Tree of Heaven (ailanthius) that is. Wood cut back in January. Roadside tree service work. I cut a nice load of ash next to this a couple weeks ago and this was too easy and decent to pass up. Normally not a species i would hoard, but only have had some a couple times in the past. Heavy when green but dries to feather light. Fast drying based on this almost 1/2" check. Center pith Filled 2/3 PU. Left chunkies and gnarlies. Couldnt roll trunk to finish cuts so left it too. More wood just down the street. Dead ash, tulip poplar and chestnut oak filled her up. Split over half the load. Easiest wood ive ever split. I couldve used a hatchet. Temporary stack until i can move to back...muddy now. Some nice chestnut oak still there. Less than ten minutes from home. Maybe ill go back next week.
Nice load.. You need to pick up a peavy, to roll those logs over. If you're going to cut it halfway, might as well finish the cut, eh?
I have one just didnt think i needed it. Three cuts i didnt finish. Flared trunk end and a rock stopped me from rolling it. If it was black locust id still be there trying to roll it. More than likely going back anyhow for the oak.
thats a pretty sweet load there brad ... outta curiosity how does the tree of heaven burn ? ive kinda e ondered that for awhile
Its been like that over two months. I need fast drying wood first. There was more CO but very little has been taken. With limited storage im shying away from taking oak and the only reason im taking this is its a wood ive never score before. The splits did smell like white oak.
One other concern was safety...my main criteria for roadside wood. The road is very narrow and windy. I didnt wanna park on the street which i did after. Luckily traffic is extremely light.
Im pretty envious of all the free wood laying around over there. Everyone here in SE Michigan has apparently decided to sell firewood as a side business. Free scores are getting tougher to come by.
It probably makes up only about 20%. The bulk of my firewood comes from facebook free ads and our property thats about 15 minutes from the current house. But a few years ago wood would sit on the side of the road for months without getting touched now its literally hours.
Smaller wood will get grabbed intact fairly quick around here, bigger not so much. Reminds me of when a fleet of Asplundh trucks came through the area five years ago. It was December and i couldnt get a load of wood to save my life. Most of the wood was being cut in front of houses and everyone was keeping it. Ive learned if you snooze you lose. Depends if i can grab it right away or not too. I seldom browse CL/FBM for wood although last Sundays score was from CL...FHC referral.
I have this tree at my house. I believe you can't just fell them, you need to poison the trees so the root system won't send new growth everywhere. Very invasive!! If I find a tree down, I'll process it. Burns fast and hot,leaves lots of ash. Dries fast though and I think it's good to mix in with some good hardwood to get fire going or for SS. At times it will give off a "burning trash" like smell out of the stack, but never had that smell inside. Tree of heaven is also preferred host tree for spotted lantern fly. Tree of heaven can be mistaken for staghorn sumac.
Try driving some copper nails into the trunk/stump in lieu of chemicals. Old timers trick i learned from an elderly lady many years ago.
you can buy them at big box stores. (copper roofing nails, which ive used with success. Used them to fix slate roofs, and copper flashing) Ive seen them sell online too. Hardware stores may have them loose and by the pound, but i dont even know if they sell them like that anymore.
Brad passes up oak for TOH? I think he has been breathing too much 2 stroke exhaust! Kidding Brad I get that you go for faster drying wood.
