Osage for firewood .....

[TexasTimbers]

I have heard that it burns so hot you have to take extra precautions with what kind of stove you burn it in. I know it it throw sparks further than Black Locust. If you scroll down to Table 6 on page 5 of  This Report published by KSU, you'll see that you can heat your home for as little as $3.47 per thousand BTU with it! That's figuring it at $80 a cord but my cost would far less.

I have heard alot of "I know a guy who burns it ..." type stuff in my recent conversations since I have been bringing it up with locals, but have any of you burned it?
I never got to see a pile of it go up in Illinois but Kirk said they were all suprised at how quick the pile dissapeared. Does this mean it burns quicker than oak/ash?
The reason i ask obviously is that I am covered up in the friewood-sized stuff here. I will burn it in my shop next year and maybe even design a heating system to accomodate it in our home if I get to where I think it is vialble. Heck its free. I am about to start the stick frame portion of the add-on next week. I'd like figure on wood burning system of some sort with a furnace back-up. I don't know if I want a wood fired boiler (don't think I want that) or two strategically placed wood buring stoves.
Whatever I do I want to figure on using bois d arc unless it burns so fast that it's a pain to keep up with it.

[IL Bull]

Kevjay I burn osage in my earth stove with no problems.  It does sparkle when I open the door to throw in more wood.  Keep your carpets away.
It burns slow and hot.  Leaves very little ash and I mainly use it for an overnighter (is that a word?) because it burns for so long.
When are you picking up your osage from Illinois?  You should have plenty of slabs to burn when you get done sawing. 8)

[woodsteach]

We also burn it at my folks and it does spark, but the heat output is worth it. 

I have found it is nothing like ash, it lasts "overnight"  I think you will be very satisfied with it.

Paul

[thecfarm]

My father use to say,it's not the quality but the quantity of wood you have.We use to burn alot of dead wood.We had alot of good wood,but he said why cut the good stuff when the bad stuff will work.We was never cold,in fact too warm.It's hard to control dead wood.

[wesdor]

I don't have a wood burning stove or furnace but do sell firewood.  I have a good amount of Osage (hedge) this year and cut up about a cord today.  A friend of mine burned osage in his regular wood burning stove and it got too hot.  The top of the stove began to sag inward.  He also hadn't cleaned his chimney out in a long time and had a chimney fire (we think due to the extra sparks).

I recommend that you burn a mixture of wood so it doesn't get too hot.  Also, try to get the wood as dry as possible.  I'm not sure on this, but my understanding is that dry osage doesn't spark quite as bad.  Maybe somebody else can confirm that last piece of advice.

With what you have, I imagine you can be pretty warm next winter.

[TexasTimbers]

Excellent - just what i was hoping to hear. But explain this to me, how come people aren't onto this? Why don't more people burn it I wonder?

[Don_Papenburg]

They did , took out all the hedge rows piled them up and burned it .  even the nice 24-30" straight logs that would have made nice lumber.

[highpockets]

Kevjay, did you bring back any wood or not?

[wesdor]

Regarding your question of why people aren't burning it.
You know how difficult is to work with.  Then add to it, that you maybe shouldn't burn straight osage, and I think most people aren't willing to put in the extra labor.

I'm hoping that next fall there might be a few bargain conscious people who will want to buy my osage.

My intent is to not waste the trees.  I'm no wood vulture  :D, but that is a good idea.

[Roxie]

We've used it and it works great.  We also separate our wood into two groups...one for osage and oak......and one for all the others.  Only one piece of osage in the stove at a time, and we had no problems.  We only use the oak and osage when temperatures are below 30, otherwise, it gets very warm in the house. 

[wiam]

Roxie what so you so when it gets cold?

Will

[TexasTimbers]

Sorry 'pockest missed your question the first time. I havn'e got it back yet. I have a truck lined out as of about 10 minutes ago - tentatively. I have to get the loading on the other end ironed out. Getting it trucked is no problem. Will keep ya posted.
You must want the truck to swing a little wide to the left on its way down here huh?   ;)