# When is wood no good to use?



## Aaawew (Jul 24, 2020)

I got some Apple wood for smoking but some of it doesn't look the best. Some of the wood had been dead a while and was infested with earwigs so I am not using that wood. Some looks like what I have attached, it is much lighter (weight wise) than the rest and looks like it is starting to rot, however it isn't spongy yet. I guess my question is, is it good to use?


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## phathead69 (Jul 24, 2020)

Wet rotted is history. Dry rot as i call it, lighter in color and usually on one side (bark). I split the dry rot off and still use the solid portion.


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## flatbroke (Jul 24, 2020)

Welcome to SMF. What are using as a smoker. If it burns wood you could use that wood to start your coal base. I too split the sponge part off when I split wood and save the solid pieces. All it does is cause ash no benefits


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## Aaawew (Jul 24, 2020)

I am using an Oklamona Joe Highland Reverse Flow. I am using it with wood only no charcoal. I'm looking up dry rot vs wet rot but from that picture does the wood look fine?


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## flatbroke (Jul 24, 2020)

It doesn’t look pristine but doesn’t look terrible to me. I’d use the least favorable pieces to start the fire. The earwigs wouldn’t bother me either


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## Aaawew (Jul 24, 2020)

flatbroke said:


> It doesn’t look pristine but doesn’t look terrible to me. I’d use the least favorable pieces to start the fire. The earwigs wouldn’t bother me either


I have a lot, about 1/4 of a cord all varying degrees of the spectrum I have cut up a bit of the best looking stuff. I will probably do as you suggested and just use the favorable pieces. I have a lot of stuff that's just been dead a while but has no rot. Here is a picture of some of the best stuff I cut/split


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## flatbroke (Jul 24, 2020)

looks great


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## flatbroke (Jul 24, 2020)

The wood in this pile is all crap as far as bbq goes. Ok for Fire pit. It sat too long before being split and got dry rot. It looks solid but is mostly not solid but not mush.You can kind of see what I mean by the first few pieces.


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## Aaawew (Jul 24, 2020)

This is the full pile of what I got, a lot is missing all the bark but for the most part it is all solid. 
	

		
			
		

		
	










I also feel the need to point out the mess in the garage is not mine lol.


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