Worried about wood....

[mwhitnee]

Just remembered a friend is clearing a lot not too far away and I emailed him. I will be going to see what the wood situation is over there. Maybe he even has some dead trees, only one way to find out!

I looked at the Sooteater, it's hard for me to imagine it cleaning the chimney well as opposed to a wire brush. Does it wear out quickly?

 

[Grisu]

Maybe he even has some dead trees, only one way to find out!

Take a moisture meter with you when you do the cutting. Dead trees can be really variable in their moisture content.

I looked at the Sooteater, it's hard for me to imagine it cleaning the chimney well as opposed to a wire brush. Does it wear out quickly?

It cleans just fine. I have used mine over a dozen times yet and very little wear and tear on it. If your chimney is over 18 ft buy two instead of just additional poles so you have a spare head for the future.

 

[mwhitnee]

Trees being cut down tomorrow or Friday. I had to make a place to store the wood and this was the best place for it. I will be cutting down a few overhanging branches around this.

It measures 16 wide by around 12 deep. If I give a little space between each stack I wonder how much wood I can fit on it.

I know it's not the best, but at least it's off the ground a little. There is a lot of sand underneath the boards so it should drain relatively well.

 

[Oldman47]

Why not separate the boards a few inches to get a pallet kind of platform with good air flow under the stacks? Just a suggestion.

 

[mwhitnee]

Will do that!

 

[begreen]

No kiln dried wood in bulk around here. You know Doug I was thinking of splitting the larger pieces of wood again I thought that would be a good idea.

I'd keep searching for kiln dried. There are a lot of dealers in Mass.
http://www.firewoods.net/ne/firewood-MA.aspx
West End Firewood
496 Purgatory Rd
Whitinsville, MA 01588
http://westendfirewood.com/

 

[FishKiller]

that wood platform will work. I don't like stacking right on the ground, even with a barrier though. i stack on 2 4x4's and keep at least 16" between rows. if your stacking on the ground like that, make sure you leave lots of room between stacks and stack so that the prevailing winds will blow into the ends to maximize flow. there are a lot of great ideas here on how to get through a winter that you know your not ready for, unfortunately, you gotta spend some cash. its getting late in the year to really hope that anything you drop now will be ready in time, even by late winter. the best advise is one your already doing... that is get as far ahead as you can. it took me 3 years to get a year+ ahead, but its a great feeling. something i personally found out is that seasoning wood is really variable. split size, sun, cover, geographic location, and most importantly airflow dictate how fast you can dry wood. i stack mine in 100% sun, with the prevailing winds blowing up the stacks, combined that with some smaller splits and you can season surprising fast.

 

[Soundchasm]

I looked at the Sooteater, it's hard for me to imagine it cleaning the chimney well as opposed to a wire brush. Does it wear out quickly?

I've used mine a half-dozen times and it just gets a little dirty. But I'll tell you, the peace of mind you get from using it only once would be worth it. It's impossible to know what's up there, and you gain boatloads of info from reading what comes out.

I have a professional sweep come in Sept for a thorough top-down, and I try to do a bottom-up in December and Feb. My two stoves amount to about 25 minutes each, including a shop vac with a dry-wall dust bag.

 

[mwhitnee]

By the way I've been splitting the cherry. Moisture meter says some (not all) is between 30 and 35%. How fast you think it will dry after splitting?

Problem is that i can't possibly test every round so they are mixed in. Just too much wood to process right now...

 

[Woody Stover]

By the way I've been splitting the cherry. Moisture meter says some (not all) is between 30 and 35%. How fast you think it will dry after splitting?

Problem is that i can't possibly test every round so they are mixed in.

30% is pretty wet. Split small and stack it but I would go after that dead stuff, if that guy has got any.

 

[EJP1234]

Your screwed for this year my man, way too late in the year to be splitting and getting 30% thinking you'll be good by burning season. The best thing you can do is stack right out in the middle of your yard in the sun, single row stacks.. You might be able to get woods like cherry and maple to get close to the mark, but it's going to be unlikely.

 

[mwhitnee]

Have you looked in to bulk kiln dried? We have a place around here that will do kiln dried by the cord, haven't looked into the price, but it may be cheaper than bio bricks.

Thanks everybody for all the input and advice.

The cherry I'm splitting some is at 25% MC. I actually had my moisture meter in the wrong setting. What do you think of that? It will all be stacked within the next few days.

I see a small dead tree not far from the edge of the woods- im going after that. Also going to my friends lot to scope out trees.

Backup so far is buying semi seasoned soon but don't i already have that? So either manufactured logs or kiln dried. Special thanks to Begreen for the kiln dried place near me!!

I'm starting to have some pride with my stack. This was all split/stacked in a week.

 

[brenndatomu]

@mwhitnee, Kiln dry it yourself. 1 to 2 months in a sunny spot...good to go. Here's how...

Put a pallet down, put a piece of heavy plastic on the pallet so that it covers the pallet and overhangs the edges of the pallet by 6-12" on each side. Use a nail or knife, whatever, to punch a bunch of holes in the plastic wherever it covers the pallet (between the slats preferably). Now stack your wood on the pallet (well, on the plastic) so that it will free-stand when done. Alternating the direction of the splits every layer can work pretty well to stabilize the stack (like you have done in the pic above ^^^)

Now here is where the magic happens. Fold the plastic that was overhanging the sides of the pallet so that it now goes 6-12" up the sides of the wood stack, attach it so that it will stay in place. Get a commercial sized roll of that clear stretch wrap plastic (fleabay?) Wrap the stack starting at the bottom and then working your way up, covering the top too. You want it pretty rain tight. What you will see is the first few weeks the plastic will condensate heavily when the sun hits it. Then overnight the condensate will run down the plastic, pooling in the bottom where it will run out the holes that were punched earlier.

Over a period of a few weeks (could even be 3 or 4 weeks, the more sun the better) you will notice less and less condensate. In a couple months you will be able to pull wood out of there that will test under 20% on the meter...and burn like a champ in the stove. Don't believe me...try it, it works. Pallets are easy to get for free and a roll of that plastic can be had for ~$20 or so and will do a number of stacks...so the price is right, compared to buying fully cured wood anyways...if you can even find any that is.

 

[begreen]

I'm starting to have some pride with my stack. This was all split/stacked in a week.

Looks great. Cherry dries pretty quickly but you still may want to buy some kiln dried this year to start out the season at least.

 

[Frank625]

Cherry does dry quick and is pretty forgiving. Get next years wood up and processed now too.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Cheapest heating in a decade this year. Just hold off burning wood until next year.

 

[mwhitnee]

Wood is processed. 6 cords split and stacked took me all week just finished. Does look like oil is dropping but still more expensive i would think.

Excited to burn some at least!

 

[mwhitnee]

@mwhitnee, Kiln dry it yourself. 1 to 2 months in a sunny spot...good to go. Here's how...

Put a pallet down, put a piece of heavy plastic on the pallet so that it covers the pallet and overhangs the edges of the pallet by 6-12" on each side. Use a nail or knife, whatever, to punch a bunch of holes in the plastic wherever it covers the pallet (between the slats preferably). Now stack your wood on the pallet (well, on the plastic) so that it will free-stand when done. Alternating the direction of the splits every layer can work pretty well to stabilize the stack (like you have done in the pic above ^^^)

Now here is where the magic happens. Fold the plastic that was overhanging the sides of the pallet so that it now goes 6-12" up the sides of the wood stack, attach it so that it will stay in place. Get a commercial sized roll of that clear stretch wrap plastic (fleabay?) Wrap the stack starting at the bottom and then working your way up, covering the top too. You want it pretty rain tight. What you will see is the first few weeks the plastic will condensate heavily when the sun hits it. Then overnight the condensate will run down the plastic, pooling in the bottom where it will run out the holes that were punched earlier.

Over a period of a few weeks (could even be 3 or 4 weeks, the more sun the better) you will notice less and less condensate. In a couple months you will be able to pull wood out of there that will test under 20% on the meter...and burn like a champ in the stove. Don't believe me...try it, it works. Pallets are easy to get for free and a roll of that plastic can be had for ~$20 or so and will do a number of stacks...so the price is right, compared to buying fully cured wood anyways...if you can even find any that is.

Thanks for the tip! I can see that working.

 

[mwhitnee]

I am officially not "worried about wood" anymore thanks to everybody's help here- so thank you to all who took the time to help.

I have a solid 5 cords (much of it cherry and near 20% MC) and two pallets of Envi blocks coming Monday. I will supplement the wood with these.

In the spring I will get green wood and stack it immediately to get it drying for the 17-18 season. I would imagine I will have enough wood for 2 seasons right now but we will see.

Now to clean the chimney and fire the the new BK....

 

[gzax]

I am officially not "worried about wood" anymore thanks to everybody's help here- so thank you to all who took the time to help.

I have a solid 5 cords (much of it cherry and near 20% MC) and two pallets of Envi blocks coming Monday. I will supplement the wood with these.

In the spring I will get green wood and stack it immediately to get it drying for the 17-18 season. I would imagine I will have enough wood for 2 seasons right now but we will see.

Now to clean the chimney and fire the the new BK....

I am doing it for the first time and had 7 Red Oaks taken down in April.. The tree service guy and my neighbors told me if I split small(less than 6 inches thick) then it will dry from April thru October and be ready.. I was told to leave it out in the open until Fall started and I have 3 cords covered(only top covered) as of 3 weeks back and now I am getting the remaining stacked up.. After reading your post, I ordered a moisture meter from Amazon and waiting on it..

Also was counting on using a wood stove insert, which the local fireplace guy and the veterans of this forum has advised not to proceed with.. Have an appointment with a different fire place tomorrow to go see wood stove inserts and they claim they can install by first week of november..

 

[lindnova]

Thanks everybody for all the input and advice.

The cherry I'm splitting some is at 25% MC. I actually had my moisture meter in the wrong setting. What do you think of that? It will all be stacked within the next few days.

I see a small dead tree not far from the edge of the woods- im going after that. Also going to my friends lot to scope out trees.

Backup so far is buying semi seasoned soon but don't i already have that? So either manufactured logs or kiln dried. Special thanks to Begreen for the kiln dried place near me!!

I'm starting to have some pride with my stack. This was all split/stacked in a week.

I love the look of cherry. It is nice and red, clean and burns nice. That oak looks good too and will make some good heat when dry.

 

[brenndatomu]

had 7 Red Oaks taken down in April.. The tree service guy and my neighbors told me if I split small(less than 6 inches thick) then it will dry from April thru October and be ready.. I was told to leave it out in the open until Fall started and I have 3 cords covered(only top covered) as of 3 weeks back and now I am getting the remaining stacked up.. After reading your post, I ordered a moisture meter from Amazon and waiting on it.

I'm bettin your new moisture meter is gonna say that Oak isn't ready for this winter...maybe ready for next

 

[STIHLY DAN]

I'm bettin your new moisture meter is gonna say that Oak isn't ready for this winter...maybe ready for next

And if it does its faulty.

 

[gzax]

the meter should be in Monday.. I have started biting thru my nails..... :-(

 

[mwhitnee]

I love the look of cherry. It is nice and red, clean and burns nice. That oak looks good too and will make some good heat when dry.

I find myself staring at the cherry a lot it really is beautiful. The other prominent wood in the pile is shagbark hickory and i can't wait to burn that, but know through the people on here it will not be ready this year. I didn't even use my moisture meter on it yet.