I have been here a few weeks i guess. I have read several posts referring to moisture content of wood that you want to burn or the "target area". What would this be for your red and white oak, say white oak and southern or northern Red? And how many years do you season it?
I just got my moisture meter fresh off the plane from Hong Kong yesterday. I was splitting some of my stuff to see what i have and was supprised. Im not ahead of the game here as this is my second year heating with wood. But i have some stuff that was waste wood on one of my logging operations cut in June last year and cut, spit and stacked a month later by me. When i made a fresh split on it (these are big splits) it was reading say 17-19%. I have some in the pile ahead of this to burn that is closer to 15% and more that i cut about 2 months ago that is in the 19% on big splits. The stuff i have that i have been saving just cause is 2+ years old, red oak mostly and its right around 10%. I keep this pile as its a bit smaller than i like to burn (i take a piece every so often to start a fire with, i split it 4-6 times into kindling) and its in the back of my open shed and acts like a back wall on the awfull neighbor side.
Oh i did cut some green wood a few days ago that was just cut within the last month or so and it read 35% or so, is my meter off?
What are your thoughts on this wood? I think that it looks like in my area 1 year is about all thats needed for good moisture content, but 2 is optimal! Also most wood i cut is from a tree that died that year (maybe year before) or is dieing so i guess the moisture content is not as high to start.
I just got my moisture meter fresh off the plane from Hong Kong yesterday. I was splitting some of my stuff to see what i have and was supprised. Im not ahead of the game here as this is my second year heating with wood. But i have some stuff that was waste wood on one of my logging operations cut in June last year and cut, spit and stacked a month later by me. When i made a fresh split on it (these are big splits) it was reading say 17-19%. I have some in the pile ahead of this to burn that is closer to 15% and more that i cut about 2 months ago that is in the 19% on big splits. The stuff i have that i have been saving just cause is 2+ years old, red oak mostly and its right around 10%. I keep this pile as its a bit smaller than i like to burn (i take a piece every so often to start a fire with, i split it 4-6 times into kindling) and its in the back of my open shed and acts like a back wall on the awfull neighbor side.
Oh i did cut some green wood a few days ago that was just cut within the last month or so and it read 35% or so, is my meter off?
What are your thoughts on this wood? I think that it looks like in my area 1 year is about all thats needed for good moisture content, but 2 is optimal! Also most wood i cut is from a tree that died that year (maybe year before) or is dieing so i guess the moisture content is not as high to start.