Bone dry, but still Sizzle?

[FaithfulWoodsman]

Cut this cherry down last feb. It was dead, little punk outside, but bone dry when cut. Stored outside uncovered for most the summer. split and stacked in late August. Checked moisture again, <15%. Been in shed since then. Almost all the stuff has some small and short bleeding when tossed in the stove. For about 5 minutes the split has a few small water marks only around the edge (see pic). They burn great and water doesn't last long, just wondered if this is something anybody else has had or knows why. Again their bone dry and burn great. I'm stumped as to why I get any moisture at all. Maybe the punk holds a little still from summer rain? Been under shed for 3 months. ???

 

[StihlKicking]

Just remember, unless their at 0% moisture there is still moisture in them. When you pitch a piece of wood into the stove that 15% of moisture has to go somewhere. Wood at less than 20% MC will still sizzle a little bit when that last tiny bit of moisture cooks out but it's nothing to be concerned over.

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

Very true. Maybe it's a cherry thing or the way they dried out. Cause they all do it just the same. A few spots on an edge. None of the other ash or maple do it within the same moisture range. Oh well they burn awesome, which is all that matters.

 

[Dantheman300z]

Gotta agree with StihlKicking, I am having the same thing with ash right now. Dead and cut late two years ago. Stacked under cover, still sizzles a small bit.

 

[Firefighter938]

i get it also occasionally, frequently with cherry also. I just burn it with a little more air until it takes off.

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

Don't worry about it. I have burned various types of wood at well under 15% and still get some moisture bubbles for a few minutes. Like everyone else has said, it's totally normal.

 

[Jay106n]

My black cherry does the same every now and then for the first few. Just the way the wood is for whatever reason. It still burns great!

 

[Babaganoosh]

I've had the same issue with cherry wood. The bark really holds moisture. The sizzle lasts for a few minutes and then goes away.

 

[lindnova]

Did you check the moisture content on a fresh split? I am guessing there is still more moisture inside the splits than you think you have if it was only split in August.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

I wonder if the punkiness is apt to hold some moisture? Either way, sounds like the wood performs just fine.

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

Did you check the moisture content on a fresh split? I am guessing there is still more moisture inside the splits than you think you have if it was only split in August

Yep always check a fresh split. Split in August, but cut dead 6 months prior. I mean some of the stuff didn't even register freshly felled. seems like a cherry thing and also a punky water holding issue. But burns great.......so

 

[Firefighter938]

I have been burning some silver maple that has been c/s/s for two years. It is way dry. I keep about 1/2 cord in my garage to keep it dry and easy access. The latest maple I moved into the garage had been rained on about a week before I moved it. This morning I grabbed some to start a fire, and yep, it sizzled for about 5 minutes. I've been burning this maple all season with no sizzle. This load had a little.

 

[Paulywalnut]

Years ago before I was schooled on 3 year seasoned wood, I would entertain the kids with foaming firewood. They thought it was great....me not so great

 

[woodsHAM]

I burn alot of cherry and it always seems to have some sizzle to it. Sugar maple as well in my experience.

 

[Babaganoosh]

Obviously it's not an accurate reading because it wasn't in wood per se but I took a piece of cherry that was outside in a rain storm and then sat a foot from the stove for 24 to 36 hours and resplit it. It tested to 17%. Then for fun I jammed it into the bark and the area between the bark and the split. I was getting 25%. That thick cherry bark definitely holds the moisture.

 

[Ashful]

I find I only get sizzle out of knotty splits, and a lot of the "Cherry" that grows around here is those flowery things that are all branches with almost no trunk, so if that's the case...

 

[St. Coemgen]

Checked moisture again, <15%..... Again their bone dry and burn great..... I'm stumped as to why I get any moisture at all???

You answered your own question in your post. That is, 15% is not "bone dry" but instead wood with up to 15% moisture content. Which is still some water. And that measurement is just an average. Nothing in those numbers says there will not pockets of moisture with higher content in the wood. And wood came from a living thing, and while the "wood" xylem mostly transports water, there usually are some organic compounds, varying between species, there as well (which may bind some water), and what you see may be just some of that residual xylem "sap".

So in short, while an interesting biological question, for heating: don't worry about it.

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

You answered your own question in your post. That is, 15% is not "bone dry" but instead wood with up to 15% moisture content. Which is still some water. And that measurement is just an average. Nothing in those numbers says there will not pockets of moisture with higher content in the wood. And wood came from a living thing, and while the "wood" xylem mostly transports water, there usually are some organic compounds, varying between species, there as well (which may bind some water), and what you see may be just some of that residual xylem "sap".

So in short, while an interesting biological question, for heating: don't worry about it.

Agreed and very scientific, which I appreciate. I was just surprised at how much water came out of some splits that didn't even register on the meter compared to other species that have no visible vapor spots at similar moisture levels. Most likely a variance between species as you stated and of no concern since they burn great.

 

[fire_man]

Some of my 3 year old Oak sizzles but anything older never does.

 

[CheapBassTurd]

Learned a bit in this thread. Thanx, fellas.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Cut this cherry down last feb. It was dead, little punk outside, but bone dry when cut. Stored outside uncovered for most the summer. split and stacked in late August. Checked moisture again, <15%. Been in shed since then. Almost all the stuff has some small and short bleeding when tossed in the stove. For about 5 minutes the split has a few small water marks only around the edge (see pic). They burn great and water doesn't last long, just wondered if this is something anybody else has had or knows why. Again their bone dry and burn great. I'm stumped as to why I get any moisture at all. Maybe the punk holds a little still from summer rain? Been under shed for 3 months. ???View attachment 191106

I have the same experience, and although I know it's fine, I eliminate it by removing the bark when I can.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

On occasion, I will hear some sizzle coming from some of the smaller kindling splits that are in the garage which always gets like a hot house, especially this past Summer and I think "how the heck can there be any moisture in there?" but apparently there is, although I never see the ends sizzle, but like several have said unless it is 0% that moisture is there albeit very slight!

 

[Woody Stover]

Yep, it's a "Cherry thing." Classic.

 

[Ashful]

Nothing is "dry", in such close proximity to Shangy's.

 

[Paulywalnut]

It has to be pretty moist to foam out the ends. 3 year red oak will hiss a bit