# Chipping Wood



## kevin13 (Jan 29, 2010)

Has anyone chipped wood to use in your smoker?  I have a 30" MES that typically does best with wood chips and I just stumbled across the chance to get some freshly cut cherry wood.  

What would you use?  Maybe a chisel or a bandsaw to cut into small pieces?  Any info. is appreciated.

Thanks.


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## travcoman45 (Jan 29, 2010)

I chunk mine out with an old miter saw, then ya could just keep splittin the pieces till ya get what ya wan't.

Fer my chips, I got a 8 horse chipper that I run the small stuff through.  Course I process a fair amount a wood each year so there's always sumtin ta do.


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## meat hunter (Jan 29, 2010)

Cherry is a good score for sure. But using a chisel would take forever. A bandsaw would be better if no other options are available. Cut it into small disks maybe. Know anyone that has a wood chipper? Make short work of that wood. Borrow it in exchange for some smoked meats 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Don't use a chainsaw, as you know the oil from the bar will get on it.


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## kevin13 (Jan 30, 2010)

I have a friend that might have a chipper, not sure...just have to ask.  Anything I need to watch out for?  Do you just pick the chips off the ground or bag them directly off the chute?  

Regardless of method used, do I need to remove the bark?  Does it impart any unwanted flavors?


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## ronp (Jan 30, 2010)

That should work either way, Piney sent me some pecan that was done on a band saw I believe and they worked fine.


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## hemi (Jan 30, 2010)

To be honest with U when I want chips for a cookin' I just cut 2-3 inch sections of wood with a saw and then I pull up a stump, sit down and 
just use a hatchet to split it into small slivers.  don't take long and if you see something U don't like, U throw it out..   Hemi..


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## smokingohiobutcher (Jan 30, 2010)

Quote
[Don't use a chainsaw, as you know the oil from the bar will get on it.] 


Bearcarver told me it would be ok to use a chainsaw as long as you clean out the bar oil tank and use any kind of food grade oil as your bar oil. such as veggie oil, canola oil, ect.
 I haven't tried it yet but he should know.

SOB


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## travcoman45 (Jan 30, 2010)

Just try ta make sure there ain't no leaves on it.

I built a wood box I blow mine inta.  Ya could rig up somthin usin a tarp so ya don't get no dirt an contain em some.  Wood chipper works great, anythin an inch er under I chip, over that I chunk er split when we get up over bout 2 1/2 inchs.

Buy yer self a cheap electric chainsaw, use vegi oil an all will be well.  Or ya can get a sawzall an do it that way to.


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## kevin13 (Jan 30, 2010)

Great, thanks for the info.  

Is there an issue with leaving the bark on?


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## smokinsteve (Oct 6, 2011)

I have a question about this.  Does it make a difference what OTHER wood may have been put through the chipper?  I know any conifer wood is a no-no.  The chipper I have access to has probably run just about every kind of wood there is through it.  Will that affect the chips come out?


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## michael ark (Oct 6, 2011)

I use compound miter saw.I don't worry about saw oil from a chain saw cause i season my wood outside and after a Autumn of rain a winter of rain and snow and a spring of more rain any oil left is gone.


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## alblancher (Oct 7, 2011)

Smokin Steve,

Are you in Hazmat like your Avatar indicates?  You probably know more about chemistry  then any of us on this board.  I would think that if your chipper was cutting pine for a couple of weeks straight it would have a pretty serious sap build up on the blades and chutes.  You may pickup a bit of that on anything you run through it, but I doubt there would be enough to make a difference in flavor.  Especially after the first couple of pieces.   I think the big problem with softwoods is that they burn too fast and the sap gives an off flavor to your food.  I would be surprised that there are any true medical reasons to not have a bit of pine in the smoke.


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## bbq phil (Oct 7, 2011)

Anybody use wood slats from old wine kegs?


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## captturbo (Oct 7, 2011)

I have been making most of my own chips for quite a while. have a particularly sweet machine for it. It's an early 90s Super Tomahawk from TroyBilt. 8HP with a chipper chute and 16 swinging flails for the shredder chamber.

I don't think you have to worry about other woods being previously chipped. The machines self clean when chipping anything. I do chip some ponderosa pine from time to time for property maintanence. I even run untold tons of horse bedding through the shredder chamber regularly and have no worries about fouling the wood chips.

Before I actually chip wood for my smoker (which is usually sea grape or button wood) I run a partial limb of sea grape through the machine. The wood flying around in the drum vilolently cleans everything out of there. Once that is done I position a 32 gallon trash can in front of the discharge chute to collect the product and feed in the limbs for the mission. I can make a year's supply of smoking chips in a couple short minutes. These chips are perfect for the MES 30 and I'm sure they would work in other smokers just fine as well. Unfortunately I don't think they would work in that AMAZN contraption since they are not all uniform in size as is sawdust.  bet I could screen out the larger particles and have a mix that might work though. Hmmm. Wish I had one to borrow to confirm that idea.


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## shamong9 (Oct 7, 2011)

Kevin13, I think you should age the cherry before chip and you use it.  I do some wood working, and have a plainer that i have tried on some black walnut. I hope the walnut is good, I normal use apple, cherry, and mesquite.


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## tjohnson (Oct 7, 2011)

Tree chipping and planing are 2 different things

Trees and limbs are chipped while wet and then dried.

Dry wood is really tough on chipper blades.

TJ


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## doctord1955 (Oct 7, 2011)

i have been using my sears woodchipper for years to make wood chips

built a 4x8 frame covered it with hardware cloth and have it up on milk crates so i can dry wood chips


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## smoker21 (Oct 8, 2011)

Cherry wood is great to smoke with!  I also use a miter saw to cut the size pieces I want.

Enjoy!!

JD


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## SmokinAl (Oct 8, 2011)

I use a chop saw to cut splits into chunks.

It's a lot cheaper than just buying chunks.


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## new 2 da que (Oct 8, 2011)

Great thread!  I have an apple and cherry tree in my back yard and have always wanted to use the limbs as my smoking wood.  So, it sounds like  we need to season the wood first, then cut limbs 2-3 inches long, then chip with a hatchet.  I hear any fruit tree works - has anyone smoked with peach??  I have a peach tree in the back too!


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## theoldman (Oct 9, 2011)

I too use a planer for cabinet work, and try to run the same species into the dust collection system then save those chips for the smoker.  Recently working with Florida cherry.  Not the same as fruit cherry from up north, but is pretty good.  I use blackjack oak, red oak, pecan etc. from native trees, bust them up with the chain saw and log splitter, then cut "pucks" with the band saw.  Still experimenting with best way to smoke with the chips.  Hard to control flare up.  Recently converted my old Brinkman offset to propane, so am working with that.  Now that summer is gone, will be able to get more involved.


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## wingnut (Oct 9, 2011)

BBQ Phil said:


> Anybody use wood slats from old wine kegs?


Now that is an idea!  Most kegs are oak, and the flavoring from the wine kegs SHOULD be a plus, If you can find some old Jack Daniels kegs that would be NICE!!

The thing about a chainsaw;  when I lived in Montana I went on a Buffalo hunt, (if you could call it that) and the on site butcher used a chainsaw with peanut oil for the bar oil.  That was before the thing about peanut allergies was common knowledge.  It worked quite well, but can you say messy!!

Larry


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## steve k (Oct 10, 2011)

I just smoked a couple of pork loins with the apple chips I made from cutting from my apple trees and my Sears wood chipper.  It has two entry ports.  One is supposed to be for leaves and small branches, the other for larger branches.  The port for larger branches grinds the wood into a larger version of saw dust, which works very well in a smoker box, such as is on a MES, Weber Summit, or the like.  These apple chips worked perfectly yesterday in my Weber Summit smoker box and rotisserie.  I have also used these chips in my chip pan in my Cabelas Pro 100.  Its all good.  I could see where, if one was using charcoal in a brick smoker, or a Weber Smoky Mountain smoker, that you would want bigger chunks on top of the charcoal.  In that case, a hatchet would be in order to split the branches first to let them dry out faster.


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## captturbo (Oct 10, 2011)

One note for those using premium chippers like the Mackissic, older TroyBilts, or maybe some of the DRs: These machines have different sized discharge grate options to affect the size of the product. If I want larger chips I sometimes remove the discharge grate completely. The material spends less time in the drum where they would be struck again and again by the shredding flails.

Also, it's probably best not to loan or borrow one of these beasts. They are safe enough when you are familiar with them but a beginner's mistake could be catastrophic. I'm sure any of the owners would be happy to chip up some smoking wood for anyone who asked. I know I certainly would.


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## roller (Oct 10, 2011)

A planner works real good.


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## sound1 (Oct 11, 2011)

I have had good luck with fruit trees of many types, peach does infuse a nice flavor, as the city grew, they ripped out citrus orchards, smoke shops jumped all over that free stuff. My little sears chipper does well as long as you chip the larger stuff green then dry it.


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## sound1 (Oct 11, 2011)

I have had good luck with fruit trees of many types, peach does infuse a nice flavor, as the city grew, they ripped out citrus orchards, smoke shops jumped all over that free stuff. My little sears chipper does well as long as you chip the larger stuff green then dry it.


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## steve k (Oct 11, 2011)

CaptTurbo said:


> One note for those using premium chippers like the Mackissic, older TroyBilts, or maybe some of the DRs: These machines have different sized discharge grate options to affect the size of the product. If I want larger chips I sometimes remove the discharge grate completely. The material spends less time in the drum where they would be struck again and again by the shredding flails.
> 
> Also, it's probably best not to loan or borrow one of these beasts. They are safe enough when you are familiar with them but a beginner's mistake could be catastrophic. I'm sure any of the owners would be happy to chip up some smoking wood for anyone who asked. I know I certainly would.




Yeah, don't be sticking your hands in one of those, or else you won't have them anymore.  Then nobody will want to eat the food you smoked, knowing where the chips came from.


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## jawsfree (Oct 12, 2011)

has anyone used hardwood floor left overs?  I have access to a bunch of Brazilian cherry floor boards that were pulled up shortly after installation, can I use these to smoke?


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## jtnf (Oct 12, 2011)

I'd go with a resounding 'no!' on that one... Finish could be toxic and you don't know if it was finished before or after installation or even sealed at the factory.


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## domapoi (Oct 13, 2011)

jtnf said:


> I'd go with a resounding 'no!' on that one... Finish could be toxic and you don't know if it was finished before or after installation or even sealed at the factory.




Ditto!!!!!


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## elkmaster101 (Oct 13, 2011)

I CUT MINE IN WAFERS STRAIGHT OFF THE LOG.

in about 1/4 slabs. I shoot all my chips into a pile and then place them in a wood box.

i try to stay under 6" in dia stuff but some times a little larger gets in there.

these thin wafers are ea sly crunched up or broken and soak up water really well.

the saw chips come off my chain.

I use a chisel tooth chain.

really kicks out the big chunks.zip thru a 6" log in seconds or less

throw the chips in a steel cake pan heaping full  and place it on top of your coals.

the smoke will roll off this.

I reach in with a pair of channel locks to retreive my pan, and reload as needed.


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## elkmaster101 (Oct 13, 2011)

I CUT MINE IN WAFERS STRAIGHT OFF THE LOG.

in about 1/4 slabs. I shoot all my chips into a pile and then place them in a wood box.

i try to stay under 6" in dia stuff but some times a little larger gets in there.

these thin wafers are ea sly crunched up or broken and soak up water really well.

the saw chips come off my chain.

I use a chisel tooth chain.

really kicks out the big chunks.zip thru a 6" log in seconds or less

throw the chips in a steel cake pan heaping full  and place it on top of your coals.

the smoke will roll off this.

I reach in with a pair of channel locks to retreive my pan, and reload as needed.


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## elkmaster101 (Oct 13, 2011)

I CUT MINE IN WAFERS STRAIGHT OFF THE LOG.

in about 1/4 slabs. I shoot all my chips into a pile and then place them in a wood box.

i try to stay under 6" in dia stuff but some times a little larger gets in there.

these thin wafers are ea sly crunched up or broken and soak up water really well.

the saw chips come off my chain.

I use a chisel tooth chain.

really kicks out the big chunks.zip thru a 6" log in seconds or less

throw the chips in a steel cake pan heaping full  and place it on top of your coals.

the smoke will roll off this.

I reach in with a pair of channel locks to retreive my pan, and reload as needed.


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## elkmaster101 (Oct 13, 2011)

to get you best flavor from apple cherry or other fruity woods just use the little branches less than an inch in dia.

the twigs or new growth branches have the most juice / flavor and can be easily

pruned off with some shears and twisted together and then placed on the coals


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## donh (Oct 13, 2011)

I use my band saw to cut up my hickory into small chuncks it works realy well


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## tycho bray (Oct 14, 2011)

I have a birch tree with wind damage that needs to come down. I don't hear much about using birch to smoke.  Any good?


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## captturbo (Oct 14, 2011)

jawsfree said:


> has anyone used hardwood floor left overs?  I have access to a bunch of Brazilian cherry floor boards that were pulled up shortly after installation, can I use these to smoke?


I think they might be ok for smoking if they were run through a planer to cut down through any finish that might be on them.


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## 15ft smoker (Oct 15, 2011)

good morning all i start my smoker with a chimmey starter with only enought kingford competition charcoal to get going, then the rest of the day i use Apply wood i have cut into 4 ft lengths with my chop saw, i cook ribs for a resturant here ,


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## mneeley490 (Oct 18, 2011)

Peach is great! It imparts a very sweet smoke that is especially good on pork ribs.


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## joeschmoker (Oct 18, 2011)

I have oak, maple, cherry, hickory and mulberry right now.  I'm supposed to be getting some apple from a friend as soon as he visits his mother.  I split the logs with a maul.  Then, I cut the splits into 3 or 4 inch pieces with a chop saw.  Then, I split those pieces with an ax to end up with pieces about .5 inch to 1 inch by 1 inch by 3 or 4 inches.  I've used a hatchet and an ax before and I just prefer the ax.  I hold it about a foot or so from the head and it just doesn't take near the swing that the hatchet does.


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## wbrian (Oct 19, 2011)

I have oak and maple which were recently cut from my yard.  They were cut a few months ago.  If i cut into disks, how long should they dry/age before i use them for smoking?

Thanks!
Brian


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## 15ft smoker (Oct 20, 2011)

Good morning, has any one here every used Aspen wood to smoke there ribs with


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## alelover (Oct 20, 2011)

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/50439/woods-for-smoking


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## alelover (Oct 20, 2011)

Here is a post from about 11 months ago from bbally on beech wood for smoking. Based on this aspen is probably OK for smoking.


bbally said:


> Second only to aspen for grilling steaks.
> 
> Great wood for smoking.  Bacon, hams, pork, can use it on fish if you watch it.  Little heavy for fish but if you split it down it can be controlled.
> 
> Half way between alder and hickory.


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## gary s (Oct 20, 2011)

Just a question, I use Apple and Pecan in my RF Smoker I only use seasoned wood. When you use chips does it not have to be seasoned? Just trying to learn all I can.

Gary S.


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## mgsteve (Oct 20, 2011)

I do a lot of woodworking and save all my cherry and maple pieces.  I use a bandsaw which makes short work of the pieces.  I think that larger chunks work better than the smaller stuff you get from a chipper.  They burn up to fast.\

mgsteve

t


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## smokingvamos (Oct 21, 2011)

Great info! I wonder what is the cost/benefit of this if I can free wood from my neighbor.  I enjoy fresh cut wood.


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## bigbill (Oct 23, 2011)

For cutting small and medium tree limbs I have an electric chain saw that I bought for this purpose. I use vegetable oil on the bar. The saw was cheap enough and I have not had any problems. I use plum wood, from my storm damaged tree.


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## steve k (Oct 24, 2011)

I have been using a Sthil MS 261 chain saw to cut a lot of my wood, and I haven't had any bad flavor issues from the bar oil that I use in the saw.  This model has a chain that is designed to cut down on the amount of bar oil used, so I don't think there is enough residue to make any difference.  I also know that the Sthil brand bar oil is biodegradable, so I think, by the time the wood is seasoned, any of the bar oil is probably long evaporated.  I know I don't have any bad flavors from it.  My saw manual recommends against using any old vegetable oil, but I wonder what the oil is made out of if it's biodegradable? I'm sure Sthil wants me to buy only _their_ oil, so maybe it is vegetable oil.  I wouldn't have thought twice about this issue if I hadn't seen it brought up here.


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## jalan43 (Oct 24, 2011)

I use my chainsaw to make saw dust. Just cut thin slices off the log and break them up with a hammer. Good Luck!


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## forluvofsmoke (Oct 25, 2011)

jalan43 said:


> I use my chainsaw to make saw dust. Just cut thin slices off the log and break them up with a hammer. Good Luck!


What do you lubricate your bar and chain with when you are cutting for smoke wood?

Eric


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## frosty (Oct 27, 2011)

WOW, fresh cherry wood, I am jealous!  I agree with the chop saw method, and then use a hatchet to split it further.  I checked the local pawn shops to find an old chop saw, that way the good one is ready to go when needed.  Good luck!


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## tjohnson (Oct 27, 2011)

forluvofsmoke said:


> What do you lubricate your bar and chain with when you are cutting for smoke wood?
> 
> Eric


Cheap Vegetable Oil

You can't use petroleum based oils in State and Federal Parks.

I don't think the logs hold the oil, but the chips definitely do

Todd


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## forluvofsmoke (Oct 27, 2011)

TJohnson said:


> Cheap Vegetable Oil
> 
> You can't use petroleum based oils in State and Federal Parks.
> 
> ...


That's the answer I was looking for, Todd. I knew, but I wanted to see if someone would throw it out so we're all on the same page.

State and federal regs on harvesting of anything on public lands are getting pretty stringent, so those cutting their own wood need to read their pernit requirements before setting out to fire-up a chainsaw and grab a load of wood. I used to harvest my own firewood for years with USFS permits, but that was before the biodegradable lubricant mandate was in effect...times have changed.

BTW, completely purging synthetic or petroleum based lubricants from the oiler system, bar and chain takes some cutting time, so it's best accomplished while cutting some wood you previously harvested while at home. Planning for this in advance will save you some headaches if you want to do it right. Another option would be to use one saw for veggy oil only, from new on, and use another for general firewood log cutting at your home with typical lube oil, if you have a wood stove/fireplace.

Eric


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## steve k (Oct 27, 2011)

Wow, you learn something new every day.  I guess that my Stihl biodegradable bar oil is vegetable based, eh?  But, do you really think banning petroleum based bar oil _really_ has even a miniscule beneficial impact on the environment?  It sounds like some bureaucrat has an inflated sense of self importance or too much time on his hands, or both.


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## michael ark (Oct 27, 2011)

Stihl dealer here said that the newer saw wont feed anything but their oil it was made that way.Here it was  against the law to bring a saw into game and fish property  can't find it in this years book.It dose say you can only use fallen trees for fire wood.


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## smokeman62 (Nov 1, 2011)

The problem with the hardwood floors is that they have mostly been stained and then have been treated with a varnish of some sort. This would probably put of some bad if not toxic fumes.


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## 15ft smoker (Nov 2, 2011)

Good morning, to all, well it is 18 this morning, and all white covered out side, but the smoker must work, lol, the ribs and brisket will not wait, lol, i enjoy reading every ones comments,  ,i like apple, cherry wood, and hickory, but out here it is hard to get, have a great day, ttyl


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## jftx (Nov 7, 2011)

WINGNUT said:


> Now that is an idea!  Most kegs are oak, and the flavoring from the wine kegs SHOULD be a plus, If you can find some old Jack Daniels kegs that would be NICE!!
> 
> The thing about a chainsaw;  when I lived in Montana I went on a Buffalo hunt, (if you could call it that) and the on site butcher used a chainsaw with peanut oil for the bar oil.  That was before the thing about peanut allergies was common knowledge.  It worked quite well, but can you say messy!!
> 
> Larry


I was in Academy this weekend buying some thermometers and saw these.  Anyone here used them? 

http://www.basspro.com/Jack-Daniel-s-reg-Wood-Smoking-Chips/product/104696/117943


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## jon yocom (Nov 10, 2011)

I have a tree trimmer in my area that will usually chip it up for nothing.


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## frosty (Nov 10, 2011)

Used 'em once, kinda pricey, but the wife liked the flavor.  Her palate is more sensitive than mine, so I would purchase it again.


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## steve k (Nov 10, 2011)

i used a bag and about blew my smoker up.  Make sure you've got good air flow.  I didn't and the thing went "poof" when I opened the door.  Evidently, some ethanol in that wood!  The meat still tasted good - pulled pork.


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## heygreene (Nov 10, 2011)

I have an apple tree and was cutting up some seasoned wood into VERY thin slices... maybe 1/4" thick or so... with my miter saw.  The next thing I know, the wood flew out of my hand and hit the wall 15 feet away... I'd hit a knot in it.  I now cut larger pieces (while trying to avoid knots), then chip with my hatchet, like a lot of other folks have stated here.  I just wanted to let everyone know that... if I can save one finger, it's worth posting!


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## etexsmoker (Nov 10, 2011)

I just built a smokehouse and am working to figure out how to do it right.  I built a 4x4x8' unit, using R-panel steel for the roof.  With the ribs and all, I didn't think I needed to worry about a stack.  I was right there.  I use hickory fired by a propane burner.  I can fill a 12" cast iron skilled with chunks and it will smoke for about hour.  Works beautiful.


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## eman (Nov 10, 2011)

At $2.68 a bag for chips ,i''l just buy mine.


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## goodtobeking (Nov 10, 2011)

My friend learned the hard way not to store chips in an air tight container. They turn to mold and or mildew. My experience has been to stick with chunks and you get a longer controlled smoke as long as the fire box is air tight to control burning. Thats what makes it work in a big green egg.


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## michael ark (Nov 10, 2011)

Thats sell prices here.Get all you can.
 


eman said:


> At $2.68 a bag for chips ,i''l just buy mine.


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## domapoi (Nov 10, 2011)

Yes, I use them as often as I can. I love the slight but distinctive flavor that the whiskey barrel flavor to the meats.


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## cobramo (Nov 11, 2011)

I would use a band saw to get the wood small enough. if u are careful not to loose a finger u can get the slivers quite small.  u can also rent a wood chipper at most rental centers depending on how much wood u have to chip.


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## forluvofsmoke (Nov 12, 2011)

Yeah, band saws, espececially if you can reduce the speed, are far safer than table saws and radial arm saws. Circular saws, even with close tolerances on blade slots, fences and other mechanisms, are notorious for kicking back or throwing the material when cutting small pieces. Combine that with a worn/dull or gummed up blade (from heavy cutting of resinous woods such as fir or pine), and you've got a lethal recipe for destruction.

My dad used to build cabinets, tables, chests of drawers (among other types of furniture) from laminated particle board. His stock material was waste stock from a local office furniture manufacturer. He'd pick up a trailer and/or pickup truck load, haul it home to his workshop, sort and stock the pieces according to sizes and begin building what he could out of the material he had. He did this to pass time after he retired and gave the finished products for charitiy to the needy. Some of the trim pieces and strips for supports that he cut made for a dangerous situation, as he learned the hard way...lost 2/3 of one finger, 1/2 of the next, and about 1/3 of the third finger on one hand (if I recall correctly) when his radial arm saw bound up and kicked back. It happens soo fast that you'll generally never hear, feel or see it coming...zip, and it's over. I've had a chainsaw or two try to throw a snarling chain my way a few times back when I was young and dumb...chainsaws are wicked when they get a mind of their own, but not quite as bad as circular saws, IMO.

It's not worth the risk to make your own sawdust for smoking, IMO, or even smaller cut chips. Collecting the dust from cutting operations is one thing, but cutting for the sole purpose of making dust requires special equipment to do it safely. If you cut to reasonably managable sized pieces for your saw, then break it down farther with hand tools, or just do combination cutting (use the dust for smokewood dust and the pieces to chunk or chip out).

Also, don't forget the trusty wood rasp...you can get wood dust to medium/fine size with a rasp and your risk for injury is almost null. Planers can make rather small chips, so that would be another very good option, and again, low injury risk.

Power tools have limitations and a threshold for safety, and the only way to find out for sure where the line needs to be drawn is to cross that line...and then, it's too late.

Stay safe, fellow smokers!

Eric


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## domapoi (Nov 12, 2011)

I still think the safest way to make sawdust is like I do. I take my small scrap wood blocks and put them in my BlendTec blender and put the lid on and start it up. This thing will blend almost anything into whatever grade of dust you want. The polycarbonate container won't break and the heavy blades just do a heck of a job grinding all sorts of stuff. If you don't believe me, do a search on "Will it Blend" and look at all the videos of all the stuff they blend up, from iPods to iPads to lave lamps to a multitude of other things. A great way to create and blocks of wood to dust. And, no I am not a seller or have any interest in the Blendtec other then using my own personal one.


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## stitan06 (Nov 12, 2011)

i just cut up a whole cherry tree today i wanted to use it to smoke turkey for thanksgiving can you use green wood smoke with or does it have to be dried


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## forluvofsmoke (Nov 13, 2011)

stitan06 said:


> i just cut up a whole cherry tree today i wanted to use it to smoke turkey for thanksgiving can you use green wood smoke with or does it have to be dried


Green wood is a no-no. It contains a volatile substances which can be harmful to injest, and can also give an acrid, bitter flavor andaroma to your foods.

If the tree you just cut was fresh killed or still live, and you cut some to small enough pieces, say no larger than 1" thick, you may be able to get it dried/seasoned in a couple weeks if stored in a very warm, dry area, open air and single layer, of course. Maybe somewhere near a home comfort heating source, or in a bright sunlit window sill if you're in a warmer climate. A cookie sheet or similar pan for a receptacle would work fine.

Eric


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## smokenjoe46 (Nov 13, 2011)

I have used a hatchet and split the pieces into strips. Also used tree clippers to snip twigs from apple trimmings into small pieces.


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## stitan06 (Nov 13, 2011)

thanks for the info  i also had some dried cherry i cut also somone said on here about storing it in air tight it would mold if i used plastic buckets and drilled holes in them would that let the chips breath ? i chipped some green apple today and letting it dry i would assume that being chipped would let it dry faster ?


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## forluvofsmoke (Nov 14, 2011)

stitan06 said:


> thanks for the info  i also had some dried cherry i cut also somone said on here about storing it in air tight it would mold if i used plastic buckets and drilled holes in them would that let the chips breath ? i chipped some green apple today and letting it dry i would assume that being chipped would let it dry faster ?




 Yes, that's correct regarding airtight storage...needs to breathe a little. A heavy cotton or burlap bag works great, or cardboard box with holes works, too. Just keep away from precipitation (outdoors) or other sources of direct exposure to water (or chemicals, of course). Oh, don't forget that animals may want to lift their leg on it, so keep it out of their range...yeah, that would smell pretty nasty in the smoker, not to mention the taste...OK, gonna shut up about that subject, now...LOL!!!

Being chipped will allow for much faster drying than if it were just split or whole logs. It does make it more difficult to tell if it's properly seasoned when not in splits or logs, as you can't see the cracking/splitting in the wood grains. If you weighed the wood in it's container before drying (digital scale with ~2/10th oz incriment for a small batch of a couple pounds), then weighed again every 2 days or so would tell you if it's still losing moisture. How much percentage of loss to be considered seasoned? I can't answer that (will vary with species, etc), but I would say that if it weighed the same for several days after it lost some weight, that would be the threshold for the average relative humidity in your location. It probably won't get any drier at that point.

I dried some fresh-cut plum about 5 years ago, and in 1 to 1-1/2" thick chips, I left it laying in the sun for about a week in mid june with day-time highs of 80-85*, nights @ 55-60, and R/H probably in the upper 20% - lower 30% range (common for my area). In bright light I could see small very cracks in the end cut wood grain.

Eric


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## stitan06 (Nov 14, 2011)

thanks for the info so you think buckets with holes drilled in it would let it breath enough


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## forluvofsmoke (Nov 14, 2011)

stitan06 said:


> thanks for the info so you think buckets with holes drilled in it would let it breath enough


Yes, if you already have some drilled buckets, I'd use them. That would probably make for handier carrying with a bail handle than it would be to lug a box around when you're setting up to fire a smoker. The porous bags are good, as long as carrying and/or hanging for storage isn't an issue. Cardboard is good if you have some boxes laying around, they just don't abuse or rough handling very well, and become structurally weakened when alterations are made.

Heck, thesmoke wood chunks I buy are in heavy duty plastic bags with holes on the sides...just a few small holes here and there to pass air through ocassionally.

Whatever you have handy that fits the bill...

Eric


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## domapoi (Nov 15, 2011)

What I think would work great is something you won't have to drill holes in or buy extra. This is the time of year where you should be able to find some free sand bag bags from your local fire station or where ever your community distributes them for free. Some are the burlap (or gunny sacks) others are the polyester weave type, but either way they are a very breathable material and can easily be hung off the ground away from animal looking to do a nature call. And, hanging them off the ground will actually provide more air circulation for drying. What do you think?


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## stitan06 (Nov 15, 2011)

thanks for all the info the buckets are free my wife works at a bakery so she can get as many as i want plus easier to store


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## etexsmoker (Nov 16, 2011)

I just cut a hickory or oak tree, buck it up, split it, and let it season.  One tree will last me a year and I usually can find a dead one so mother nature has already taken care of the seasoning.


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## bud evans (Nov 19, 2011)

What works well for me is a jointer you can get them pretty reasonable at the discount tool stores. I just happen to have a craftsman so I use that, spray it down with pam when you done to prevent rusting on the knives from the wet wood. You can make a pile of chips from just 1 block of wood. when storing the extra chips keep them in a well ventelated container to prevent molding. ( onion sack, large open box) until they have a little time to dry


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## smokenjoe46 (Nov 19, 2011)

Try a produce market for burlap bags that corn on the cob comes in. I was given some green apple cuttings that I put in a tight plastic container. It molded. This year I put the trimmings in a plastic bag, but left it open. No mold. Cabinet shops make a ton of shavings. Just ask them to save some when they plane hardwoods like oak, maple and cherry. No pine, tell them what you want to do with it. Good luck.


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## steve k (Nov 21, 2011)

I think its probably good advice to store chips in a breathable bag away from moisture, but as I was splitting some peach yesterday, a thought occurred to me. There was moss and lichens on the bark of the tree I was splitting, and probably many different forms of mold and mildew I couldn't see, and humans have been cooking with this type of wood since we were cavemen.  We started cooking and smoking our meats because we figured it out that it killed all of the bugs, bacteria, molds and mildew that made us sick when we ate raw meat.  It's probably why we developed a taste for smoked meats.   I've never thought any of my smoked meats tasted moldy or mildewy, and I wondered, since the wood is burned, along with any mold or mildew, does it really matter all that much?  Has anybody ever used wood chips that got a little moldy because they were stored in a plastic bag instead of burlap?  Did it taste bad?  'Just wondering.


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## forluvofsmoke (Nov 21, 2011)

Steve K said:


> I think its probably good advice to store chips in a breathable bag away from moisture, but as I was splitting some peach yesterday, a thought occurred to me. There was moss and lichens on the bark of the tree I was splitting, and probably many different forms of mold and mildew I couldn't see, and humans have been cooking with this type of wood since we were cavemen.  We started cooking and smoking our meats because we figured it out that it killed all of the bugs, bacteria, molds and mildew that made us sick when we ate raw meat.  It's probably why we developed a taste for smoked meats.   I've never thought any of my smoked meats tasted moldy or mildewy, and I wondered, since the wood is burned, along with any mold or mildew, does it really matter all that much?  Has anybody ever used wood chips that got a little moldy because they were stored in a plastic bag instead of burlap?  Did it taste bad?  'Just wondering.


I've never used wood that had mold or moss, so I can't say if it's OK or not. I've always removed questionable bark (visual or off-odor), then inspected the wood itself.
 

I did have a nearly full 25lb bag of mesquite get moved from under it's cover and got wet from rain early last spring...didn't find it until it was too late. Tons of green/blue mold everywhere and areas of mildew as well, except for the upper couple inches of the chunks which appeared to have dried before the spores had taken hold. I hated to do it, but that was the first time I ever tossed any smoke wood, all but maybe 3 - 4lbs. I think the rest got used for firewood in the outdoor fireplace/chimnea.

Eric


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