is 3 month old wood dried 3 days in kiln "seasoned"?

[Kevin Weis]

Winter air can be greatly dryer but remember frozen wood doesn't dry. Kevin

 

[tsquini]

I don't know many firewood guys who are going to cut, spit and stack wood and then have it sit in the yard for 2-3 years to season. They are going to cut it and sell.

In the Boston area to buy truely seasoned firewood it will cost $400 - $500 per cord. That is out of most people price range.

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

No pictures of those. 12 pallets 4 feet each.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

well arent you a bundle of positivity

its impossible to say with certainty that wood dries faster in summer because youre not taking into account RH. what about humid summers? that wood isnt going to dry very well.

Its sad that you feel the help that is being provided is not positive. I really believe that any information provided is positive, as it will help you, but only if you choose to take it.
I am providing you information to help you out. For someone like yourself with not much experience you may want to take it. I have decades of dealing with wood and all the experience that goes with it.

When i said to you that wood seasoning slows in the winter, that was not theory or hypothesis. The statment was made from years of experience and data. This is not data off the internet, or somthing i found but information accumulated over the years.
December 16 to February 17 my stacks droped an average of 1.3% MC for the 3 month period.. june through August17 the stacks dropped an average of 3%MC for the 3 month period. Which states in the winter vs the summer the stacks lost less that .43% less moisture than the summer months. This is not a guess.
This is why i dont rush to cut and split my wood in the fall. Its why i start working on my wood in the winter. There's no real advantage to the wood sitting there those months so I don't rush to get my wood in my wood shed by December. Your not that far from me so our conditions are relatively the same.
I've dropped cherry from the upper 39% mc to 2%mc in 6 months in a kiln
Again not stuff i found on the internet.. acutal things iv done and posted on the internet..
You cant operate a kiln in the winter it dosent work, your not really going to see any significant seasoning of your wood in the winter regardless of RH because that's not how it works. Standing dead trees are somewhat drier than fresh cut green trees there's not going to be a large or significant drop-in moisture content as the purpose of the bark is to hold moisture in its like cellophane wrapped around the tree and the majority of moisture is lost through the end-grain so true seasoning actually does not start until the wood is cut to length and split

Im here to help people like yourself and anyone who reads the thread that might not know that much or is just starting out. Im doing you and all who read it a disservice by being positive and telling you that you're Woods going to dry during the winter and standing dead will be ready to burn in 11 months when it's really not true

You can try to be positive about your wood seasoning.. positivity doesn't season wood techniques do

 

[Jotel me this]

Start a solar kiln as some of us do.

of course the question is...

would all black plastic heat the wood more than clear? you lose the greenhouse concept, but black does absorb heat

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

of course the question is...

would all black plastic heat the wood more than clear? you lose the greenhouse concept, but black does absorb heat

Most of us use clear plastic.

 

[Jotel me this]

Its sad that you feel the help that is being provided is not positive. I really believe that any information provided is positive, as it will help you, but only if you choose to take it.

im sorry you feel that way. i never said it wasnt positive.

 

[Jotel me this]

But, good luck building something of this size that won't collapse in the snow or wind for much less.

GASP! am i being challenged!?

Then i shall build one. youre right. most will collapse. good thing i have a background in structural engineering.

Ill do the frames in all triangles so that the forces are spread evenly on all three sides PLUS the snow will better slide down the sloped sides.

hmmmmmm... yesssss the gears are turning

THANKS!

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

GASP! am i being challenged!?

Then i shall build one. youre right. most will collapse. good thing i have a background in structural engineering.

Ill do the frames in all triangles so that the forces are spread evenly on all three sides PLUS the snow will better slide down the sloped sides.

hmmmmmm... yesssss the gears are turning

THANKS!

Motivated, not challenged!

My background is about the opposite of a structural engineer, but I really enjoy seeing the work of people who think like that.

When I was younger and before discovering my aptitudes, I thought it'd be a great way to make a living.

I'm more partial to domes myself, as is the plant nursery industry, but i look forward to seeing what you come up with with your triangles.

Those Shelterlogic structures get iffy reviews anyway.

 

[Jotel me this]

Motivated, not challenged!

My background is about the opposite of a structural engineer, but I really enjoy seeing the work of people who think like that.

When I was younger and before discovering my aptitudes, I thought it'd be a great way to make a living.

I'm more partial to domes myself, as is the plant nursery industry, but i look forward to seeing what you come up with with your triangles.

Those Shelterlogic structures get iffy reviews anyway.

ooOooo.. domes vs triangles. now we're talking. its a fun conversation to have. both have their benefits and flaws. they say a triangle is the strongest, yet you only see arches under bridges and buildings in the ancient days.. and theyre STILL STANDING!

 

[maple1]

of course the question is...

would all black plastic heat the wood more than clear? you lose the greenhouse concept, but black does absorb heat

Black blocks the suns rays.

 

[The.Devo]

Black blocks the suns rays.

Gears are turning...what about every other panel, black, clear, black, clear

 

[maple1]

I'd go all clear.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Gears are turning...what about every other panel, black, clear, black, clear

Black on the north side if anywhere.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Gears are turning...what about every other panel, black, clear, black, clear

You dont really need any black plastic.the sun will not have any issues on heating up the inside of the kiln. What your doing is creating a green house. The sun dose not heat the plastic. Clear plastic allows the suns rays in and heats the item... the plastic holds the heat and allows the temperature to climb on the inside. If you notice ther is never black plastic on the outside of a greenhouse. You can use black on the inside floor to help generate heat, but im telling you the extra effort is not needed. If you take the time and put it together correctly you can get it to 120 degrees on the inside with verry little effort

 

[Jotel me this]

Gears are turning...what about every other panel, black, clear, black, clear

now that would be a science experiment! clear is obviously the way to go, but WHAT IF there is a better alternative that no one thought of because everyone thinks clear is best?

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

now that would be a science experiment! clear is obviously the way to go, but WHAT IF there is a better alternative that no one thought of because everyone thinks clear is best?

I think you're making this much more complicated than it should be.

 

[Jotel me this]

I think you're making this much more complicated than it should be.

MeeEEEeEEeh?

isnt this a forum for creativity and getting your hands dirty?

 

[Jay106n]

This topic comes up every year. Yup, they took you for a ride.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

now that would be a science experiment! clear is obviously the way to go, but WHAT IF there is a better alternative that no one thought of because everyone thinks clear is best?

An experiment that's already been done and done and done. Add your name to to the list if you want. You'll find clear works better.

 

[Sully1515]

what should the moisture meter read for "seasoned" wood?

Anything under 20% is ideal. 18% is usually when I start to burn. However, when you measure the moisture on your firewood, make sure you test numerous logs. Split three to four pieces, and take an average. Anything greater than 20%, don't buy it.

Hoping that helps.

How many cord did you purchase and what is the wood species?

 

[maple1]

Is anybody who is buying wood actually buying stuff that is 20% or less? That would seem to be akin to finding a nugget while prospecting. Rare.

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

Is anybody who is buying wood actually buying stuff that is 20% or less? That would seem to be akin to finding a nugget while prospecting. Rare.

Happened to me once. Agree, very rare.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

MeeEEEeEEeh?

isnt this a forum for creativity and getting your hands dirty?

Your right about this.. but heres the thing.. when i did the kiln it wasnt because i needed to dry my wood.. at the time i was 3 yrs ahead, almost 13 cord CSS. I did it to see if i got jamed up, could i get myself out of a jam with out relying on anybody else for seasoned wood. If my experiment failed it had no influence on my wood burning. I had 13 cord and all my storage set up, 3 woodsheds. Your not in this position.. if your experiment doesn't work, your in the same boat next year as your in this year. Looking for usable wood to burn.
The following below is all hlp and observations.. please dont take any of it the wrong way.
From reading your posts you have no real wood storage, and your not sitting on alot of wood. If you burn 4 cords of wood per year right now you should be sitting on, or have plans for having a minimum of 8 cords. By the end april,If your not sitting on that much wood than you havent solved you wood issue. First you need enough wood to burn, for 2 years.2nd you need enough dry wood to burn for 19/20. The kil is to get you out of a jam.. i dont rely on it. I dont put it together every year as i try to make my wood process as stream line as possible. I do the best i can and try to handle the wood as little as possible.Thers no value of dreaming up a kiln when you dont have enough wood to run in it..
If you choose to do a kiln you dont need to start to run it untill june.. meanwhile get your wood score up.. once your in sitting on alot of wood run a known kiln to insure you wood drying success and have enough wood for the entire season next year. Then after that.. come up with somthing improved and post it for all to see..

 

[maple1]

Yup. First focus should be on getting lots of wood ahead. That should be an ongoing thing until you get there.