Fallen timber age?

[Brogan007]

Great Forum guys.
Just installing a woodburning stove & looking around our 20 acres of oak trees for what I can cut up & use first.
If a large tree is lightening struck, lying on ground for 3-4 yrs...would you cut it up, split it & store it for use next winter?
It's as solid as a rock, 3ft in diameter, some sort of oak.

 

[maxed_out]

Are you kidding, cut that thing up.....and post some pics...we'll help you out. Free btus!

 

[Gunks]

Oh yes. 90% of my wood are from dead trees.

 

[Todd]

Oak will lay on the ground for many years before it goes punky. Go for it.

 

[Wood Duck]

The only question is whether oak will season enough in one year to burn really well. I think it will burn ok, especially if you have a nice windy, sunny place to stack it, but a lot of people insist oak needs two years or more, even if it started out dead.

 

[Brogan007]

Got it. Thanx. I have the Stihl guy coming in next week to demo me a larger saw....so I'll set him loose on it. hee hee.
My 3 yr old MS250 is strugling on these larger diameter trunks. He wants to sell me a 390 with 20" bar.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I have a 390 with a 20 inch bar, good choice. Plenty of power and not much more dollars than a 290. Not sure if the wood will be ready, most wood does not season just because it is dead. Get it cut, split and stacked then time will tell. You got to have some other wood on your 20 acres that will season faster than oak for your first year of burning. Any Locust, Cherry, Ash or Beech? They will be ready with no problem. Oak is great when it is ready, but it takes it time.

 

[Brogan007]

I think I need to educate myself on how to identify the tree species. I call all the hardwoods oaks!
Thanks for the advice & helpfull comments.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

If you are unsure of species of wood just put up pictures on here and guys love to figure out what they are. The pictures of the bark is usually enough, ideally the inside wood shot and if you have the leaves even better. We will tell you what you got. Start with the dead one.

 

[Tony H]

Got it. Thanx. I have the Stihl guy coming in next week to demo me a larger saw....so I'll set him loose on it. hee hee.
My 3 yr old MS250 is strugling on these larger diameter trunks. He wants to sell me a 390 with 20" bar.

I have the same issue with my 250 it's a nice saw but a bit low on power for the larger stuff. I have cut a bunch of dead oaks some standing dead for up to 3 years and even more down for a couple years. When you cut it take about the top 1/3 of the tree and pile it in a different pile than the rest , being smaller stuff and further from the roots will be ready to burn first. The rest might not be ready next season but the top 1/3 pile should be just about right.

 

[KeepItNatural]

I second what some of the other guys said- stuff that is already dead makes alot of sense to cut/split & stack. Since you have 20 acres I think you're in a really good position to start getting way ahead of the game and grab as much as you can. The dead stuff would be wasted if you don't get it before its too late- and look at Dennis as an example- he's years ahead of where he needs to be, that alone must be a good feeling.

 

[skyline]

Oh yes. 90% of my wood are from dead trees.

Just how do you get the other 10% in your stove ;-)

 

[bogydave]

Get some pictures of the demo.
But don't let him have all the fun, jump in there & run the saw.
Then buy the demo model at a reduced price LOL
Good luck
Good cutting.

 

[billb3]

Ants and other bugs that like to make wood home get into anything lying on the ground around here so the sooner it is cut and split the sooner they leave.

 

[smokinj]

20 acres of oak trees get that saw humping wow how sweeeet it is!

 

[Kenster]

I figure that any tree dead and down back in my woods is solid enough to burn if I can kick it and my foot doesn't get stuck inside the tree.