In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Swamp maple

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by MikeInMa, Sep 22, 2020.

  1. Sinngetreu

    Sinngetreu

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    In the last few year I have used a two wheel hand truck and a lift strap tied to it to get a decent amount of wood down the stairs to the basement. It kinda works but it's easy to get it off balance with just one strap and can tip over the wood that I'm trying to haul. The one I was looking at is like yours and it looks like it would hold a bit more wood and be sturdy. I have a gorilla cart, but I haven't tried to take that down a flight of stairs yet. Seems like it might be a bad idea.
     
  2. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

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    I've pulled it up a couple of wooden steps, fully loaded. No problems. Going downstairs would be interesting. Concrete stairs?
     
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  3. Sinngetreu

    Sinngetreu

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    No, wooden ones. Their pretty good though. I've hauled a few freezers and stoves up and down those stairs.
    I'm getting a new stove this year though and I'm thinking I will need to build a ramp. Might just build it so that I can use it every time I want to haul a large amount of wood down it.
     
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  4. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

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    The wooden stairs would allow for it to slide, without damage. Concrete would scratch and gouge it up.
     
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  5. Sinngetreu

    Sinngetreu

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    Yeah, and their carpeted with a really ugly utility carpet, so I wasn't really ever worried about goobering it up. :D
     
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  6. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

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    I had room for more inventory (not yet firewood), so I moved more red maple this morning.

    IMG_20201120_083318853_HDR.jpg

    That was the first load. Mostly cut to length.

    Then, there were longer logs. Loaded them side ways, behind the front seats. I needed to get my yard wagon in.
    IMG_20201120_091543765.jpg

    Pics are too dark.
    IMG_20201120_091329364.jpg IMG_20201120_091529154.jpg

    The wood in my temporary holding area.
    IMG_20201120_092004356.jpg IMG_20201120_092013623.jpg

    Guessing about 2weeks worth of burning. Maybe longer.

    I split and left some there for use in a chimnea. The wood was still solid - all of it.
     
    Last edited: Nov 20, 2020
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  7. Midwinter

    Midwinter

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    That's great it was all solid, good job getting it in time! Perfect wood to burn this time of year.
     
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  8. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

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    I'll have get my moisture meter and give a fresh split a poke.
     
  9. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

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    Not for 3 year rotation. Ready to burn for next year? Is that the last of it Mike?
     
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  10. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

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    Yeah. That's all of it.

    I need to check a fresh split and go from there. Minimally, I expect to burn it next fall.

    In total. I'm guessing 2/3 cord.
     
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  11. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

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    Moisture reading in a fresh split read above 30%

    It'll need to rest for a year, or more. It is swamp maple, after all.
     
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  12. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

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    This wood is now being burned as shoulder wood. While I've burned during shoulder season, I've never really had "shoulder wood" before.

    This wood is really dry, catches fire easily, doesn't force you to open a window to cool down. And., it's not my top of the line wood. Which is oak.

    I'm going to try to keep some available for use every year.
     
  13. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

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    Cold enough for a SS fire Mike? Its readily available down here. Can have twisty grain at times.
     
  14. Eric Wanderweg

    Eric Wanderweg

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    I’m (almost) jealous you’re still burning. My wife’s allergies are kicking her butt lately so I can’t make them worse by lighting the stove. I didn’t burn any red maple this past season but I have about a face cord for 2021-2022. By then it’ll be a year and a half CSS’d. Looking forward to it :)

    E102674C-AA32-4BB5-81FA-AE444A174389.jpeg
     
  15. Canadian border VT

    Canadian border VT

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    Hey MikeInMa why do you call it swamp maple?? Just because in a swamp? Here that’s a red which is way better than a swamp usually silver maple or box elder
     
  16. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

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    In areas where the water table is high and the ground is "swampy" red/swamp maple seems to be the most prevalent tree. Been my observation over the years. I know its the most common tree in CT. The leaves are red in the fall and when budding out the buds are red and litter the ground when they fall off.
     
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  17. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

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    Eric put his maple down to "sleep" for seasoning. Ill let hime explain. Great repurpose!
    Love that roofed rack! :thumbs:
     
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  18. Eric Wanderweg

    Eric Wanderweg

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    As buZZsaw BRAD said, I did put my red maple down for a nice long summer's nap :cool: Being the opportunist I am, I try to see the value/potential in discarded items. In this case, the wood in this rack is all sitting on my mother's old bed frame rails she threw out last summer. At the time I grabbed them not knowing what exactly I'd do with them, only that I'd eventually have some project where they'd come in handy. Now I'm on the lookout for a dozen more sets. It's hard to beat free angle iron with perpendicular brackets at either end :thumbs:
     
  19. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

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    Just morning fires. Usually out by noon. Chasing away any chills.
    Well, in this case, it actually came from a swampy area. It's just a regional nae for red maple. I guess. Colorful in the fall.
     
  20. Canadian border VT

    Canadian border VT

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    Here red maples are REDs; Sugars are syrup both $$ for Tourism
    everything else is swamp
     
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