# Whole logs vs split



## Boozie (Dec 16, 2010)

I had a load of firewood delivered in anticipation of my new insert being delivered this Friday.  The first thing I said to him was "it's not split".  He said that he thought I could use the larger logs for all night burning and the smaller ones during the day.  Supposedly, this is seasoned Locust.  I'm now thinking I should have told him to take it away and bring me only split.  What say?


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## gzecc (Dec 16, 2010)

Locust is primo wood. It will be very low in moisture from the start. How long have them be seasoned? I hope the bark is off? Do you have a moisture meter?


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## wkpoor (Dec 16, 2010)

I guess it depends on just how big the rounds are. 2-4inch rounds I probably won't split but larger ones at least once. There is the school of thought that wood doesn't fully dry until cracked at least once.


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## Boozie (Dec 16, 2010)

No, the bark is not off.  A lot of the logs are about 6" or more across in width.  No, I don't have a moisture meter.


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## joshlaugh (Dec 16, 2010)

I wouldn't consider that ready to burn.  I like my wood to be split and stacked for at least 1 year before I burn it.  The only exception to that for me is standing dead elm or ash trees.  I will burn them that year.


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## CTYank (Dec 16, 2010)

Boozie said:
			
		

> I had a load of firewood delivered in anticipation of my new insert being delivered this Friday.  The first thing I said to him was "it's not split".  He said that he thought I could use the larger logs for all night burning and the smaller ones during the day.  Supposedly, this is seasoned Locust.  I'm now thinking I should have told him to take it away and bring me only split.  What say?



What matters is the extent to which it's been air-dried. Black locust bark really seals in the moisture, so splitting it really speeds up the drying, which it mostlikely will need LOTS of, especially for an EPA stove. Black locust retains moisture differently- you'll see it in little steam explosions. No wood can be gotten too dry for EPA stove.

You don't mention anything about the range of sizes delivered, nor how that matches with the stove size. You'll soon have a different view of optimum sizes.
He saved money by skipping the splitting part. One downside for you: getting unsplit not-completely-dried black locust to light will take quite a while.

If you're going to do anything about it, better do it now. If you're going to be buying wood, you'll need a moisture-meter.

You could split it further yourself. Along with the stuff you scrounge; can't have too much wood, nor too dry.


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## Bigg_Redd (Dec 16, 2010)

Boozie said:
			
		

> I had a load of firewood delivered in anticipation of my new insert being delivered this Friday.  The first thing I said to him was "it's not split".  He said that he thought I could use the larger logs for all night burning and the smaller ones during the day.  Supposedly, this is seasoned Locust.  I'm now thinking I should have told him to take it away and bring me only split.  What say?



Split it and burn it.  

If he has more have him deliver next winter's wood this week.


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## OhioBurner© (Dec 16, 2010)

I've heard black locust is hard enough to burn split, you might have a heck of a time burning it in the round...


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## gzecc (Dec 16, 2010)

You need to split it and stack it for at least 6 mos. in a sunny location. Get more for next yr. If he only wants do deliver unsplit, don't pay for split.


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## 94ranger55 (Dec 16, 2010)

I would split some and save some round ....they are real beasts for overnite burns!


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## Wallyworld (Dec 16, 2010)

If they are dry, do they fit in your stove? if so burn them, people worry about the weirdest stuff on here


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## mayhem (Dec 16, 2010)

I hope he gave you a steep discount for unsplit wood.


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## shawneyboy (Dec 16, 2010)

He said he thought ????  Well apparently as my wife says...."There you go thinking again, please don't."   

You need to season that,  well it looks like you have next years wood.


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## Boozie (Dec 16, 2010)

My insert is a Buck, Model 91 catalytic stove.  Firebox volume is 4.4 cubic ft.  Firewood length, 22" (front to back).  I will get a picture of the wood and send it along later.  

I really appreciate all the comments.  This is such a great site.

Babs


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## gzecc (Dec 16, 2010)

If this wood seller, sold you firewood, and didn't tell you it wasn't split, he is a crook. Firewood is always split when sold.


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## oldspark (Dec 16, 2010)

Wallyworld said:
			
		

> If they are dry, do they fit in your stove? if so burn them, people worry about the weirdest stuff on here


 If yu have ever burnt Black Locust you know how dense the wood is and how hard it is to even get burning even if it is dry, so they are making valid points.


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## certified106 (Dec 16, 2010)

I for one like a good supply of rounds that are 4 to 6 inches for great overnight burns during the cold weather. However I would question whether those rounds are dry or not as mine are usually 2 years old and stacked in the dry for at least one year.


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## Boozie (Dec 16, 2010)

I haven't burned ANY wood for a few years.  In 1995 I had underground mine subsidence and had to repair my home, from the footers up to the first floor everything was torn out.  All the brick came off (at first I left the one wall that was sound, the wall where the fireplace was).  The brick lady convinced me that I wouldn't be happy, as the new brick would not be an exact match.  So, the brick on that end of the house came off also.  That's when we discovered that the chimney was poorly built.  The workers said they were surprised that I hadn't had a fire using that chimney.  The house was built in the 70's and when I called the builder, I was "put off" saying that the chimney was built to code at the time.  Well, it may have been "built to code", but it still was not a safe chimney.  

I had two choices, tear down the chimney and rebuild it (very expensive) or insert a liner.  I chose the later option.  I got back in my house in 2002, just now getting around to putting in the liner and insert.  

Long explanation, but that's why I haven't burned any wood for a long time.


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## Wallyworld (Dec 16, 2010)

oldspark said:
			
		

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I've burned it, where I am anything goes once its 5 degrees out, bed of coals will get dry black locust going just like it will red oak or any other wood. Split or not its flaming :lol:


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## oldspark (Dec 16, 2010)

Wallyworld said:
			
		

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 Can you burn a 10 or 12 inch round of it, I have never tried but I know how hard a large round of Oak can burn, my old stove (non EPA) needed a large bed of coals to get good sized rounds going, not sure my summit would do it very well.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Dec 16, 2010)

Some of you guys would $%#& your pants -if you had any on- if you saw 3 12" Red Oak rounds, just cut today from tops, rolled into a boiler and go smokless in 1/2 hour and burn for 10 hours. How *DO* you stove people do it?? :lol:


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## Wallyworld (Dec 16, 2010)

oldspark said:
			
		

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You'd have to have quite a stove to get  a 12" round into, I have 3 1970s made in Maine Sunshine box stoves. they take up 26" long wood but I could get 1 10" round in and thats it. If I had a bed of coals that 1 stick would go up in flames, you can bet on that. Certainly wouldn't be optimal, I was thinking they 4" or 6" rounds which I would burn all day long. I have a splitter so I split anything bigger than 5 or 6 inch. When I had a gasifier, rounds worked great but 10 or 12 inch would still be on the big side


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## oldspark (Dec 17, 2010)

I got carried away!


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## SolarAndWood (Dec 17, 2010)

oldspark said:
			
		

> I got carried away!



I don't think so.  Now that I'm ahead, my goal is to process into chunks as big as possible.  We'll see how the 8x8s work next year and then maybe go bigger.  As for whole logs vs splits, splits dry faster.


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## Dune (Dec 17, 2010)

SolarAndWood said:
			
		

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The bigger you go, the more ahead you will have to be. Two of my fences still don't have stacks along them, so I split stuff above 6-7"


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## chrisfallis (Dec 17, 2010)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

> Some of you guys would $%#& your pants -if you had any on- :



It is a little chilly at this time of year to be going "sans-culottes".


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## Heaterhunter (Dec 18, 2010)

Wallyworld is right.  Just burn them as all-nighters.  Just make sure you've got a good bed to lay in and you'll be all set.  I've been testing the theory this season.  Cut a bunch of wood the end of this summer and am attempting to burn some big round stuff and it's working out!


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## SolarAndWood (Dec 18, 2010)

Dune said:
			
		

> The bigger you go, the more ahead you will have to be.



Yep, that is the million dollar question...how much longer will they take to dry.


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