So, I have always relegated the gums to the hate-them category but I found a man who says he cuts some for lumber, so, I might try that. Reason being I have a bazillion of them on my woodlot and I need to thin a ton of them. I don't want a logger unless I can find one who will do it and be kind to my land, which is an unlikely find. Other than lumber, which remains to be seen if I can do it without it warping, there's firewood. Which I have not done because I think sweet gum smells bad. Not sure about black gum. I know black gum is a beast to split. What about sweet gum, is it just terrible to split like black gum? I don't recall splitting sweet gum, maybe I have. I've read it's a beast, too. Anyway, I got to thinking... maybe I could find some firewood buyers who don't care. If you have a stove or an insert (closed door, not an open fireplace), does smell matter? I would sell it as firewood for a discount. Or sell it in with mixed hardwood and give a discount. Whatever... I just don't want to thin and have it go to waste. Exploring options. I was surprised that a friend bought a load of firewood from me the other day and mentioned he would like to have some 'green sweetgum,' said his wood heater or insert (not sure what he had) would burn it once he got a fire going and it would burn slow.
Everyone will start chiming in anytime about sweet fum being bad firewood on more than one level. I don't have any experience with black gum for firewood...we have them but never bothered with one. I watched a vid the other day of a guy sawing sweetgum...it pained me to say it looked decent as a board (cause I have always professed an undying hate for sweetgum). I'm not sure how it will stand up to drying.....if its more prone to cracking/warping etc than any other wood. I can't imagine putting green sweetgum in an insert/ stove/fireplace etc is a good idea (I'm sure you will hear more on that isue as well). However, I think if I were you, I would try to find a "non-preaching" way to point out the concerns with burning green wood. I assume he's a big boy..if he then is willing to take, especially buy, green sweetgum, I'd sell him every piece I could take him.
Here ya go! The wood is rated intermediate as an acceptable wood for bending when steamed. The sapwood of sweetgum has a high initial moisture content; the heartwood is considerably lower. The wood can be dried with relatively severe kiln schedules. However, with its interlocked grain, it tends to warp severely. PDF Hardwood Lumber and Veneer Series: Sweetgum - Purdue Extension
It's not very cold here and maybe he just wanted something to last all night, I dunno. He's a pretty industrious fellow, I have no reason not to believe him. As for sweet gum warping when drying as is claimed, this guy who told me he actually does it and likes it says he's got it figured out, lol. I do know sweet gum can make some really attractive lumber but I don't even care, I just would like to find a way to use it. I've got hundreds, in fact, probably thousands of small ones and dozens of huge ones on 50 acres. They grow like weeds here. Big ones are over 30 inch DBH. And tall. Black gum, same thing.
They grow like weeds everywhere they're found. If that guy has got it figured out, then thats awesome and send him up here haha! As for firewood, you could say "it's better than a snowball"....
Are there any pallet manufacturers around. I know here in Nebraska some big cottonwoods are used for pallet making. And I know it’ll warp like crazy when made into lumber
I've burnt and chopped plenty of sweetgum. Most difficult thing I have ever chopped, stringy and twisted. I have gotten a substantial amount on three different occasions, all loads were a bear to chop. Even pieces without knots were a problem. Takes longer to dry and even dry it doesn't burn that great. I wouldn't take sweet gum if they delivered it straight to my door.
JH, what do you mean by 'chopped?' You process with an axe or what does that mean? That brings to mind another idea... I have tons of gum that are six inches or less DBH. Wouldn't even need to split, just buck. Ok, now I need to find some seasoned gum to burn to test how it burns! Hmmm.... just remembered... I cut some saplings to use as runners under some stacks and those stacks are now empty, so, there's my logs to buck and burn!
I smell what you're stepping in and agree! Had one run in w/ it and that's all it took. And I was told it burns like paper. Fell it and let it lay.
A Like others have said if you are thinking of making some for firewood... don't. It is a terrible wood, even with Hydraulics. I wonder what it would look like as lumber/boards though.
