Drying Wood for Gasifier

[JohnDolz]

That was my solution too. At the outset I bought 2-years supply, had a contractor come with a big conveyor-belt machine that cut to length, split and then up a conveyor to drop onto the top of the pile. Only trouble was that the pile wasn't inside the barn so we then spent the winter weekends carting the split logs and stacking them in the barn.

Friends in France say you need three years supply of split wood. That allows you to be ill one year ... and if you are ill for three years in a row then you've had your chips anyway!

Now I cut, split and stack during the winter and that replaces the pile that has just been used in the boiler - so I refill the barn as a row is burnt, and come Spring the barn is full.

I think I am on the same page as you.

This reminds me of a story. About 7 years ago I managed to accumulate 42 full cords of cut, split and stacked firewood in my backyard. My wife said, "You're freaking crazy. And all the neighbors think so, too." I said, "Well, you never know, I might get sick or hurt or lose access to the woodlot, or who knows what?" Not thinking, of course, that any of those things was going to happen to me, but it sounded reasonable.

The next year I got sick and had to have surgery, so I couldn't cut any firewood that summer. Middle of the winter, when the house was 75 degrees and the gas bill was near zero, I asked her, "Who's freaking crazy, now?"

I'm down to just 20 cords now. Pretty nervous.

I assume you asked "Who's freaking crazy, now?" when your wife wan't in the room.

 

[Eric Johnson]

I assume you asked "Who's freaking crazy, now?" when your wife wan't in the room.

No, I'm only scared of her when we run out of hot water.

 

[JohnDolz]

No, I'm only scared of her when we run out of hot water.

 

[pblormis]

I have and e 100 wood gun and you better have well seasoned wood or you will be clean the creosote off the floor and out of the ash box and anywhere else it can find to run. I cut in fall and season all summer out in open if i know rain is coming i tarp wood, them move to wood shed at the begin of heating season. all my wood comes from tress that have died. i set right in the middle of twenty acres of hard woods. and only take down what has died or blown over. works well for me.

 

[JohnDolz]

I have and e 100 wood gun and you better have well seasoned wood or you will be clean the creosote off the floor and out of the ash box and anywhere else it can find to run. I cut in fall and season all summer out in open if i know rain is coming i tarp wood, them move to wood shed at the begin of heating season. all my wood comes from tress that have died. i set right in the middle of twenty acres of hard woods. and only take down what has died or blown over. works well for me.

Luckily I did noot have the cresote leakage issue but I prefer to never have to deal with the "poor quality fuel problem" again. My plan was to give 2 years of drying, 1 year as cut rounds, 1 year of split and stacked in a vented woodshed (this was really for logistics reasons). I think you guys have scared me into 2 years of split and stacked.

 

[Kristen]

you guys have scared me into 2 years of split and stacked

Only got to do it the once ... provided you have the storage space and enough material to keep the rain off. The "year two" wood could be gerenated somewhat "late" in Year 1, so it was perhaps only 1.5 years old when bunt, so long as by Year 2 you then have two full years split and stacked.

Or accelerate the drying somehow - perhaps by using a polytunnel to store the wood in for some solar drying. Then you probably only need one year's supply ... but that doesn't help you if, for some reason, you cannot cut & split one year

 

[Eric Johnson]

The "year two" wood could be gerenated somewhat "late" in Year 1, so it was perhaps only 1.5 years old when bunt, so long as by Year 2 you then have two full years split and stacked.

That's correct.

 

[pblormis]

I cut into one tree last year and had to wait for about five min for water to quit coming out. it was like a fountain must have taken on a lot of water the inside was hollow. wish i had pictures of that, the saw got washed good. that wood will be a while before i can use. A few years back cut one tree and splitting it up my wife was loading when i heard her scream wood going one way and her the other, got her calmed down went to see what was in that stick of wood. it was a milk snake i split another stick and found one more. yes i load the rest by my self

 

[salecker]

i own a woodgun 140 and it will burn any kind of wood wet or dry and it burns hot.

That doesn't work in a gasifer.And if you really think about it you aren't getting the heat you could with your stove burning green wood.Wet or green wood contains water,the same water that firemen use to put out fires.So a lot of your usable BTU's go to heating the water up to produce steam so it can leave the wood so the wood can burn.And then there is the other byproduct ,creosote you have to deal with.

 

[salecker]

I typically cut/split/stack in early spring. I stack it directly in the wood shed but leave the front open with a fan pushing out the back until I light the boiler in the fall. I find this to be adequate drying time but the wood is usually pole wood that was cut while dormant in winter. Red oak can be borderline so I usually give it more time to dry.
I do whatever possible to prevent double handling and this seems to work well.
I got a few cords of white pine from my neighbor for next season but I'll probably mix it with hardwood when I stack it. Anyone ever burn softwood by itself in a downdraft gasifier?

Thats all we have to burn in the Yukon,spruce.I find i have to burn larger pieces then you guys with hardwood.The first year i split my wood fairly small and was plagued with lots of huffing during burns.My conclusion was that the super dry spruce we have was producing more gas then the boiler could burn.Now i split the wood in bigger sizes and don't have much huffing.My splits are probably 6-7 playing card size,nothing under a 8" round gets split.

 

[Eric Johnson]

That doesn't work in a gasifer.And if you really think about it you aren't getting the heat you could with your stove burning green wood.Wet or green wood contains water,the same water that firemen use to put out fires.So a lot of your usable BTU's go to heating the water up to produce steam so it can leave the wood so the wood can burn.And then there is the other byproduct ,creosote you have to deal with.

The Wood Gun is a gasifier, so I don't know how he gets away with burning green wood. My Eko sure won't gasify wet wood. Your explanation of the futility in trying to burn water in any wood burner is absolutely correct. No getting around it. It's just a natural fact.

 

[JohnDolz]

Only got to do it the once ... provided you have the storage space and enough material to keep the rain off. The "year two" wood could be gerenated somewhat "late" in Year 1, so it was perhaps only 1.5 years old when bunt, so long as by Year 2 you then have two full years split and stacked.

Or accelerate the drying somehow - perhaps by using a polytunnel to store the wood in for some solar drying. Then you probably only need one year's supply ... but that doesn't help you if, for some reason, you cannot cut & split one year

Thanks. The issue isn't doing the work for me. The issue is more around I don't want top use both 1/2's of the woodshed for wood (I completely understand that is ridiculous thinking, just got spoiled with the covered space for other stuff). I like to keep it CSS in the shed for 1 year. If I split year 2 and store it outside for 1 year, I then need to move it into the woodshed. If I leave it outside for 2 years and just use it I risk my wife asking why I needed to build the giant woodshed. We all pick out battles.

 

[JohnDolz]

The Wood Gun is a gasifier, so I don't know how he gets away with burning green wood. My Eko sure won't gasify wet wood. Your explanation of the futility in trying to burn water in any wood burner is absolutely correct. No getting around it. It's just a natural fact.

I think along the lines of high end race car engine, yes you could probably get it to fire on a lot of different qualities of fuel, just don't think you will win many races. I STRUGGLED the 1st few months of last season with too wet/too big. I will do everything I can to avoid repeating that experience.

 

[Kristen]

just got spoiled with the covered space for other stuff

My two-bay barn was perfect for my wood, as it had a third area for my "other stuff". Unfortunately the other-stuff collection has grown, but the amount of wood I need is constant! I need to figure out a barn-extension plan I think

The space-hungry bits of other stuff are attachments for my tractor that I have added over the years. I also bought a second mower (in case first one broke, so I could still mow the grass whilst first was fixed ... or MAYBE??! one of the kids would mow grass at the same time as me? <Whistles!>). Typing this I'm just wondering if I can have a tractor-attachment store that isn't a barn - none of the attachments are very tall, they are just awkward shapes and sizes.

 

[JohnDolz]

My two-bay barn was perfect for my wood, as it had a third area for my "other stuff". Unfortunately the other-stuff collection has grown, but the amount of wood I need is constant! I need to figure out a barn-extension plan I think

The space-hungry bits of other stuff are attachments for my tractor that I have added over the years. I also bought a second mower (in case first one broke, so I could still mow the grass whilst first was fixed ... or MAYBE??! one of the kids would mow grass at the same time as me? <Whistles!>). Typing this I'm just wondering if I can have a tractor-attachment store that isn't a barn - none of the attachments are very tall, they are just awkward shapes and sizes.

Now here is a person that understands my dilemma! I am in the middle of moving 23 tons of process stone to create a level area next to my wood shed - we'll see what trouble I can get into once that is in place...

 

[Kristen]

we'll see what trouble I can get into once that is in place

Ha! I'm always in trouble. Seems far more fun to embark on a project rather than ask for permission first My barn was like that - went to an auction to buy some benches for my greenhouse (they weren't what I needed) and I bought the barn instead!

 

[JohnDolz]

Ha! I'm always in trouble. Seems far more fun to embark on a project rather than ask for permission first My barn was like that - went to an auction to buy some benches for my greenhouse (they weren't what I needed) and I bought the barn instead!

Exactly!

 

[muncybob]

The Wood Gun is a gasifier, so I don't know how he gets away with burning green wood. My Eko sure won't gasify wet wood. Your explanation of the futility in trying to burn water in any wood burner is absolutely correct. No getting around it. It's just a natural fact.

My 1st year with the WG I had less than ideal wood. I was having incomplete burns, creosote issues and clogged chimney. Once we were able to put a steady diet of reasonably dry wood(less than 25%) it ran MUCH better and wood consumption decreased.
This year we have 3+ yr seasoned oak that for some reason I split really small. WG don't like that...some huffing when fully loaded for over night burns. It turns out the solution to this is to add in some wetter wood. I mixed in some large ash that was just split 4 months ago and huffing has been resolved and so far no creosote issues. I think if my oak was split large we would be OK for the most part.
Some gassers like really dry/small split wood, WG seems to like large "reasonably" dry wood.

 

[JohnDolz]

My 1st year with the WG I had less than ideal wood. I was having incomplete burns, creosote issues and clogged chimney. Once we were able to put a steady diet of reasonably dry wood(less than 25%) it ran MUCH better and wood consumption decreased.
This year we have 3+ yr seasoned oak that for some reason I split really small. WG don't like that...some huffing when fully loaded for over night burns. It turns out the solution to this is to add in some wetter wood. I mixed in some large ash that was just split 4 months ago and huffing has been resolved and so far no creosote issues. I think if my oak was split large we would be OK for the most part.
Some gassers like really dry/small split wood, WG seems to like large "reasonably" dry wood.

I think I lived the same dream/nightmare as you. I'm thinking you would probably be OK with all 3 year seasoned wood if the pieces got bigger in size as you loaded it. Just a different way to control the fire - I think.

 

[wolfe64]

I think the biggest problem new owners have with gasifiers is that they don't understand what's involved in adequately drying their wood. Most people seem to think it's OK to cut their wood in the spring and burn it the following winter. I don't think it's possible to get wood dry enough doing it that way.

I cut my wood supply two years in advance, moving it into my barn in the spring before the heating season. So, it sits outside, cut, split and stacked but uncovered for a year, more or less, before being moved indoors to finish drying over the summer and fall.

With this approach, getting ahead of the game is going to require cutting twice as much wood as one usually would, far enough in advance. That's a daunting task for most people.

Does anyone else have success with a shorter timeframe?

I'm glad I don't sell gasifiers for a living but if I did, I'd build the cost of a cord of dry wood into the price, so the new owner would at least know what it's like to burn adequately dry wood.

 

[wolfe64]

I will be installing a Tarm Bonus this May. In anticipation, I cut split and stacked 5 cords in shed last June. 1 more cord cut split and stacked in woods last June. Going in shed later this winter. This is mainly Hard Maple and I doubt that it will be quite dry enough. Will purchase wood bricks to mix in next winter. Thinking of building a solar kiln this spring. Anyone have experience with these?

 

[maple1]

All kinds of solar kiln stuff in the Wood Shed forum. Bit of a flurry on it lately, actually - some interesting reading.

 

[Eric Johnson]

I will be installing a Tarm Bonus this May. In anticipation, I cut split and stacked 5 cords in shed last June. 1 more cord cut split and stacked in woods last June. Going in shed later this winter. This is mainly Hard Maple and I doubt that it will be quite dry enough. Will purchase wood bricks to mix in next winter. Thinking of building a solar kiln this spring. Anyone have experience with these?

The wood you cut last June should be fine for next winter. I'd burn the cord you have stacked in the woods last, but it should also be fine next heating season. I burn a mixture of hard maple and beech, and that's about what my drying schedule looks like. Keeping your wood covered for the summer prior to burning it helps a lot.

 

[Woodfarmer1]

I burn in a garn jr. Beech, hard maple and some ash mostly dead standing cut in winter, splt and put up in the woodshed usually by the first of May. Start burning usually the 1st of November at less than 20% mc

 

[Zach Hoyt]

Having had a TARM and now a Wood Gun I have found that it works fine for me to fill the woodshed in early spring, ending by sometime in April and then it is ready to start to burn by the beginning of October. The woodshed has doors on both sides that are open all summer so it gets some good ventilation. I don't know the MC, I am not that sophisticated.
Zach