Sweet Gum Hell

I have a neighbor that had a larger sweet gum taken down and they knew about my habit. They asked if I wanted the wood. I said sure, knowing full well the reputation gum had but with the hydro and good saws i knew i could handle it.

Good God, awfull. Noodled a good bit of the trunk and what would split through the hydro was not splitting, it was tearing. I dont see it on our BTU chart and dont know how long (guessing 1.5yr) for drying, but i don't think ill be looking for sweet gum again. BTW Grizzly Adam Can we add Sweet gum to the BTU chart at 21.3 MBTU/cord.

 

I can once we know a drying time.

 

Is the Suzuki still doing well?

 

I used the Echo-busa on this gum..... We are at 5 tanks now and I am enamored.... So fast and plenty loud.

 

I'll keep it on my to do list then.

 

Sweet gum is miserable and should be left to rot or for those of us who have owb's and don't have to worry much about splitting. It dries pretty quickly but also rots really quickly if left out in the elements, especially in log length. I would say it dries a little faster than black cherry.
And if you really want a challenge, I encourage you to get your hands on some black gum. It doesn't grow as big as sweet gum but it splits (tears) worse.

 

Following this, nice to gain a little bit of knowledge about wood even if ya don’t see it locally. Now I can just imagine the fuzzballs your splitter did upon these rounds.

 

3/4 cord of splits with 20 gallons of shreds

 

I will never take a sweet gum tree ever again. It's everything that's been said. It burns meh and leaves lots of coals.

Terrible stuff

 

I'm done too. Doing the guy a favor and took me 4 times longer to make not so great firewood. Not to mention how its a real pain to stack.... pretty sure that one will tip before 2 years....

 

Probably best for a pitfire stack?

 

Yea, well..... I don't have time or space for segregation...

 

Nah I don’t recommend if you don’t. Just seems like a messy enough wood to keep And burn outside.

 

I ran into some gum mike bayerl 's place. I think it's best to let it replenish the soil! I'll never bother again.

 

Sorry about that one The Wood Wolverine . FWIW, I've had to drop a several more black gums out here. They are all still laying on the ground and rotting into the soil.

 

Haha, no sweat (well... maybe a little). And I thought Elm was the worst. I think Gum gives it a run for the title.

 

Lots of powder Ash, not much haet or coals.

 

I wish it had that many BTU's . Not much heat from it. It youbthiyo that split bad, try some sycamore.

 

I've dealt with Syc, This suckeer was worse. Sweet gum yard tree, branchy and teary.... Awfull

 

Wow