Burning ash wood

[Hearth Mistress]

I respectfully suggest that if you had resplit it immediately before measuring, you would have had a higher reading, probably close to the 24% you had the day before.

I think you misunderstood me. The 24 was the fresh re-split side (our neighbor that helps me forgets I need small splits for my stove, not large like he can burn) I measured it when I re-split it, the 19 was a day later, after being near the stove for a day, same side For the record, he burns ash in his Oslo right after he cuts it. If I do that, I get more sizzle than a pan of bacon!

 

[WhitePine]

I think you misunderstood me. The 24 was the fresh re-split side (our neighbor that helps me forgets I need small splits for my stove, not large like he can burn) I measured it when I re-split it, the 19 was a day later, after being near the stove for a day, same side For the record, he burns ash in his Oslo right after he cuts it. If I do that, I get more sizzle than a pan of bacon!

Yes that is what I understood. To my knowledge, waiting even one day without resplitting (rerespliting if it has already been resplit) will result in an erroneous reading. As I understand it, the reading is valid only immediately after splitting. It must be taken within minutes, not hours. Anything else will result in a low reading due to the rapid evaporation of the surface moisture as soon as it is exposed to the air. I am suggesting, therefore, that the 19 was not representative of the interior of the split.

 

[jdp1152]

I've tried to hasten seasoning by bringing wood indoors and putting close to the insert. I have not had any luck at all. I have had luck in an open fireplace putting 4-5 splits vertically inside the fireplace...not in the fire, but dang close. Close enough that I've caught one on fire before. Mind you I did not test these for moisture, just noticed a drastic reduction in hissing when adding them to the flames after a bit.

 

[HJsimpson]

This is my first winter heating with soley ash and im really enjoying it. I currently have 21 cords of it and adding more each week so i will get to try some 2 to 3 year seasoned eventually. Splits geat and low on ash but since i have yet to burn or cut any oak i really cant compare. I have another 5 cords of mulberry, hard maple, hickory and walnut but with the amount of dying ash those stacks are not getting bigger yet. Sure beats the white elm i used for the last 2 winters.

 

[Blue2ndaries]

I really like ash; this is my first year burning it. I would readily consider swapping out half of my oak cord-for-cord for ash as it seasons quicker than white oak and burns really well.

 

[HDRock]

Yes that is what I understood. To my knowledge, waiting even one day without resplitting (rerespliting if it has already been resplit) will result in an erroneous reading. As I understand it, the reading is valid only immediately after splitting. It must be taken within minutes, not hours. Anything else will result in a low reading due to the rapid evaporation of the surface moisture as soon as it is exposed to the air. I am suggesting, therefore, that the 19 was not representative of the interior of the split.

Ash will drop 5% mc in a day split small ,stacked near stove, and it WAS re split before testing.
A ash tree standing dead, for a couple of years can have a MC of 16%, cut some down that was 16%, and burned it a month ago

 

[firefighterjake]

If I had to pick only one tree species to burn it would be ash . . . it's not up there like black locust, oak, etc. . . . but it seasons quickly, splits like a dream usually and is just a good all-around wood.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

All we have is ash here too, ash s pretty much ALL we have. While some folks cut it and burn it the same day, my stove doesn't like it. I have done it, in a pinch with some pallet wood but right off the saw, it's usually 25-28%. I spilt it small so it dries a bit faster but even when I bring some fresh cut in the house, it gets under 20% in about a day. Until an hour ago, I never had anything else to burn, it's kept us warm for a year now

Cut down an ash and it should be around 35% on the moisture and no way would it drop 5-8% in a day!

 

[Hearth Mistress]

Cut down an ash and it should be around 35% on the moisture and no way would it drop 5-8% in a day!

Beg to differ, maybe where you live the climate makes a difference but for months now I've been tackling an 85 ft ash tree that fell on our house during Sandy and was removed with a crane, cut into chunks and are now about 30"wide by 35"+ across rounds. On a 27 ton splitter, right off the bar they are measuring 28 at the highest so far. This was not a dead tree, just huge. Even though it's been cut a few times now, even covered with snow last week, these suckers are dry. I split today, burning now, no sizzle, nothing but BTUs in my little stove.

 

[HDRock]

Cut down an ash and it should be around 35% on the moisture and no way would it drop 5-8% in a day!

At 25% MC to start, then split small , stacked near stove, with fan on it, it will drop 5%, but no more, in 24 hours. If it was 35% to start IDK

 

[The Beagler]

Great wood...have some I am burning this winter. More next year. A lot of dead/dying ash down here in Northern Ky.

 

[oldspark]

Seems everyone likes Ash. Can't wait to use some next year. I put up about two cords of it, so I will be eager to see how it does.

There is nothing like a good piece of Ash.

 

[schlot]

There is nothing like a good piece of Ash.

No one more than me! LOL.

 

[jdp1152]

Ash will drop 5% mc in a day split small ,stacked near stove, and it WAS re split before testing.
A ash tree standing dead, for a couple of years can have a MC of 16%, cut some down that was 16%, and burned it a month ago

I just have not had that luck with dead ash yet. I had a huge one right up near the house when I bought it. I tried to negotiate having it taken down as part of the purchase agreement, but the previous owner didn't budge citing that it had been that way for years and not dropped a limb. Had it taken down and the MC was all 25+. Have two more dead ones bordering the road at the power lines that need taking down. Might push the town to do it since it's technically on the town easement. Perhaps I'll have better luck with those. Much smaller diameter than the 3.5 foot one. Was actually planning on splitting some from my driveway stacks and from my porch and comparing MC. Both were cut in March. One batch was split in August and other October. I suspect the October splits are in better shape moisture wise since they've been out in the open and it stays pretty windy around here.

 

[HDRock]

I just have not had that luck with dead ash yet. I had a huge one right up near the house when I bought it. I tried to negotiate having it taken down as part of the purchase agreement, but the previous owner didn't budge citing that it had been that way for years and not dropped a limb. Had it taken down and the MC was all 25+. Have two more dead ones bordering the road at the power lines that need taking down. Might push the town to do it since it's technically on the town easement. Perhaps I'll have better luck with those. Much smaller diameter than the 3.5 foot one. Was actually planning on splitting some from my driveway stacks and from my porch and comparing MC. Both were cut in March. One batch was split in August and other October. I suspect the October splits are in better shape moisture wise since they've been out in the open and it stays pretty windy around here.

Probably not going to have that luck with a big O 3.5 foot diameter,
Sorry , I should have stated , the one I was speaking of ,that I cut down was a , weenie 12"diameter,

 

[Applesister]

Ash is awesome to burn. I heard you could burn it almost immediately after you cut it! And I found that to be true this year. I cut a couple of Ash trees down for a friend recently and split it within a few days. I let it sit for about 2 weeks, then tried to burn it. Guess what? It burned great. I was really surprised, but I guess its true that you really don't need to season Ash. As far as heat value, I always thought Ash was fine. It delivers plenty of heat, and has a fairly long burn time. Although not as good as Oak. Back in the day in England, this wood was referred to the King's wood. Because of it's desirable qualities mentioned above, only the Kings men were allowed to take it from the forest. I give Ash 2 thumbs up!

Ash wood wet and Ash wood dry
A King shall warm his slippers by

 

[Kevin Dolan]

Welcome to the forum Rich.

That is an old wife's tale about burning it right away. Yes, it can be done but it should not be done. If you split that ash and stack it for a couple years you'll be amazed at the difference.

Totally agree with backwoods, we burn a lot of ash and it needs to be split and stacked for two years, best for burning in the EPA stoves. A friend of mine has an outdoor stove and told me he cuts and burns green ash in it no problem, his chimney is 4 feet and creosote is not a problem. I have some 3 year seasoned ash in a pile and tried burning it recently and it was still 25% moisture, so piling has its issues rather than stacking. But I love white ash for burning properly seasoned.
Kevin

 

[shoot-straight]

this is awsome news! i have 2-3 cords of cut ash at the house. i plan on using it next year, i hope to let my oak/locust stash sit for another year.

 

[oldspark]

Yep you can burn green ash that has just been cut and you can also burn old tires, dont make it right.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Beg to differ, maybe where you live the climate makes a difference but for months now I've been tackling an 85 ft ash tree that fell on our house during Sandy and was removed with a crane, cut into chunks and are now about 30"wide by 35"+ across rounds. On a 27 ton splitter, right off the bar they are measuring 28 at the highest so far. This was not a dead tree, just huge. Even though it's been cut a few times now, even covered with snow last week, these suckers are dry. I split today, burning now, no sizzle, nothing but BTUs in my little stove.

At 25% MC to start, then split small , stacked near stove, with fan on it, it will drop 5%, but no more, in 24 hours. If it was 35% to start IDK

Okay.

 

[AJS56]

There is nothing like a good piece of Ash.

Amen. As many have said in many ways here, ash kicks ash.

 

[Cohis]

How is ash to burn, compared with oak or maple? That sems to be all that's available in my area righ

One of the ol time wood burners I talk with, told me that the theory of burning "green" ash efficiently only applies if the ash is harvested during the winter months. His claim is that ash sends more sap than other species back to into the ground after the leaves fall off.
Through recent experience I'm inclined to agree, because some ash I harvested this spring (5 mos. ago) is burning poorly, like I would expect greenish wood to burn. Cant wait to drop an ash this winter and see if it burns differently.

 

[Bioburner]

Ash is a highly sought wood in our area and if cut in winter to length will dry well over summer and split easily to dry down very fast in our area. Can be the perfect wood to burn a year after cut.