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cottonwood, firewood?

Started by opticsguy, July 23, 2013, 12:10:00 AM

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opticsguy

Taking down a bunch of cottonwoods that have overgrown the area, most are between 8" and 14" diameter at the base, not much there for sawing lumber and possibly a whole lot of firewood.

So, other than there is less heat and more ash in burning cottonwood in my wood stove, what other good or bad things, or should I just cut up and throw away? Am I wasting my time?

I am located North of Seattle, yes, THAT kind of cottonwood.

Thank you!!



TK 1220 band mill,  1952 Ford F-2, 1925 Dodge touring, too many telescopes.

beenthere

You will get heat from the cottonwood, so not sure if it is wasting your time, or just expending a bit more of your time.
What are your alternatives for firewood?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Ianab

Quoteless heat and more ash

Those are the main down sides. Apart form that it burns OK once it's dry.

Given the choice, you would choose a better wood to collect. But if you have to remove the trees, and cut them up and haul them away to dispose of them anyway, then 3/4 of the work is already done, for no gain at all. At that point all that's left is to stack the wood up for drying, and wait a year. So you may as well do that.

Light woods like that are also good to get a fire started quickly, and mixing in with more dense woods if the weather isn't that cold.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

doctorb

I second Ian and beenthere's philosophy.  You've already taken the trees down and cut them up.  So you will get less BTU's per cord for your effort, but your effort is mostly already expended.  I used to snub the lesser woods in favor of the better burning varieties, but if I am taking a tree down on my property now, and the only costs are really my time, then it's going into the stove a year later.  My "trash" wood for this year is ailanthus.  A few years ago, I would have discarded it.  Now it's stacked and drying and will keep me warm in the cooler, but not so much the colder, months ahead.
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

fuzzybear

I burn it all winter long. It will keep our house warm even at -55. There is more ash but I only clean maybe 4-5 times extra per season, ( our season is 6 months).  Split any that need splitting and store it till it's dry and it will burn well.  If it's wet it will just smoke and leave a lot more ash. Good and dry and it only takes one sheet of paper to light.
FB
I never met a tree I didn't like!!

giant splinter

Cottonwood dries out and gets very light while still keeping its strength and is useful for many small projects, its most valuable application may be in its ability to stand up well as equipment trailer decking.
It burns well for heating your home and shop and when split down to kindling wood starts quickly with a match so I always take some camping if I'm out of cedar.
Try building a saw horse with cottonwood, it will be lighter than fir, tamarack or pine and strong enough to last a while and do a good job for you. As far as using it for building projects I have found that it holds fasteners well and is easy to work with but is difficult to keep straight during drying and shrinks seemingly more than most construction grade lumber. If you surface a board of it you might find it has nice coloration and grain, I tried to make a small cabinet out of this stuff and had poor results (probably my own fault) I am not a cabinet maker. I recommend it for your wood stove or fireplace as it starts easy burns well and produces enough heat, mixed with some hardwood the cleanup is not a problem.
roll with it

Al_Smith

I don't recall burning cotton wood but I have burned tulip poplar and basswood .They all have btu's in them you just need to burn more of it.

Logging logginglogging

Is cotton wood, considered like junk wood in your area? just growing in wet spots and stuff like poplar is here?

Al_Smith

I've heard in some intances where they mill interior trim boards such as baseboard molding from cotton wood .It's sold under the broad catigory as poplar because had it been sold under cottonwood nobody would buy it .It seems a popular thing now of days to classify some woods sold on the retail level as "white wood "

FWIW eastern cottonwood is classified as hard wood probabley to the surprise of many .Now having said that no doubt many will disagree .Just Google it.

You know we can ramble on about some of our native trees being in our opinion the best out there .However if you wade through all that every tree on this planet has some praticular thing about it which might be the very best usage of it .You just need to find out what it is .Like cedar and redwood makes nearly rot proof siding but they don't make a very good axe handle . ;)

beenthere

QuoteFWIW eastern cottonwood is classified as hard wood probabley to the surprise of many

Sold as a hardwood, not a hard wood. ;)

It belongs to the hardwood group, not the softwood group for classification of the species (not the hardness of the wood).
There are softwoods that are "harder" than some hardwoods.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Al_Smith

Quote from: beenthere on July 29, 2013, 10:55:11 AM
QuoteFWIW eastern cottonwood is classified as hard wood probabley to the surprise of many

Sold as a hardwood, not a hard wood. ;)
There are softwoods that are "harder" than some hardwoods.
Southern  yellow pine being one .It's about like saying an anvil is soft .

Kansas

We use more cottonwood than anything for pallet lumber and blocking. We burn the heck out of the side pieces in the wood gasification unit. No problems. It can be miserable to cut because of the fuzziness. I know they make caskets out of it. Once in a great while we cut what we call yellow cottonwood. Cuts like glass, and it invariably gets used for kiln dried sales. Still can't figure out if it is a seperate species, or a male/female thing.

GAB

I was told that cottonwood lumber is very good for horse stalls as they will not chew it.  The individual telling me this told me he sawed a bunch of it for an Amish individual for his horse stalls.  Can anyone speak from experience on this issue?  Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

thecfarm

I used PT 4X4's for my horse run in. Hemlock for the sides. Those horses did not like the PT posts at all. I would paint the hemlock with used oil,every month and one of them would still chew on it.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Nemologger

I will burn cottonwood but would never sell it as firewood.
Clean and Sober

Randy88

I've burned many a semi load of cotton wood over the years, as has been stated, you already have most of the work done anyhow, the hardest portion of the work anyhow, might as well use it for firewood.    I'm not fond of cotton wood for any type of wood working project myself, but some really love it.   

nk14zp

Best bet is to get it cut,split and covered as soon as you can.
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mesquite buckeye

It burns and will keep you warm. Use it up quick once it is dry if it is out in the weather or you will have a pile of mulch for you garden instead. ;D 8) 8) 8)
Manage 80 acre tree farm in central Missouri and Mesquite timber and about a gozillion saguaros in Arizona.

trapper

I have had some that sat over winter before I cut and split it.  The bark fell off and then It dried much faster. With the bark on it takes MUCH longer to dry.
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Draco

Cottonwood, box elder . . . goes into the OWB in spring and fall.  Use the good stuff when it's really cold out.  Works perfect for me.  I hate to waste anything.

valley ranch

Well, this isn't a new thread but. We burn Cotton Wood in down here at the lower property because that's what is here. Lots of ash, dirtier. At the mountain spread we burn Fir it's cleaner, hotter and less ash.
But can't look a gift split in the mouth. I'm burning it as we speak.

Happy Thanksgiving

Richard

turnkey

Burn it as others have said.  _All_ species of wood has approximately the same BTU per pound.  A pound of Balsa will put out just as much BTUs as a pound of hedge.  Of course it takes a lot more balsa to make a pound :).  Iheated my house out here in "softwood country" with willow for over 30 years - then the locust borer moved in and started killing the black locusts.  Been cutting/stockpiling that for the past 10 years.  Currently have over 80 cords which should last me as long as I will be around.  Still cutting willow for shoulder season and mixing in.  I also sell the willow to a guy that  "love that beautiful wood" (his words).

Harry K

SwampDonkey

Not that it will make much difference as far as burning or milling for that matter, but the cottonwood we are talking about here is western black cottonwood. It is almost identical to balsam poplar (balm-of-gilead), which grows all over the north. But black cottonwood it is a much bigger tree. Tends to have a brownish heart. Sticky resinous buds with an odor. It was used to make pulp when I lived in Prince Rupert. The cottonwood along the Skeena R, below the town of Terrace, were massive trees.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

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thecfarm

valley ranch,interesting to hear you say burning fir for firewood.Maine has bunches of hardwood. Fir is not even considered here as a wood to heat with. You burn what you have around ya.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

M_S_S

That's right CF, here in northeastern Calif. and southeastern Ore. Juniper and Lodgepole Pine are the primary firewoods. Pondarosa Pine is also used. lol there isn't any hardwood to speak of in this area.
I cut firewood, take care of a bunch of cows in the summer and also build custom saddles.  I have my saddletrees made for me by a guy in Utah. He uses Cottonwood and covers them with rawhide. Cottonwood is used for several reasons 1# it is light 2# it is strong, will flex without breaking. Ed
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