Ash..... a miracle wood?

[Ken45]

Just curious. Who still has live ash trees? The emerald ash bore has destroyed all of the ash trees here in south-east Michigan. I believe Detroit was ground zero for this little invader. It likely came in on pallets from Asia about 10 years ago. Michigan tried to stop the spread of the insect by banning the movement of firewood across the state but that didn't work. Last thing I heard was that all of Michigan and parts of Ohio and Ontario are affected. Has it spread further?

ChipTam

AFAIK, it's close but our trees are still okay. We are along the Ohio river about 60 mi SE of Cincinnati (halfway to Portsmouth, OH). But the EAB is close. There is also an outbreak of the Asian Longhorn Beetle about 30 mi east of Cincinnati which apparently is an even worse pest since it kills many species. They are aggressively trying to stop it.

I've heard that the EAB is also killing trees in northern Ky across the river from Cincinnati.

The county here was pretty in pretty good shape with the EAB but they then put us into the quarantine area so that infected wood could be brought into the county.... I fail to understand our bureaucrats.

We have a lot of green ash on our place and I am afraid of the mess we are going to have very soon. We may lose the trails I've built on our farm if the woods become too dangerous.

I know we can't stop trade with the Far East, but our woodlands are sure paying the price for it.

Ken

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

The only Ash I get to burn are the blow downs, which generally are dying. I do not measure moisture, but I can tell you the Ash I cut takes off immediatly and produces very well. Red Oak on the other hand, MUST be dry - at least the outside of the round - if you want it to 'take off'. But it will out-perform the Ash when it gets below zero.

 

[oldspark]

I give up, dont know what you guys are doing but it does not take ash (especially Green Ash) a full year to get to 18%, I guess I could take pictures of when I cut it and the reading and show what it is at the end of the summer but you wont believe it any way. I guess wood just drys faster in NW Iowa.

 

[woodmiser]

I give up, dont know what you guys are doing but it does not take ash (espically Green Ash) a full year to get to 18%, I guess I could take pictures of when I cut it and the reading and show what it is at the end of the summer but you wont believe it any way. I guess wood just drys faster in NW Iowa.

Most here seem to agree it will burn with minimal seasoning but it will burn better when seasoned a year. I have found my recently split ash at 25%. That's pretty darn dry for almost no seasoning. This was a large living ash.
What goes on in Iowa anyway? Farming and farming and more farming?

 

[oldspark]

I give up, dont know what you guys are doing but it does not take ash (espically Green Ash) a full year to get to 18%, I guess I could take pictures of when I cut it and the reading and show what it is at the end of the summer but you wont believe it any way. I guess wood just drys faster in NW Iowa.

Most here seem to agree it will burn with minimal seasoning but it will burn better when seasoned a year. I have found my recently split ash at 25%. That's pretty darn dry for almost no seasoning. This was a large living ash.
What goes on in Iowa anyway? Farming and farming and more farming?

I can get it below 20% by fall if css by april first, not sure what others are doing, I hate seeing all this misinformation on Hearth but what are you going to do.
Yep farming all around me, things are good for the farmers right now, just hope it stays that way.
P.S. Wet ash does not burn that well at all, I do agree with that.

 

[LLigetfa]

To put things in perspective, it's mostly Black Ash that I burn here. The stuff grows in swamps. I'm told that White or Green seasons quicker.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

I can get it below 20% by fall if css by april first, not sure what others are doing, I hate seeing all this misinformation on Hearth but what are you going to do.

Know what ya mean. Can't say I 'hate' it, but it is painful to watch a cranky old man bi+ch after someone has obviously pizzed in his Corn Flakes. But, hey . . . what'z ya gonna' do? :smirk:

 

[LLigetfa]

Yep farming all around me...

Lakes and rivers all around me. Humidity may be a factor.

 

[oldspark]

Yep farming all around me...

Lakes and rivers all around me. Humidity may be a factor.

Could be, it is very humid here in the summer, the black ash like you said may be a different animal, windy here most of the time also.

 

[oldspark]

I can get it below 20% by fall if css by april first, not sure what others are doing, I hate seeing all this misinformation on Hearth but what are you going to do.

Know what ya mean. Can't say I 'hate' it, but it is painful to watch a cranky old man bi+ch after someone has obviously pizzed in his Corn Flakes. But, hey . . . what'z ya gonna' do? :smirk:

That is funny, maybe not so nice but funny. I am sure some days people think someone pizzed in my corn flakes. :lol:

 

[Gasifier]

I give up, dont know what you guys are doing but it does not take ash (espically Green Ash) a full year to get to 18%, I guess I could take pictures of when I cut it and the reading and show what it is at the end of the summer but you wont believe it any way. I guess wood just drys faster in NW Iowa.

Your not alone oldspark. White Ash dries plenty well in 6 months here in Northern New York. I have had readings from 16-22%. As you know, lots of variables can be involved in drying your wood.

We have live Ash here still. But from what I am reading the EAB is all around us. North up in Ottawa, Ontario, West of here in Rochester, N.Y. and further. Only a matter of time I guess. From another discussion on this bug though, it sounds like we can still burn the wood after they have infested the tree. They only eat the wood in a certain section under the bark. I will have a good supply of wood for a while.

 

[woodmiser]

Just now I threw in the biggest split I had into a hot stove. Probably 24" long and 8-10" accross.
Lit right up after a few minutes. Now it's slowing down some as the bottom is turning to coal. Stove is about 425 on top. Air is wide open to help out.

 

[Ken45]

White Ash dries plenty well in 6 months here in Northern New York. I have had readings from 16-22%.

Let me just ask, "what's ideal"? I know 18% is often considered a "minimum" for seasoned wood, but that's still over 600 pounds of water per cord and "Each pound of water vaporized uses about 1,200 Btu" (extension.missouri.edu)

How much more heat do you get with a second year of seasoning?

I can definitely tell the difference between wood that has been seasoned six months and 18 months.

 

[woodmiser]

About half hour later, air wide open, stove temp has risen to 435. I like it.

 

[oldspark]

White Ash dries plenty well in 6 months here in Northern New York. I have had readings from 16-22%.

Let me just ask, "what's ideal"? I know 18% is often considered a "minimum" for seasoned wood, but that's still over 600 pounds of water per cord and "Each pound of water vaporized uses about 1,200 Btu" (extension.missouri.edu)

How much more heat do you get with a second year of seasoning?

I can definitely tell the difference between wood that has been seasoned six months and 18 months.

Now were getting somewhere, why do you think wood has to be that dry, they test the stoves at either 20 or 25%, 18% wood bursts into flame in seconds and get the stove hot in no time. Now if wood could load itself into the wood burner with a little more age on it I'm all for it. I CAN tell when wood is really dry as it tends to burn up quicker.
Another thing where have you read that 18% is the minimum, that's crap also.

 

[woodmiser]

I added two more splits burned about 10 minutes wide open, now I just turned down the air to cruise mode.... no smoke.

I love this wood. It's this years live cut ash with only a few months dry time.

 

[oldspark]

I have some of this years ash I cut in the spring and some that is 17 months old and can not tell any difference, the ash I cut last spring starts and burns well.

 

[woodmiser]

It's holding my Equinox at 400 stove top. That's saying something.

 

[LLigetfa]

White Ash dries plenty well in 6 months here in Northern New York. I have had readings from 16-22%.

Let me just ask, "what's ideal"? I know 18% is often considered a "minimum" for seasoned wood, but that's still over 600 pounds of water per cord and "Each pound of water vaporized uses about 1,200 Btu" (extension.missouri.edu)

How much more heat do you get with a second year of seasoning?

I can definitely tell the difference between wood that has been seasoned six months and 18 months.

Now were getting somewhere, why do you think wood has to be that dry, they test the stoves at either 20 or 25%, 18% wood bursts into flame in seconds and get the stove hot in no time. Now if wood could load itself into the wood burner with a little more age on it I'm all for it. I CAN tell when wood is really dry as it tends to burn up quicker.
Another thing where have you read that 18% is the minimum, that's crap also.

Sounds like another oldtimer's "wood is too dry" debate recently proliferated by OWB guys.

I don't own a MM and have no clue what % my wood is. I guage the wood by weight and how well it burns without having to fuss with it and how clean the glass stays when the air is turned way down. I have never encountered the "wood it too dry" phenomenon but I have encountered the unregulated EPA mandated air issue that manifests more with dry wood. I have encountered the "before its time" issue and rather than fuss with it and burn up more that I should, I'd rather run the gas furnace and save the wood for next year.

 

[oldspark]

LLigefta-you have never had wood that gased off in a heartbeat and secondaries had a hard time keeping up, bottome line for me is I WONT burn wet wood but I am not gonna wait longer than needed either, most of my wood is close to 2 years old so I do have wood to compare and it does not amount to a hill of beans for some types.

 

[woodmiser]

I definitely had the "wood too dry" syndrome with my insert. I turned that stuff into kindling.

Here a a few shots I took just in the last hour burning ash. I think the cats approve!

 

[LLigetfa]

I have never encountered the "wood is too dry" phenomenon but I have encountered the unregulated EPA mandated air issue that manifests more with dry wood...

I should qualify that statement to just the post-EPA era. I burned for many years in old barrel stoves, cookstoves and cast iron stoves where the moisture was an integral element in controlling the burn.

Most folk tend to blame the wood and call it a "wood too dry" issue when the blame probably lies with the stove. In years past, I selected less than ideal wood for overnight burns because of the stove. I've since had my encounter on the road to Damascus.

 

[Ken45]

The "wood is too dry and burns too fast", or you are feeding in too small of splits?

 

[maxed_out]

woodmiser, same here with recently cut ash. year 2+ gets even better. if condtions are right, big wind just perfect accross our flue and cold, ash can burn really hot.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I give up, dont know what you guys are doing but it does not take ash (especially Green Ash) a full year to get to 18%, I guess I could take pictures of when I cut it and the reading and show what it is at the end of the summer but you wont believe it any way. I guess wood just drys faster in NW Iowa.

Oldspark, you live in a different climate out there so maybe have some different results.