Checkin next years wood supply

[Butcher]

This may not be the right place for this post but anyways...
After checking this years wood supply with a meter and finding it all to be in the 12 to 14% range I thought I would check next years stock pile.

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I also checked some random pieces from some other piles I have and found these readings.
1 year old red oak,4 inch split 22%
standing dead elm that was cut split and stacked last week. 24%. This really surprized me as that is what I always usta burn in the old stove with little or no problems.
Just for the heck of it I went to the stack that we use for summertime in the outdoor firepit. Tested a piece of red pine that was cut and split in August and not covered. 24%.
Well, not a very scientific test but what the heck. At least it gives me alittle better handle on what I'm dealin with and since I'm not sure how much wood I will actually burn thia winter with this new stove, I'm thinkin if I do have to get into next years supply I should be alright at those readings.
Now I just gotta get to the timber and cut more wood.

 

[Todd]

Nice wood shute. I was waiting to see you come down it.

 

[oldspark]

Some of the looong dry times posted on here are from people who do not know how to stack their wood. Running for cover now. :lol:

 

[Butcher]

Some of the looong dry times posted on here are from people who do not know how to stack their wood. Running for cover now. :lol:

Well, let the chips fall were they may. Not everyone is blessed as we are here in Iowa to have the climate we do. Hot and humid all summer, wind blows over these vast corn and bean fields like nothing some folks have ever seen. I guess iffn a wood pile is stacked in a back yard of a house in town it would take longer to dry than it would out here were I'm at. Heck, last Janurary the 50mph winds blew the hat offn my head when I went out back. Found that hat in my front yard this spring. It had autographs from folks down to Ark., Fla, Cuba, Chile, Antartica, Russia, and I think some caraboo upta Alaska must pizzed on it cuz it smelled funny. But who cares. My woods dry and I got my hat back.

 

[bogydave]

Good demo on using a MM.
Never saw you hat come by here, maybe it was moving to fast,

 

[perry]

where did you get that meter at ?. how much $$$

 

[Butcher]

where did you get that meter at ?. how much $$$

Perry, I got this meter at my local Menards. I coulda ordered a digital one on line but I just hate ordering on line iffn I aint gotta. Thirty bucks was the cost. To much? maybe, but iffn I pay shipping online and then I dont get the product and have to send someone on the other end some grief? well, I'll pay cash and if it dont work I will return it. But thats just me I guess.

 

[Fod01]

Video reminded me of a pellet stove in operation......a really BIG pellet stove.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Butcher, perhaps I am rather dumb when it comes to MM as I've never used one nor had any instance where I thought I could use one. However, when watching the video you split the wood before checking the moisture. Why did you split the wood? After splitting you then checked the moisture...on the ends of the splits. So what was the purpose of splitting the wood? I was told you checked the moisture after splitting in the center of the split and not on the ends and that it does matter how you place those pins in the grain; that is, lengthwise or cross grain. But, as stated, I've never used one nor do I plan on it.

Oldspark, yo are right on the stacking of the wood. Zap is trying to teach me how to do it right though.

 

[Butcher]

Butcher, perhaps I am rather dumb when it comes to MM as I've never used one nor had any instance where I thought I could use one. However, when watching the video you split the wood before checking the moisture. Why did you split the wood? After splitting you then checked the moisture...on the ends of the splits. So what was the purpose of splitting the wood? I was told you checked the moisture after splitting in the center of the split and not on the ends and that it does matter how you place those pins in the grain; that is, lengthwise or cross grain. But, as stated, I've never used one nor do I plan on it.

Oldspark, yo are right on the stacking of the wood. Zap is trying to teach me how to do it right though.

I stuck the pins in the wood on the freshly cut ends.
For some reason the meter I bought gives a higher reading when used as I did in the vid. I guess if I'm going to get 2 different readings I would rather opt for the higher one.
I dunno, maybe I'm using it wrong. Someone chime in on the proper use if I am.

 

[bogydave]

One post I just read said the oak was sizzling with a reading of 19%. Is that normal or a bad MM reading?
Some one said if it reads 19% but still sizzles that's OK.
All this is confusing to me.
Is the wood dry or not? Make the reading with the grain or across the grain?
I'm with Backwoods & don't have a meter. If it's been CSS for 1 to 2 years or more & burns really good, I call it dry
If it sizzles, I'd call it wet, but I don't have oak. But any wood that sizzles, I'd still call it wet.
I'm thinking the MM error range is quite large. Maybe type of wood, minerals in the wood, & calibration of the MM's have yet to perfect getting an accurate moisture reading.
"Old school" : How well does it burn, how does it look, feel & sound, seems to be "as" or "more" accurate. Just IMO.
Still a nice video though.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm with you Dave. If it sizzles, it is not dry. And having 2-3 years wood on hand is even better than 1-2 years. I also agree that the MM have to have lots of variances plus some may not use them correctly.

 

[Butcher]

One post I just read said the oak was sizzling with a reading of 19%. Is that normal or a bad MM reading?
Some one said if it reads 19% but still sizzles that's OK.
All this is confusing to me.
Is the wood dry or not? Make the reading with the grain or across the grain?
I'm with Backwoods & don't have a meter. If it's been CSS for 1 to 2 years or more & burns really good, I call it dry
If it sizzles, I'd call it wet, but I don't have oak. But any wood that sizzles, I'd still call it wet.
I'm thinking the MM error range is quite large. Maybe type of wood, minerals in the wood, & calibration of the MM's have yet to perfect getting an accurate moisture reading.
"Old school" : How well does it burn, how does it look, feel & sound, seems to be "as" or "more" accurate. Just IMO.
Still a nice video though.

I know whatcha mean about being confused. I usta think that if you hit a piece of wood with a hammer or hatchet and it sounded like you were flicking a piece of pocharlin or fine china it was good ta go. I still think thats the way to check anyhows. I just bought this meter on a whime after reading here for a month or so. After I made that vid and it was pointed out to me that I may be using it wrong I went out and used it several other ways. Testing a resplit along the grain, cross grain, end grain, U name it. Got different readins everytime. Alot I'm thinkin depends on the wood variety and how it was stacked and cured.I am in the nursery/landscaping biz so I would like to think I know alittle about trees. I am of the firm beliefe that alot of the moisture content of a fresh dropped tree has alot to do with its spot on this planet. That IMHO will have a big part in how long it takes to dry out. I have 27 acres of family owned ground that I cut wood on. Mostly elm, cottonwood, walnut, cherry, and a few other varities. I can cut down an elm on one end of the property and it looks like it is nice and normal. I can then go about 1 hundred yards down the line to where I know it is wet ground year round and dump an elm of the same size and the stump will almost pizz on me oozzin water and sap all over the place. There really is no substitute for just keepin an eye on things when you are buildin a hot far inside a dwelling in my opin. As for a piece of wood hissin in the firebox, well, to me that means its wet. The only time I have ever encountered that is with very small pieces in the 2" and down range. The smaller pieces like that will soak up rain and humidity very quickly. And yes, I split up 2" limbs and keep all the twigs and branches when I drop a tree. A fella needs kindlin dont he??? I'm a waste not want not kinda guy I guess.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

One post I just read said the oak was sizzling with a reading of 19%. Is that normal or a bad MM reading?
Some one said if it reads 19% but still sizzles that's OK.
All this is confusing to me.
Is the wood dry or not? Make the reading with the grain or across the grain?
I'm with Backwoods & don't have a meter. If it's been CSS for 1 to 2 years or more & burns really good, I call it dry
If it sizzles, I'd call it wet, but I don't have oak. But any wood that sizzles, I'd still call it wet.
I'm thinking the MM error range is quite large. Maybe type of wood, minerals in the wood, & calibration of the MM's have yet to perfect getting an accurate moisture reading.
"Old school" : How well does it burn, how does it look, feel & sound, seems to be "as" or "more" accurate. Just IMO.
Still a nice video though.

I know whatcha mean about being confused. I usta think that if you hit a piece of wood with a hammer or hatchet and it sounded like you were flicking a piece of pocharlin or fine china it was good ta go. I still think thats the way to check anyhows. I just bought this meter on a whime after reading here for a month or so. After I made that vid and it was pointed out to me that I may be using it wrong I went out and used it several other ways. Testing a resplit along the grain, cross grain, end grain, U name it. Got different readins everytime. Alot I'm thinkin depends on the wood variety and how it was stacked and cured.I am in the nursery/landscaping biz so I would like to think I know alittle about trees. I am of the firm beliefe that alot of the moisture content of a fresh dropped tree has alot to do with its spot on this planet. That IMHO will have a big part in how long it takes to dry out. I have 27 acres of family owned ground that I cut wood on. Mostly elm, cottonwood, walnut, cherry, and a few other varities. I can cut down an elm on one end of the property and it looks like it is nice and normal. I can then go about 1 hundred yards down the line to where I know it is wet ground year round and dump an elm of the same size and the stump will almost pizz on me oozzin water and sap all over the place. There really is no substitute for just keepin an eye on things when you are buildin a hot far inside a dwelling in my opin. As for a piece of wood hissin in the firebox, well, to me that means its wet. The only time I have ever encountered that is with very small pieces in the 2" and down range. The smaller pieces like that will soak up rain and humidity very quickly. And yes, I split up 2" limbs and keep all the twigs and branches when I drop a tree. A fella needs kindlin dont he??? I'm a waste not want not kinda guy I guess.

Right on.

 

[oldspark]

For the people who think you bang wood together to tell if it is dry or not I have had fairly wet pieces of wood sound like a Louisville slugger when hit together. The reason I trust my MM is because it verifies what I have learned in 34 years of burning. I do not understand why some peoples oak sizzles at 18% wnen my 24% doesnt but I can tell more by the way it burns if its dry then a little moisture sizzling out of the wood.

 

[Butcher]

For the people who think you bang wood together to tell if it is dry or not I have had fairly wet pieces of wood sound like a Louisville slugger when hit together. The reason I trust my MM is because it verifies what I have learned in 34 years of burning. I do not understand why some peoples oak sizzles at 18% wnen my 24% doesnt but I can tell more by the way it burns if its dry then a little moisture sizzling out of the wood.

Zactly. But what I dont get is this. Say I'm standin out in my wood pile with nothin better to do than bang 2 pieces of wood together. 1 piece of wood is dry and the other is wet. I bang them together and I hear that baseball bat sound. Which piece of wood is that sound commin from? Hmmm. Then I take each piece and hit them again my noggin to see which 1 is soundin hollow. Next thing ya know I'm seein stars and really cant remember why I'm out by the wood pile holdin 2 sticks a wood anymore. I then stagger round in the dark lookin for my beer, put both sticks under my left arm and wabble into the hooch and burn them both all the while completely forgettin what my origonal intent was in the first place.

 

[oldspark]

:lol:

 

[bogydave]

I do not understand why some peoples oak sizzles at 18% wnen my 24% doesnt but I can tell more by the way it burns if its dry .

+1 to that