Forestry Timber

nophd08

Not sure if this is correct forum so move if necessary.
Tree felling has just started in a forestry beside me so basically I'm hoping to buy a few loads. How much should I expect to pay, ie per log, load etc.
I'll probably try to transport it myself as its less than a half mile away and I dont fancy an artic truck around my house.
The timber is pine (I think). Is this good for burning? After its been seasoned of course. Feedback welcome.

Doctor_L

From memory I think the approx charge is 55 a ton for ash and 350 euro for delivery.

Hope this helps

fits

hardwoods are better for burning.

nophd08

fits wrote: »

hardwoods are better for burning.

I would have to buy hardwood by the small trailer load.
Works out a bit expensive.

Doctor_L

Ash and beech take longer to burn and as they are not as knotty as pine spark less. Timber needs to be dried out for a year or more (longer if its oak). If the timber is too fresh i.e. you can see the sap and the split timber is sticky and wet to touch then you run the risk of

• It does not easily ignite.
• It gives off little heat.
• It chokes up the chimney with tar.
• It increases the acid content of flue gases.
• It increases the ash.
• It smokes a great deal.

We used to use pine to light the fire and beech and ash to keep it going. If you are going to burn nothing but pine I would recommend a stove and reduce the airflow so as to get a longer burn.

fits

Is it better to take a chainsaw to a fallen tree straight after its fallen? I have an ash tree on the ground for a couple of months now.

muffler

fits wrote: »

Is it better to take a chainsaw to a fallen tree straight after its fallen? I have an ash tree on the ground for a couple of months now.

The sooner you cut it into rings the quicker it will dry.

imitation

I have done a bit of research on this myself as Im putting in a stove, pine seems to rate pretty low on comparison charts for the amount of heat it outputs. I would try and figure out if there is enough saving in buying the pine, cutting it and seasoning it over say buying it from somebody in the classifieds.

Antiquo

nophd08 wrote: »

The timber is pine (I think). Is this good for burning? After its been seasoned of course.

Are you burning in an open fire or stove? Either way it will burn but spits like a good thing so in an open fire you have to leave the guard up all the time which kinda defeats the purpose.
In the stove it gives good heat but because its a soft wood you go through it quicker then say Ash. Therefore bigger log pile required compared to a hardwood.
People go on about hardwoods having higher calorific value than softwood well actually pine is higher calorific value per kilo than oak but as it weighs half as much you have to feed the fire twice as much if you get my jist.

Anyway here's a list of woods and their burning properties. I wouldn't get too hung up on how many Btu's one wood gives out or calorific value, etc. Simple rule hard wood gives you more time to sit and relax. Soft wood keeps you fitter
By the way you know all those steam trains you see being chased by injuns in the old westerns? They all used pine to run them as it gave the best heat .

fits wrote: »

Is it better to take a chainsaw to a fallen tree straight after its fallen? I have an ash tree on the ground for a couple of months now.

Absolutely if you've a stove cut the rings to suit, i.e. to fit the width of your firebox. Get the rings home split them and stack under cover. Wood if being used in a stove has to be very well seasoned at least 12 months split. Also again stoves if you can allow a storage area in the house for a couple of days supply it makes a big difference.
Buring wet wood is a waste of time as most of the heat goes into drying the wood it also leaves creosote residue in open flues and stoves which can lead to chimney fires.

nophd08

Thanks for that Antiquo, Lots of good info there.
The wood will be burned in a stove but I think I'll have to work out if its worth my while, it would have to be very cheap, otherwise I'd be better off buying hardwood from the classifieds.

Antiquo

nophd08 wrote: »

Thanks for that Antiquo, Lots of good info there.
The wood will be burned in a stove but I think I'll have to work out if its worth my while, it would have to be very cheap, otherwise I'd be better off buying hardwood from the classifieds.

No prob

Something I came across at the start of winter a guy was offering me kiln dried hard wood and at the time I told him I could buy the same volume of air dried for about €40 less.

He stated "it was worth the extra money because it was drier and would burn better"

I told him "after it had been stacked in my lean to for a couple o weeks it wold have the same moisture content as the stuff I could get for €40 less"

He shut up and walked away.

Don't pay extra for kiln dried..

reilig

nophd08 wrote: »

Not sure if this is correct forum so move if necessary.
Tree felling has just started in a forestry beside me so basically I'm hoping to buy a few loads. How much should I expect to pay, ie per log, load etc.
I'll probably try to transport it myself as its less than a half mile away and I dont fancy an artic truck around my house.
The timber is pine (I think). Is this good for burning? After its been seasoned of course. Feedback welcome.

Your original question about price. Is the forest just being thinned or being fully cleared - this will determine the price of the wood. Also do you know the forest owner or is it Coillte?

nophd08

reilig wrote: »

Your original question about price. Is the forest just being thinned or being fully cleared - this will determine the price of the wood. Also do you know the forest owner or is it Coillte?

Not sure yet what is being done. A small clearing was made in from road and two felling type machines are parked for the past week. Nothing much done yet.
It might only be thinning work thats lined up because I dont think any cutting has been done there before.
I'm not sure who owns it yet but I'm on the case.