Curses ... foiled again!

[Lumber-Jack]

More random thoughts on wood and moisture meters...... :roll:

I don't have any access to oak, so I can't comment on that, but I can comment on using a moisture meter because I have been using mine a lot this fall.
The wood fuel I go after is stuff that is standing dead that, hopefully, is already below 20% MC. The main varieties are Douglas fir and Lodgepole pine, of the two my prime target , especially this year, is lodgepole pine (that has died from pine beetle) for two reasons; one; because there is so much of it, and two; because finding the dead trees that are less than 20% MC is much easier. Often they will be in the 10% - 15% MC range.
The forestry department routinely cuts down the standing dead stuff along the road, where I go, to allow firewood gatherers to more easily (and safely) gain access to the wood. I went cutting yesterday and drove past miles of fallen dead fir trees to get out to where the pine trees I'm after are. When I got there it was apparent the forestry had just recently fallen a whole lot more of these dead lodgepole trees which makes things a lot easier for me because I don't have to take the time to drop them myself, and because they have just recently fallen they have not had time to absorbed more moisture while lying on the ground.
I hadn't had time this spring to get out and cut my winters supply, so it is imperative that what I cut now be dry enough for this season. This is where my moisture meter comes in. I simply do a visual of the tree and see if looks like it might be ready, then I'll cut out a trial round and check the fresh cut with the meter and see where it's at. If the MC is still much above 20% around 6 ft. from the stump I'll leave it and find another. If I was cutting in the spring that would be fine because it would have the whole summer to dry, but for fall cutting I need to be a little more selective and my moisture meter is a great tool for that.
Years ago I use to get my wood in a similar fashion, except I didn't have a moisture meter, nor did I have a new EPA stove, the result likely was that I made a lot more smoke and burned a lot more wood than I do now. Both the moisture meter and the EPA stove are great tools for helping to burn cleaner and more efficently.

Everybody has their own system of getting their firewood, different areas require different methods and what works for me isn't gona work for lots of people (especially those out East), and what works for other isn't gona work for me. For instance, cutting green wood and storing (seasoning) cords and cords worth of it for years isn't gona happen on my small property. Does that mean I'm not one of the "good ole boys" with acres of land to cut from and stacks and stacks of Oak to show off??? Well, I guess maybe I'm not, but I got a system that I use for collecting and heating with firewood, and it works pretty good (for me anyway) and I manage to keep my family warm every winter, which I think is the real goal in all of this.

Dennis I've read many of your post and I think you must be one of the most diplomatic and helpful people in this forum. However I have read many post in this forum saying things like, "Moisture meters are useless" or "Moisture meters are unnecessary, all you have to do is make sure you have 3 years supply of wood and you'll be fine". And Dennis I believe I have even read some of your posts indicating something along those lines, maybe not the exact wording, but something along those lines. At any rate it's obvious a couple of post in this thread seem to have struck a nerve with you, perhaps because you do generally think along those lines, or perhaps because of the "Old Timer" remark (not that you are an old timer by any means). In any case I don't think those comments were aimed at you personally (and it's not only old timers who say such things about moisture meters anyway), but rather, I think those comments were made to reassure those in this forum who are often made to feel foolish or silly because they own, and use, a moisture meter.

We may all get and store our firewood differently, but I bet we all enjoy the warmth of a nice fire in the same way.

 

[oldspark]

I love dead horses, if you go back and read the whole thread the "old timer" comment came out of no where with no base for it what so ever, it seemed like it was aimed at my post but I have a MM so that made the "old timer" comment even more out in left field.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Not to beat a dead horse, here.......but....- I dont think anyone meant any ill will here,Savage. As you've stated, the MM is a useful tool- but not the Holy Grail.And as we know, whether or not its 'right' or 'wrong' to burn wood seasoned only one year- the fact is that not everyone is afforded the luxury of free access to unlimited forests and acres of land on which to store it. Some good folk MUST contend with limited space and work diligently to season what they CAN store in time for the burning season. I have read many of your posts and they are indeed very helpful......I think you just might have mis-read the tone. Again..... keep up the good work. ;-P

Thank you.

Please do not think that I took it all wrongly and got all worked up as I did not. Only wanted to nip something in the bud because I've seen this happen when someone seems to put down a certain age group or whatever. I also did not mean any ill will.

You are correct about acreage but not unlimited forests. We do have plenty though and will never run out and that is nice. We also have the luxury of being able to stack wood in many places.

 

[wood-fan-atic]

Mr. Savage, I look forward to learning much from your always informative posts. Burn on , brutha! ;-P

 

[Cluttermagnet]

I have the cheapie Harbor Freight meter, the one with the LED bargraph. Not sure how accurate it is, but my gut tells me "fairly accurate". That being said, I'm surprised how little I have actually used it. I have 3 years experience now, feeding a wood stove. I seemed to pick up the ability to determine MC 'seat of the pants' real fast. It's all those common sense things- knowing a given type well, such as Red Oak, which I burn a lot of, I can tell by the sound- klink or klunk, by the weight, increasingly gray color, bark falling off, splits and checking, even by the feel of the moisture level on my bare palms and fingers. My meter generally backs up what my senses are telling me. While I did have a few that hissed and bubbled from the ends, that was early on, and I also stopped seeing those early on. I think most folks learn this pretty fast if they stick with it.

I'm both a fan of meters and a fan of stacking it 3 years 'just to be sure', like Dennis and others do. My first 3 years meant a lot of anxiety over MC because I hadn't yet gotten 3 years ahead. I'm closer to that 3 year goal, but I sure wish I owned a hydraulic splitter and didn't have to rely on rentals or borrowing from others to get my hands on one. I have 3-4 cords mostly hand split here, and pretty well seasoned, too. But I also have an additional 4-6 cords of big rounds still awaiting splitting this fall. When I get that done, then I'll finally be ahead- for the first time. In due time, that is going to happen, this fall- whether I can avoid renting or not. Meanwhile, it's good to know I have enough seasoned for this winter.

I scrounge all my wood. What got me through the first couple of years successfully was having access to deadwood. I did use construction cutoffs and pallet wood, but really not all that much. The right kind of deadwood seasons a lot faster than green cut wood. Same year, often. I get all sorts of wood, many varieties- mostly deadwood but some green, too. I'm given old stacks of both rounds and splits. I drop small deadwood trees myself. Others drop 'em and then I get 'em- tree service cut, fallen trees, etc. Bottom line is, some of that wood comes to me already seasoned and ready to burn. And that's the saving grace for a beginning wood burner.

 

[ckarotka]

I don't think of anyone as an "ole timer" but I do think there are some of us that are more experienced than others. I'm not there yet being in my 30's.

I learned all long time ago to listen to those with the experience (young or older) because chances are, They have already made the mistakes I'm about to make.

I now for a fact that I have avoided some mistakes, more that saved time with my family than anything else.

Thanks "Ole Timers" %-P because when it's my turn to pass on this knowledge I hope someone will listen to me!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Maybe I'm smart then because I surely have made many, many mistakes! So maybe you guys are even smarter because you avoid all those dumb things I've done. lol

 

[Battenkiller]

Dennis, you would probably agree with this old timer that almost everything in life worth learning is worth making countless mistakes on until you finally get it right. Whether it's learning to hit a fast ball, playing a musical instrument in tune, or making a proper fire, you miss on one side of the line or the other, gradually honing in on perfection. You are really smart when you eventually realize you'll never achieve that perfection, but you'll try your best to get as close as possible anyway.

 

[ckarotka]

Maybe I'm smart then because I surely have made many, many mistakes! So maybe you guys are even smarter because you avoid all those dumb things I've done. lol

you are smart. Whether you learned the hard way or by someone giving you the info you needed to do it better.
I love coming here and learning how to do something before I do it and getting things right the first time.

My point is: you probably listened and learned. That to me makes you smart.
How's that saying go:

You can lead a man to dry wood, but you can't make him burn it. Lol
or. Give a man some dry wood and he's warm for a night, teach a man how to dry wood and he's warm for a lifetime.

Charlie

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Or give a man some dry wood and then you have to teach him how to light a fire.

 

[firefighterjake]

Dennis, you would probably agree with this old timer that almost everything in life worth learning is worth making countless mistakes on until you finally get it right. Whether it's learning to hit a fast ball, playing a musical instrument in tune, or making a proper fire, you miss on one side of the line or the other, gradually honing in on perfection. You are really smart when you eventually realize you'll never achieve that perfection, but you'll try your best to get as close as possible anyway.

I always tell my wife that she is perfect . . . and she is perfect . . . a perfect wife/best friend for me . . . and that is what makes her perfect in my eyes even though she says she has many flaws and faults.

 

[Cluttermagnet]

A guy at work, years ago, had a bit of folk wisdom I've always appreciated:

"If you're not making any mistakes, you're not doing anything."

(Just avoid the major ones that can lead to setting your house on fire!) :ahhh: ;-)

 

[gpcollen1]

#1 - there are different kinds of oak. Ever wonder why some items are exclusively made of red oaks and others white oaks? Not all exactly alike while the categories do the job in separating white from red.

#2 - someone posted a complaint that their moisture meter read 24%, or something like that, and their wood still sizzled. You don't need a moisture meter to figure out if the wood is ready to burn. Listen to the wood, split it in half and see if it is ready...