Standing dead or fallen dead

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andyrlee

New Member
Hearth Supporter
Oct 19, 2009
51
Northern WI
I know seasoning time on green Oak is at a minimum 2 years.

How much less if its been dead for one or two years in the woods?

Andy
 
andyrlee said:
I know seasoning time on green Oak is at a minimum 2 years.

How much less if its been dead for one or two years in the woods?

Andy
Often the trunks are still full of moisture, and take just about as long as green to season. The limbs many times are quite dry already.
 
quads is right.
 
As above, limbs may be burnable, punky even, but the trunks will need to be cut , split and stacked and they probably won't end check or even turn grey very quick.
 
You won't know for sure how much of the tree is sort of dry and how much is still very moist until you cut it. I'd expect most of the larger stuff to be pretty wet.
 
I cut alot of standing dead. My experience is if all the bark is off the tree I will take a chunk out with the ax and check for rot. 75% of my wood is standing dead and gets burn't within a month or so, with no issues, some of the heartwood may still be a little wet. One warning watch for widow makers, have someone watching wear your hardhat. Be Safe!!!
 
cre73 said:
I cut alot of standing dead. My experience is if all the bark is off the tree I will take a chunk out with the ax and check for rot. 75% of my wood is standing dead and gets burn't within a month or so, with no issues, some of the heartwood may still be a little wet. One warning watch for widow makers, have someone watching wear your hardhat. Be Safe!!!

What's a "widow maker"?
 
The water seems to settle to the bottom of the trunk if still standing, but upper wood may be quite dry. I've cut 1-2 yr dead oak (killed it myself) and water squirted out the base wood when split- but 6-10 feet up was dry.
 
MNBobcat said:
cre73 said:
I cut alot of standing dead. My experience is if all the bark is off the tree I will take a chunk out with the ax and check for rot. 75% of my wood is standing dead and gets burn't within a month or so, with no issues, some of the heartwood may still be a little wet. One warning watch for widow makers, have someone watching wear your hardhat. Be Safe!!!

What's a "widow maker"?

Widow maker is that old rotten branch way up in the tree that falls on your head while you are cutting and makes your wife a widow.
 
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