The best wood to burn...

[mfiore]

Originally Posted by asudavew

Sweet!

Amazing how wood becomes a part of your day-to-day life when you have a WFO.....

This is true! My wife thinks I'm sick. When we have a bad storm, I drive around looking for downed trees!

[Breven]

Dave- funny you mention that about Mesquite. The firewood guy told me it only grows in Texas and has to be trucked in. Which is why its so expensive. No mesquite in CA.

[egalecki]

I've been using a mix of black walnut and locust. They grow here in Virginia sort of like mesquite in Texas... The locust burns a lot hotter than the walnut.

Pecan makes great smoking wood- I get some from my parent's house in NC when they have enough wind to knock branches out.

I also have a large supply of pecan shells from said trees... Can I use them in the oven?

[Modthyrth]

Originally Posted by Breven

Dave- funny you mention that about Mesquite. The firewood guy told me it only grows in Texas and has to be trucked in. Which is why its so expensive. No mesquite in CA.

Your firewood guy is fibbing. From wikipedia:

Mesquite (from Nahuatl mizquitl) is a leguminous plant of the Prosopis genus found in Northern Mexico and the United States from the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas up to southwestern Kansas and from southeastern California and southwestern Utah to the southern limits of the Sonoran desert. Mesquite trees are also found in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico.

Not a huge range, but way more than just Texas! It's certainly all over Arizona.

[thebadger]

My goal is not to buy any wood...

I'm hoping to find what I need on Cragslist - most people don't know what to do with trees once they cut them down.

Hint - check CL after a big storm

Dick

[Breven]

Alright...I'm getting the hint. Finally a reason not to live in California. No free firewood anywhere! (unless you like bark beatle infested pine). I never thought there would be a good reason to want to live in those states with all that nasty weather, but here's 1 for the "pro's" column.

Nikki- I guess that firewood guy should have said it gows abundantly in Texas, instead of only in Texas. But, I live in southeast CA (and have ridden my harley all over southeast CA) I don't recall seeing Mesquite trees. THen again, it would probably have to have a big sign on it saying "Mesquite Tree" before I'd know what it is!

[dmun]

I'll bet California has lots of construction junk. I burn anything but pressure treated. Yes, seasoned oak would be a fine thing to burn, but I tend to save good firewood for the pieces you throw on the fire once the oven burns white.

Call your local contractor. He has to pay to have off-cuts hauled away, and would be pleased to hear from you.

[CanuckJim]

Let's no forget woodworking shops that specialize in kitchens, cabinets, etc. Around here, a lot of red oak and maple are used by them, and there's always a bin of offcuts outside. They, too, have to pay to get them hauled away.

Jim

[Breven]

Good suggestions guys. I'll see what I can find!