# Dead Maple in back yard



## magnum3672 (May 9, 2011)

So, my sister and brother in-law have had a dead maple (huge old tree) in their back yard and they just took it down.

Would it be good for smoking?


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## uncle_lar (May 9, 2011)

maple is good smoking wood

just make sure ts dry


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## magnum3672 (May 9, 2011)

It's been sitting in their back yard dead for a couple of years now.  It should be very dry.  Didn't know if it dying on its own would affect it badly in any way


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## cliffcarter (May 9, 2011)

If the wood is intact and solid it should be OK. You will probably need to season it after it is split, nonetheless.


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## magnum3672 (May 9, 2011)

Season it?  Let it sit I'm guessing?

Also, I have an electric smoker, any clues as to how to either make sawdust or chip it?  I might have access to a band saw I could cut it into small bits with, otherwise I have no idea what to do.


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## magnum3672 (May 9, 2011)

My sister says it was a "sunset maple".  I don't know anything about trees so hopefully one of you kind folks can help me out!

Thanks for the assistance already given


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## ak1 (May 9, 2011)

Basically, a "Sunset" maple is a maple with very brilliant fall colour. As far as I remember it's a variety of Acer Rubrum. Basically, Red Maple, one of the most common maples in the eastern half of North America.

Very good smoking wood.

Even if it's been dead for a few years, it should be OK to use as long as it isn't rotten.


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## magnum3672 (May 9, 2011)

my sister said it didn't die from rot, its root system just choked itself because it was about 4 feet away from a cement patio that was meant to be a foundation or some-such.  Anyways, thanks for all your help!


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## ak1 (May 9, 2011)

No worries then. You're good to go. Chop it up, let it dry, and have fun!!!


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## magnum3672 (May 9, 2011)

It died over 2 years ago so it shouldn't be too wet


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## cliffcarter (May 10, 2011)

AK1 said:


> Basically, a "Sunset" maple is a maple with very brilliant fall colour. As far as I remember it's a variety of Acer Rubrum. Basically, Red Maple, one of the most common maples in the eastern half of North America.
> 
> Very good smoking wood.
> 
> Even if it's been dead for a few years, it should be OK to use as long as it isn't rotten.


"Sunset" maple is an ornamental tree, either Shantung maple(acer truncatum) or Norway maple(acer platnaoides), not a variety of acer rubrum. Shantung maples grow to about 25' tall, the Norway can grow up to 80'. As far as I know no one has ever reported using ornamental maples as smoke wood, you could be the first. Good Luck!


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## Bearcarver (May 10, 2011)

Magnum3672 said:


> It died over 2 years ago so it shouldn't be too wet


Wood doesn't really do much drying until it is cut up.

Then it is normally about 1" in thickness per year.

Bear


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## alelover (May 10, 2011)

So if you have an 8" dia. split 4 ways it would take about 2-3 years to season?


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## magnum3672 (May 10, 2011)

Crud, thats a long time.  Any suggestions for chipping it?


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## butch cassidy (May 10, 2011)

I do not know about the Maple, But as far as cutting up. I have a friend who is an Arborist (sp) who save all the pecan trees that they take out. I go and get all the pecan that I need (Free) I pick the log size diameter that I want , They cut them about 2 1/2 long. I have a large band saw to cut them the thickness of the wood box. and then I cut some of that into 1/4 thickness for my chips. Works great. What a deal and I like pecan also


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## alelover (May 10, 2011)

Free pecan? That's awesome. One of my favorite woods for smoking. I wish I had a friend like that. Magnum, I was asking about seasoning, not telling. I am waiting for Bear to answer to see if my math is right. I've heard of people baking wood in their grill to dry it quicker.


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## butch cassidy (May 10, 2011)

He cuts the pecan and stacks it in his lot. I do not know how long it has been drying, because he adds to the stack . I get and put on my trailer that is in the sun, then I pick a log and cut it up as needed. Good blue smoke.


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## cliffcarter (May 10, 2011)

alelover said:


> So if you have an 8" dia. split 4 ways it would take about 2-3 years to season?


6-9 months, properly stacked. Probably closer to 6 in NC. Maple seasons fairly quickly in my experience.


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## alelover (May 10, 2011)

Thanks Cliff. That seems more reasonable. I was in Old Town once a long time ago. They still making canoes there?


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## Bearcarver (May 10, 2011)

alelover said:


> So if you have an 8" dia. split 4 ways it would take about 2-3 years to season?


Scott,
If you split an 8" diameter log into 4 pieces, you could measure them each from point to flat to be 4", but there are shorter distances to measure in that quarter circle.

I would say you have it about right in your 2 to 3 years.

However that would be dried to 19% moisture content, which I don't believe is needed for smoking meat, but in PA, I would say from green to ready for good smoking would probably be 2 years for that quarter of an 8" log.

Bear


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## cliffcarter (May 10, 2011)

alelover said:


> Thanks Cliff. That seems more reasonable. I was in Old Town once a long time ago. They still making canoes there?


Yes, although the factory has moved from its original location downtown. In fact my son just got laid off from there.


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## eman (May 10, 2011)

An easy way that i have found to check oak ,pecan and hickory for seasoning is when you split and stack it ,once it dries enough some of the ends will start cracking or splitting. Don't know if maple does the same as we don't have it down here.


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## Bearcarver (May 10, 2011)

eman said:


> An easy way that i have found to check oak ,pecan and hickory for seasoning is when you split and stack it ,once it dries enough some of the ends will start cracking or splitting. Don't know if maple does the same as we don't have it down here.


Yes, Maple does that too.

As far as I know, all woods do that to some extent, unless they are coated on the ends with a wax or end sealer, but that would only be for lumber & chainsaw carvings to avoid severe end checking & warping.

Bear


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## Dutch (May 10, 2011)

Last Saturday, I took down a silver maple tree that took a lightening strick a couple of years ago. Last year only part of the tree leafed out so I took the sawzall and cut out all the dead wood. This year the other half of the maple didn't leaf out so we took the rest of it down.  Had carburetor issues with my chainsaw so I broke out the sawzall with a 9 inch blade and took it down in sections and cut and stacked the wood in 18 inch lengths for the Lang.


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## kielbasa kid (May 17, 2011)

I'm in the mountain of NY and heat with wood.

When the leaves are off, the sap is down. Time to fell the tree. Middle of January, we have the "January thaw". Sap at it's lowest. Then it begins to rise. Trees you cut, split and stack with just a top cover (no all over tarp) will be seasoned to burn in the fall.

Maple with a fall red leaf is a soft maple (Red Maple) and burns OK but not as good as Sugar/Hard/Rock Maple, which has orange leaves in the fall. It's the best for coals and winter heat. I smoke with this maple. a pleasant smoke but I'm not particular, as I mix apple/cherry/plum/pear together.

The cherry is fruit bearing cherry. Choke Cherry is to be avoided. Elm burns like church yard moss and only a little better than snow. Ash burns green and leaves no coals (bummer). It's a fast hot wood for the sap arch, when boiling Sugar/Hard Maple for syrup.  

Popple and Bass are trash woods but I've even burned my old fence posts.

Any hardwood will smoke but stay away from Locust. The smoke would gag a maggot.

Rich


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## magnum3672 (May 17, 2011)

It's been a while since I've smoked so I'm going to go ahead and try this weekend (been rainy and cold in Michigan).  I'll attempt to get a couple handfuls of chips to try on some boneless chicken just to see what kind of flavor I get out of the wood.

I'll let you know how it turns out


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