Crab apple firewood

[tyreese27]

So I cut down my crab apple tree since it starting to have lot of broken branches and caked my house, truck and trailer with cherries. I cut down the tree this year would say February to March and spilt it right away and now coming to end of August in Illinois I've been meter testing lot of the wood I spilt from the tree and it's all under 20% for moisture. Can't believe the wood dried that quick main question is how well does it wood for wood stove?

 

[Manly]

It should burn nicely.

 

[tyreese27]

It should burn nicely.

So I have heard but wasn't sure. I spilt about two face cords with ax which was a total workout. I'm just surprised it's dried out so much in that short time and seems ready to burn.

 

[Manly]

So I have heard but wasn't sure. I spilt about two face cords with ax which was a total workout. I'm just surprised it's dried out so much in that short time and seems ready to burn.

These ornamental fruit trees are not something you seek out for cord wood. Typically you end up burning them when it’s time to remove them. I have been burning any and every tree I’ve cut in my yard for 40 years. I have burned an entire winter with pine some years back. Any wood properly dried is ok if burned properly.

 

[tyreese27]

These ornamental fruit trees are not something you seek out for cord wood. Typically you end up burning them when it’s time to remove them. I have been burning any and every tree I’ve cut in my yard for 40 years. I have burned an entire winter with pine some years back. Any wood properly dried is ok if burned properly.

Well this was a full size tree higher then my house not just some little ornamental tree lol. Yeah all wood burns when properly season

 

[Riverbanks]

Was it dormant when you took it down? That could account for less moisture, quicker drying time

 

[tyreese27]

Was it dormant when you took it down? That could account for less moisture, quicker drying time

Well yeah I cut it down at the near end of winter

 

[stoveliker]

Did you measure it (now) on a freshly split surface? The outside surfaces you see when it's stacked are more dried out than the inside of the piece. So you have to re-split the (biggest) piece and measure on that fresh surface.

If that is what you did, then great; nice drying!
And as said above: any wood that's dry enough is ok. Some contain more BTU per pound, some less. But the point is it's BTUs, and they were free (+sweat equity).

 

[Riverbanks]

That loose stack helps too, and I enjoy apple wood in a campfire, nice, sweet smell

 

[tyreese27]

Did you measure it (now) on a freshly split surface? The outside surfaces you see when it's stacked are more dried out than the inside of the piece. So you have to re-split the (biggest) piece and measure on that fresh surface.

If that is what you did, then great; nice drying!
And as said above: any wood that's dry enough is ok. Some contain more BTU per pound, some less. But the point is it's BTUs, and they were free (+sweat equity).

I never go off the outside of a log for moisture. I spilt the log in half and then check for moisture. Just now I grabbed a random crabapple log in my pile and spilt it in half and this was the reading

 

[stoveliker]

Ok, good that you split. But the resistance of your measurement is too high in that way (and thus the reading too low): you have to put the prongs in parallel to the grain.

 

[tyreese27]

Ok, good that you split. But the resistance of your measurement is too high in that way (and thus the reading too low): you have to put the prongs in parallel to the grain.

The prongs are parallel and the highest reading I got was 18.5% out of the whole log

 

[begreen]

In the picture shown, the prongs are at a right angle to the grain. Rotate the tester 90º so that both prongs are in the same growth ring of the split.

 

[tyreese27]

In the picture shown, the prongs are at a right angle to the grain. Rotate the tester 90º so that both prongs are in the same growth ring of the split.

So horizontal then is what your saying which is even a lower moisture content

 

[tyreese27]

So horizontal then is what your saying which is even a lower moisture content

View attachment 298247

 

[begreen]

The wood is probably fine, these are skinny splits, but this is what I mean. Go for the center of the split.

 

[tyreese27]

The wood is probably fine, these are skinny splits, but this is what I mean. Go for the center of the split.

View attachment 298249

As my pictures with the meter are from the center or within 1/4 inch from perfect center. But ok....

 

[begreen]

Yes, this is for future measurements and to help others with the same question. If the trunk wood and 6" wide splits test this well then you will have some very nice firewood this year.

 

[stoveliker]

Sorry, was out for a bit. I've seen s consistent 4-5 percent difference when rotating the prongs (perpendicular to the grain lower mc than parallel to the grain). But this was with more uniform grain (yours has some darker spots etc. Not sure what that is and whether it affects the local dryness).

In any case, measured correctly, below 25 pct is okay, below 20 pct is great. Happy burning.

 

[E.Merckx]

Those consumer grade meteres can be innacurate but I would guess your readings are good enough, mainly because it looks like those splits are pretty thin so would season quick, and the tree had little sap due to it being taken down in March. Still pretty frickin' short seasoning time but hey, not a bad thing!

 

[tyreese27]

Those consumer grade meteres can be innacurate but I would guess your readings are good enough, mainly because it looks like those splits are pretty thin so would season quick, and the tree had little sap due to it being taken down in March. Still pretty frickin' short seasoning time but hey, not a bad thing!

Yeah I spilt them little smaller in width then I usually would to help it seasonal quicker since needed to make sure I have plenty of wood for this winter with gas prices

 

[Lakeside]

I had some Crapapple years ago-- very tough stuff to split. Hat's off to you for doing it by hand. I used a Supersplitter some rounds took three or four hits to split.

 

[hickoryhoarder]

I like apple. So I'd guess crabapple is good firewood.