Where do you buy your smoke wood?


 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Russell Y:
I have purchased from this place. So. Cal. Firewood

They are not WSM ready - "Logs are spilt into 3-4 inch diameters and are 16-18 inches long"

I use a cordless reciprocal saw and then an ax to get them to fist size. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I stopped by there once and was less than impressed. They're "Natural Oak and Hickory Lump" was Cowboy, we all know where that ranks. They also acted like I was bothering them with such a small purchase.
 
To be honest for Hickory I get it at my local wal-mart. For apple I have an apple orchard near me and I buy apple wood logs and cut them into chunks.
 
I was getting it from some home heating shop who had like everything, but no longer. now I get wine barrel chunks from a friend, and the rest from Walmart..wish I had more selections.
 
Brian, I think "little work" is an understatement
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by reardon:
dang, there sould be a place here in the central valley to get some cheap... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You would think. I've decided to be a little more proactive in finding some. I placed an ad in the "wanted" section of CL, I'm going to call several of the wineries (oak barrels) this week, I reached out to a business contact of mine who is the corporate area controller for a large farm operation in the area to see if he can help me out. We also have hundreds of orchards in the area that I will probably visit and see if I can find someone who sells their wood.

I'm not looking for "better source" than smokinlicous, it's just the fact that shipping makes up 71.9% of the total cost of the order, and I'd rather drive and pick it up locally and use the shipping to purchase more wood.
 
I found a great local source for smoke wood last week. I called up a guy who sells firewood and he told me to come over to his site. He cut up chunks of whatever he was running through his mill. While I was there he was cutting maple and cherry. I got 2 trach bags of each for $10 (total). I estimate that there was about 100 pounds. His technique for making chunks was pretty ingenious, he cut almost all the way through the log in about 2 inch increments for about 2 feet than cut the log clean. He then proceeded to hit the semi-cut log with a sledge and it broke into small pieces. he said I could get some oak and birch if I wanted to wait. I told him I was good for the time being and would let him know when I wanted more. Pretty good deal I thought. BTW how is Birch for smoking?
 
Lately I'm doing okay for apple, which is my personal fave -- a neighbor lost a major limb off a big old apple tree, so I have about a stump's worth. I also have my own apple trees, largely let to run wild, which I will by-god prune this spring (not sure how long that wood has to stay around though). I also have an ornamental cherry that I had to take down about a year ago -- can that be used for smoking?

For purchasing, I like bbqwood.com -- good service and good quality.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mary M:
I also have an ornamental cherry that I had to take down about a year ago -- can that be used for smoking?

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You can definitely use the cherry.

Often ornamental trees are two trees grafted together. i.e a 'weeping' top, put on a 'normal' trunk. So the wood from the branches might not even be the same sub-species as the trunk.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mark Adamczyk:
BTW how is Birch for smoking? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Bircch is good for beef, pork, or fish. It's a medium smoke wood.
 
Is there any science to heartwood being better for smoking which Smokinlicious folks promote?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Steve Cleveland:
I get mine at a local cabinet shop , drop box . He always has red oak , maple and sometimes cherry. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey Steve. Thanks for the tip, I visisted a local cabinet shop and could take all that I wanted. It saves them a trip to the dump with it.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Amir:
Is there any science to heartwood being better for smoking which Smokinlicious folks promote? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Amir, It's just a different way of saying it doesn't have bark.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">
It's "The Woodshed" owned by Mike Sharp
1015 N. Batavia
Orange, CA
92867
714-771-2626
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Very nice only about 5 miles from I house. I was panicking today because BBQ Galore doesn't have any good smoke woods left. I guess they are having some distribution troubles after they moved their warehouse.
 
I stopped by "The Woodshed" today, I needed some wood for this weekend.

They are very reasonable and have nice selection of cooking woods.

I purchased two large bags, one of Oak, and one Apple. The Oak was 24 pounds and the Apple was 22 pounds. Each bag was $24.00.
I know for you fellas that can walk into your back yard and chop down a tree this might seem expensive. But us city folk aint got much choice.
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Anyway the wood still needs to be chopped up for use in the WSM , but that alright because then I get the chunk sizes I want.

Here are some pics


Also they were very nice people.
 
i just got in touch with a local apple orchard who can provide me with hickory and apple bundles. he also said that he has wild apple trees growing that he could provide me with bundles of. has anyone tried wild apple wood? any true differences when compared to regular apple wood?
 
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