# What seasoned wood looks like to me.



## quads (Nov 25, 2006)

In this first picture, the wood to the left of the tree has just been cut. Notice how the ends are nice and bright (I only cut dead trees, so this wood is not green). The wood to the right of the tree had been cut about a year ago. See how the ends are starting to darken and age.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/quads/seaswood01.jpg

In the second picture is the same freshly cut wood on the right. To the left is wood that was cut about 2 years ago. Notice how the ends are all really dark and uniform in color. Now that's good stuff! Lots of heat and you need to use very little, provided you have a stove in good enough shape to be able to control it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/quads/seaswood02.jpg


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## johnnywarm (Jan 15, 2008)

Quads

Do you ever cover your wood?

Thanks John


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## Todd (Jan 16, 2008)

Nice post Quads,
Other signs of dry wood is loose bark, radial cracking, and a nice crisp crack sound not a dull thud when you strike two pieces together.


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## WOODBUTCHER (Jan 17, 2008)

Nice stacks Quad.......I have to throw my two cents here and a different view of dry wood.........
This is what dry wood looks like to the WoodButcher after loading....lol.......


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## johnnywarm (Feb 25, 2008)

johnnywarm said:
			
		

> Quads
> 
> Do you ever cover your wood?
> 
> Thanks John




Nothing????


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## quads (Jul 25, 2009)

johnnywarm said:
			
		

> Quads
> 
> Do you ever cover your wood?
> 
> Thanks John


No, never.


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## quads (Jul 25, 2009)

Looking at the first post in this thread, the first picture, the wood to the right of the tree that had been seasoning for one year at the time the picture was taken nearly 3 years ago.  This picture is of that same wood, now seasoned for almost 4 years.  It's perfect!  Will be going into the stove sometime this coming winter:


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 26, 2009)

Old/"seasoned" doesn't make it dry.  I have had wood that color, bark falling off etc- and it was sopping wet.  This is especially true when it has been slushed on for a while.

I have also had wood that had a warm color, no cracking, well intact bark- and it was as dry as it gets.  In fact- I don't like for my wood to get that dark, or for the bark to fall off- usually I find (at least here) that there will be decay somewhere in the pile if I let it go to that- especially if it's touching the ground (where it will never get dry for me).  Decaying wood is BTU's lost.

The sound it makes is one clue as to dryness.  Density for a wood that you deal with a lot is a good indicator (feels lighter to trained hand).  

I go through about 12 cord in the kiln, and 4 for the house every year, so I do have a leeetle experience in telling what's dry... and I can't tell it's dry looking at it.


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## quads (Jul 26, 2009)

It's as dry as it needs to be (guaranteed not sopping wet), not rotten, plenty of BTUs.  Not heating a kiln, just my house, use about 4 cord for that, like everybody else.  Gets more than hot enough.  

If I covered all the wood I have in the front yard, in the back yard, and piled out in the woods, I'd have a fortune in tarps, over the last 40 years (I have a leeetle experience too, and I can tell it's properly seasoned by listening to the woodpile on a dark, quiet night  ).  

Not to mention elevating it to keep it from touching the ground.  If I wasn't able to burn the few pieces on the bottom (which I do), we'd just call that "sacrificial wood".  Much cheaper than carrying lumber around in the woods.  The grayest wood on the bottom isn't from rot, it's dirt/dust from driving by it over the years.


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 26, 2009)

I didn't say that your wood wasn't dry.  I said that how it looks isn't really a great indicator in many cases.  

Your system works for you- that's what matters for you- I just know that inexperienced folks may stop in here and see this.  They will then try to burn the sort of wood that my dad insists on dropping at my house ("Ya- O'Reilly had this piled against his garage... ") that sometimes looks about like that- and they will have serious issues


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## quads (Jul 26, 2009)

I hear ya!  There's no substitute for experience.  The first time they try to burn wood that isn't seasoned as well as mine is, or wood that is much lighter colored but looks dry and is actually still green, they'll gain experience in a hurry, either way.




Disclaimer for the newbies:
As I stated in the thread title 3 years ago when I started this long-term example of how *I* do it, "What seasoned wood looks like to *me*."  It's obvious that other people have different methods.  Never trying to say anybody should change there way or follow my way, was just trying to show my woodpile over the long haul from cutting to burning.  Do not try this at home unless you want to and of your own free will.


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## gzecc (Jul 27, 2009)

quads, I'm surprised you would do all this work, bucking, splitting, stacking, storing for years and leave them on the ground.
I think elevating off the ground is probably the single most important part of the seasoning procedure.  I would like to see a moisuture meter on the splits, from top to bottom from one year to the next.


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## quads (Jul 27, 2009)

Ha ha!  They're not on the ground, there's wood under my woodpiles.  I just have a different name for it instead of boards or lumber.  I call the wood under my piles "splits".  Hee hee.  Much cheaper (free), especially for a guy like me that burns wood because he needs to (even though I enjoy it anyway).

Moisture meter???  I can honestly say that I have never in my life seen a moisture meter, don't even know what one looks like.  I have an ohm meter around here somewhere, would that work?  Although, my ohm meter probably doesn't burn very well, but my wood does.  


			
				gzecc said:
			
		

> quads, I'm surprised you would do all this work, bucking, splitting, stacking, storing for years and leave them on the ground.
> I think elevating off the ground is probably the single most important part of the seasoning procedure.  I would like to see a moisuture meter on the splits, from top to bottom from one year to the next.


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## quads (Jul 27, 2009)

Perhaps a couple pictures of my woodpiles would help explain why I don't do any fancy covering or elevating:

The front yard:





The back yard:





Piled over there:





And over there:





Oops, she won't let me put any more in the yard:





And out in the woods here:





Woods here:





Woods there:





A little in this spot:





Some there:





And of course out there:





As you can see, on the 500+ acres where I cut wood, I have it all over in various states of "seasoning".  If I were to buy lumber to put under all of my piles, then buy tarps to put on top of all my piles, then do it every year for the last 40 or so, oh my.  I burn wood because I can't afford to burn anything else.  I won't be blowing money on those kinds of accessories anytime soon.  Starts to make filling the LP tank look attractive again!

Don't get me wrong though, I can certainly understand why people cover, elevate, and otherwise coddle their firewood.  If I was in the position to be able to do that, and had a small/single pile in the yard, I would too.  Heck I'd even build a trophy case around it!  C'mon, it's just firewood, around here it grows on trees!


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## gzecc (Jul 27, 2009)

I guess if I had 500 acres and wood was as available, maybe I wouldn't stack it off the ground.  I don't cover it and I don't pay for the elevated supports. I get them free from CL, decks and such people are getting rid of.  I only have 2 acres.  I need to be as efficient as possible in my storage and usage.


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## BrotherBart (Jul 27, 2009)

quads who has been trying to talk you into storing your wood differently? It's your wood, do it the way you want too. Different people in different climates and other conditions store wood in different ways. For instance, in our climate if I stored my wood like you do I would have to have propane installed. Because not one stick of it would burn come winter. I know. I tried it twenty-five years ago.


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## Metal (Jul 27, 2009)

Very impressive stacks.  I wondered what in the heck you planned to do with it all if you only burn 4 cords a year, then I saw the last picture : )  Hope you don't have to hand split all that.


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## quads (Jul 27, 2009)

Fire Gud said:
			
		

> Very impressive stacks.  I wondered what in the heck you planned to do with it all if you only burn 4 cords a year, then I saw the last picture : )  Hope you don't have to hand split all that.


Yes, every single stick is hand split by myself.  No one else touches it from tree to stove.


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## quads (Jul 27, 2009)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> It's your wood, do it the way you want too.


Exactly!  Thank you Brother Bart!


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## myzamboni (Jul 28, 2009)

quads said:
			
		

> BrotherBart said:
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> ...



that almost sounds dirty


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## quads (Jul 28, 2009)

myzamboni said:
			
		

> quads said:
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> 
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> ...


 ;-)


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## Delta-T (Jul 28, 2009)

Quads- you should spread those piles out a bit more and rent out the field for paintballing! You're already 3/4 the way to making a wooden fortress there. 
With 500 acres and that many stacks, do you use GPS to locate them? Very impressive.


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## smokinj (Jul 28, 2009)

quads said:
			
		

> Perhaps a couple pictures of my woodpiles would help explain why I don't do any fancy covering or elevating:
> 
> The front yard:
> 
> ...



+1 but I dont bother to stack!


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## quads (Jul 28, 2009)

Thank you all for the compliments!  I enjoy sharing photos of my woodpiles/hard work (actually, I enjoy the hard work too, splitting is my favorite part), and I like taking pictures.  I always have my camera with me and shoot everything I see.  Deer, turkeys, flowers, weeds, planes, birds, woodpiles, you name it!

Paintballing is a cool idea.  I've never tried it, but while deer hunting, when on drives, the standers often hide behind the woodpiles.

I've got a network of trails in the woods and I stack the wood near them.  That way I can find the firewood when I need to and load it up on my little trailer behind my ATV.  

I stack instead of piling because the wood in the middle of a pile doesn't seem to season very well.  In a stack it all seems to season pretty evenly.  Sometimes it's years before I haul it up out of the woods.  That way when I need it, it's ready to burn, even though it just came out of the woods.

Cutting firewood is a big part of my life.  I love it!  I'm out there all year long, in between milking the cows.  I cut wood for my family and friends too.  Plus I sell some, mostly to campers.  The grocery store sells bundles of pine slab wood, about a big handful or equivalent of two or three splits, for $5.  When the campers see how much good oak they can get from me for $25 they rush right over.  Especially now that it's a law in WI that you can't haul firewood for more than 50 miles.


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 3, 2009)

gzecc said:
			
		

> quads, I'm surprised you would do all this work, bucking, splitting, stacking, storing for years and leave them on the ground.
> I think elevating off the ground is probably the single most important part of the seasoning procedure.  I would like to see a moisuture meter on the splits, from top to bottom from one year to the next.




Elevating off the ground indeed is good and I doubt anyone would argue with it. However, there is some of our wood that is stacked directly on the ground and we've done this for years. The reason it works is where we stack. It is on high ground and nothing but sand. Water goes through sand like **** through a tin horn. 

The only bad thing we find is that some of the wood will bury itself right into the ground but that is no problem. In the spring, we then tap them with a maul and they pop right out. Those are then thrown on top of another stack to be burned later. Reason? They aren't seasoned! But it is just the bottom layer and not all of it. Some can be burned right then. And if you've seen any of my posts, I probably have close to the amount of wood that quads has. At last count it was 23 cords.


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## quads (Aug 3, 2009)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> Elevating off the ground indeed is good and I doubt anyone would argue with it. However, there is some of our wood that is stacked directly on the ground and we've done this for years. The reason it works is where we stack. It is on high ground and nothing but sand. Water goes through sand like **** through a tin horn.
> 
> The only bad thing we find is that some of the wood will bury itself right into the ground but that is no problem. In the spring, we then tap them with a maul and they pop right out. Those are then thrown on top of another stack to be burned later. Reason? They aren't seasoned! But it is just the bottom layer and not all of it. Some can be burned right then. And if you've seen any of my posts, I probably have close to the amount of wood that quads has. At last count it was 23 cords.


Yes, that's about the same situation/conditions as me.  We live in the part of WI called the Central Sands, it's all pure sand and I live on high ground.  My bigger piles have also been stacked in the same place for many years, so have a layer of bark, wood chips, etc. under them.  But that's right, all of the wood isn't touching the ground like some of the worry-warts would seem to imply, only the bottom (sacrificial) layer.  Everything above the bottom is elevated, just like everybody else.

23 cord is a good bunch of wood.  I've never precisely measured all of mine, but I would say there's that much or more at any given time.


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## savageactor7 (Aug 4, 2009)

Nice....I kind the idea of multiple piles of wood here and there Quad. You must have 100 cords or so drying. We pile our wood and I suppose you're right about the wood underneath and in the center taking longer to season but once you're a few years ahead it doesn't matter. As far ahead as you are now I bet you could save yourself many hours of labor piling some wood up. Piles don't blow over and you can pile way higher than you can stack...split wood that is not rounds.


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## quads (Aug 4, 2009)

Thanks savageactor7.  I don't think I have that many cord around, but I've got plenty.  Depending on how much I sell or give away, I'm 4 or more years ahead.  If I keep every stick of it for myself, then I'm probably twice that many years ahead.  I burn about 4 or so cord per year in the stove, and maybe another cord in my resting place firepit.


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 4, 2009)

quads, with our 23-24 cords we are at least 7 years up on the wood. But like you, we might sell some and also give some away. When we put in the new soapstone stove, our fuel needs dropped dramatically and now we use only 3 cords per year instead of the 6-7 cords we used to burn.


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## quads (Aug 4, 2009)

That's a good feeling to know that your house will be heated for that many years in the future, with no, or very little, cost!  When people talk to me about how much the price of LP gas is, or how much it cost them to heat their house last winter, I tell them that it cost me $2.89 to heat my house for the winter.  Their eyes get big and they say "WHAT?!?!?"  Then I tell them that I can cut a year's worth of firewood with about one gallon of gasoline in the saw.  Therefore, I heat my home with one gallon of gasoline every winter!


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## Jfk4th (Aug 4, 2009)

quads said:
			
		

> That's a good feeling to know that your house will be heated for that many years in the future, with no, or very little, cost!  When people talk to me about how much the price of LP gas is, or how much it cost them to heat their house last winter, I tell them that it cost me $2.89 to heat my house for the winter.  Their eyes get big and they say "WHAT?!?!?"  Then I tell them that I can cut a year's worth of word with about one gallon of gasoline in the saw.  Therefore, I heat my home with one gallon of gasoline every winter!



Hey, what kind of wood stove you have anyway, nice pics BTW.
Bravo


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## quads (Aug 4, 2009)

JFK said:
			
		

> Hey, what kind of wood stove you have anyway, nice pics BTW.
> Bravo


Well......let's just say that at this point it is a precious family heirloom, affectionately named Old Smokey.


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## ohio woodburner (Oct 14, 2009)

Quads, you sell that stack of wood for $25?  Their selling it for $60-$70 here in Ohio.   Crazy  If i ever start buying wood I'm coming to buy some off of you


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## LLigetfa (Oct 14, 2009)

ohio woodburner said:
			
		

> Quads, you sell that stack of wood for $25?  Their selling it for $60-$70 here in Ohio.   Crazy  If i ever start buying wood I'm coming to buy some off of you


What is that, about half a face? $25 x 6 = $150 a cord.


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## heatwise (Oct 14, 2009)

i see an awful lot of wood piles uncovered around here,been tempted to try drying a stack without covering, but the woodworking side of me tells me to cover the top.   seems like whenever its burn season its also met with about a week of rain to kick it off, then it freezes. i have great respect for how others prepare wood fuel and appreciate reading and seeing pictures of it. pete


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## quads (Oct 14, 2009)

$25.  It's 1/2 face cord or 1/6 full cord.  I don't sell large quantities, the majority of my customers are campers and fireplace burners.  I give away more than I sell, to friends and family.  I'd be happy to sell you a little, but Wisconsin has a law now that you can't transport firewood farther than 50 miles from where it was cut.  I live farther than 50 miles from any of the borders!

I don't cover my woodpiles, but I do keep a month's worth on the porch and a day's worth in the house by the stove.  Freshly rained on wood never goes directly into the stove.


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## Jim Post (Oct 14, 2009)

Wow!  That is quite a pile of wood to work up.  Very impressive!

I took a couple of shots of my scroungings for this season...Oak, Elm, Cherry, Silver Maple, Box Elder...Anything really I don't discriminate.   if it's wood and drys out I will burn it.

I stack one long row on pallets (currently 128 feet) in an East-West line so the sun hits it all from the South.  I move a weeks worth from stack to garage with a tractor front scoop bucket. I don't cover it except for a 8' tarp length on the next weeks wood.  Any snow or ice usually melts off in the garage prior to burning.

Stay Warm!


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## maplewood (Oct 14, 2009)

Love to see those seasoned piles.
I can't believe I used to sometimes burn wood less than 3 months after splitting.
My only saving grace was that it was stored in a heated basement, and it continued to dry until it was burned.
I'm 1.5+ years ahead now, and hope to be 2.5 by next year.
I haven't started giving it away yet - it would kill my dad, who helps me out a lot.
Happy burning.


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## quads (Oct 14, 2009)

Very nice olpotosi!  I know a guy that lives over by the Necedah Refuge that lines his firewood up like that too.  His runs all along his property line like a fence.  Looks cool.

Maplewood, keep getting farther ahead and pretty soon you will be giving it away!  Ha ha!  If I hang onto everything I have, I am about 5+ years ahead.  By selling and giving away, I usually end up burning 3+ year old wood myself.  It's getting harder to keep track of though.  I've got wood stacked all over.


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## Billster (Oct 14, 2009)

quads said:
			
		

> $25.  It's 1/2 face cord or 1/6 full cord.  I don't sell large quantities, the majority of my customers are campers and fireplace burners.  I give away more than I sell, to friends and family.  I'd be happy to sell you a little, but Wisconsin has a law now that you can't transport firewood farther than 50 miles from where it was cut.  I live farther than 50 miles from any of the borders!
> 
> I don't cover my woodpiles, but I do keep a month's worth on the porch and a day's worth in the house by the stove.  Freshly rained on wood never goes directly into the stove.



Quads I have really enjoyed this thread... Very interesting

It's very interesting to know you split it all by hand!

My grandfather and great-g-father _never covered _ their wood stacks.. (I'm not saying your that old) :lol: 

I have never tried to leave my wood uncovered, but I should because my grand parents did it that way,and it worked for them.  Now I see (you) do it that way also, and it brings back memories to see yours.. I'm getting ready to cut more wood for 2011/12 season, and I will leave it uncovered... I don't have 500+ acres like you, but I do have 17+ acres to have wood here and there. :cheese: 

_I'm not a newbie,_ I'm 42 and I've worked on firewood since I was a young boy, helping my Father and grandparents... I have always enjoyed working on firewood, and it feels good to have a supply of seasoned wood to burn in the winter.

I take my tractor, ATV, trailer, saws etc.. etc.. and go out in the woods and stay all day gathering wood.. I don't find a lot of trees on the ground, so I have to drop some.. I think I seen a picture of you cutting up a nice tree on the ground, that didn't have any bark ? .. Those are the nice ones (IMHO)



Do you work on firewood every day ??

Thanks for starting this thread


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## quads (Oct 14, 2009)

Thanks for your interesting post Billster, and for not saying I'm old!  

I can't say that I work on firewood everyday, but most days when it's nice to be in the woods.  I don't mind it when it's hot or cold, but I don't like the humid weather.  My hands get too sweaty and the maul handle gets slippery.  Otherwise, as long as nobody is out there hunting (I don't hunt anymore but I don't want to disturb those that do), and I'm not milking the cows, I'm usually out somewhere making firewood.  We have a lot of trees that were killed by oak wilt.  I wait until they tip over after their roots rot off and I cut them up.  By then the bark is long gone.  I never fell a tree, unless I need to for some reason.  The ones that fall by themselves keep me busy.  In the meantime, the woodpeckers and other critters like the standing dead trees.

Ha ha, no, I don't think I will write a book, but thanks for the compliment.  There are many that disagree.  Don't do it just because it works for me, but as long as you say you're not a newbie to heating with wood and know what you're getting into, give the uncovered wood method a try if you want.  I see the picture you posted in the 2009 woodpiles thread and if I had a nice lean-to like that, I sure wouldn't fill it up with pieces of dead trees, but that's just me.


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## Billster (Oct 15, 2009)

quads said:
			
		

> Thanks for your interesting post Billster, and for not saying I'm old!
> 
> I can't say that I work on firewood everyday, but most days when it's nice to be in the woods.  I don't mind it when it's hot or cold, but I don't like the humid weather.  My hands get too sweaty and the maul handle gets slippery.  Otherwise, as long as nobody is out there hunting (I don't hunt anymore but I don't want to disturb those that do), and I'm not milking the cows, I'm usually out somewhere making firewood.  We have a lot of trees that were killed by oak wilt.  I wait until they tip over after their roots rot off and I cut them up.  By then the bark is long gone.  I never fell a tree, unless I need to for some reason.  The ones that fall by themselves keep me busy.  In the meantime, the woodpeckers and other critters like the standing dead trees.
> 
> Ha ha, no, I don't think I will write a book, but thanks for the compliment.  There are many that disagree.  Don't do it just because it works for me, but as long as you say you're not a newbie to heating with wood and know what you're getting into, give the uncovered wood method a try if you want.  I see the picture you posted in the 2009 woodpiles thread and if I had a nice lean-to like that, I sure wouldn't fill it up with pieces of dead trees, but that's just me.



Humid weather is the only time I don't like to work on firewood.

Hunting season is in right now, and stays in from Sep. to Jan... I do a lot of hunting, and this weekend
is black-powder season... when I go deer hunting I always carry a chainsaw on my ATV, and I have went out
in the mountains before to deer hunt, *But,* get out there and find a nice oak tree on the ground and instead of
hunting that day, I would cut up the tree and come back and haul it out. :cheese:

I mentioned in my other post about my grandparents not covering their stacks, and then I found this thread.. I know it worked for them and I should try it because that's how my family done it also, and it works for you.. I'm sure there is other people that don't cover their stacks.

And you wouldn't fill up my shed with dead trees. Ha Ha, the wood that I've seen you cut up is nice wood, and I like the one that you found that had no bark.. That's great/dead wood :cheese: .. I wish I could find wood like that!


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## jcjohnston (Oct 15, 2009)

Quads you are one hell of a neat guy, I humbly respect and admire your work ethic. The country needs more men like you, awesome pictures of your wood piles too!!


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## quads (Oct 15, 2009)

We have so many deer seasons nowadays that I can't even keep track of them.  There's bow seasons, 3 or 4 gun deer seasons in addition to the traditional one, and then two turkey seasons every year.  There is a gun season, doe only, going on right now.  I used to enjoy hunting, but most of the people that I hunted with grew old and are gone now.  I know what you mean about cutting wood during hunting season, many times I did that myself.  Or picked corn.

The tree with no bark; that's almost every tree I cut.  They have been standing dead for 5-10 years already when I cut them.  The only time I cut a tree with bark still on it is when a storm knocks one down.

I have been thinking about buying a new saw someday.  I bought two Stihl 026 saws from a neighbor several years ago for $50.  One of them quit running last year and needs work, the other is getting slow and tired.

I have heard good things about beech, but I have never seen a beech tree, to my recollection.


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## quads (Oct 15, 2009)

jcjohnston said:
			
		

> Quads you are one hell of a neat guy, I humbly respect and admire your work ethic. The country needs more men like you, awesome pictures of your wood piles too!!


Aw shucks!  Thanks, but I'm just doing what I need to do and trying to enjoy some of it along the way.  No big deal.


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## HardWoodW (Oct 17, 2009)

Quads- first of all what a stack of wood.  My wife thinks I'm strange when I slow down to look at folks woodpiles but I might have to take a road trip to show her yours.
It sounds like you really enjoy splitting wood-I started splitting wood by hand about 2 yrs ago when the power line co took down a big oak in my yard and I have to say it's very satisfying to do; there's just something about it I can't quite explain.  Plus I figure it's good exercise.


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## gibson (Oct 17, 2009)

Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

> Old/"seasoned" doesn't make it dry.  I have had wood that color, bark falling off etc- and it was sopping wet.  This is especially true when it has been slushed on for a while.
> 
> I have also had wood that had a warm color, no cracking, well intact bark- and it was as dry as it gets.  In fact- I don't like for my wood to get that dark, or for the bark to fall off- usually I find (at least here) that there will be decay somewhere in the pile if I let it go to that- especially if it's touching the ground (where it will never get dry for me).  Decaying wood is BTU's lost.
> 
> ...



Much respect to all, but I burned all of last year with oak and maple, one year seasoned, and 3/4 filled one of my kids sand pails with creosote.  I would love to have some 5 year seasoned wood, but it ain't happining.  That being said, I am very envious of those wood piles, and some day I will have some...


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## quads (Oct 17, 2009)

This is the spot I am at right now, in the front yard stack.  The wood I am burning on the right (from here it goes monthly to the porch, then daily next to the stove) and the recently processed wood on the left.  I fill in the gap with fresh processed as I make room by burning the seasoned.  After I finish going through all of the front yard stack (my primary stack), then I move to the secondary stacks in the back yard.  After that, I begin to haul up some of the oldest stacks from out in the woods, snow depth permitting.


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## ohio woodburner (Oct 25, 2009)

quads said:
			
		

> Fire Gud said:
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> 
> 
> ...



Quads Just wanted to say your a hell of a man. Splitter took a crap this morning splitting some ash, thought what the heck I'll get the maul out. Little did i know I'd be having a heat pack on my back all night. lol Man i wish i could split all by hand and I'm a young buck as my dad says.


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## quads (Oct 25, 2009)

Sometimes I get sore.  Not too often though.  I just keep working through it and it eventually goes away.  When I get a sore back, it bothers me the worst in the morning when I get up to milk the cows.  It gets stiff and sore when I sleep.  After I've moved around and got up and down milking cows for a couple hours it's limbered up and feels much better.  Then I head out into the woods.  

It also helps that I don't do one thing for too long.  I cut for awhile, then I split awhile, then I load, haul, and stack.  That way I don't pick on the same set of muscles over and over nonstop.


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## greythorn3 (Nov 2, 2009)

looks good! wish i had 500 acres!


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## madison (Nov 6, 2009)

Quads,

? I am always looking to make my stacks more stable, and I believe I see in your picture, that you alternate the split orientation between stacks.   The center of the picture where the gap is between the old and new, has splits at right angles supporting the row to the right.

Do I visualize this correctly, if so, thanks for the sharing the technique.


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## Joey (Nov 6, 2009)

Fantastic phots Quads.  Love it.  Would you mind taking a photo of the stacks you keep inside.  I would just like to see how much wood you burn over a 24 hour period.  Having all that land is priceless.  I live here in southern NJ on a very small piece of property.  I struggle to get 3 cords in my backyard  without tripping over it...lololol  But I am on the water, its priceless to me to be able to get up in the mornin and watch the boats float buy with the smell of fresh diesel fuel in the morning !!  I'm pretty new to woodburning...but really enjoying and learnin..thanx again.


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## quads (Nov 7, 2009)

madison said:
			
		

> Quads,
> 
> ? I am always looking to make my stacks more stable, and I believe I see in your picture, that you alternate the split orientation between stacks.   The center of the picture where the gap is between the old and new, has splits at right angles supporting the row to the right.
> 
> Do I visualize this correctly, if so, thanks for the sharing the technique.


I stack my rows next to each other with about a foot gap between.  As I go along, I go all the way around the outside with a row to hold everything up.  That way I don't need posts for the ends of the rows that don't have trees to lean against.  If you want, I might be able to post a picture that shows it better.  Sometimes the rocking of the trees in the stronger winds loosens them a bit, but I just lean against the row with my back and push it back into place.  This only happens for the first year after stacking, the older stacks settle in and don't loosen after that.


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## quads (Nov 7, 2009)

Joey said:
			
		

> Fantastic phots Quads.  Love it.  Would you mind taking a photo of the stacks you keep inside.  I would just like to see how much wood you burn over a 24 hour period.  Having all that land is priceless.  I live here in southern NJ on a very small piece of property.  I struggle to get 3 cords in my backyard  without tripping over it...lololol  But I am on the water, its priceless to me to be able to get up in the mornin and watch the boats float buy with the smell of fresh diesel fuel in the morning !!  I'm pretty new to woodburning...but really enjoying and learnin..thanx again.


Ask and ye shall receive!

This picture is, on average, what I burn in 24 hours.  Below zero and wind howling I will burn more, beautiful warm days like today was, less.






What I burn in our longest and coldest month, January, is 2 face cords (2/3 of a full cord).  Less than that all the other months.


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## Joey (Nov 7, 2009)

Thats amazing....thanx for the reply...now I have a goal to set....enjoy your weekend......Joey


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## Wacky1 (Nov 7, 2009)

Hey Quads your like a little squirrel, scattering all you goods about.  I would say you probably could burn the rest of your life and not cut any more.  But that would not be fun would it??  Ever come across a pile you forgot about years ago??  I only have 300 acres and some is pasture.  I'd say you got a good 15 yr. start ahead of me.  I only have 2 cords for this year to burn.  Got to go start catching up to you, will be out all weekend.  Good stash


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## quads (Nov 7, 2009)

Wacky1 said:
			
		

> Hey Quads your like a little squirrel, scattering all you goods about.  I would say you probably could burn the rest of your life and not cut any more.  But that would not be fun would it??  Ever come across a pile you forgot about years ago??  I only have 300 acres and some is pasture.  I'd say you got a good 15 yr. start ahead of me.  I only have 2 cords for this year to burn.  Got to go start catching up to you, will be out all weekend.  Good stash


A big squirrel!  

Oh, I'd run out of firewood in about five years if I didn't cut anymore.  Burning wood is just a way for me to get rid of it so I can split more.  I like all things about heating with wood, but the splitting is my favorite part.

Off the top of my head I can't remember all the piles of wood I have around, but I remember them when I see them.  I have never completely forgotten any, because I always make sure to stack them next to one of the trails so eventually I will ride my ATV by and see it.

My main cutting area at this time is about 80 acres.  It's where a tornado went through several years ago.  The whole 500 acres is the combination of 4 of our old family farms and a neighboring property.  Some is still active cow pasture and fields.  Some is pine plantation.  Some Christmas trees.  Part of it is a sandstone bluff.  

Good luck out there this weekend!  I wish I was out there, but it's hunting season and I won't be cutting again until after Thanksgiving weekend.


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## madison (Nov 7, 2009)

quads, thanks, always like the pics, looking forward to them.   Rocking trees have been my stacks downfall a few times, so I am considering alternatives, including a woodshed if I can sell it to the wife......


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## quads (Nov 7, 2009)

quads said:
			
		

> madison said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Here's an aerial view of what I'm talking about.  Rows all stacked about a foot apart, 4 1/2 feet high, surrounded by an outside row.






I only do it that way with my permanent woodpiles.  The temporary ones (like those out in the woods) are a single row with no ends.  I eventually move those to one of the permanent piles as I get room, or sell them, give them away, etc.


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## madison (Nov 7, 2009)

thanks for the pics quads


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