Wood suppliers
- Thread starter S. Dover
- Start date
Adam,
Glad you have decided to not use the table saw.
Once you get the logs cut into slices, you will need to split the slices into chunks. Someone here mentiones using an axe but I have found that a safe way for me is to use a hatchet. I place the wood on the garage floor, put the hatchet against the wood, and then hit the hatchet with a rubber mallet. This gives me more control and I do not have to swing a big axe.
Good luck to you,
Ray
Glad you have decided to not use the table saw.
Once you get the logs cut into slices, you will need to split the slices into chunks. Someone here mentiones using an axe but I have found that a safe way for me is to use a hatchet. I place the wood on the garage floor, put the hatchet against the wood, and then hit the hatchet with a rubber mallet. This gives me more control and I do not have to swing a big axe.
Good luck to you,
Ray
Make a simple saw horse by nailing a pair of 2x6s into a V. Length of the 2x's depends on what scrap is available and the length of the logs that you will be cutting. 18" to 2' should be fine, especially if you are reducing cut firewood to smoking size chunks. Prop it up with legs made from 2x4s nailed to them (so you have now have 2 X's on your V.) Then nail another pair of 2x4 between each of the legs to keep them from pulling apart (now your X's are underlined.) Add bracing between the X's if you raise it up very high.
Hope that makes sense. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Simple, but fuctional. I like it!
Perhaps a large "C" clamp to hold the log for the last couple of cuts?
JimT
Virgil Berry
TVWBB Fan
I agree, Ray, about the hatchet. I actually meant that, but "misspoke". Using a hatchet as a wedge, hitting with another mallet is quite safe.
Virgil
Virgil
Jeff T Miller
TVWBB All-Star
There is a thread here about BBQ Delight wood pellets. link I got my 3 samples in about 3 days. I placed an order shortly there after and recieved like a dozen assorted freebies with my order. I highly reccomend the jack daniels pellets. Our local wallyworld carries the Jack Daniels pellets.
I cut my logs on my 12" miterbox all the time. I just cut up some apple, Pear, and Cherry the other day. The cherry was rather large. I had one cut that wasn't able to go all the way through the log but broke easily. I saw someone mention pinching the blade. I have to agree but that isn't anything compared to kick back. I would say if you have used wood working tools on a regular basis you won't have any problems.
I cut my logs on my 12" miterbox all the time. I just cut up some apple, Pear, and Cherry the other day. The cherry was rather large. I had one cut that wasn't able to go all the way through the log but broke easily. I saw someone mention pinching the blade. I have to agree but that isn't anything compared to kick back. I would say if you have used wood working tools on a regular basis you won't have any problems.
Thanks for all the great ideas. I have heard alot about letting the wood "cure" or dry out before using it (do not burn green wood). Two questions:
1) how long do I let the wood dry out before using it?
2) is it better to let it dry out before cutting into chunks or just go ahead and cut into chunks and let it dry after that.
1) how long do I let the wood dry out before using it?
2) is it better to let it dry out before cutting into chunks or just go ahead and cut into chunks and let it dry after that.
Jeff T Miller
TVWBB All-Star
It depends on how you leave it. If you leave it as a log it could take 6 months or more. If you saw it short and split it to give more surface area exposed it will dry faster. If you do all that and set them on a table outside so the sun and wind can get at it, it will be quicker yet.
I am not sure what to make of the green wood. Last year I smoked some ribs and I really wanted to try out maple. I had cut it off the tree about a week before and sawed and split it the same day. It sat split for around 2 weeks which I know it wasn't dry yet. The ribs were incredible. It tasted like I poured a little real maple syrup on the ribs. I have used maple many times since from the same tree and I haven't gotten that strong of a taste since. I can see where green hickory could be bitter but I know someone who's father used to send him out into the woods to pull small hickory limbs for the smoker years ago. Or so he says. He is a fisherman also. You know how they are.
I have also used cherry green and the ribs tasted like I poured marchino cherry juice across the ribs. I haven't had this happen in quite a while either.
I have grape on smokin some ribs at the moment. I can't wait to see what they taste like.
I am not sure what to make of the green wood. Last year I smoked some ribs and I really wanted to try out maple. I had cut it off the tree about a week before and sawed and split it the same day. It sat split for around 2 weeks which I know it wasn't dry yet. The ribs were incredible. It tasted like I poured a little real maple syrup on the ribs. I have used maple many times since from the same tree and I haven't gotten that strong of a taste since. I can see where green hickory could be bitter but I know someone who's father used to send him out into the woods to pull small hickory limbs for the smoker years ago. Or so he says. He is a fisherman also. You know how they are.
I have grape on smokin some ribs at the moment. I can't wait to see what they taste like.
adam clyde
TVWBB Pro
Jeff - what you bring up is really intriguing. If I understand correctly, you are saying that using green wood has maintained more of the flavor of the "fruit" that the tree produced than doing so dry. (so, green maple had a stronger maple flavor than dry... same for cherry, etc.).
You didn't notice the creosote that folks always caution against? if all that is true, I wonder if there is a way to use green wood and filter some of the bad creosote out... Maybe somehow you did that inadvertently?
You didn't notice the creosote that folks always caution against? if all that is true, I wonder if there is a way to use green wood and filter some of the bad creosote out... Maybe somehow you did that inadvertently?
I've had good luck buying from these guys:
http://www.barbecuewood.com/StoreFront.bok
http://www.barbecuewood.com/StoreFront.bok
Jeff T Miller
TVWBB All-Star
Adam I am sitting here trying to figure out how long I had the wood sitting out. It has been a year since this happened. I got the wood from the jobsite and took it home and cut it into roughly 4 inch lengths then used a hachet to split in to 3 or 4 pieces. I then left them on a table for a week or 2.
And yes I haven't been able to duplicate the flavor since last year. I still have a few pieces of that same tree. I use it fairly often and haven't had the taste of maple as strong as those ribs last year. That is the only thing I can attribut to the difference.
The cherry incident has been several years ago on my old ECB. I used chips at the time. I hadn't found this site yet.
Anyhow the guy that runs the whole tree chipper was on the same job as me. I saw a couple of good size cherry trees in the chip pile and asked him to move the chipper when he chiped them up to make a seperate pile. He did and he gave me a nylon bag that had grass seed in it at one time. I filled it full of chips and took it home. A couple of weeks later I took a ziploc sandwich bag and filled it with chips and water to soak them and threw them on the fire when the ribs went on. I am telling you it tasted like I basted the ribs with the juice of marchino cherrys from the store. It was awesome. I haven't been able to duplicate that since. That is what makes me think it has to do with being green.
All I can say the cherry chips left an amazing unique taste that I really liked. The maple on the other hand was nothing short of awesome. I have read all this about adding honey to BBQ sauce to make it sweeter. I haven't tried that yet. Those ribs with the maple smoke were so good that I have been thinking about getting some real maple syrup and using that instead of the honey in the recipes just trying to get some more of that flavor.
I remember reading in the forums about green wood making a bitter taste but I don't remember anything about creosote. I guess I need to do a search and get on the same page.
Edit/ I have done some searching and I can most definately say there has never been any creasote on any of my ribs. They were as sweet as if I put sugar on them. Both the cherry and maple. The only rub I have ever used before I found this site was old bay seasoning. So I know nothing sweet came from that rub.
And yes I haven't been able to duplicate the flavor since last year. I still have a few pieces of that same tree. I use it fairly often and haven't had the taste of maple as strong as those ribs last year. That is the only thing I can attribut to the difference.
The cherry incident has been several years ago on my old ECB. I used chips at the time. I hadn't found this site yet.
All I can say the cherry chips left an amazing unique taste that I really liked. The maple on the other hand was nothing short of awesome. I have read all this about adding honey to BBQ sauce to make it sweeter. I haven't tried that yet. Those ribs with the maple smoke were so good that I have been thinking about getting some real maple syrup and using that instead of the honey in the recipes just trying to get some more of that flavor.
I remember reading in the forums about green wood making a bitter taste but I don't remember anything about creosote. I guess I need to do a search and get on the same page.
Edit/ I have done some searching and I can most definately say there has never been any creasote on any of my ribs. They were as sweet as if I put sugar on them. Both the cherry and maple. The only rub I have ever used before I found this site was old bay seasoning. So I know nothing sweet came from that rub.
John Mason
TVWBB All-Star
I've been splitting some cherry wood that's been sitting out for a few years. Unfortunately a lot of it is rotten. But some of the pieces I have noticed a strong "maraschino cherry" smell. It disipates within an hour. Most of the wood doesn't smell like that at all.
I wonder if it's resins/aromatics concentrated in particular parts of the tree, rather than from the fact that the wood is specifically green or not. Or possibly the aromatics are throughout the wood and with the age of this cherry, I'm only finding the remnants. Anyway, it's an interesting phenomenon.
I wonder if it's resins/aromatics concentrated in particular parts of the tree, rather than from the fact that the wood is specifically green or not. Or possibly the aromatics are throughout the wood and with the age of this cherry, I'm only finding the remnants. Anyway, it's an interesting phenomenon.
Jeff T Miller
TVWBB All-Star
John I suppose that is a possibility.
The only thing is the piece of maple I have/had was a log about 4 inches in diameter and 8 foot long and there wasn't a knot in it. That is what I still have today. Although not as much left now. Since it was from the same log the only thing I could attribute the difference to was being green.
The only thing is the piece of maple I have/had was a log about 4 inches in diameter and 8 foot long and there wasn't a knot in it. That is what I still have today. Although not as much left now. Since it was from the same log the only thing I could attribute the difference to was being green.