Seasoning Oak
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I have a really dumb question. Lets say I split oak really small to aide in drying time. In 1 year it gets to 20% MC or less. Is it possibly to then nail/screw two pieces of oak together to increase burn time? Sorry if that was the dumbest question you've seen on this site lol
Not the dumbest, but the first time I have seen it. Split them six inches or so and supplement the burn with small stuff, pallet wood or manufactured burning bricks. The critical part of the burn is the first hour when something needs to be driving the latent moisture out of the splits.
Renjilj
New Member
+1. I felled about 4-5 cord Red Oak last summer and cut to length last fall. Split early this spring and cross stacked all of it to ensure max air flow. Stack was covered. Splits smaller at 2-4" x16-18"long. Have measured from 20-28% on various pieces. It starts and burns well and is mixed with drier stuff usually. Lots of heat and minimal coals. Also, getting 8-10 hours or more on burns so the smalls not affecting too much. Obviously drier is better so really looking forward to next year, but working fine this year. Got another 8 cord split and drying for years 2 and 3
So I'm guess my stupid idea wouldn't work? lol
Hey where did you find those older Poulans? I really want one! Too many people have Stihls and Husqvarnas. I want to be a little original and rock a old school Poulan before they turned into crappy saws.
Minimal coals? I thought that was a bad thing. Or are you getting minimal coals because the splits are so small? I would think having coals would be a good thing for reloading.
Nice! Umm, why does it weight 23 pounds? Was your foot on the scale too?
Is that the 65cc model? I would say a price but that would be kind of stupid. I don't know much about these older Poulans, just know I want one bad. Probably be best if you start the bid.
Nah. It doesn't take up much space. Only reason I mentioned it was you are close and I won't ship it and then have some fool not pull the rope twice till if pops and then close the choke and have it start on the next pull and want their money and shipping back.
Easier just to put it in the will. Sometimes just start it in the yard to listen to it. Three years ago a storm blew down a bunch of trees. I listened until around noon to lil saws running like buzzing bees in the neighborhood. Finally got tired of it and threw Old Yaller in the back of the Suburban and drove down the hill. Bunch of guys trying to cut a tree dropped over my neighbor's driveway with their lil Stihls and Husky's.
Pulled Old Yaller out of the Burb, hit the compression release and drop started it and ripped it and one of their kid's yelled "Yes, a real chainsaw!".
Bucked the big tree, and walked back to the truck. A Dirty Harry moment.
Easier just to put it in the will. Sometimes just start it in the yard to listen to it. Three years ago a storm blew down a bunch of trees. I listened until around noon to lil saws running like buzzing bees in the neighborhood. Finally got tired of it and threw Old Yaller in the back of the Suburban and drove down the hill. Bunch of guys trying to cut a tree dropped over my neighbor's driveway with their lil Stihls and Husky's.
Pulled Old Yaller out of the Burb, hit the compression release and drop started it and ripped it and one of their kid's yelled "Yes, a real chainsaw!".
Bucked the big tree, and walked back to the truck. A Dirty Harry moment.
Nah. It doesn't take up much space. Only reason I mentioned it was you are close and I won't ship it and then have some fool not pull the rope twice till if pops and then close the choke and have it start on the next pull and want their money and shipping back.
Easier just to put it in the will. Sometimes just start it in the yard to listen to it. Three years ago a storm blew down a bunch of trees. I listened until around noon to lil saws running like buzzing bees in the neighborhood. Finally got tired of it and threw Old Yaller in the back of the Suburban and drove down the hill. Bunch of guys trying to cut a tree dropped over my neighbor's driveway with their lil Stihls and Husky's.
Pulled Old Yaller out of the Burb, hit the compression release and drop started it and ripped it and one of their kid's yelled "Yes, a real chainsaw!".
Bucked the big tree, and walked back to the truck. A Dirty Harry moment.
Let me borrow it then. I'll cut some 3 year oak for you. I'll let you use my awesome Homelite in exchange.
IMO, fuel is fuel. If you have fine air control, burning smaller splits may actually give you higher efficiencies, better heat control, and the same amount of "burn times"
My stove performs far better with 6 smaller splits VS. 3-4 larger splits. Better air movement, and traces of moisture from the core, will boil out quicker. (You still won't hear sizzling at 20% though) You can generally shut the primary air control all the way off, and the stove just sings at 500-600* for hours.
Hogwildz
Minister of Fire
Its not. Seasoned is an objective word in the eyes of the beholder. Most firewood sold as seasoned, may be seasoned in the sellers mind, but not dry. Not many sellers keep wood stacked in a nice drying row for 2-3 years.
Most is cut & split in the spring & summer and sold in the fall. Best bet is to get 3 years ahead in supply. The you know it is dry.
Hogwildz
Minister of Fire
Look for Maple, Pine, Cherry, the "softer" hard woods. They season in 12 months or sometimes less.
Hogwildz
Minister of Fire
Smaller splits in my insert would blaze out of control. Yes they may burn hotter due to more air space, flow & movement between the splits. More efficient? I doubt that. Better heat control? Not in this stove.
Burn dry wood, and any moisture traces are minimal and a non factor. Shorter burn times, absolutely. The same size load of small splits vs. large splits will produce the same amount of BTUs. The difference is in how fast they are produced. Smaller= more air space & faster production of BTUs, larger = less air space & slower BTU production.
I disagree on "same amount" of burn times, not here, not in 9 years with this stove. That is just my experience of course.
Burn dry wood, and any moisture traces are minimal and a non factor. Shorter burn times, absolutely. The same size load of small splits vs. large splits will produce the same amount of BTUs. The difference is in how fast they are produced. Smaller= more air space & faster production of BTUs, larger = less air space & slower BTU production.
I disagree on "same amount" of burn times, not here, not in 9 years with this stove. That is just my experience of course.
I can probably identify a pine tree but I'll need a pocket guide or Google for the others. Didn't know pine was considered a hard wood. Learn something new everyday. Just learned poplar is a soft wood yesterday. Poplar dries and becomes really light. The wood is known to become soft, at least from what I've read. Yet it's still considered a hard wood. I need to become an arborist to figure all this stuff out.
Hogwildz
Minister of Fire
Pine isn't a hardwood. I should have phrased better. Cherry & Maple are considerd hard woods, although I consider then softer, less dense hard woods as compared to oak, hickory etc.
Poplar is garbage wood to many, I keep it around for shoulder seasons if I come across it. Not for overnight burns. It does dry quickly. Another wood that dries fairly quickly is Ash.
I give both 3 years, and I don't bother checking MC. Sure you can burn oak after a year or so. But it burns better after two. And it burns best after three or more.
If I had to buy and burn wood under a year cut/split, I would opt for other less dense hardwoods, even though they have fewer potential BTUs per volume than oak,.. at least for my stove, anyway.
... it's what I'm burning right now
Burns a lot like pine when dry, but can take a bit longer than pine to fully dry (both hold a LOT of water when unsplit/uncovered). Good wood for fall/spring burning.
I see. So getting a mixture of those three would probably be ideal. I could use the pine to get things going and use while I'm awake. Throw in the dense hardwoods for prolonged burns.
Yeah I'm figuring that out with poplar. There were about 10 or more really big logs at my in-laws. I cut most of them up and split the rounds. Probably be over 4 cords when I'm done. I also have about a cord of oak but I may just leave that stuff in the woods or give it to someone with more patience.
lol. So ideally 3 years or more. Isn't there a MC that is almost impossible to reach? What percentage do you try to get before you burn?
No. You load the hardwood in the back and the softwood in the front. When you load the stove you don't open the door again and "throw" something in.
Aye sir. I meant put hardwood in after the softwood is reduced to coals and I'm ready to call it a night. Insert some hardwood for the overnight burn. Your way works too though lol.
I don't shoot for any particular number, just for what makes my stove happy. If my stove is happy, I'm happy.
I've spent so many years burning at least some wood each year that was ALMOST dry enough, I'm happy to finally be ahead of the game: wood for 2015/16 is cut and split, and mostly all stacked.
Never had that feeling before.
I like it.
[quote="ambull01, post: 1814895, member: 38769 I also have about a cord of oak but I may just leave that stuff in the woods or give it to someone with more patience.[/quote]
You know, you don't have to store it in your yard for three years... you can leave it stacked in the woods, out of your way, 'til it's ready. It won't go bad.
You know, you don't have to store it in your yard for three years... you can leave it stacked in the woods, out of your way, 'til it's ready. It won't go bad.
If it doesn't we gonna get real cold tonight. We don't have any other source of heat. And if you haven't noticed, it is gonna be in the teens tonight here. I still plan on sleeping under that one sheet.
75 in the joint right now.
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