Chip or burn wood?

[lagomasino]

I wonder what is the forum wisdom on whether to chip scrap wood - that is branches or anything you wouldn't use as fire wood, or just pile it and burn it.

The related questions are:
Is it the same amount of work or is one method simpler than the other?
Is it worth investing on a wood chipper? Even if you are not interested in making mulch.
About safety - is one method safer than the other?
Any other thoughts about what is better to chip or burn?

As you can tell, I am clueless about this, but I need to do something about 20 acres of hickory and oak trees that is a mess.

 

[vic4news]

My chipper will only chip up to 3 1/2" diameter limbs.
I find chipping to be more work than burning.

I only chip because we use the chips on several paths we have,
and my wife uses them on places we previously used to buy mulch for.



Vic

 

[EddieWalker]

If you chip the wood, you will need to cut the branches off of the tree so that you don't have anything bigger then the chipper can handle. The size of the wood a chipper can handle depends no how much money that you want to spend. They all have their limits, and the bigger you go, the more they cost to buy, maintain and operate. So depending on your budget, will decide on how big you can leave the branches. If you have to keep them at 4 inches or less, then you are cutting everything off that's bigger then four inches. What will you do with that wood? What will you do with the chips after you have chipped them? What will it cost you to run the chipper? Fuel, blades and repairs?

If you burn the wood, you have to get it to the burn pile. You have to light it on fire. Then after so many fires, you have to clean up the ash.

I burn allot of trees. It's fast, easy and simple. About once or twice a year, I clean up the burn pile by hauling off the ash to an area that I'm building up behind my dam. Usually I haul off 20 to 25 yards of mixed material from unburnt wood to ash and clay all mixed together.

I'd say it's cheaper and easier to burn it then to do anything else with it.

Eddie

 

[smudgedad]

I like chipping what I can, just burning dirty stumps and such. Not because it's cheaper, just because I like reducing smoke polutants and I like having the chips for dust and weed abatement on paths and the like. Besides, it means more quality time with my tractor. I suppose I might eventually recoup the cost of my chipper, but probably not.

 

[BobRip]

I like chipping what I can, just burning dirty stumps and such. Not because it's cheaper, just because I like reducing smoke polutants and I like having the chips for dust and weed abatement on paths and the like. Besides, it means more quality time with my tractor. I suppose I might eventually recoup the cost of my chipper, but probably not.

If let the wood decay naturally you also get smoke and pollutants it just takes longer. Hence the Smokey Mountains. Somebody correct me if I am wrong.

My very limited experience with chippers (Sears 7.5 HP) says they take a lot of maintenance and you have to feed carefully. They also burn fuel and precious resource.

 

[/pine]

If let the wood decay naturally you also get smoke and pollutants it just takes longer. Hence the Smokey Mountains. Somebody correct me if I am wrong.

actually if we are talking about greenhouse gasses (supposedly detrimental to the Ozone layer and contributing to the theory of global warming)...Methane (the gas that is emitted by decaying organic matter) is 20X worse than Carbon Dioxide (the main gas emitted by the rapid oxidation (burning) of organic matter)

as for the "Smokey Mountains" The haze is caused by evaporation

from wikipedia:

The name "Smoky" comes from the natural fog that often hangs over the range and presents as large smoke plumes from a distance. This fog, which is most common in the morning and after rainfall, is the result of warm humid air from the Gulf of Mexico cooling rapidly in the higher elevations of Southern Appalachia.

 

[studor]

Unless you invest in a good PTO driven chipper or a large horsepower standalone there is no comparison , burning is much easier and definitely faster. Propane torch $50 chipper--$2500. If you are not going to use the mulch - why bother? Safety -- can' t be stupid with either method -- JMHO

 

[herd]

I live in the country on 50 acres, I would never consider chipping. I am always it seems burning limbs and debris. It's primarily a matter of piling up the limbs, leaving them a while and then burning. It is far less work that chipping and the chip would serve no purpose in these parts for mulch, esp around structures.

 

[LarryD]

I guess that really depends on the situation.

Eddie, it sounds like you're making piles with a dozer and I wouldn't even consider anything but 5GL of deisel and a match.

For me however, I'm selectively thinning the forest leaving healthy trees 6'-8' apart. I can put the chipper on the tractor and be finished with 90% of the disposal right in the forest with only small root balls left to burn. No way I could burn anything in there without harm to the trees. Of course I only bought the chinese chipper and it has worked well after making sure all shaft/pulleys/flywheels were aligned.

 

[Just2quickz28]

Here in the North East most towns only allow burn permits in the winter time. My town does not issue burn permits from April through October. While I am still allowed to burn in my campfire sized burn pit its just not worth going through the hassle of cutting all the stuff up to fit into that burn pit. Also stacking the brush till the winter is never a good idea last year I ended up with a FisherCat living in the pile and neighbors were noticing their cats going missing. I am all for getting rid of it as soon as I can so I chip as I am cutting and pruning. branches that fall go into a small pile till I have enough to justify putting the chipper on the tractor.

 

[EddieWalker]

Eddie, it sounds like you're making piles with a dozer and I wouldn't even consider anything but 5GL of deisel and a match.

While I have done allot of burn piles with the dozer, especially when creating my lake, it's the worse way to pile up trees. Even with a rake, it moves adds allot of dirt to the pile.

The grapple is the very best way to build up a burn pile. Just pick em up and carry them to the pile. No added dirt and you get a burn that seems to last allot longer and is also seems to burn more of the wood. I've never had a burn that got all of it, so even after a week of non stop burning, I still have to pick up and move stuff around to get it all to burn.

I also quit using diesel awhile ago. Now I use paper and charcoal lighting fluid. Per gallon, diesel is allot cheaper, but this is really easy and it works great. I keep the charcoal fluid in the tractor and when I want to start the fire, it's just a quick squirt on some newspaper and cardboard to get things going.

Eddie

 

[harpoonalt]

We've had 2 big burn piles in our neighborhood. The one pictured was just a pile that everyone threw stuff on and sat for a year. It compacted to the point that it didn't burn very well and left a big mess. The second pile was stacked like a teepee and burned really nice with a small debris pile leftover. We put in a firepit and burn the stuff too small for firewood that way. The brush we haul to the dump in the spring where they chip it all for mulch. Burn piles can be fun since they draw a crowd but they require some time to tend and clean up afterwards. Chippers are nice because the problem is gone immediately. Depends on what you want to accomplish and the land you manage. If you have a spot to burn where you don't have to look at it then burning is easier and much cheaper in the long run. A chipper is expensive, but cleans things up as you go and can go right to the brush. You can also make some cash with them from people who have brush but can't or don't want to burn. If I had the need I'd love a chipper for the instant gratification of finishing the job NOW. Burn piles take the better part of the day and then clean up but you can't cook hot dogs over a chipper

 

[The Dougster]

IMHO, there is no question..... Burn...

For me, it is a time factor to consider... chipping takes a lot of time and work and I have too much to do anyhow.. push it into a pile and burn..

 

[lagomasino]

Great input, please keep it coming. In my particular situation, the about 20 acres that I would like to clean is very heavily wooded on top of a plateau. There are some trails to get there with the tractor, and perhaps pull a 5x10 trailer with a Jeep if it is not too wet. Some trails have a very steep grade. When the trees have leaves, it is like a canopy - the sun light does not reach the ground. Ferns grow wild in this environment.

My instinct tells me that it will not be a good idea to make a wood pile anywhere in the heavily wodded area and burn it, or I may end up burning my property and a big chunk of the Washington National Forest. So I am thinking that in terms of effort, I might be better off chipping all I can in place and haul what I can't chip for firewood or to a burn pile away from the wooded area. Anyone has a different opinion? Or strongly agree?

 

[harpoonalt]

I have the exact same sitiuation in my development. The stuff I want to get rid of is all over the place and needs to be collected by hand and dragged or carted to a burn pile. Our land was originally owned by a man who did maple syrup and believed in keeping the woods clean for ease of access and appearance. The land he still owns is beautifully maintained and as a hobby, i try to do the same on our roadsides and common areas. It looks better and keeps the insect population down. That's the perfect situation for a chipper. Drive up in the woods, do a section and move on. Much faster than like I do, pull the stuff out to the trailer and then bring it to the dump for mulching. Even with the burn pile, you had to get it there, then unload. With 20 acres, I'd get the chipper for sure. You can hook it up and go have fun for a couple of hours and see instant gratification. I find a lot of satisfaction in cleaning up the woods. Good exercise outdoors and the neighbors have all said how much nicer it looks. From a mess into a park like setting. Put in a fire pit for the bigger stuff and you're golden.

 

[studor]

Burn piles take the better part of the day and then clean up but you can't cook hot dogs over a chipper

Those little "hot dogs" in the picture should probably not be cooked anyway
Would go through the chipper pretty quickly though

 

[dking]

Exactly. I only have one burn pit on my property and I'm not hauling brush there to burn it, it would take forever. Besides I can only burn at certain times of the year and not during the dry summer months. Most of my property is heavily wooded so I use a 4" PTO chipper. Works great - haul it around on my tractor and chip on the spot. Nice and clean. Anything else goes to firewood. As for speed, it's only my opinion but I think chipping is faster - I can get rid of a 4" x 25' tree in just seconds - it would take a lot longer to burn it.

YouTube - Wallenstein BX42

My instinct tells me that it will not be a good idea to make a wood pile anywhere in the heavily wodded area and burn it, or I may end up burning my property and a big chunk of the Washington National Forest. So I am thinking that in terms of effort, I might be better off chipping all I can in place and haul what I can't chip for firewood or to a burn pile away from the wooded area. Anyone has a different opinion? Or strongly agree?

 

[dangerdoc]

I wonder what is the forum wisdom on whether to chip scrap wood - that is branches or anything you wouldn't use as fire wood, or just pile it and burn it.

The related questions are:
Is it the same amount of work or is one method simpler than the other?
Is it worth investing on a wood chipper? Even if you are not interested in making mulch.
About safety - is one method safer than the other?
Any other thoughts about what is better to chip or burn?

As you can tell, I am clueless about this, but I need to do something about 20 acres of hickory and oak trees that is a mess.

There are many good responses on the thread but nobody has mentioned species.

I have may locust and hedge trees. I do not chip those, when the chipper graps them and they start moving, it's like being on the wrong end of a chain saw. I ended up bleeding from my head, both arms and belly the last time I tried chipping that kind of wood.

Because I have to pile and burn a portion of the limbs I cut, I usually end up buring it all. I have a grapple so it is pretty easy to just make a pile where I'm working and then come back and get it when I'm ready to burn.

I do use the chipper for making mulch. I cut and chip cedar trees for termite resistent mulch for around the house.

 

[RalphVa]

I need the mulch; so I chip. Been doing so for years and graduating up in size of equipment.

Kinda fun when you do it naked (with proper eye and ear shields).

Ralph

 

[PeterK]

I both chip and burn when I can get a permit in the summer months. In my woods, I chip smaller branches from felling trees and use the chips to pave the paths.

Around the house, I chip small hardwood as well as pine and hemlock for garden mulch. I make a big pile and add grass clippings in layers, sawdust from my dust collector, chopped leaves in the fall and then wood ashes from my wood furnace in the winter. I mix it all up with kitchen compost and coffee grounds that we collect year round and turn it over with the bucket. In the spring I till this mixture in the vegetable gardens.

We still have a burn pile with the little stuff too small to chip as well as weeds with seeds, and large non-firewood logs like pine. When we can get a permit, usually once a year, we burn it. My neighbors join us and drag their stuff over when the see we are burning.

btw - I have a DR rapid feed PTO chipper that WILL chip 4-1/2" green no problem. I used to have a DR 18HP tow behind before I bought the BX24 and that DR also did a great job. But the rapid feed pulls in the branches better and also has a larger intake hopper. They're both a great product for the homeowner with a little acreage.