Pine question

[joefrompa]

Hi all,

Quick question for the pine burners - I've got a ton of rounds I'm slowly splitting. 12-18" high and mybe 8-18" in diameter.

I split using an axe and/or wedge and sledge. I often wind up "peeling" the outside off with the axe.

I've begun noticing the following truism for this pine: the outer 3-6" is consistently about 3x the weight of the innermost wood, given the same size split. I'm talking - the inside feels ready to burn, light as a 2x4, whereas the outer feels like it's been soaking in water.

Is this normal? Does the moisture in pine tend to distribute to the outer edges? The weight difference is astounding.

Joe

P.s. I got this pine from a neighbor. During the winter, he gave me a few stacks that he had cut himself. I kept finding some pieces that were really heavy and others really light. I now realize what they were. What was interesting is that the really light stuff burned beautifully (inner wood) while the outer pieces burned horribly (wouldn't even catch most of the time) - even though both were seasoned the same.

 

[fossil]

Tough to say what's "normal", as there are about 115 different species of Pine. Rick

 

[joefrompa]

Fair enough - guess I'm wondering if this sounds like something others have experienced. It's unmistakeable when moving the wood - if it's got a few inches of bark width on it, it's ridiculously heavier than if it's solidly from the middle.

 

[fossil]

Well, out here in central Oregon, I work predominantly with Lodgepole Pine, also some Ponderosa Pine and occasionally Suger Pine. I've never noticed the phenomenon you're describing. The wood burners in your neck of the woods who work with whatever sort of Pine you're working with may be a better source of comparison information/experience. Rick

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Yes. The sap wood seems to keep sucking up moisture, even when the heart wood is really dry. That's normal, and very noticeable in white pine.

 

[dafattkidd]

Also don't burn that stuff it will cause your house to explode.

 

[joefrompa]

Oh No! I've got several cords c/s/s of pine, now it'll make my house explode!

...

Guess I'll go back to burning kerosene soaked newspaper knots.

 

[dafattkidd]

so I've been told...so I've been told.

 

[Intheswamp]

Also don't burn that stuff it will cause your house to explode.

That's not right Kidd...it makes you go blind. Hmmm, no, I think somethin' else does that. Oh well, so maybe it does make your house explode. hh:

 

[Loco Gringo]

Yes. The sap wood seems to keep sucking up moisture, even when the heart wood is really dry. That's normal, and very noticeable in white pine.

After getting the facts here I css my first white pine last month and noticed this too. Its VERY noticeable. But the bark splits are drying quick now. Really quick in fact.

 

[Dune]

Up here, pine isn't ready till the bark falls off, even then it could be seasoned, yet too wet to burn well. Pine really needs to be under cover for the second year of seasoning to get the most heat out of it.

 

[RNLA]

I cut lots of pine mostly ponderosa. People had planted 20-30 years ago and now they are too big for the yard, causing cracks in the driveway, or some other reason. They seem to have the same deal, inside dry - outside wet and heavy. It has a lot to do with what time of year you cut it, spring time the sap starts running.