Making your own wood chips

[clamperceo]

I recently had an almond tree fall on me and I intend to cut that sucker up for doing that. What I want to know is what would the best way to dry the wood chips that Im going to get by running the bushy stuff thru a chipper?  I think if I put them in a bag they will just mold. I was thinking maybe a plastic bucket with holes to breath would be good. Any ideas?

 

[hambone1950]

If I were you I wouldn't chip the green wood , cuz , as you observed , the wet chips will mold on you....I would cut as many good sized branches as you can salvage and dry them in a pile. Then chip them or cut them in short pieces to use as smoke wood. I think chipping them now is inviting trouble.

 

[doctord1955]

Dont chip any leaves they will mold!  I make a  4x4 ft frame out of 2x4s then staple hadware cloth on it and set it on either sawhorses or bricks in basement and put a fan on the stirring them every couple of days!  works great.  If u r using a small chipper u should do them green other wise to hard on chipper if dry!

 

[dgilley]

I think Hambone has the best advice.  I have found that medium size chunks (1 to 1/2 pound dry) produces more smoke over a longer period of time than chips do.  Chips seem to burn much faster regardless how long I soak them.  Give me a chunk over a chip any day.  A stick of green maple produces a nice flavor as well for pork - I threw that in for free.