# Neighbor is splitting Oak NOW to use this Winter!



## PA. Woodsman (Aug 2, 2014)

Remember I told you how my neighbor who used to be into firewood like we are has gotten "complacent" for whatever reason, and has just in the last few weeks started splitting wood for this upcoming Winter? Well, I went by his place this morning and saw that he has a load of wood sitting there that someday soon (maybe?) he will split and stack and it is Oak, and it's not dead Oak either Of all the woods to try to split now in August to use in a few months that has to be one of it not THE worst choice...I just don't know what is going on inside his head, he used to be into it gangbusters but this season has just been so lazy and complacent with it, and he doesn't appear to be in any physical distress or anything when I talk to him; maybe he just is losing the interest, but like I said when he tries to burn that wood in a few months his wife will kill him for smoking up the house-I just don't understand it, but it is of his doing...very strange though, very strange....he'll be nowhere near being ready, not even close.


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## BrotherBart (Aug 2, 2014)

One of my neighbors who has heated with wood since at least 1980 will be splitting his Oak for the Winter any week now. I see that the rounds are stacked by the splitter now.


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## D8Chumley (Aug 2, 2014)

If I didn't find this forum I might be doing the same dumb stuff


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## WoodyJ (Aug 2, 2014)

Pity me 4 seasons ago when I went in November to PU i/2 cord of seasoned oak. They was splitting it when I pulled in their lot. I had to return for another 1/4 load because that pile on the ground was not a 1/2 cord. Needless to say it was was not seasoned either. Now I pity all those after me that may have to learn the hard way. Good luck.


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## Woody Stover (Aug 2, 2014)

I split some Red Oak today as well, but it was dead-standing when bucked a year ago and it is for '16 at the earliest but most likely later than that. What kind of stove does that guy have? Not that it will make much difference....


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## BrotherBart (Aug 2, 2014)

I cut/split/stacked red and white oak in the summer and fall for burning that year for over 20 years. Until I found this place and got wood religion. Can't believe how much more heat I could have had from that stuff.


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## Fred Wright (Aug 2, 2014)

Well, the oak isn't gonna burn very well, if at all this winter. Bet he won't try that again. 

Before I learned better, I tried burning year-old red oak. It burned but didn't give off much heat. That was the year I was up cleaning the chimney cap screen every few weeks.


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## bluedogz (Aug 2, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> I cut/split/stacked red and white oak in the summer and fall for burning that year for over 20 years. Until I found this place and got wood religion. Can't believe how much more heat I could have had from that stuff.



'got wood religion'.... I like that.  I made the same mistakes with oak and BL.


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## BrotherBart (Aug 2, 2014)

bluedogz said:


> 'got wood religion'



I am sure that what we say here looks to new members to be preaching.


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## bluedogz (Aug 2, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> I am sure that what we say here looks to new members to be preaching.



But sometimes they're just lookin' to get saved, brother... preach on.


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## BrotherBart (Aug 2, 2014)

I come by it honestly. My Dad was a Southern Baptist preacher. 

We will be passing the plate shortly.


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## Osagebndr (Aug 2, 2014)

All I've read here about seasoned wood and personal experience has taught me the value and btus of seasoned wood. 
I got and have had 7 cord css since jan this year


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Aug 2, 2014)

My readiness  with all my split stacks must have gotten my neighbor in gear this year, he only waited till the end of July to start his load for the winter, I must be rubbing off on him, I'm gonna have to keep busting chops to get er done.....


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## brenndatomu (Aug 2, 2014)

So does your neighbor have any nice equipment you may be interested in? 'Cause he's gonna be DONE with wood heat next spring after fightin with that green Oak all winter, I be lookin over his stuff, see if you can arrange "dibs" on any of it. 
I had some White Oak that I had CSS somewhere between 3 & 4 years, burnt it last winter and it STILL has some sizzle! I was really disappointed, I wanted to save it back, give it another year, but with the polar vortex and all...to make matters worse, I had just finished going through a stack of good dry Hickory, so I was pretty much spoiled!


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## BrotherBart (Aug 2, 2014)

Nah, it'll burn. We never noticed most of the chimney fires. Just knew they happened when I saw the "popcorn" on the lawn. Or the pile of it behind the insert when I pulled it out to brush the chimney.


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## Osagebndr (Aug 2, 2014)

I have a good buddy that has 3000 acres of family owned property to cut on and he's just too lazy to do it. His motto , why do something today when you can just wait and use the stove as a dryer. Never have seen him burn anything but wringing wet wood and he still don't know why the stove doesn't heat the whole house!


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## Ashful (Aug 2, 2014)

Osagebndr said:


> I have a good buddy that has 3000 acres of family owned property to cut on and he's just too lazy to do it. His motto , why do something today when you can just wait and use the stove as a dryer. Never have seen him burn anything but wringing wet wood and he still don't know why the stove doesn't heat the whole house!


But I bet he knows which way to turn his iPhone when taking his avatar photo.


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## midwestcoast (Aug 2, 2014)

As,Bart says he'll get through the winter & probably never be the wiser. 
A lot of burners just have no idea what burning with truly dry wood is even like. 
No smoke? No creosote? No playing with the stove for an hour to get a load going? BS they'll say. That dried out old stuff will burn your house down, or burn up in no time flat, or...

I just hope he's downwind of you.


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## brenndatomu (Aug 2, 2014)

Joful said:


> But I bet he knows which way to turn his iPhone when taking his avatar photo.


What, you don't like his side vent stove?!


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## Osagebndr (Aug 2, 2014)

Joful said:


> But I bet he knows which way to turn his iPhone when taking his avatar photo.


Thanks lol.


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## brenndatomu (Aug 2, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> Nah, it'll burn. We never noticed most of the chimney fires. Just knew they happened when I saw the "popcorn" on the lawn. Or the pile of it behind the insert when I pulled it out to brush the chimney.





midwestcoast said:


> As,Bart says he'll get through the winter & probably never be the wiser.
> A lot of burners just have no idea what burning with truly dry wood is even like.
> No smoke? No creosote? No playing with the stove for an hour to get a load going? BS they'll say. That dried out old stuff will burn your house down, or burn up in no time flat, or...
> 
> I just hope he's downwind of you.


Yeah, you're right, it'll burn. But I can tell ya, if it wasn't for finding that other wood burners site (and then this one) and getting a lil edjumacation, I'd have sold my stove and be back to helping some sheik pay for his new camel barn! Heck, I thought it was the POS stoves fault, so got me a new one, it was a lil better, but so was my wood by that point. Looking back, that first stove would have been fine with _dry wood_ and a key damper...live and learn!


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## Beer Belly (Aug 3, 2014)

Got a stack of Oak that's will be close to 2 years this winter....might burn it in a pinch. Right now, and for the last 2 months, been splitting Ash and stacking in the sun.....just been busy with working on the house, and then surgery.....hope the Ash will burn okay, it's all I got


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## Ashful (Aug 3, 2014)

Split small, ash dries pretty quick.  One hot summer could do ya.  Split large, 2 years.


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## jharkin (Aug 3, 2014)

Gosh and I feel behind that Ive got a pile of rounds to split this month that I might get forced to burn next winter (15/16) if its a cold one this year 

On topic... dont feel so bad, there are houses around me that I know will start splitting come October.  The guy across from me burns 24/7 and he is splitting now for this winter.  He does know better and usually goes at least a year ahead but with last years cold one and then he got laid up by hospitalization in the spring he had no choice. Knows he is in for trouble and it trying to get as much done as he can.


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## PA. Woodsman (Aug 3, 2014)

brenndatomu said:


> Heck, I thought it was the POS stoves fault, so got me a new one, it was a lil better, but so was my wood by that point. Looking back, that first stove would have been fine with _dry wood_ and a key damper...live and learn!



My buddy at the local stove shop tells me stories like this pretty often, people complaining "that it must be the stove that isn't working properly", so he has them bring in a piece of wood and it always is way off the charts wet. Like you said, live and learn...we've all done it !

Beer Belly, I hope you are okay, whatever your surgery was !

Thanks for the replies all; I know it's none of my business, but it just strikes me as very odd that someone who was so into it and going gangbusters for awhile now is so complacent about it. I remember probably two years ago my other neighbor said "you've got some competition-he's got as much or more than you do !", and I just smiled and said "you're right", have talked to him many times if he is out, but this year he was behind like all of us from the harsh Winter, but never really got into the swing of it....and I remember him telling me that he has a wood source and he obviously can still get wood as every once in awhile he has a pile laying there that he brought in or had dropped off, so it's not like he can't get wood, plus there IS stuff around if you do look although not as much as other years but you can find it if you try hard enough.....

He's going to have a bad experience with unseasoned wood, then next year he'll either wise up and learn from it or quit altogether....


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## Beer Belly (Aug 3, 2014)

PA. Woodsman said:


> Beer Belly, I hope you are okay, whatever your surgery was !


Thanks...it was just Meniscus surgery, Right Knee.....had the Left done 2 years ago, this one is a little slower to heal.


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## Fred Wright (Aug 3, 2014)

Possibly, he's losing interest in it. Might figure it's more fuss and muss than he'd originally thought. Or, his missus may not care for loading the stove - easier to turn the thermostat up. You'd have to ask but It seems there's something about wood burning that he's no longer enthused about. It is labor intensive, we all can attest to that.

Come to think of it, the first wood burner I owned came used from a fellow who lived in the city. He'd only used it for one season. Turned out to be more work than they were prepared to handle.

Got a similar story... when we started wood heating we pulled and sold the propane space heater. The ol' boy who bought it asked why we were selling. Told him we'd switched to wood heat.

He smiled and said he wanted the propane burner 'cause he'd been cutting and splitting firewood for 30 years and was just plain tired of it.


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## PA. Woodsman (Aug 3, 2014)

Okay, I just drove down the alley and saw my neighbor and his wife, drinking beer and working on a pickup truck. He asked me "how are you doing with your firewood?" and of course the answer was "great" because I've been done months ago, which was nice because he actually proceeded to tell me that he hooked up with a guy up the mountain that has tons of downed wood and he wants it out of there, and the guy is even hauling it with a Kubota and letting him use his splitter etc., so he has a great source but he's still way behind! I knew that if my answer would've been "I'm looking for wood" he would've let me in on the deal, he is a great guy like that, don't get me wrong, and I appreciated that, but whether you have a source or not it has to be processed and the only thing that I said to him was "it's good to have a source; don't wait too long" and we left it at that. So he has a source, but still isn't feeling the urgency to get the wood in, so like we said I guess he'll have to learn the hard way and be disappointed this Winter that although the wood was down it still didn't make it "ready to burn" as he thinks it is....

Oh boy.....


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## Paulywalnut (Aug 6, 2014)

Joful said:


> But I bet he knows which way to turn his iPhone when taking his avatar photo.


That's a wall mount.


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## Osagebndr (Aug 6, 2014)

Paulywalnut said:


> That's a wall mount.


You guys are killin me


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## Osagebndr (Aug 6, 2014)

Had some wood pile picks . New avatar anyone


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## Knots (Aug 8, 2014)

My next door neighbor here where I'm renting cuts and splits oak in October for use that same year.  His sons come in panic mode in November and do the same.  It's painful to watch the smoke come out of his chimney and the monthly chimney cleanings.  He is the salt of the earth otherwise, and has helped me out with a lot of things, but I wish he'd put up his wood earlier!

I've given dry wood to a neighbor and a co-worker after they complained about their stoves not putting out heat.  They were amazed...


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## BobUrban (Aug 9, 2014)

if you are plenty ahead on yours offer some dry wood for his green on a 1.5 or 2 - 1 ration to help get him through the winter.  If he is your neighbor and a good guy it will pay you back in wood karma and maybe more.  Hell, even 1-1 if you are getting oak for cherry, maple, ash, etc.. 

Just an idea


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## Kenster (Aug 9, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> I come by it honestly. My Dad was a Southern Baptist preacher.
> 
> We will be passing the plate shortly.



And the Offertory hymn will be the first three verses of "Be Stihl My Soul!"


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## BrotherBart (Aug 9, 2014)

And will led by our guest today Ferlin Husky.


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## jillybeansisme (Aug 10, 2014)

Well, I have to admit, my wood is bucked and stacked but won't be split until December.  That being said, it also isn't being burned for 3 years.  I do have the builder saving my end cuts of 2x4s and 2x6s of kiln dried douglas fir and my builder has offered me some wood for my visit in December (which my wood-splitter nephew will be hauling in his truck for me) because the 2x's might not be dry (that seems weird, but it is possible).  At least I have a plan (and it doesn't seem stupid).  By the way, in a specially marked moving box is the face shield and ear muffs . . .


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## Woody Stover (Aug 10, 2014)

PA. Woodsman said:


> he hooked up with a guy up the mountain that has tons of downed wood and he wants it out of there, and the guy is even hauling it with a Kubota and letting him use his splitter etc


He might get lucky if the wood's been dead long enough or is quick-drying species. Still won't be perfect, probably, but better that wet Oak.





Knots said:


> My next door neighbor here where I'm renting cuts and splits oak in October for use that same year.  His sons come in panic mode in November and do the same.


Tell them it won't work, I tried it already. I even repeated for many years after that, just to make sure.


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## D8Chumley (Aug 10, 2014)

Woody Stover said:


> He might get lucky if the wood's been dead long enough or is quick-drying species. Still won't be perfect, probably, but better that wet Oak.Tell them it won't work, I tried it already. I even repeated for many years after that, just to make sure.


LOL on the making sure


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## Woody Stover (Aug 12, 2014)

Been telling my wife's cousin for a few months that he's got some dead stuff behind his house that's almost dry. I told him I'd help him haul it out with my quad, but I think he's leery of imposing on me. I stopped by the other day and he had cut some dead trees on the edge of his woods that he thought might fall in the yard, and split and stacked it for this winter. All Red or Black Oak. I pointed out that previous years, he didn't burn as much wood and had a backlog from previous years, so the Oak wasn't too bad then. Last year he burned all his wood and now has nothing but Red Oak stuff, split last week. He thinks the fact that it was dead is gonna help, but I told him he'd be fighting it. I convinced him that we need to grab the stuff in the woods that is way dead. We're gonna do that tomorrow. Cherry, Red Elm, some Sass and other stuff that's probably low 20s at the most. Not dry enough for me but way better than the alternative. I think I'm gonna tell him how I feel about it; That I have a responsibility to burn as cleanly as possible and not compromise the air quality of my neighbors. He's got plenty of dead wood out there to get ahead with, just need to get him fired up enough. He's not lazy; If he gets motivated, he'll attack it.


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## Ashful (Aug 12, 2014)

Woody Stover said:


> Last year he burned all his wood and now has nothing but Red Oak stuff, split last week. He thinks the fact that it was dead is gonna help, but I told him he'd be fighting it.


A $30 moisture meter will solve this disagreement plenty fast.


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## Woody Stover (Aug 12, 2014)

Joful said:


> A $30 moisture meter will solve this disagreement plenty fast.


I just happen to have one that I'll be taking over there tomorrow.  Another problem is that he's got an old smoke-bomber. Sure, you can burn them cleaner at high temps but the temptation is to cut the air to extend the burn, then any hopes for a clean burn go out the window. I may be able to get him to take the plunge on a good used stove at some point. I'll try to make sure that he's ahead on his wood by then.


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## Woody Stover (Aug 12, 2014)

There's also a dead standing White Ash that would be easy to get but it hasn't been dead long enough to be real dry. Maybe there's some dead Tulip around...he burned a lot of that (and gave some away) last season. That could get pretty dry in a few months...


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## PA. Woodsman (Aug 12, 2014)

BobUrban said:


> if you are plenty ahead on yours offer some dry wood for his green on a 1.5 or 2 - 1 ration to help get him through the winter.  If he is your neighbor and a good guy it will pay you back in wood karma and maybe more.  Hell, even 1-1 if you are getting oak for cherry, maple, ash, etc..
> 
> Just an idea




And a very good idea Bob, but I know that he knows better-he just doesn't seem to care for some reason, and thinks what he has is just fine. He'd probably get upset with me if I tried to convince him that he's not ready, he thinks that he's in fine shape and I can tell nothing is going to change his mind, unless he has a bad experience this Winter and the odds are that he will.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Aug 12, 2014)

Woody Stover said:


> Been telling my wife's cousin for a few months that he's got some dead stuff behind his house that's almost dry. I told him I'd help him haul it out with my quad, but I think he's leery of imposing on me. I stopped by the other day and he had cut some dead trees on the edge of his woods that he thought might fall in the yard, and split and stacked it for this winter. All Red or Black Oak. I pointed out that previous years, he didn't burn as much wood and had a backlog from previous years, so the Oak wasn't too bad then. Last year he burned all his wood and now has nothing but Red Oak stuff, split last week. He thinks the fact that it was dead is gonna help, but I told him he'd be fighting it. I convinced him that we need to grab the stuff in the woods that is way dead. We're gonna do that tomorrow. Cherry, Red Elm, some Sass and other stuff that's probably low 20s at the most. Not dry enough for me but way better than the alternative. I think I'm gonna tell him how I feel about it; That I have a responsibility to burn as cleanly as possible and not compromise the air quality of my neighbors. He's got plenty of dead wood out there to get ahead with, just need to get him fired up enough. He's not lazy; If he gets motivated, he'll attack it.


That's all great but get a moisture meter so your not disappointed.....mho


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## Rebelduckman (Aug 12, 2014)

He'll learn the hard way like I did last year. I found out that 2 year old down white oak ain't much closer to burning right than a freshly cut one is. Thanks to you guys I'm getting more in tuned to this wood stove burning every day


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## Woody Stover (Aug 13, 2014)

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:


> That's all great but get a moisture meter so your not disappointed.....mho


Had the "little general" with me. We got a lot of dead, barkless Sass. Didn't check it all, but what I checked was 16-18. One was a little heavier so that might be 22% or so. Then there was some Redbud and Dogwood...felt light. A dead Black Cherry, biggest rounds about 20%. Got a Red Oak for him to burn this year, still had bark, branches and smaller twigs....but it was only 6". I8% on the biggest rounds.  I think we pulled almost a cord up outta there. We'll hit it again soon, then he should be in decent shape for this season. We saw several White Ash that we can get soon, for his '15 stash. I checked the Red Oak he was _planning_ on burning this year...35%.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Aug 14, 2014)

Woody Stover said:


> Had the "little general" with me. We got a lot of dead, barkless Sass. Didn't check it all, but what I checked was 16-18. One was a little heavier so that might be 22% or so. Then there was some Redbud and Dogwood...felt light. A dead Black Cherry, biggest rounds about 20%. Got a Red Oak for him to burn this year, still had bark, branches and smaller twigs....but it was only 6". I8% on the biggest rounds.  I think we pulled almost a cord up outta there. We'll hit it again soon, then he should be in decent shape for this season. We saw several White Ash that we can get soon, for his '15 stash. I checked the Red Oak he was _planning_ on burning this year...35%.


Good work straightening him out.....


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## Woody Stover (Aug 14, 2014)

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:


> Good work straightening him out.....


I want to get him up to speed and sitting on some stash in case I run across a good used stove; I think he will upgrade from the old smoke-bomber if the opportunity presents itself...


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## Knots (Aug 17, 2014)

BobUrban said:


> if you are plenty ahead on yours offer some dry wood for his green on a 1.5 or 2 - 1 ration to help get him through the winter.  If he is your neighbor and a good guy it will pay you back in wood karma and maybe more.  Hell, even 1-1 if you are getting oak for cherry, maple, ash, etc..
> 
> Just an idea



I like the way you think, but since you can't transport firewood in the NE very far, I had to leave all my 2 and 3-year-old oak down in CT.  I'm down on the curve myself, and hoping to process a bunch this winter to get out front again...


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## JoeCt (Aug 18, 2014)

Hope you like the smell of oak smoke


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## Knots (Aug 19, 2014)

JoeCt said:


> Hope you like the smell of oak smoke



Moving right now to 80+ acres.  Closest neighbors are horses.


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## Ashful (Aug 19, 2014)

Joful's life mistake #1063:  don't marry a woman who considers 10 acres just minutes from town, "too remote".


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## Knots (Aug 20, 2014)

Joful said:


> Joful's life mistake #1063:  don't marry a woman who considers 10 acres just minutes from town, "too remote".



Yikes!  By Maine standards I'm still in suburbia.  Paved road, 20 minutes to town, 35 minutes to Portland.

Build house first, get woman later...


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## firefighterjake (Aug 20, 2014)

Knots said:


> Yikes!  By Maine standards I'm still in suburbia.  Paved road, 20 minutes to town, 35 minutes to Portland.
> 
> Build house first, get woman later...



I know some folks that would say Alfred is Northern Massachusetts . . . or eastern New Hampshire.   Then again, these are the same folks who a) have never left the State for their entire life, b) folks who think driving to Bangor or Portland is going to the "Big City" and c) they think if they go to Portland they will surely be mugged. 

For a real slice of Maine . . . try heading to The County or Downeast . . . things are way, way different there . . . quite different even from where I live.


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## Woody Stover (Aug 20, 2014)

Woody Stover said:


> Been telling my wife's cousin for a few months that he's got some dead stuff behind his house that's almost dry.....he had cut some dead trees on the edge of his woods and stacked it for this winter. All Red or Black Oak....35% MC!


So we finally got back in there last week, and here's what we came up with that was dry:
_Lotta Sassafras, a little Black Cherry, a couple small Oak, like 6 or 7", some Redbud and Dogwood. Then we grabbed a couple BL on the edge of his yard, 20% or so. A couple tossers in there, as you can see.



_
About two cords or so. I'm sure there's more small dead stuff, Dogwood, Mulberry and such, in another section of his woods, but we're gonna wait until the brush dies back so it's easier to find.


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## chazcarr (Aug 21, 2014)

I had a neighbor last month come up to me and say I better not be burning the wood I was splitting this season.  He is tired of smelling everyone's smoke.  I told him not to worry as I plan on using the oil burner this year.  In actuality I have tons of Envi-8s in my basement that I plan to burn while all this new stuff dries.  I had to buy them because the polar vortex damn near wiped me out.

I wasn't even mad at him for nosing in, I actually agree.  A new person has moved in behind him and burns like he is trying to communicate by smoke signal to some Indian tribe on the moon.  I see ash raining out of his chimney sometimes.  He burned about 4 months ago, not sure when he'll start up again but he has since cut every tree in his back yard down.  Big difference is that my large wood pile is noticeable, therefore everyone only really knows me as the crazy wood guy.

I hate when un-baptized (to use this thread's language) newbies make everyone scowl at me.  
Luckily once people get to know me they realize I've been fully confirmed in this religion and know my stuff.

I wish there was some type of hearth.com pamphlet I could staple to this guy's door.


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## Woody Stover (Aug 21, 2014)

chazcarr said:


> I had a neighbor last month come up to me and say I better not be burning the wood I was splitting this season.


I'm surprised that anyone actually has a neighbor that knows that dry wood is a necessity.


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## Craig S. (Aug 21, 2014)

I've seen so many people around here splitting wood this summer with the intention to burn this winter.


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## Hobie (Aug 21, 2014)

My neighbor, who is in the landscaping business....not sure if he deals with firewood in his business.....dropped a bunch of rounds next to his house last winter, got out the splitter, split everything, stacked it against the house, and over the next few weeks, would pass it though the window to his wife to burn.

Last year was my first year burning, and even I wouldn't do that!


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## paul bunion (Aug 21, 2014)

Hobie said:


> My neighbor, who is in the landscaping business....not sure if he deals with firewood in his business.....dropped a bunch of rounds next to his house last winter, got out the splitter, split everything, stacked it against the house, and over the next few weeks, would pass it though the window to his wife to burn.
> 
> Last year was my first year burning, and even I wouldn't do that!



Yes,  he should have made her carry the wood in by the armload through the back door.


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## Lyndenbrook Farm (Aug 23, 2014)

Hey friendly flame-heads!   Total newbie here.  I'm happy I stumbled on this forum and this thread, so I decided to register and pop in for some insight.

My wife is happy that we just moved a tad more remote (but I still can commute to my desk job without too much hassle).  We have a nice place with seven acres, a brook, a patch of woods and 10 horse stalls (oops, don't marry a horse lover again).

We just installed a used Hearthstone Heritage and we have a metric buttload of standing victims of the emerald ash borer.

We are new here and there is only a small stack of seasoned stuff sitting around (1/3 cord max)  from the previous owner, who obviously was not into the whole thing because of the horror that was the chimney when we inspected.  (But at least that small stack is REALLY seasoned).

Some of the ash around has been standing dead for a couple years obviously. We had to have some taken down, and that is about all that is available.  So that is what I am burning this winter like it or not.

Some of it seemed pretty dry/seasoned to my untrained eye.  Cracks all through, and it splits in four pieces if you just _look _at the logs cross-eyed.  Others more shaded were less dry.

So, am I ok?  

I am ready for my baptism!


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## Ashful (Aug 23, 2014)

No experience (yet) here with EAB, but Ash is one of the fastest drying high BTU woods you'll find, so that's in your favor.  Best advice, check freshly-split faces with a $30 General moisture meter from Lowes, and look for numbers around 20% at room temperature.  Split small, even green ash can dry in one summer.


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## Woody Stover (Aug 23, 2014)

Lyndenbrook Farm said:


> Some of the ash around has been standing dead for a couple years obviously. We had to have some taken down, and that is about all that is available.  So that is what I am burning this winter like it or not. Some of it seemed pretty dry/seasoned to my untrained eye.  Cracks all through, and it splits in four pieces if you just _look _at the logs cross-eyed.  Others more shaded were less dry.


Welcome!  I seldom find White Ash that's ready to go in the stove immediately, but a lot of the dead stuff is low to mid-20s moisture content. "Cracks all through"  sounds promising. Stack it in single rows in the wind and hope for the best. You can mix it with Bio-bricks if needed this winter. Any dead Ash you can split and stack now will be ready by next fall, for sure. Oak is a different story, very slow drying. As mentioned, a moisture meter is useful when you are under the gun for dry wood, and need to find out where you stand. Once you have a few years' worth stacked, you know it's gonna be dry by the time you burn it. See my post above; You can probably go out and find *small,* dead stuff that _is_ ready right now, then the split and stacked Ash will be better in a few months than it is now.


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## Lyndenbrook Farm (Aug 23, 2014)

Thanks, Joful and Stover!

Being that I am burning what is available and that is my only choice, I'm not sure if a meter will do me any good.  But I will try to stack it right and hope for the best.

Winters in my area usually start out pretty mild.  Do you (or anyone else in the peanut gallery) have any tips on stacking/storing for drying in colder months?


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## D8Chumley (Aug 23, 2014)

Welcome! These guys gave some good advice. I have burned less than ideal wood, it will burn but just not very efficiently. Keep an eye on the chimney for creosote build up. I have let some wetter splits "dry" next to the stove for a few days. Not the best way but when you are up against it you gotta do what u gotta do. I'd agree with the moisture meter, for 30 it's peace of mind to me. Fortunately I found this site last year and I'm right about where I need to be to have the 3 year ahead goal met.


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## Lyndenbrook Farm (Aug 24, 2014)

Can someone point me to a link about stacking.storing 101? 

My DW is insisting that the most seasoned stuff be used for horse jumps instead of heating our home.  Argh.  Won't even let me swap it out if I do all the moving.  

Thanks


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## Ashful (Aug 24, 2014)

Speechless.  Why would a horse care if the wood is seasoned?  Your stove will.

Seems to me that horse jumps would be the perfect place for stacking green stuff to season.


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## Bmore (Aug 24, 2014)

Does wet oak burn better in catalytic vs secondary burning stoves? Split and stacked a lot of wood this spring that I hope to be burning in a big cat this season.


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## Lyndenbrook Farm (Aug 24, 2014)

Joful said:


> Speechless.  Why would a horse care if the wood is seasoned?  Your stove will.
> 
> Seems to me that horse jumps would be the perfect place for stacking green stuff to season.



Before I knew which end was up, I let her put some together.  Now they are "permanent installations" 

I did get a giggle out of your comment, though, and will share with her


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## Hoozie (Aug 24, 2014)

Lyndenbrook Farm said:


> (oops, don't marry a horse lover again).


Truth!
<-- attempting (poorly) to maintain a 9 acre horse farm.  Repeat after me: "If I really wanted horses, I would have had them already."

Tell her you'll rebuild them bigger/better/more awesomer?  Or do it anyways when she isn't looking?


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## Ashful (Aug 24, 2014)

Bmore said:


> Does wet oak burn better in catalytic vs secondary burning stoves? Split and stacked a lot of wood this spring that I hope to be burning in a big cat this season.


I am unfortunately very qualified to answer this question.  Yes, you can burn unseasoned wood in a catalytic stove, perhaps better than in a non-cat, but that statement requires a few qualifying remarks:

1.  You will need to leave your stove in bypass much longer, to bake out the water.
2.  You'll be throwing away a lot of your hard-split BTU's on boiling water.
3.  It will funk up your chimney while burning in bypass.
4.  In any stove aside from a downdraft catalytic, the steam passing thru your ceramic cat might cause it to fracture.  Putting 200F steam thru a cat that was just cooking at 1000F+ causes some serious mechanical stresses.

The one advantage of the catalytic stove for burning wet wood, over the non-cat, is that bypass damper.


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## Woody Stover (Aug 25, 2014)

Bmore said:


> Does wet oak burn better in catalytic vs secondary burning stoves? Split and stacked a lot of wood this spring that I hope to be burning in a big cat this season.


The Buck don't like wet wood...


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## blacktail (Aug 25, 2014)

SPLITTING now? My neighbor has spent the last week cutting down maples and alders for this coming winter. He'll have it all split in the next week or two. Should burn nice in his old slammer insert.


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## BCC_Burner (Aug 25, 2014)

Lots of my neighbors are coming back from the Uintas with their trucks full of rounds for this winter lately.  A few guys have had their rounds stacked since July, but only 2 other people in my neighborhood who are burners have any quantity of wood split yet.  Most people won't start splitting until it's cold enough to start burning in mid or late September.  My next door neighbor even invited me to his "splitting party" to get ready for this winter...he's having it the 27th and 28th of September. 

If dead standing softwoods weren't so prevalent around here, I would be getting confrontational with my neighbors about their practices and the fact that I'll have to breathe their pollution. Most of them manage to scrape by because of the species we're dealing with, but it's disconcerting to see how little people care about instituting responsible burning practices.


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## Ashful (Aug 25, 2014)

blacktail said:


> SPLITTING now? My neighbor has spent the last week cutting down maples and alders for this coming winter. He'll have it all split in the next week or two.



Nothing wrong with splitting now... if it's not for this year!  

I usually do 80% - 90% of my splitting for any year on Thanksgiving weekend.  However, with 15 cords cut, split, and stacked, I'll be splitting my 2016 - 2018 wood this Thanksgiving.


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