Impressed with maple drying time.

[swagler85]

I dropped 2 silver maples this year in the middle of May, I didnt get it all split and stacked until the end of June. I didnt even consider burning it this year as I have 5.5 cord mixed hardwood thats been stacked for over a year now. But I split and checked a larger split to see where the moisture was and the splits where 16% - 17%. Now Im wondering if I should burn this for the shoulder season and save the other stuff I have for colder weather. The other wood is a mixture of mostly cherry, with maple, oak, ironwood and a few others. The rest of my stacks moisture levels were 12%-15%. What would you do? Burn the newer maple to save the better wood or push the maple aside until next year?

 

[FireBones]

I was just writing in another thread some very similar results....we don't have a MM but its very dry for less then one full year seasoned, red maple BTW. Swagler I believe our weather patterns are fairly similar.

 

[swagler85]

Yeah I threw a few splits in the stove tonight. They lit up good and no steam comin out. I think they will do fine if I burn them this year.

 

[DexterDay]

I burned a lot of Silver Maple last yr. Most was split in Apr-June and my results were the same. At or below 20% by the time season started.

The bigger splits 6x6 to 8x8 were about 20%. But smaller stuff was a little below. BTW-I was using the same MM (General).

 

[swagler85]

Yeah I tested the biggest split I could find and thats where I got 16%. Love the general since I bought it a few weeks ago. It just confirmed what I had hoped that my stacks were plenty dry.

 

[bogydave]

I'd bun it now & save the higher BTU stuff for later.
Might be a cold winter, good stuff will come in handy then

 

[CageMaster]

that is very good drying time, the maple we have here is a softer maple and takes over a full year to dry

 

[golfandwoodnut]

Yeah maple can dry really fast. Although I am sure your cherry is very dry too, and probably not much difference in btus, I am burning cherry for my shoulder season wood and even burning some Oak. I just did not cut much other wood, still have another 10 years of dead oak to cut and now the ash is joing the list.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Most are aware how long we give our wood to dry but when it comes to soft maple, I could cut it in winter and burn it the following fall with no problem.

 

[etiger2007]

My Maple was C/S/S in March and I measured it by splitting it an checking the fresh wood last week and I was at 28%. I wonder if my meter reads right. The only readings I have ever gotten under 20% was some ash thats about two years split. My Walnut still reads 23% and thats just over two years split.

 

[JOHN BOY]

We can C,S,S and the maple will be ready in 6-8 months. Every year. I like maple alot soft or hard maple is just a all around good firewood.

 

[weatherguy]

I have about a cord of maple I cut at the end of winter that looks and feels ready now too, Im going to pick up a moisture meter and check my stacks. Id burn it this year as shoulder season wood, if mines ready thats what Im going to do.

 

[Wood Duck]

I think I'd burn the driest stuff first and let the Silver Maple season longer. If it is a choice of cherry or maple, there isn't a ton of difference in how it burns. I'd save the oak and ironwood for overnight burns, and I'd check that oak to make sure it is as dry as the rest of the wood.

 

[swagler85]

I think I'd burn the driest stuff first and let the Silver Maple season longer. If it is a choice of cherry or maple, there isn't a ton of difference in how it burns. I'd save the oak and ironwood for overnight burns, and I'd check that oak to make sure it is as dry as the rest of the wood.

Oak is dry it was 12%-15% on the splits I tested. The part that tempts me to burn the maple now is that the rest of my stuff is all mixed from when I had to move my stacks. So if I save that for later I can burn the cherry in the day and better stuff at night. But either way I'll have plenty of firewood

 

[etiger2007]

swag, i dont have a general mm but there is a thread in the gear section about one and i guess there are two settings on that meter (masonry / wood). Im sure you know this just wanted to make sure. I live north of you and my silver maple is at 28% css in March.

 

[swagler85]

swag, i dont have a general mm but there is a thread in the gear section about one and i guess there are two settings on that meter (masonry / wood). Im sure you know this just wanted to make sure. I live north of you and my silver maple is at 28% css in March.

Yeah I saw that post too and went back and looked again and it was in the right setting.

 

[etiger2007]

lol i was just going to delete that response after i just saw you where part of that thread , looks like you are good to go

 

[swagler85]

And one thing I didnt realize and just went back to look is in the pic of the MM you can see the log on the screen of the general. The masonry setting has a few blocks