Was just thinking, if you had a choice between Black Locust, White Oak, Red Oak or Smooth Bark Hickory for fire wood, which would you choose?
I'd close my eyes and throw a dart. I'd be happy wherever it lands, If I had to choose - Locust White oak Red oak Hickory
I have access to all of those but when I can get White oak or yellow locust It'll make me smile from ear to ear!
It reallly does a good job at coaling! I'll throw a few sticks in at bedtime and have plenty to get the fire going again
Locust, only because it's not easy to come by . I have more hickory and red oak trees on the ground than I'll ever cut. a big windstorm took out many giant trees last summer. around here you can't even give wood away, forget about selling it.
Wished I was in the area, I'd like to help do a little cleanup. I try to stay ahead 2-3 years and can always use a little wood! And Locust was hit with some sort of blite 20 years ago but was walking on Dads place recently and it looks like it's making a comeback
This would be my choice, too. I would probably put hickory up above red oak if it wasn't such a pain to split.
I like Whoak probably bestest of what I have available. It's the 'just right' wood for me. Been pretty happy splitting a bunch of Chest Oak last few years due to it being mostly amicable. I should specify that I do consider Northern White to be different than other 'white' oaks and the one true White oak. It can be pesky to get going but that is easily enough mitigated.
I love shagbark hickory. Smoothbark I've never burned. It's go with white oak of those choices. It smells great as well.
Black locust and hickory are harder to get going in a cold stove, so I'd go with the oak. Also hickory leaves me with a ton of ash for some reason, regardless of the variety. IME white oak bests red in longevity of burn (not by a huge margin though) so quercus alba gets my vote. That being said, if it's spring time and the following winter's burning supply is borderline low, I'm 100% seeking out dead black locust with no bark. That stuff dries over one summer for me and has bailed me out (and in turn one of my regular customers) more than once.
Dominant specie in my locality. I burn plenty. I do prefer it's cousin but have no issues with the reds.
I like locust, don't get it often. I love hickory, just have to watch the fireworks when you stir it around in the stove. We have more red oak, but love white oak betterer.
Whichever is closest to the road. I have very happily burned lots of hackberry and slippery elm the last few years. Firebox size, draft capacity, heat flux capacity (move heat out of the heating device), split size, moisture level, wood density, drying storage capacity... all are factors in heating outcomes. Some of these are fixed and some are adjustments to create a desired heating experience. I have red oak stored inside for six years which ignites like gasoline and hackberry which coals like crazy (one year in the stacks). Whichever is closest to the road...
