# Hickory strips?



## treein dixie (Apr 8, 2020)

So I have a lang stick burner!  I was on a saw mill the other day and they was edging kill dried hickory boards!  The waist was anything from 1x1 to 1x 1/4 to 1x1/8 mostly small stuff but all 16ft long.  I collected and bundled and cut in 1ft lengths.  Thought I had a great clean dry hickory to cook with.   Fast forward to today I was feeding the fire while smoking a half hog.  Every time I throw couple big hand full's  of hickory sticks in they produce tons of un wanted black smoke.  Then the bellering black/brown smoke.   Dampers are wide open!  If I open the door it still burns black and being hotter burns up quickly.   Any pointers or suggestions or did I waist my time collecting all this hickory strips?  Thanks in advance!


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## smokerjim (Apr 8, 2020)

i'm not sure but do they use some type of oil on their blades at mill, just me thinking out loud. not sure why you would get black smoke.


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## rjob (Apr 8, 2020)

You stated "got the wood the other day". Is the wood wet? Not had time to dry? 
Did something similar with cherry about a year. Cut drops into cubes for electric smoker and let it dry. Works fine TBS. Sawyer used Dawn dish soap for lube. 
Even if oil was used would think it would eventually burn off. If oil of some kind was used makes the wood less desirable it least to me.
Can you check with the mill as to what was used?


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## smokeymose (Apr 8, 2020)

I would love to have a batch of Hickory like that, but  I can't imagine what the black smoke came from.
Even if it was green and wet it would smoke white until it was dry enough to burn...


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## TNJAKE (Apr 8, 2020)

.


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## BandCollector (Apr 8, 2020)

Didn't 
T
 treein dixie
  say that the sawmill was edging kiln dried hickory boards?

Should have been dried. . . Right?


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## TNJAKE (Apr 8, 2020)

.


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## 1MoreFord (Apr 8, 2020)

My employment background includes almost 30 years in the hardwood industry.  Everything from green lumber to kiln dried and then to finished product.  Kiln dried lumber is first dried down to about 4% Moisture Content (aka MC).  Then it is conditioned back up to 6-8% MC.  It ain't gonna git any drier folks.  It can gain a little moisture though.

I've seen kiln dried wood (fire wood, cooking wood, etc ) advertised.  I don't know what MC they try to dry it down to though.  Just be aware that kiln dried lumber and wood are handled differently.  Firewood sized sticks would probably "explode" if dried like lumber and turn into countless toothpicks.

Most well *air* dried lumber and wood (aka seasoned as we know it) is in the 15-20% range with a little of it down a bit further.

The problem with kiln dried lumber is that it is usually hard to catch on fire because it has no small splinters to light.  Whiskers maybe, but few splinters.  Whiskers aren't big enough to start the larger pieces.  This is the reason for the billowing smoke.  The second problem is once it is on fire the stuff burns very quickly and hot and wants lots of air.   If you want to do a separate burn barrel and cook with coals it would work nicely.

The score at a lumber yard can be the off-fall from their green logs.  I've seen off-fall from railroad tie length logs(8-9ft)  to go from free to $10 a pickup truck load.  Then you cut it to length and air dry it.  If you don't stack it too tight it will dry quickly because of all the surface area.  Yes it will have a bunch of bark but despite all the discussions, bark will burn nicely if there are thin edges to start or you can get the wood burning before the bark.

Sorry for being lengthy.


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## treein dixie (Apr 8, 2020)

1MoreFord said:


> My employment background includes almost 30 years in the hardwood industry.  Everything from green lumber to kiln dried and then to finished product.  Kiln dried lumber is first dried down to about 4% Moisture Content (aka MC).  Then it is conditioned back up to 6-8% MC.  It ain't gonna git any drier folks.  It can gain a little moisture though.
> 
> I've seen kiln dried wood (fire wood, cooking wood, etc ) advertised.  I don't know what MC they try to dry it down to though.  Just be aware that kiln dried lumber and wood are handled differently.  Firewood sized sticks would probably "explode" if dried like lumber and turn into countless toothpicks.
> 
> ...


Lot good info here for sure!  Thanks for all that have replied!   Its been air dried, yes real dry, so no chemicals and cut on a band with water.  
Sticks will burn fast which makes black smoke for sure and when you feed the air by opening the door the flame rolls out of the box.  
If I take larger pieces like 3x3 or 4x4 and throw in as usual it will smoke till it chars the outside then go to clear smoke for heat.  I usually will blacken it by keeping several sticks on top of the fire box.  That will char the sides and reduce smoke when thrown into the fire.  Helps A lot!

But these strips are much smaller in diameter and I usually throw in 10-12 at a time in a bundle in my hand.  They will light fairly quickly causing a lot black smoke.  Close the door goes to brown smoke.  But don't generate as a consist heat as using larger pieces?

Hope I didn't waist my time because splintery and lot work but feeling like its gonna be a waist!


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## rjob (Apr 9, 2020)

1MF 
Great explanation. Would not have thought kiln dried wood to undergo a bit of a change during the drying process. Learned something!


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