Shoulder Season Wood 2012

[thewoodlands]

This is the White Pine we plan on burning this fall, I decided to take a reading with the moisture meter. Last night we had a hard rain so the split is still wet on the top but it looks like this will be all set for the fall.

This White Pine had been down since 2008, I c/s/s this in March 2012. Pic 5471 is the first reading before I resplit it, pic 5472 is the side of the resplit that was facing down from the rain, 5473 is the side that was exposed to the rain.

Zap

 

[Realstone]

My mind is beginning to change about collecting pine. I hear it burns nice & hot.

 

[thewoodlands]

Add fast to that. This will be are first year burning pine so we will find out.

zp

 

[PapaDave]

Nice pics zap.
If the split is big enough, add a few together and you'll have fire for a while.

I'm just about finished putting wood in the shed for this winter. In the front on one side is about 1/2 cord of pine/spruce, and on the other side is a bit more than 1/3 cord of soft maple. I'd like that stuff to get me through at least the middle of Nov., but we'll see. I used 1/3 cord of pine/spruce through Oct., last year.
There's some more pine/spruce back farther back that I should get to about April or so. It really helps save the good stuff for the cold months and also extends that good wood for maybe another year.
I should put the meter to it just for giggles.

 

[thewoodlands]

Looks like your all set for that NASTY winter GAMMA is calling for in your area! (over your house)

Nice work.
zap

 

[scroungerjeff]

I have been looking at pine rounds a tree service guy drops at a local farm and I finally picked up a dozen rounds of pitch pine a while back. After splitting and stacking the rounds in the spring, I recently lit a pit fire and wow did the pine take off. I think I can add that pine to this fall's shoulder season mix along with the silver maple from the end of last winter. I should put the moisture meter to the pine and maple now to see where I am at.

 

[bogydave]

Good demo Zap

 

[thewoodlands]

I will be testing the Hemlock that is in the same pile today if I can pull one out from the middle of the stack. The Hemlock came down last summer in a windstorm, the Hemlock was stacked last winter but it looks like it needs more time for seasoning.

zap

 

[PapaDave]

Looks like your all set for that NASTY winter GAMMA is calling for in your area! (over your house)

Nice work.
zap

Holy Crap!
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.........note to self:
"Gamma has memory like steel trap. Do NOT pizz off Gamma."

"if I can pull one out from the middle of the stack"
JINGA!

 

[GAMMA RAY]

"Gamma has memory like steel trap. Do NOT pizz off Gamma."

I heard that Papa....

 

[ScotO]

Nice to see that moisture experiment, amazing the differences in that one piece. Goes to show how surface moisture has little effect on the inner wood, that wood will definately be ready by fall....

 

[ScotO]

I just got back from vacation, first thing I did this morning was fire up my big chainsaws and give them a big hug!!
Dammit I missed them!

 

[Realstone]

I just got back from vacation, first thing I did this morning was fire up my big chainsaws and give them a big hug!!

Hopefully in reverse order...

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I predict zap will stay warm next winter.

 

[PapaDave]

I just got back from vacation, first thing I did this morning was fire up my big chainsaws and give them a big hug!!
Dammit I missed them!

Turned 'em off first.......right?

 

[PapaDave]

I heard that Papa....

Oh CRAP!

 

[weatherguy]

Zap, where did you get that moisture meter? Its high time I got one instead of guessing, I have some pine that was cut last Oct and I split it in March, seems plenty dry to me but I want to see for sure, I picked some splits up and they're light as a feather, I want to make sure my two year seasoned oak is ready too.

 

[thewoodlands]

Zap, where did you get that moisture meter? Its high time I got one instead of guessing, I have some pine that was cut last Oct and I split it in March, seems plenty dry to me but I want to see for sure, I picked some splits up and they're light as a feather, I want to make sure my two year seasoned oak is ready too.

I bought mine from amazon.com a few years back, I made the mistake of buying a four pin instead of a two pin. (not a big deal)
http://www.amazon.com/HQRP-JT-4G-Firewood-Moisture-Meter/dp/B000UFI2D2

zap

 

[begreen]

Our fall wood this year will be -- shudder -- poplar . Though locally known by woodburners as shitwood I tried some last winter and found it burns just fine. Actually I kind of like it for shoulder season burning. It's not high btu, so I can load a couple extra splits in the stove and not worry about overheating the house. I figure we have about a month or two supply of poplar, then we'll be burning doug fir and soft maple. If it gets cold, we have locust and black cherry in reserves. We be warm this winter and already have the following year's wood css. That's a first for me.

 

[PapaDave]

I have a small stash of poplar (popple in local jargon) too. Dries pretty quick and it burns. Sounds about right.

 

[Realstone]

Poplar and a little D4S maple & cherry is all I got for this coming season. Then look out next year, all sugar maple

 

[Gark]

Thank you for the experimental data, Zap and for the pictures (good, as always). It supports what is said about dried/seasoned wood not getting internal moisture from a rain. Nifty little meter you got there.

 

[weatherguy]

I bought mine from amazon.com a few years back, I made the mistake of buying a four pin instead of a two pin. (not a big deal)
http://www.amazon.com/HQRP-JT-4G-Firewood-Moisture-Meter/dp/B000UFI2D2

zap

Thanks, so I should get a two pin instead of a 4 pin?

 

[thewoodlands]

Thanks, so I should get a two pin instead of a 4 pin?

Two pins are easier when pushing in to get your reading from what I've been told.

zap

 

[Ashful]

So how do you guys keep track of what's in your stacks for specific parts of the season?

Me? I've got poplar, oak, walnut, cherry, white pine, dogwood, and maple all stacked together. Usually, I can make a good guess at what I'm pulling out of the pile (heck, Walnut is easy), but I'm far from the point of setting aside specific species for specific parts of the season.