%*# &$@) Oak!

[oldspark]

I MAKE my own 'really old oak.' All it takes is cutting down the tree, buck it, split it, stack it, and don't touch it for three years. No more labor than any other wood. It just needs to sit in the bank longer before you spend it. Well worth the wait.

You beat me to it, I can find really old oak out in my wood rows all the time now that it has been setting there for a few years. Oak like many things gets better with age.

 

[oldspark]

I had oak stacked for three summers, and it was still sizzling. single row stacked in partial shade. Oak is a PITA.

It must be your weather in your area, I have no problems drying Oak in partial shade in single rows.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Well, there's your problem. Three summers is really only about two years. Not enough time for oak in most cases, especially if it's in the shade. I realize sometimes we don't have a choice in where we stack it. Less than Ideal stack locations may require longer drying times. I'll bet it will great next year.

Have to disagree Ken. We've stacked many times in full shade. So long as it has wind, it will dry.

 

[fire_man]

You guys have me worried now with the oak I have waiting. Three years drying has worked well for me, but I always split the oak 2-4 inches until recently. My latest stacks have some giant 5-6"splits waiting for the Progress. Hmmmmm - wonder if I should split it down again next year.

I hate sizzling oak.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Can you describe giant Tony?

 

[Paulywalnut]

Even after 3 years if I split a piece of red oak and check it quickly it reads 22 or 23.
It is worth the wait though.

 

[fire_man]

Can you describe giant Tony?

Dennis, to me Giant means 5 or 6 inches measured on end (at the bark) of the split. I'm starting to re-think splitting so large, because I have had such good luck loading the Progress with 2-4" splits. They ignite quickly, I can stuff the stove tight, and the burn times have been great. My wood is difficult to season, we live kind of in the woods with poor wind and poor sun.

The only reason I started splitting bigger was because I got the Progress, but after seeing how well it burns on smaller stuff, I might re-split the big stuff.

 

[oldspark]

Even after 3 years if I split a piece of red oak and check it quickly it reads 22 or 23.
It is worth the wait though.

How do you stack your wood?

 

[Paulywalnut]

How do you stack your wood?

16-17 inch 8'long 4' high
2' apart. My avatar is 18'long but usually not that long. Not all my oak is like that, I was just making a point
how red oak can hold moisture for more than 3 years.

 

[oldspark]

16-17 inch 8'long 4' high
2' apart. My avatar is 18'long but usually not that long. Not all my oak is like that, I was just making a point
how red oak can hold moisture for more than 3 years.

I always wondered why my oak dried fairly quickly here in Iowa, all that wind and only about 25 inches of rain a year give us some good drying conditions, some of the less dense woods (cherry, silver maple, and elm) I can get to below 20% in one summer, Oak about 2 years tops even less in some cases.