Restacked my ash

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TimJ

Minister of Fire
Apr 10, 2012
1,231
Southeast Indiana
I'm in the process of restacking all the ash I cut in the early spring. I first stacked all the ash in my process area. Allthough out in the open, the ash was under some hickory trees and not getting enough sun. So, I decided to move it. When moving it, I resplit a bunch into smaller splits. Then, I put it out in good sun. The most important thing is that this dead ash had the typical fungus growing on the bark. This was holding moisture, since I noticed most of my splits were stacked bark up. I did not think this would be a factor but it is, Now my splits are small, out in the sun, stacked bark down with no fungus. Pictured is ash in full sun and stacked bark down. Last picture is a piece with some of the fungus still on.
 

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Good going, Timj. For moving that much wood to get it a better (sunshine) chance at drying, it sounds like you plan to burn it this upcoming winter. Oh, if only I had that much ambition anymore! Nice job - they should dry out faster now. The results of your experiment suggest bark down is better.
 
Tim, I've never had a problem stacking wood, especially ash, where there was little or no sun. So long as it gets wind, all should be well. As for that fungus, pay no mind to it.
 
Don't know if this wood will be burnt this winter or not. I'm given it it's best potential for drying and being ready for this winter. I cut at least a month's worth of shoulder wood and have a cord and a half of cherry. red elm, and walnut that I think will be ready. I have at least a cord and a half of oak that is two yrs old that I split smaller. I have gathered a lot of oak and hickory since spring that will not be touched. The ash was holding moisture due to the conditions. Its baking now.


Edit
I also wanted to be able to walk through my stacks, so I put a coulpe feet in between them.
I like walking up and down all rows
 
Nice stacks (or should I say "Nice Re-stacks")
Looks like it will dry well there.

Seems like we all have to find a reason to move some stacks during a "Lull" of wood gathering.
I had to move my stacks so the stacks were going down property line, just because I thought it would be better that way :)
& it does ;)
 
Man thats crazy moving all that wood if you arent even going to use it this year! I guess whatever floats your boat but IMO that was a waste of time it will still dry out. Maybe not as fast as in full sune but you dont need it this year it would be ready next year no doubt......dont let that fungus worry you!
 
And those Lichens on the bark in that pic can grow on wood in full sun its growing on my split rail that sits out and bakes in the sun all day.....
 
I'm in the process of restacking some wood so I feel your pain! I'm bark up stacker, I find the bark holds moisture between the bark and wood once it starts to separate if the bark is down. Plenty of people on either side of that though so I think it's all trivial in the end.
 
The third picture shows lichens, not fungus. The difference is that lichens grow in the sun and do not require much from the wood except a place to hang onto. Fungus grows inside the wood and eats away at the lignin in the wood, then eventually puts out mushrooms, 'turkey tails' or similar fruiting parts that we recognize as fungus..

You have stacked your wood really tightly. I try to stack with as much air space as I can have while still creating what I think will be a stable stack. My theory is that more air space means better drying, although I have not really tested the theory.

I think bark down is better, and no bark at all is best. Some of the wood I have stacked bark down ends up separating from the bark and the bark forms sort of a bowl that can trap water.
 
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