Buying ash just after cut and split?

[cbscout]

Hi, this is the first season for burning and I am getting ready the best I can.

I am buying a full cord of ash firewood (split) from a guy, and I tested the moisture content to be acceptable on a fresh split. That's all good. But I want another couple cord more, so he showed me a few ash trees he has just brought in. Four of them have been on the ground for two seasons, and have not been cut and split yet. The other two were dead, but still standing until a week ago.

Should I be worried about the new cuts? I may not be able to get back there to test the moisture content of that wood, and I don't know whether to commit, or err on the side of caution. I mean, some of them have been on the ground for a couple seasons, but... Wanted to get some expert opinions on this.

 

[weatherguy]

The standing dead may he dry enough but theres no way to know without testing it if it's a good price buy all of it, you'll have dry wood for next year if not this year.

 

[cbscout]

The standing dead may he dry enough but theres no way to know without testing it if it's a good price buy all of it, you'll have dry wood for next year if not this year.

Actual seasoned wood out here this late in the year has been hard to find, so it is not inexpensive. I also live in a neighborhood and do not have a lot of land, so I have to conserve space. I will be working to come up with a better plan for wood storage next year, as well as trying to get ahead of the game for next season.

 

[Sodbuster]

Standing dead Ash will be dry enough to burn in Michigan from 8-10' on up if the bark is off; the lower rounds may require another year of seasoning. This is from direct experience.

 

[cbscout]

Standing dead Ash will be dry enough to burn in Michigan from 8-10' on up if the bark is off; the lower rounds may require another year of seasoning. This is from direct experience.

Thanks, Sodbuster. Good to hear that from someone who knows the area.

Any thoughts on the other few that were lying on the ground for a year or two?

 

[Sodbuster]

Thanks, Sodbuster. Good to hear that from someone who knows the area.

Any thoughts on the other few that were lying on the ground for a year or two?

Lying on the ground is never good, you'll need to pull out your trusty moisture meter. My experience with wood lying on the ground is that it will need a year to season, that is if it's not punky. I have a 20' section of Ash that would make beautiful firewood, it's been on the ground for 2yrs. I've hesitated to cut it, because it used to be used as a tree stand and has buried steps hidden in the trunk.

 

[cbscout]

Lying on the ground is never good, you'll need to pull out your trusty moisture meter. My experience with wood lying on the ground is that it will need a year to season, that is if it's not punky. I have a 20' section of Ash that would make beautiful firewood, it's been on the ground for 2yrs. I've hesitated to cut it, because it used to be used as a tree stand and has buried steps hidden in the trunk.

Ok, thanks. I will let it be and just take the ones that were standing dead. I may have to look elsewhere for the rest of my wood. He says he has oak coming in, but I'm not sure that it will be seasoned, as I educated him today how to test for moisture content. He educated me too, on a couple things, so it went both ways. But if doesn't know to ask his other supplier, he may be getting wood that is not quite seasoned. Because we couldn't get it done until late in the year, getting our wood supply has become a rush, and a little expensive, especially since we don't have a truck.

 

[Bushels20]

Standing dead Ash will be dry enough to burn in Michigan from 8-10' on up if the bark is off; the lower rounds may require another year of seasoning. This is from direct experience.

One state down from you in Ohio this is very true as well. The main trunk, dead or alive/bark or no bark always needs some seasoning.

 

[kennyp2339]

I did some woods scrounging yesterday, worked up cotton wood that also took down a couple smaller ash tree's, the tree's fell 2 years ago and parts of the tree remained off the ground, it didn't really matter, the stuff on the ground had water dripping out of it when I sawed it into logs, the other stuff that was off the ground was almost soaked enough to have water dripping out of it also, the wood was dead, bark was on it though.

 

[cbscout]

I did some woods scrounging yesterday, worked up cotton wood that also took down a couple smaller ash tree's, the tree's fell 2 years ago and parts of the tree remained off the ground, it didn't really matter, the stuff on the ground had water dripping out of it when I sawed it into logs, the other stuff that was off the ground was almost soaked enough to have water dripping out of it also, the wood was dead, bark was on it though.

And that's the question. Hopefully the stuff I'm looking at isn't like that. I'm trying to find one spot to find my seasoned wood.

 

[DaveInPhilly]

I took down an Ash tree that was standing dead on my property for at least year years (as long as I owned the house) and was surprised by how wet it was. I cut it and split it in early spring and I don't think its going to be ready to burn this season, but its been a little while since I last checked on it.

 

[NateH]

That bark is a killer. I’m gearing up for my first season and all the ash splits that I didn’t take the bark off seem to all have a higher moisture content. Lessons learned.

 

[cbscout]

That bark is a killer. I’m gearing up for my first season and all the ash splits that I didn’t take the bark off seem to all have a higher moisture content. Lessons learned.

If I remember right, when he was pointing at the trees he took down, they all still had bark on them.

 

[blades]

my rule of thumb -anything split this year won't see the stove until 2 years from now-except OAK that will be minimum 3 years. As always the variables in drying conditions play havoc with this - so much rain and humidity this last 3 months - nothing dry. I am starting to see a 10 ft conex container with the old wood stove inside in my future plans- with a little work it would work pretty well as a debugger and dissipate the surface moisture from all the rain- and in theory give me a bit of piece of mind about wood storage in basement.

 

[Pertzbro]

my rule of thumb -anything split this year won't see the stove until 2 years from now-except OAK that will be minimum 3 years. As always the variables in drying conditions play havoc with this - so much rain and humidity this last 3 months - nothing dry. I am starting to see a 10 ft conex container with the old wood stove inside in my future plans- with a little work it would work pretty well as a debugger and dissipate the surface moisture from all the rain- and in theory give me a bit of piece of mind about wood storage in basement.

Or a Suana when you have dry wood.

 

[weatherguy]

I got some soft maple rounds from a guy that got rid if his wood stove. He had the tree cut from his yard and stacked the rounds on pallets. He had them over a year when I got them, I stacked the rounds on pallets for another year before I split them. When I split them, water gushed out, that's after being cut into rounds over two+ years ago. Granted they dried pretty quickly after a split them but without a meter it's a tough call on when they're under 20%.

 

[cbscout]

I got some soft maple rounds from a guy that got rid if his wood stove. He had the tree cut from his yard and stacked the rounds on pallets. He had them over a year when I got them, I stacked the rounds on pallets for another year before I split them. When I split them, water gushed out, that's after being cut into rounds over two+ years ago. Granted they dried pretty quickly after a split them but without a meter it's a tough call on when they're under 20%.

That's interesting, since he also had some smaller ash rounds he was going to cut and split for me if I wanted them. They've been around quite awhile, like yours, but it sounds like they may take at least several months before being near ready for burning.

 

[weatherguy]

That's interesting, since he also had some smaller ash rounds he was going to cut and split for me if I wanted them. They've been around quite awhile, like yours, but it sounds like they may take at least several months before being near ready for burning.

We're getting close to go time, if this was June I'd think you'd be golden.

 

[NateH]

If the price was too steep maybe give the guy a counter offer simply because you won’t be able to burn that wood this year. I’m in a similar situation as you, scout. Only have a 1/3 of an acre and no truck so I have to really plan my wood pickups and it has to be worth it. Storage is tough

 

[cbscout]

If the price was too steep maybe give the guy a counter offer simply because you won’t be able to burn that wood this year. I’m in a similar situation as you, scout. Only have a 1/3 of an acre and no truck so I have to really plan my wood pickups and it has to be worth it. Storage is tough

Yeah, it's a lot of trouble and cost for delivery.This late in the season actual seasoned wood is also expensive. And getting a truck isn't in the cards at the moment. Everyone I know that can help get the wood is in business, so they rent their vehicle/trailer out or charge to deliver. Storage is going to be very simple this year - just several 2x4 storage racks made with those bracket kits and a Landmann 8 foot rack for the deck. Now trying to come up with ideas for next year - how to build a low profile shed to accommodate as many face cord as possible without drawing too much attention to it? I've been told to prepare to use up to 3 full cord during a cold winter for our house, or more. We start to dial it in this winter.

 

[NateH]

I think this first season is going to be the hardest for both of us and anyone else burning for the first year. Once we get into a rhythm, we’ll start to get a feel for our stove and how much wood to collect etc. we’ll be good. I built a little wood shed that holds about four cord and I have a couple wood racks and need a couple more.

 

[cbscout]

I think this first season is going to be the hardest for both of us and anyone else burning for the first year. Once we get into a rhythm, we’ll start to get a feel for our stove and how much wood to collect etc. we’ll be good. I built a little wood shed that holds about four cord and I have a couple wood racks and need a couple more.

Nate, did you build your shed from scratch?

 

[NateH]

Yes I put an addition on my living room and used the old porch floor joists that I ripped out for the floor on my shed and went from there. I’ll posts pics eventually. Overall it turned out all right and honestly looks a heck of a lot better than wood all over the yard.