Drying/firewood processing

[Poindexter]

2 different types of wood wont tell the difference. Try it on the same type with the different moisture content.

I think I have burnt enough wood in the last year or three to tell the difference. Birch and spruce is all that grows here, all I have to choose from.

OTOH your point is not without merit. I don't have any spruce above 13% MC. I do have a little bit of birch at 12% that has been split and stacked for 3+ years, but not enough to waste in on a science experiment in weather this warm. When it cools off another 30 or 40 degrees I'll run back to back burns with birch at 16% and birch at 12%.

 

[RobertNH]

No problem Shane!
Just wanted to be sure you (and others) saw the article.
I've been testing my wood for years and learned from it.

You're meter is close to what I use.
By using the DMM method (in the article), I was able to test my meter (it's close enough).
What's funny is the picture of the meter supposedly taking a reading... the wrong way..

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

I left some rounds in the woods last fall to season, stacked them up nice figuring they would dry out since they were already kinda punky. It was a pretty shady spot and this year they are wetter and punkier than ever. Need to get them out asap and dried so they might make marginal shoulder season wood at best next year. Probably should have covered them with a tarp.

 

[Ashful]

I call bunk on this whole conversation. Very few BK owners will have wood at 13%. That's below the Equillibrium Moisture Content of most wood species in most parts of the country, meaning you could season your wood under cover for 100 years, and not hit 13% MC. Also, given that most are measuring outdoors at temperatures not = 70F, your meter accuracy is not sufficient to distinguish 13% from 16% without several correction tables (first for species, then for temperature).

 

[Shane Collins]

I left some rounds in the woods last fall to season, stacked them up nice figuring they would dry out since they were already kinda punky. It was a pretty shady spot and this year they are wetter and punkier than ever. Need to get them out asap and dried so they might make marginal shoulder season wood at best next year. Probably should have covered them with a tarp.

Were they stacked off the ground?

Joful, do you think I'll have troubles burning my wood which is at 18-23% ??

 

[Ashful]

Joful, do you think I'll have troubles burning my wood which is at 18-23% ??

I don't own an Ashford, but I've been burning two catalytic Jotul Firelight 12's since 2011, and started with an insufficient supply. I've been working towards a 3-year CSS'd plan, but at a burn rate requirement of 8 - 10 cords per year... it's taking me a little while to get there. I currently have 20 cords CSS'd.

Last year, most of the wood I burned probed at 19 - 23% on a freshly spit face in cold weather. That means it's probably more like 22% - 30% MC, correcting for temperature. The stuff measuring 19% in cold weather (probably about 22% if measured at 70F) lit off the cat just beautifully, after 8 - 10 minutes on bypass after a fresh load. The wood that measured 23% in cold weather (probably approaching 30% MC) was a very noticeable problem, but would still light off the cat after perhaps 20 - 25 minutes in bypass. Clearly not ideal, but these are the things you must deal with when starting of in a new house with a fresh wood supply.

I think that if your wood is really 18 - 23% (correcting your MM readings for species and temperature), you're probably going to be in okay shape. The numbers most folks call out here is just what their MM reads, and typically quote success at any reading close to 20%, but these readings are often erroneously done in cold weather without correction. Temperature has a very dramatic effect on the validity of the readings:

 

[Poindexter]

My garage is heated to +55dF. I filled my garage rack of firewood four days ago. Split a split open to expose a fresh interior surface.

 

[Poindexter]

FWIW the sample is native interior Alaskan Spruce, we got white spruce and black spruce here, no blue, no yellow.

 

[greythorn3]

heard u got snow in fairbanks yesterday

 

[paul bunion]

I don't own an Ashford, but I've been burning two catalytic Jotul Firelight 12's since 2011, and started with an insufficient supply. I've been working towards a 3-year CSS'd plan, but at a burn rate requirement of 8 - 10 cords per year... it's taking me a little while to get there. I currently have 20 cords CSS'd.

Last year, most of the wood I burned probed at 19 - 23% on a freshly spit face in cold weather. That means it's probably more like 22% - 30% MC, correcting for temperature. The stuff measuring 19% in cold weather (probably about 22% if measured at 70F) lit off the cat just beautifully, after 8 - 10 minutes on bypass after a fresh load. The wood that measured 23% in cold weather (probably approaching 30% MC) was a very noticeable problem, but would still light off the cat after perhaps 20 - 25 minutes in bypass. Clearly not ideal, but these are the things you must deal with when starting of in a new house with a fresh wood supply.

I think that if your wood is really 18 - 23% (correcting your MM readings for species and temperature), you're probably going to be in okay shape. The numbers most folks call out here is just what their MM reads, and typically quote success at any reading close to 20%, but these readings are often erroneously done in cold weather without correction. Temperature has a very dramatic effect on the validity of the readings:

View attachment 140080

All that and the fact that a moisture meter is only reading between two spots on your wood. It cannot tell you the average content across the entire piece. 20% means that for every 5 pounds of bone dry wood you have an additional pound of water. It doesn't matter if the water is evenly distributed within the piece of wood or if one part is a few points higher and one part a few points lower. You will still have a pound of water. (And it will never be evenly distributed unless you store your wood under conditions like an art museum or rare book library which has a constant temp and humidity.) A moisture meter is a good tool for judging drying progress but is utterly worthless for measuring the absolute moisture content of a piece of wood.

 

[Ashful]

Good point, Paul, but maybe more in theory than a practical problem. I believe if you're measuring near the middle of a freshly-split face, you're getting the number with which you need to be concerned. The wood will be dryer at the ends and close to the old split face, but probably reasonably uniform throughout most of the core, to within the error of measurement with which we're concerned as wood burners.

 

[Frank625]

I cut to length in the woods then load on truck or trailer. I split and stack on pallets.

 

[RobertNH]

Thank

I don't own an Ashford, but I've been burning two catalytic Jotul Firelight 12's since 2011, and started with an insufficient supply. I've been working towards a 3-year CSS'd plan, but at a burn rate requirement of 8 - 10 cords per year... it's taking me a little while to get there. I currently have 20 cords CSS'd.

Last year, most of the wood I burned probed at 19 - 23% on a freshly spit face in cold weather. That means it's probably more like 22% - 30% MC, correcting for temperature. The stuff measuring 19% in cold weather (probably about 22% if measured at 70F) lit off the cat just beautifully, after 8 - 10 minutes on bypass after a fresh load. The wood that measured 23% in cold weather (probably approaching 30% MC) was a very noticeable problem, but would still light off the cat after perhaps 20 - 25 minutes in bypass. Clearly not ideal, but these are the things you must deal with when starting of in a new house with a fresh wood supply.

I think that if your wood is really 18 - 23% (correcting your MM readings for species and temperature), you're probably going to be in okay shape. The numbers most folks call out here is just what their MM reads, and typically quote success at any reading close to 20%, but these readings are often erroneously done in cold weather without correction. Temperature has a very dramatic effect on the validity of the readings:

View attachment 140080

Thank you Joful for posting the chart!

This is from the article (and believe Joful is the one that originally lead me to it)
The second chart is the species chart mentioned above (also in the article)
Print this chart and the species chart (I've done this) and refer to it.
It will help you 'so' much!

 

[maple1]

I left some rounds in the woods last fall to season, stacked them up nice figuring they would dry out since they were already kinda punky. It was a pretty shady spot and this year they are wetter and punkier than ever. Need to get them out asap and dried so they might make marginal shoulder season wood at best next year. Probably should have covered them with a tarp.

Did you split before you stacked?

There is no one 'right' way to do this. The most important rule is split & stack ASAP.

I usually look for windfalls. I cut it up & park my splitter right beside it, throw to a small trailer right off the splitter, then stack off the trailer right to a pallet. Next time I touch it is to put in in my firebox.

Smaller stuff that I can pile long lengths, I do that onto my trailer, then cut it to length on the trailer like a sawbuck when I get it to my pallet area. Then split & stack on pallets.

Depending on timing issues, I have also stacked in the woods off the splitter and came back & got it when I had time. Single stacks off the ground on poles might not dry as fast as in the open, but they shouldn't rot. I wouldn't hesitate to do that if I had to, bit I would top cover if it was going to be there over the winter.

An ATV, trailer & splitter combo can get a lot of wood.

 

[Shane Collins]

Thanks for all the replies. Think I have a good idea of what I'll do for my situation now. Was pretty much what I was thinking but you've all solidified it in my mind now. My wife just gave me the go ahead to buy a new Polaris sporstman 570 ATV and a trailer. It should be here on Wednesday. Pretty happy with that!

I was looking at this for a trailer :

(broken link removed to http://www.drpower.com/shop-by-category/atv-riding-mower-attachments/swivel-dump-cart-hybrid-trailer.axd)

Any thoughts? anyone have a good ATV trailer they recommend??

This weekend I'll continue moving my wood pile into the wood shed for winter and I'll cut down more trees ready to get my ATV in their and haul them out. I'll also start clearing the area i'll use as my firewood processing area and where I plan on building my new woodshed. My current woodshed is on it's last legs. I hope it lasts this winter!!

Shawn Curry, I like your setup. I found your other post with your sawbuck. I had seen them a few times before, yours is very nice looking. I'll be building one of those. Seems like it's much easier/faster to cut the log to a manageable length, haul it out then cut it up on the sawbuck. I've gotten pretty good at cutting the wood on the forest floor but every now and then I still manage to hit the dirt or a rock which is never fun.

Thanks again.

 

[maple1]

ATV trailer - depends what all you want to use it for.

And your terrain.

I wouldn't have anything but a trailer with walking beams for woods work. A huge difference in towability in anything rough with any kind of load on.

And I like the versatility of being able to haul long stuff on it with stakes on the sides, or shorts/splits with sideracks. I will be welding a receiver on the back of it so I can hook the splitter up & haul both right to the tree where it lands to reduce trips.

I have a small cheaper one like in that link for around the yard, and a bigger walking beam for woods work. Found it for a couple hundred used - homemade but very useful, tough & versatile.

 

[Ashful]

A lot of use use and like that Ohio Steel poly tub trailer. I put stake sides in mine and pile 6 feet high, with no weight issues. Holds almost 1/4 cord.

The man who invented that dual hitch should be nominated for a Nobel prize.

 

[Shane Collins]

A lot of use use and like that Ohio Steel poly tub trailer. I put stake sides in mine and pile 6 feet high, with no weight issues. Holds almost 1/4 cord.

The man who invented that dual hitch should be nominated for a Nobel prize.

Do you use an ATV to pull it?? It seems the most reasonable I can find without breaking the bank. The walking beam trailers look cool but they have a pretty nice pricetag to go with them. Maybe one day if I feel the need but for now I think the Ohio Steel trailer should do the job.

 

[Ashful]

Never pulled with an ATV. Always used my Cub 123 or Deere 855.

 

[Shane Collins]

I got the cart on the weekend. I really like it. So much better than the free piece of junk I got with my lawnmower. I used my lawnmower to haul it and it worked fine. My two year old and wife enjoyed the rides in it too. Should be getting the ATV on wed/thurs then I can use it to haul the rest of my firewood into the wood shed.

Thanks for all the advice here. I settled on cutting the logs to 4 foot length then I'll haul them out and cut them up to 16' on a sawbuck and split and stack. I cut about a cord of wood on the weekend. It's all in 4 foot lengths waiting for the ATV to get in and haul it out. Getting my firewood is going to become much easier now.

Thanks again, everyone.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

To op, get 3+ years ahead! you can store it anywhere.... But be smart get it single stacked in the sun and wind.... Do it right....

 

[Kool_hand_Looke]

Thanks for all the replies. Think I have a good idea of what I'll do for my situation now. Was pretty much what I was thinking but you've all solidified it in my mind now. My wife just gave me the go ahead to buy a new Polaris sporstman 570 ATV and a trailer. It should be here on Wednesday. Pretty happy with that!

I was looking at this for a trailer :

(broken link removed to http://www.drpower.com/shop-by-category/atv-riding-mower-attachments/swivel-dump-cart-hybrid-trailer.axd)

Any thoughts? anyone have a good ATV trailer they recommend??

This weekend I'll continue moving my wood pile into the wood shed for winter and I'll cut down more trees ready to get my ATV in their and haul them out. I'll also start clearing the area i'll use as my firewood processing area and where I plan on building my new woodshed. My current woodshed is on it's last legs. I hope it lasts this winter!!

Shawn Curry, I like your setup. I found your other post with your sawbuck. I had seen them a few times before, yours is very nice looking. I'll be building one of those. Seems like it's much easier/faster to cut the log to a manageable length, haul it out then cut it up on the sawbuck. I've gotten pretty good at cutting the wood on the forest floor but every now and then I still manage to hit the dirt or a rock which is never fun.

Thanks again.

Check out the Polar 1500 TA tandem axle. You're already in for an ATV, might as well do it "right".

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...i_sku=125724&gclid=COznyKDcmcECFcQ-MgodajsAHQ

Its 22 cubic feet. That's what you need to pay attention too.

 

[Kool_hand_Looke]

I got the cart on the weekend. I really like it. So much better than the free piece of junk I got with my lawnmower. I used my lawnmower to haul it and it worked fine. My two year old and wife enjoyed the rides in it too. Should be getting the ATV on wed/thurs then I can use it to haul the rest of my firewood into the wood shed.

Thanks for all the advice here. I settled on cutting the logs to 4 foot length then I'll haul them out and cut them up to 16' on a sawbuck and split and stack. I cut about a cord of wood on the weekend. It's all in 4 foot lengths waiting for the ATV to get in and haul it out. Getting my firewood is going to become much easier now.

Thanks again, everyone.

Didn't see this one

 

[Shawn Curry]

Sounds like Shane already has an ATV on the way - lucky dog!

The thing he needs now is "ATV skidding tongs". They can be had pretty cheap, then all you need to do is limb the tree out in the woods. If its small enough, in wintertime you can probably hook on to the log and drag it in one piece. Bigger ones, you might need to cut it in a couple pieces.

That's how my BIL and I used to do it, before he got rid of his ATV. He's got 4 kids now, so I actually did more firewood for him this year that he did!

 

[blades]

Just be gentle with the poly tub under 40 degrees. The poly gets stiff and cracks/shatters easily in my experience if splits or logs are tossed into it. Sharp corners or protrusions are the culprits. Adding a 1/16-1/8" alum. liner/plates makes it much less sensitive to concentrated impact points.