I refuse to burn anymore wood

[brianbeech]

This year!

As a first time burner, I had a very limited supply of 'seasoned' wood. The only reason I had any is because I have a fireplace I burned a few years ago. Having gone through all of my old wood, I began to burn what I had - Chestnut Oak that had been cut and stacked for about 6 months, but not split. I split the rounds and began feeding the stove. After three nights of fighting the stove to try to get her above 400F, I've decided to stop wasting my, potentially, good wood. I've set up my racks and have split some more of the Chestnut Oak and will be waiting at least till next year.

Had I never been on this forum I would not have known just how important it was to have seasoned wood. I'm sure I would have pointed to some other variable as to the reason I couldn't get the hot temps on my stove.

Kudos to all y'all that share this info - it will make me a happy wood burner next year!

 

[Fsappo]

Make sure that tree will give ya a full seasons worth of heat or go do some more scrounging. Your right about this forum. An endless amount of knowledge here.

 

[brianbeech]

Make sure that tree will give ya a full seasons worth of heat or go do some more scrounging. Your right about this forum. An endless amount of knowledge here.

There are about 4 of these trees down that have been cut and stacked into rounds. I've got plenty there - there's also 2 other very large downed trees (not sure what type yet) that I'll be cutting in the next few weeks and after they're cut up, I'll be renting a splitter to get those done. Hopefully I'll have at least 2 years worth of wood; it wouldn't surprise me if there were enough wood from the already downed trees to carry me through 3 years.

 

[xjcamaro89]

From what ive read, that wood that you had for 6 month and just split, is probably just as wet as the day you got it. Many have said on here that the seasoning process doesnt really take a real good effect until you split it. I can really tell when i get a peice of wood that has been on the bottom of the rack and might be a little wet. Big difference. You are probably better off just holding on to it till next year. But get it all split now.

 

[Wood Duck]

You've heard the saying about 'wood warms you twice.' You'll have to make due for now with the first warming and save the second until the wood seasons.

 

[zzr7ky]

My first year I burned hand to mouth; right off the P/U bed as it was. I also burned the poles from the wooden scaffold I had build for chimney construction. It was a nusance.

I have a friend who doesn't burn staying at my place for a couple months. My son thought we could save some re-stacking effort and stacked 4"-7" limb wood from standing dead trees into the garage 'ready to burn' stack... I got a call eary that afternoon. "I don't know why, the wood is burning, but it's just not hot" Dry wood makes a difference.

Good luck laying in a supply,
Mike

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Make sure that tree will give ya a full seasons worth of heat or go do some more scrounging. Your right about this forum. An endless amount of knowledge here.

There are about 4 of these trees down that have been cut and stacked into rounds. I've got plenty there - there's also 2 other very large downed trees (not sure what type yet) that I'll be cutting in the next few weeks and after they're cut up, I'll be renting a splitter to get those done. Hopefully I'll have at least 2 years worth of wood; it wouldn't surprise me if there were enough wood from the already downed trees to carry me through 3 years.

Ah, 3 years! Now you are talking. Get that wood put up now and then strive to stay 3 years ahead on the wood supply and most of your problems are gone! Not only that, but you will burn less wood and get more heat. It's a winner no matter how you split it.

 

[brianbeech]

I was just totally shocked, even after reading how much dry wood mattered, that the stuff that had been laying in rounds for 6 months but not split would not burn hot. I am thinking that most problems from woodstoves must come from wet wood. Dry wood in my stove jumped to 600F no problem and stayed there for hours, the wet was a battle to GET IT to 400F. WOW

Those downed trees are very very large and there are at least two of them, maybe 3-4. Can't wait!

 

[brianbeech]

I was just totally shocked, even after reading how much dry wood mattered, that the stuff that had been laying in rounds for 6 months but not split would not burn hot. I am thinking that most problems from woodstoves must come from wet wood. Dry wood in my stove jumped to 600F no problem and stayed there for hours, the wet was a battle to GET IT to 400F. WOW

Those downed trees are very very large and there are at least two of them, maybe 3-4. Can't wait!

 

[Kenster]

Bryan, I have a few barkless hickory rounds that I did not split with the rest of the tree trunk, which was standing dead. That was three years ago. The wood is so hard now that my eight pound maul and my Fiskars Super Splitter just bounce off, not making a dent. I tried to noodle them with my Stihl 390 that tears through all other wood. All l got for my trouble was very fine sawdust and only a slight crease in the wood. I finally got them split with a ten pound sledge and two metal wedges but even that took forever. And after all of that....

The moisture content of that hickory is still almost 30%.

Take our word for it. Wood does not start really drying until it is split.

Something else I have learned is that it is easier to split the wood as soon as it is bucked than it is to come back months later to split it. At least that is what I have found--- and I split by hand. Not machine. Probably doesn't make a difference with a hydraulic splitter.

Get to work on that wood now while it's still cool. Summer time is not a good time to be splitting wood, at least in my neck of the woods.

 

[precaud]

Take our word for it. Wood does not start really drying until it is split.

Hmmm... odd... 2/3 of what I burn are rounds...

 

[shawneyboy]

Take our word for it. Wood does not start really drying until it is split.

Hmmm... odd... 2/3 of what I burn are rounds...

The question is..... how big. I burn rounds as well.. but about 6 in max.

Shawn

 

[brianbeech]

I find that the small round that had been sitting for that 6 or 8 months seemed pretty good, but the larger ones that I split 4-5 ways were just soaking wet/wouldn't burn. I'm sure he's talking about rounds with a diameter > 4".

 

[precaud]

The question is..... how big. I burn rounds as well.. but about 6 in max.

Always a good idea to size your wood diameter to the stove. For my Kent & Quad, that's 6-7" max, for the X33 it's smaller than that.

 

[ikessky]

A very wise move, unless you are freezing and need the stove. If I wasn't ahead on my wood and struggled with fires, I think I would just let the NG furnace run.

It still amazes me every time I see a post where people have a problem and argue that the wood is "good". Once I got ahead and am burning known season wood, it was a world of difference in heat output.

 

[brianbeech]

luckily we're pulling out of the cold and temps have been very nice lately. I just can't stomach the thought of burning through Oak when it is not truly dry enough to get good heat out of. I've got plenty of downed trees around here, but most are some type of Oak and even if they're down for a few months, I just don't want to waste it. Not to mention, if I can't get to a really hot fire with my Pre-EPA stove, I'll probably have more creosote build up.

Considering all things, I think stopping this year is the smartest thing I can do. I sure will miss it though.

 

[dafattkidd]

Have you considered scrounging some construction debris? Or maybe you can trade your unseasoned wood with someone who has an abundance of seasoned wood? Just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

[bboulier]

I split a maple in a variety of sizes this year. Will be interested to see what is ready for burning next year.

 

[dafattkidd]

I'm burning sugar maple that I scrounged last March. Split it around May. It's burning like a champ. Had it single stacked in the sun and wind. This is the hottest stuff I've burned all year. And I've been burning nothing but oak and locust. You're gonna love that maple (if it's sugar maple).

 

[Hankjones]

My sugar maple split small burns pretty well after 6 months. Out of all the wood I've used so far it's my fav.... Easy split, seems to dry quick, lights up like a champ and burns well in a EPA stove with the primary air turned down.