Seasoning Oak

[Husky]

Do you test the MC? Not sure how red oak compares to white oak which is what I've been splitting. I split them real small to help season faster but I may have made them too little. Probably drastically cut down on the burn times which is what oak is good for, from what I've read. Guess the best thing to do is make various size splits.

No, I have never measured MC. I have tried to burn it after 10 months one year, Big mistake!! I was in need of wood and thought it would be okay. I always make varied size splits. Some small and some real big, for long burns over night. Never had a problem if I let them season the full 16 months.

 

[ambull01]

Man, you are on the eastern shore and you don't have room to store 3 years worth of wood and have space to process additional firewood. Completely off topic, but I'm looking to buy a farm on the eastern shore in the next couple of years for hunting and firewood processing.

Anyway, the guys are right. I couldn't believe that oak takes 2 to 3 years to season, but it does. White oak seasons quicker than red. I will be burning white oak this year that is at 20% moisture content, but come December it will have been stacked for 2 whole years. The red oak definitely takes 3 years and I would end up giving locust 3 years too. When I first started burning, my dad told me locust burns good after a year in the stacks. Yeah, that was a complete mess and waste of wood.

You might want to look for hickory and hard maple. Maple seasons pretty quick and has decent btu content. Poplar seasons pretty quick too, but it is on the low end of btu content and it is as heavy as oak when green. Light as a feather when seasoned.

Well, you know we're not all farmers right?

I just moved to the eastern shore. Love it here so far. I absolutely hate crossing over the bay bridge, too much traffic on the western side. Heard the deer here are the biggest in the state.

Didn't think anyone close to Bmore would burn wood. Man I HATE that city. My Guard unit is right off of MLK Blvd.

 

[branchburner]

. I was thinking about getting a limbing saw too but I'm almost positive that will start off a saw obsession

You say that like it's a bad thing.

I tell my wife, look hon, these tools are an INVESTMENT... I get them used, in good shape for a good price, and can always sell them at little or no loss (and after a few years of use, that amounts to a GAIN).
She'd rather be taken out to dinner, which I consider a poor investment... until I consider where I might end up sleeping without making said investment.

Pretty sure a saw will hold its value better than the $USD in coming years.... 'specially one made of silver or gold.

 

[ambull01]

You say that like it's a bad thing.

I tell my wife, look hon, these tools are an INVESTMENT... I get them used, in good shape for a good price, and can always sell them at little or no loss (and after a few years of use, that amounts to a GAIN).
She'd rather be taken out to dinner, which I consider a poor investment... until I consider where I might end up sleeping without making said investment.

Pretty sure a saw will hold its value better than the $USD in coming years.... 'specially one made of silver or gold.

lol. I've been using the same argument. Told her I need these things to cut down on the electric bill. We just bought a really old Victorian style house. Electric baseboard heat. I was thinking it would be better than the oil heat I'm used to but now I'm not so sure. Heard the previous owner had a $800 electric bill! Although, I have to admit I think she is soft. She put carpet in the bathroom. Who the hell puts freaking carpet in a bathroom!?

I would love to get two HD 6421s. Leave one stock and put a BB kit on the other. Then get a little limbing saw and a pole saw. After that, possibly a few older Poulans. Love their look. Then a few saws to mess around with and learn how to fix them.

 

[xman23]

You must have a giant yard.

A bit over an acre. I do have some large wood piles. I only burn weekend, and a few weeks we are at the cabin. Most years under 2 cords.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

If I have to season it for that long I may as well forget about oak.

Yup

I hear they GIVE pine away over there. It only needs a year - one good summer, really.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

26 years? I can scratch black locust off my scrounge list too.

BL has very low moisture when it's green - get it split and cribbed properly and it's ready in a year.

 

[ambull01]

BL has very low moisture when it's green - get it split and cribbed properly and it's ready in a year.

Nice. Now I just need to get a pocket field guide to trees so I know what BL looks like.

Yep, pine seems to be plentiful. I see a lot of those "seasoned" firewood sellers specifically mention no pine. Most mention all oak.

 

[2PistolPacker]

Between these two pictures I got 4.25 cords of black locust.

Last years oak 3 cords.

 

[gzecc]

Yep it's starting to look like pine will become my friend. Helps that a lot of people think you can't burn pine too. Should be easy to get.

I stay away from oak. It just takes too long to season. Stick with other hardwoods. Especially Ash, Maple, Locust, etc... I will only take oak if someone drops it off split in my yard. Happens occasionally.
To confirm oak takes a minimum 2 summers split and stacked in single rows, off the ground in my yard from a live tree.

 

[ambull01]

Between these two pictures I got 4.25 cords of black locust. View attachment 145072 View attachment 145073

Last years oak 3 cords. View attachment 145074 View attachment 145075

That's all BL in the top two pics? Top left pic, second piece from bottom looks just like the pine I picked up from the side of the road. Man I wish it really is BL vs pine lol.

 

[ambull01]

I stay away from oak. It just takes too long to season. Stick with other hardwoods. Especially Ash, Maple, Locust, etc... I will only take oak if someone drops it off split in my yard. Happens occasionally.
To confirm oak takes a minimum 2 summers split and stacked in single rows, off the ground in my yard from a live tree.

Yeah that curing time is kind of ridiculous.

 

[2PistolPacker]

That's all BL in the top two pics? Top left pic, second piece from bottom looks just like the pine I picked up from the side of the road. Man I wish it really is BL vs pine lol.

The first picture is one whole locust tree, the second picture is the limb wood off the second tree which was twice as big. Both had been dead for at least 3 years as you notice there is no bark on the trunk pieces in the first picture. It's funny most species of wood look the same with out bark. The biggest advantage of taking long dead locust is not having to put up with the stench of a fresh cut live locust tree.

 

[BIGDADDY]

I have cut dead oak and split and burned it within 1 year. Since oak is so dense if it is cut green it may take a few years to dry out. The trick is find dead standing oak.
Wood that takes longer to season also burns longer in the stove.

 

[BIGDADDY]

I'm about to stock up on some oak in preparation for next year. I keep reading on this site about having to season oak for 2-3 years. Is this true!? If I have to season it for that long I may as well forget about oak. I don't have the space in my yard to accumulate 3+ years worth of oak plus work on firewood for next year.

On another site I've been reading they say oak only needs about a year or so for MC to drop below 20%. What makes oak take so long to season? If it's because it's a hardwood, why don't all hardwoods take as long?

Actually a years worth of oak will take less space then a years worth of pine or cherry.
Try to get some dead oak to begin with.

 

[ambull01]

The first picture is one whole locust tree, the second picture is the limb wood off the second tree which was twice as big. Both had been dead for at least 3 years as you notice there is no bark on the trunk pieces in the first picture. It's funny most species of wood look the same with out bark. The biggest advantage of taking long dead locust is not having to put up with the stench of a fresh cut live locust tree.

So they stink?

BTW, just got a Fiskars X27 today. Went through two pieces of pine real easy. Tried it on a bigger round and it bounced off, got stuck a few times, then sank in without splitting it off. I'm hoping it's sweet gum or something. Whatever it is, it is some tough stuff.

 

[BrotherBart]

On really large rounds you have to work around it taking slabs off the the sides before splitting the middle. It releases the tension in the middle making it easier to split.

 

[BIGDADDY]

Yes locust does have a distinct unpleasant odor.

 

[ambull01]

On really large rounds you have to work around it taking slabs off the the sides before splitting the middle. It releases the tension in the middle making it easier to split.

I think I may have to wait a while to split this stuff. There's really no visible cracks on the round. I got the Fiskars to sink in on one side but it didn't go through all the way.

 

[BIGDADDY]

Don't you have a sledge and wedges?

 

[2PistolPacker]

Ha, I have a maul, sledge hammer, wedges, axes, hatchets......they all retired except for a small hatchet when I bought my current log splitter.

 

[ambull01]

Don't you have a sledge and wedges?

Nope, not yet. This was going to be my first year burning.

 

[ambull01]

Ha, I have a maul, sledge hammer, wedges, axes, hatchets......they all retired except for a small hatchet when I bought my current log splitter.

I would love a log splitter. It would take a while to recoup all the costs though.

 

[BIGDADDY]

Nope, not yet. This was going to be my first year burning.

Gotta get a sledge and a couple wedges. I have a hydralic splitter but I still occasionally drive a wedge in something when I'm out cutting wood.
You say this was going to be your first year burning. Are you not burning this year now?

 

[drewberry24]

It's great exercise splitting by hand. At least that's what I keep telling myself....