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Good enough?

Post in 'The Wood Shed' started by Rusty, Oct 9, 2008.

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  1. Rusty New Member

    joined: Feb 22, 2007
    21 posts
    I had logs about 6-10ft long that had been stacked for over a year.I belive they were oak ,ash, maple,hedge apple and beech.I cut and split them in Augest. Are they going to be seasond enough for this year?
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  2. Shipper50 Minister of Fire

    joined: Nov 10, 2007
    604 posts
    Indiana
    I have found that wood even though its been cut for over a year or so still holds its moisture till one splits it and lets the air and sun get to it. So to answer your question, not in my opinion.

    Shipper
  3. DiscoInferno Minister of Fire

    The ash, yes, although it won't be optimally dry. The maple, maybe, depending on the species and the size of the splits and your climate. The oak and beech, no way. Hedge I don't know but assume no way. Basically, you are starting with green wood. Large/long rounds don't season much until bucked and split.
  4. CTBurner Member

    joined: Aug 4, 2008
    182 posts
    SE CT
    agree with above
  5. madrone Minister of Fire

    How about bucked but not split? I've got maple that was cut into 14"-18" rounds a year and a half ago, but split last month. Should I wait a few more months?
  6. savageactor7 Minister of Fire

    joined: Jan 25, 2008
    3,698 posts
    CNY
    ^ imo your wood might be drier than Ibjamn's but I doubt it's seasoned. Yes bucking does help but splitting the wood is when the clock starts ticking.
  7. boostnut Member

    joined: Nov 2, 2007
    216 posts
    central IL
    you guys are set for next year (09-10) as long as you get it split before summer rolls around AGAIN.
  8. hilly Feeling the Heat

    joined: May 28, 2006
    282 posts
    Vancouver Island, Canada
    I had fir down for a year and a half and it was not ready to burn when originally split.
  9. caber New Member

    joined: Feb 6, 2008
    291 posts
    Western Maryland
    Over the weekend, I finally decided to buck a tree back in the woods that I know has been down for at least 6 years, probably more. It was laying across some other trees and I figured since it wasn't rotten, I might be able to use it right away. 2-3 foot diameter and 40 feet in length - some kind of hardwood. I cut it into 18" sections. I stuck my hatchet into the end of the big rounds to get it out of the way and water immediately can oozing out around the hatchet. Like it was freshly dropped.
  10. Adios Pantalones Minister of Fire

    I cut a standing dead oak this spring that was well saturated at the bottom. Split and stacked since then- it should be ready to burn now despite our wet summer. The "live" moistue in the cells is gone, the rest moves out quicker.
  11. billb3 Minister of Fire

    joined: Dec 14, 2007
    3,065 posts
    SE Mass
    Now if you had all those species seperated before they were cut and split you'd be able to tell us which ones seasoned quicker and were best to use first. With a couple of comparative test fires. :)

    Can you pull the ash and maple out and use those first ?
  12. gerry100 Feeling the Heat

    joined: May 16, 2008
    399 posts
    NY Capitol Region
    Moisture escapes through exposed surface area at a fairly constant rate.

    Moisture content is proportional to volume.

    How long it takes a given piece of wood to dry depends on the ratio of surface area to volume, the higher the better.

    When you split up the log length, you increase increase the surface area 30-40 times ( someone can check the math).

    The smaller you split it the faster it dries.
  13. CowboyAndy New Member

    joined: Feb 29, 2008
    744 posts
    Chateaugay, NY
    I stumbled upon some hickory one day, looked like it had been down a few years. Bucked it and it was like it was just cut down.
  14. smokinj Minister of Fire

    joined: Aug 11, 2008
    15,417 posts
    Anderson, Indiana
    The hedge apple is at leat 3 years!(and when its cut your chain will threw sparks)
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