27% moisture content of Fresh Red Oak?

[bigealta]

Helped a buddy split some Red Oak that was cut the day before. It was a live tree that was too close to the house. Rounds were about 28”-36” Diameter. Cut in late Winter Feb 25. In NJ. Temp was 48F when we split it next day. Temps were in the high 20”s the night before we split them.

I pulled out the moisture meter for fun and got a Max reading of about 28% on the freshly split surfaces. I tried every possible spot, parallel and perpendicular to the grain and i could not get any reading above 28%?

Anyone know why this could be so low? The meter is new this fall,

 

[bigealta]

The red oak had very tight growth rings. It was about 80-100 years old.

 

[gthomas785]

The wood temperature can affect the reading, it should be room temperature for accuracy

 

[Wildflush]

Yup room temp for a day or two resplit take reading in the middle along the grain. You might find it is over 30.

 

[Caw]

I've had live red oak literally splash me in the face when splitting it at 45%. As others have stated the true reading under proper conditios is likely much higher. Its also possible your meter caps out at 28%?

Regardless plan on a minimum of 2 years to season if stacked and stored in a good spot but it'll be a lot better after 3. Split it small of you need it ASAP.

 

[stoveliker]

If the wood was 20 F, a reading of 25 pct would in reality be 34 pct. And a reading of 30 pct would in reality be 40 pct.

At 40 F, a reading of 25 pct would be 30 pct, and a reading of 30 pct would be 36 pct.

So my guess is you are around 34 pct or so. Which indeed is low for fresh oak, I think.

 

[bigealta]

If the wood was 20 F, a reading of 25 pct would in reality be 34 pct. And a reading of 30 pct would in reality be 40 pct.

At 40 F, a reading of 25 pct would be 30 pct, and a reading of 30 pct would be 36 pct.

So my guess is you are around 34 pct or so. Which indeed is low for fresh oak, I think.

Yes i figured Temp may account for 5% or so. But even 33ish% moisture content seems way off.

 

[bigealta]

I just tested my General mmd4e meter on my palm, it slowly climbed to 23%? isn't it supposed to be around 30%?

Edit: i just did the calibration test with the cap and it is dead On 18.3%. Exactly what the instructions call for.

 

[Eman85]

I know why I don't own a moisture meter, only a thermometer and a calendar.

 

[stoveliker]

And this is why I do own a moisture meter, apart from just having a 3-year shed. I like the data, I like to see the consistency. I like to see the variability in individual trees, in species, in seasons/years, weather, stack position etc.

 

[kborndale]

Moisture meter is a great tool to have, and it's not like they are expensive, you can get one for less than $25.

 

[begreen]

Low moisture content could be due to the winter felling if the sap has not begun to rise.

 

[bigealta]

Low moisture content could be due to the winter felling if the sap has not begun to rise.

That's what i was thinking, But if sap only runs up the tree in the sapwood at the outer rings what gives? does moisture migrate in to the inner heartwood? It must i guess. If so we should be cutting live trees in late winter for the driest wood.

 

[brenndatomu]

There's no way that meter is right...reading at least 5% low (on top of the temp correction)

 

[bigealta]

There's no way that meter is right...reading at least 5% low (on top of the temp correction)

That's what i think as well but the meter is calibrated perfectly according to the cap test specifically made for testing this meter's calibration.

 

[bigealta]

Now the meter in showing 18.5% on cap test. Spec is 18.3%.

 

[bigealta]

I've had live red oak literally splash me in the face when splitting it at 45%. As others have stated the true reading under proper conditios is likely much higher. Its also possible your meter caps out at 28%?

Regardless plan on a minimum of 2 years to season if stacked and stored in a good spot but it'll be a lot better after 3. Split it small of you need it ASAP.

Ha yeah, My buddy is a Millenial, he thinks it'll be ready in 6 months. Clearly thinks i'm full of BS cause he's burnt wood before. "if it's hot enough anything will burn" their favorite go to saying. I did gain some street cred though when i showed them how to hand split it like a boss. They watched and realized they were working way to hard, even with the splitter they thought they "had to have". Hand splitting was at least twice as fast. They turned it off after 1 round. Ha, it'll eventually sink in.

 

[Wildflush]

Ha yeah, My buddy is a Millenial, he thinks it'll be ready in 6 months. Clearly thinks i'm full of BS cause he's burnt wood before. "if it's hot enough anything will burn" their favorite go to saying. I did gain some street cred though when i showed them how to hand split it like a boss. They watched and realized they were working way to hard, even with the splitter they thought they "had to have". Hand splitting was at least twice as fast. They turned it off after 1 round. Ha, it'll eventually sink in.

😂very funny. My buddy in Maine says this “I’ve been burning wood for a long time and when you have have coals everything burns” that is why his Jotul Oslo’s glass is black and he had a chimney fire last year 🙄. I told him the oak he split won’t be ready next year. He won’t listen.

 

[stoveliker]

Regarding calibration: that's a one-point calibration. I don't know that the slope (of resistance vs moisture content) is calibrated properly. It's like taking a sloping graph and saying that one point is correct, so all points have to be correct...

Regarding folks burning wet wood: tell them that a split of 5 lbs contains 1.5 lbs of water. Ask them how long it takes to evaporate 1.5 lbs of water on the stove, and how many kWhs that takes on an electric stove. Then tell them that that's how much more work they are creating for themselves, providing all that wood to use all that energy to evaporate that water rather than heating the home.

If they are not sensitive to that - well then Darwin awards...

 

[bigealta]

😂very funny. My buddy in Maine says this “I’ve been burning wood for a long time and when you have have coals everything burns” that is why his Jotul Oslo’s glass is black and he had a chimney fire last year 🙄. I told him the oak he split won’t be ready next year. He won’t listen

Regarding calibration: that's a one-point calibration. I don't know that the slope (of resistance vs moisture content) is calibrated properly. It's like taking a sloping graph and saying that one point is correct, so all points have to be correct...

Regarding folks burning wet wood: tell them that a split of 5 lbs contains 1.5 lbs of water. Ask them how long it takes to evaporate 1.5 lbs of water on the stove, and how many kWhs that takes on an electric stove. Then tell them that that's how much more work they are creating for themselves, providing all that wood to use all that energy to evaporate that water rather than heating the home.

If they are not sensitive to that - well then Darwin awards...

Ha, yeah the tune out starts at about 1.5 lbs of water. Is there a way to say that in 5 words or less? They are not stupid but the attention span is incredibly fleeting.

 

[Wildflush]

Ha, yeah the tune out starts at about 1.5 lbs of water.

Yup agree with by buddy also. Even though I have facts like black glass and chimney fire!

 

[bigealta]

It really is amazing how some smart people can sometimes be so stupid.

 

[stoveliker]

The prime example of that is looking at me from the mirror...
(Yes,.that was both presumptuous as well as self-deprecating.)

 

[Caw]

That's what i was thinking, But if sap only runs up the tree in the sapwood at the outer rings what gives? does moisture migrate in to the inner heartwood? It must i guess. If so we should be cutting live trees in late winter for the driest wood.

My educated guess would be that it nourishes the buds and eventual leaves the is used up. No need for it to reverse flow.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I have cut oak that had water pouring out of it and I have also cut fresh oak that was almost dry enough to burn. Most of the time oak is just plain wet. It is entirely possible that your wood is actually what the meter says.