this time of year, but ahead of schedule on splitting.
Boy that is some very nice ash! The good thing about those suckers is they trip off pretty darned easy. It can give you some arm exercise using an axe or quick using a small saw. I've always thought it amazing how they make the suckers; mother nature trying to save the life.
I knocked a bunch off at the course with the Fiskars X27, once on the trailer I was using a Fiskar X7 which is a cute little hatchet.
i wouldnt mind lowering my standards for that. Easy to process, seasons fast, good btu's! Nice score sir!
I'll add my reasoning (if anyone cares). Its not about seasoning time for me (i try to stay about 4 years ahead because i get 90% oak), it's because the Cat stoves go through a longer (slow) "coaling" stage and the oak "coals" more than the ash. This is only an inconvenience during the cold snaps when I'm wanting more output from the stove and I'm waiting for the coals to burn down. (I'll also add there is a mod that helps this situation. No need for that discussion in this thread)
I have a non cat stove - and I still prefer ash. In my experience, ash is far easier to light and keep burning at a consistent temp.
Nice scrounge! You’ve got some nice equipment too! (For some reason I laughed when I typed that. I need to grow up)
Red oak and cherry are my favorite because ash doesn’t grow near my house. But my parents upstate have a crap ton of it and trust me it is PHENOMENAL
Not real familiar with Red oak but the White oak I've had took way to long to season. Just don't have the space to let it season for three years. IMO Bandit you did great. Ash for me for sure. Just read the other day it is in the olive family according to ONR forestry. I suppose you can file that under bits and pieces of useless information
