Owb and cedar or pine compared to oak?

[1woodguy]

     just curious if anyone feeds a Owb with cedar or pine slabs
This is my first try at using one and with fireplace or typical wood stoves I always used oak ,hickory,elm,ash
and would start a fire at times with cedar or pine.  Never really burned it

After firing up Owb today   Wife saw how well a  seems to be working
And since I don't have a sawmill.....
    I was explaining how all the slab wood from the cedars ...
Would just need cut into 3 1/2 -4 ft pieces and chucked into the Owb
  And how I wouldn't have to split any wood etc
     And if it continues to work  all the savings not refilling the two propane tanks

Anyway was wondering if any of you kept yours going with cedar pine
And if you had to feed it a lot more

[beenthere]

Pound for pound, all the wood species are pretty close to the same BTU's, if compared at equal moisture content percentage.
You may haul more pine or cedar wood, but it won't be as heavy.

[thecfarm]

I have the older style OWB,no gasser. I burn dead cedar,fir,pine. And I mean dead standing.That stuff is dry and light. And any cedar,pine,hemlock slabs too.My OWB will smother the fire right out. I Have burned good dry hard wood and I don't notice that much of a diffeance. The only diffeance is,there are no coals to keep the heat going longer. I suppose I do burn more wood,because of no coals,but I have ALOT of dead wood. One of the reasons I brought the OWB. I needed a way to burn that wood. I have no idea how much a OWB would cost that would take a 3½-4 foot piece now. That just might scare ya.     Mine will take a 54 inch stick,but I brought mine just before the price of steel went crazy. I have no idea how a gasser,a newer OWB,would like a steady diet of cedar and pine. I burned ALOT of dead wood last year.

[Cedar Savage]

Tell the wife all your firewood will be free, once you get that sawmill..... :D

[1woodguy]

  thanks for the replys
   We have had a lot of oak die here past few years
And I have a bunch cut stacked up
And a pile of smaller stuff
before it snowed put five or six pickup loads under a roofed area
Cause I was Planning on hooking up Owb

I thought I would probably need to put in a larger chunk or two of oak  if I was burning cedar slabs and leaving
  But if I stayed near house could burn just slabs
 
And I did tell her about the free firewood... :D from sawmill

She thinks Propane is easier....

  Some things we don't see eye to eye on
For example....
  she made a statement about how ignorant one of the dogs was and that you could sure tell whose dog it was
So I said"just what are ya trying to say"

Afew nights ago it was 17 or 18 degrees ,a buddy mentioned fishing so I thought great idea
  To wife the idea me going night fishing at the dam and crawling down ice and snow covered rocks was retarded
But (The blue cats were biting) :D and it wasn't crowded
  'twas abit chilly  because the nice warm coveralls and two pair of gloves I keep in the back seat of pickup were in the closet at home.
and we both forgot the heat packs for pockets to unthaw hands
I had a coat on at least(buddy had coveralls)
and we both had throw nets so we had plenty of shad for bait

  And  if you set on a bucket put a gas lantern between your feet and keep hands over it it's not that cold
 
   

[Ianab]

Burn the pine and cedar when it's not so cold and you are around to feed the fire. If it's basically free BTUs what do you have to loose. If it's dry it will burn just fine, and softwood mill slabs dry fast if they are stacked up where the air can get at them. Save the good hardwood for the nights and really cold weather. 

Yes propane is easier.... But you have to pay money for it....

Your fishing story reminds me of my of my younger days. Having to defrost a car windscreen to go surfing  :D

Ian

[1woodguy]

 Defrosting to surf!!! :D

  I catch most of my fish in winter and spring
I had to clean out a sewer at a rental earlier that day,water hose and power snake job and
got coveralls I had on wet and used the spare ones

[Ivan49]

  thanks for the replys
   We have had a lot of oak die here past few years
And I have a bunch cut stacked up
And a pile of smaller stuff
before it snowed put five or six pickup loads under a roofed area
Cause I was Planning on hooking up Owb

I thought I would probably need to put in a larger chunk or two of oak  if I was burning cedar slabs and leaving
  But if I stayed near house could burn just slabs
 
And I did tell her about the free firewood... :D from sawmill

She thinks Propane is easier....

  Some things we don't see eye to eye on
For example....
  she made a statement about how ignorant one of the dogs was and that you could sure tell whose dog it was
So I said"just what are ya trying to say"

Afew nights ago it was 17 or 18 degrees ,a buddy mentioned fishing so I thought great idea
  To wife the idea me going night fishing at the dam and crawling down ice and snow covered rocks was retarded
But (The blue cats were biting) :D and it wasn't crowded
  'twas abit chilly  because the nice warm coveralls and two pair of gloves I keep in the back seat of pickup were in the closet at home.
and we both forgot the heat packs for pockets to unthaw hands
I had a coat on at least(buddy had coveralls)
and we both had throw nets so we had plenty of shad for bait

  And  if you set on a bucket put a gas lantern between your feet and keep hands over it it's not that cold
 
Just tell your wife that with a saw mill when you cut wood for some one else that they are paying to heat your house. I had a sawmill for many years and develoed several good friends with it. One of them came to pick up his wood one day and asked me what I did with all my slab wood. I told him I burned it in my OWB. We were drinking coffee at the time and I told him I had a good deal going. He asked what that was and I told him that all the wood he brings me I saw it and he payes me and I use the slb wood for heat so he is paying for my heat. He almost spit his coffee out. I use to have a lot of standing pine and I would burn that all winter. My stove would hold a fire just as good with pine as it would maple. The slab wood worked good also but some of it burn up fast. Cherry was the best wood and pine slabs were like throwing gas in the fire 

[Farmerjw]

No wonder your hands were cold if you were, "unthawing" them.  (thawing means to warm up so unthaw means to freeze)