Worth the work?

kversch said:

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Cutdown some stone dead barkless austrian pine at work today. Was it worth getting or a waist of time? What are the chances that standing dead with no bark that this stuff will be dry enough to burn right now??

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It must have been worth it, you got it. It looks like it will burn. Maybe you check the moisture content. Wait a year if you can I'd say.

Looks like it was killed by a pine beetle and may very well be ready to burn now. Some of the members like myself and @Lumber-Jack will harvest standing dead pine that is ready to burn right off the stump. I've found that some of the rounds closest to the butt will be a bit off but the rest may very well be near or below 20% mc. I would say thats a great score. Get yourself a moisture meter and check a room temperature round that is freshly split. With this being a standing barkless tree I would say keep it off the ground and out of the rain. Once laying horizontal it will start sucking up any moisture you expose it to. Good job!

Yep it looks like beetle kill to me also. I go up to the mountains and cut standing dead every year for firewood. I usually get about 2 1/2 cord and burn it come winter. I bet it will be dry enough but like everyone else has mentioned use a moisture meter to verify the moisture content or as they say, the MC.

Yep forgot to mention looks like it was cut with a stihl.

Even if cut with a Stihl, it might still burn.

kversch said:

Split a couple rounds that I brought in last night to check the moisture reading. Got readings 20-22. So this should be ok to burn right? Or would I be better to let it sit stacked and season. I just don't want to gum up my chimney.

I was hoping to mix this in with some hard wood I have that's not quite at 20% yet.

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It kind of depends on whether you need it this season or not. If you need to burn it I would say its likely ok. If I had pine that was 22% mc I would re stack it for next winter but I have lots to chose from in my stacks. Mixing it would be a good option. I've had folks roll their eyes at me here when I say this but the readings on your moisture meter are not likely completely accurate and a calibration for pine (and some other woods) should be considered, so at a reading of 22% on your mm your actual moisture content is likely a bit higher. 20% I would roll with it because its close enough.

I wouldn't doubt you could burn it now. The logs are nice and straight. Should be an easy process.

Nice score!

I would split it and let it season until next year if you do not need it. By then it should be down to 15 to 18%.

I say burn some and let us know...........

Burn now if you can if to wet always next year it's free wood always a good find.

Sometimes dead standing dries out pretty darn quick once split and stacked.

I don't think pines are normally killed by beetles here the way they are out west, and standing trees don't dry out as well here as they do out west. Still, I think those pines are ready to burn if they are at 20%

Austrian pine is particularly susceptible to Diplodia tip blight, a fungal pathogen. Austrian pine, especially stressed and weakened individuals can succumb to Diplodia .
http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/diplodia/

Wood Duck said:

I don't think pines are normally killed by beetles here the way they are out west, and standing trees don't dry out as well here as they do out west. Still, I think those pines are ready to burn if they are at 20%

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I wonder about this to @Wood Duck but with the blueish rings on those ends its classic pine beetle. Maybe other bugs cause the same discoloration?

Y

Seanm said:

I wonder about this to @Wood Duck but with the blueish rings on those ends its classic pine beetle. Maybe other bugs cause the same discoloration?

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Yep, looks like the thousands of hectares of beetle killed pine we have around here. The blue ring is very predominant!

C/S/S and leave it for a year. Good stuff..

Oldman47 said:

Even if cut with a Stihl, it might still burn.

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Oldman is looking to start a fight!