My first Beech score! A local posted a Craigslist ad, logs down from logger $25 a truckload. So I thought I'd check it out. Tons of beech wood laying and standing dead. My first time having to pay for wood, but I'm sick of oak, and at $25 it's not so bad. From what I read beech is a pretty good firewood. Ok now to pictures....
Beech is good stuff. Doesn't look diseased at all so it ought to split pretty easy. If it gets the bark disease the grain gets messed up and it can be very difficult. Is that some black birch next to it?
Bryan keep it off the ground and the top covered beech will rot fast otherwise. As long as you do that it will last for years and years before you burn it.
beech usually makes good firewood although I haven't had much luck with dead standing - always find it decaying and soft already sometimes a branch will rot and the decay gets right in to the heartwood gotta get it cut and split quick and kept dry - like with golden birch - at least here anyway
Great wood , just need to be split & kept dry. High BTU wood, nice score. Looks like good solid wood. Those big ones are usually hollow, squirrel or honey bee trees .
I am just curious why are you sick of oak? The reason is I don't like it for the time it takes to dry and it isn't often / ever that I hear others say that! Kinda shocked me lol.
Paul, I'm not sure if it is black birch. I suspected it was birch when I cut it because of the strong smell, but not 100% sure. Bogydave, funny you mention them being hollow. The one blow over was hollow about 5 feet up. Pallet, I really don't have anything against oak. However I have something like 6 cord of it, that won't be ready until 2016. I've only got about 3 cord of wood thats ready for next winter. I need some faster drying stuff!!
Nice Beech score. Proponent of Oak here, and once you get on the Oak 3 year schedule.....it's all gooder. Just keep replacing what you use with more Oak....what could be easier?
Beech is one of my favorites. I burnt a few winters on nothing but. At $25 for a load like that I may consider putting my saws away.
Took advantage of a day off of work to do some splitting and stacking. The day started off beautiful at about 50 degrees and then dropped to 30s with 20mph winds. Still got a chord or so done. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the single digits but I'm ganna try and get the rest done!
I'm now at the point were I have the rest of my life off ,but am limited for space to store more than 40 cords! So I make for maximum enjoyment every time I get to play ! Whats the tire for?
Oslo is right, it keeps the splits from falling off my chopping block. Saves a lot of time picking up splits to resplit!
Beech is one of my favorites! Along with Hickory, Cherry, Ash, Oak..... oops. Just watch for those Wolf spiders come the thaw. They love Beech more than I do.
