For those of you who have used it, cut it, split it, stacked it or just had to move it, you know its the densest wood around here. Spent the day yesterday helping a buddy take down a "limb" down. That limb was 22". First of many he thought ought to come down. Several chains and loads of brush later we called it a day. Went back today to help finish up and load up all the goods. Had the whole family along and made a morning of it. Its a fine load if i do say so myself. The ole hitch mount crane is a back saver for sure.
How many chains for that hoard? It is the holy grail. Luckily i can fit 5’ sections in my boiler reduces cutting but it is like cutting through cement. Nice score! Whooooooooood! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I think we went through 2 per saw, 3 saws. Two sharpenings on one of the saws. My buddy kept throwing chains, so I let him use mine, he threw it too. Let him use my other one, he threw that chain too. Hes hard on things.
No hedge around these parts and ive heard its some tough stuff, but phenominal firewood for the effort!
Yes, my buddy has multiple trees that were cut down 5+ years ago sitting in a mangled mess. I’ve taken a few loads the past couple of years but plenty left. It’s some dangerous stuff. If u fall the wrong way, u can get impaired by a random branch. Whoooooood! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I had a conversation with a fellow here about it. He sells wood but doesn’t sell hedge out of extreme caution. Load more than a few splits, and apparently you can have a fire that is hotter than H-E Double Toothpicks. Sounds a lot like the Locusts I deal with. So much crap in the bark it makes chains go bad so fast. Never ending road of sharpening those blades.
Yes and no... if you got a good sealing stove ... all should be fine... but it’ll be a warm stove.... the hardest part is getting a full stove of hedge rolling... just due to how hard it’s to get started... I usually use “lesser” wood to set the fire...
I agree, its hard to get going, ive been using a lot of kindling and newspaper. This was my first season burning and i was woefully unprepared for the actual amount of dried wood I would need. So a load of hedge is all I've had for a while. It amazes me how long it will hold coals.
I saw hedge only once when in Virginia. The person I stayed with had some cut in rounds. It looked awfully dense.
The “lesser” wood on coals works here for sure when I’m dealing with locust, oak, or madrona for super hardwoods here because they are pretty hard to get rolling. I load my insert somewhat often but it doesn’t bother me knowing I’m getting far more heat in the house from a fire than I ever had. A couple pine boards or a rough sawn 2x4 and it’s off from there.
Same thoughts here on both accounts. The color looks just like mulberry, and frankly I never even heard of hedge. Another thing learned on FHC.......
I hadnt either til i joined. Its osage orange which is the highest btu wood readily available in the US. Called hedge as it was planted as a wind break in the plains/midwest from what ive learned. Dunno how far North and East it grows.
Any in your area? Any in PA? The only thing i have to compare it to is dead black locust which im still amazed by.
I grew up cutting hedge. Cut the old out of old fence lines and use straight sections for fence posts. It's hard and rough on chains but my Stihl 180 can handle limbing still. You do have to touch up the chain every refuel. I don't think locust is near as bad as hedge. I have both right now. 50 years dried hedge and new locust. The hedge is still much worse for chain wear. Both came of the family farm. The hedge, my grandfather cut for posts before I was born. What I have is the twisty bent posts that were a last resort if better, straighter posts were not available.
