Full logs not split, seasoned for 4 years...ready to burn?

[mskif]

Down to my last cord and I found an add for cord wood. It is a mix of locust black maple and white oak. It has not been split but has been covered for 4 years. Originally the logs were for milling. He has about 20 cords and will split and deliver as needed. I am going to check it out on Saturday with my moisture meter. What should I expect? Is it even worth checking out for burning this year?

 

[11 Bravo]

Sure doesn't hurt to look. Just split a few open and check the inside face for the moisture content. I got a feeling it's gonna be a little high, but you can split it, and start drying it around the stove. If the price is right just think how far you'll be ahead for next winter.........good luck........................................................Paul

 

[Duetech]

I have burned wood from logs that were not covered and only two years old. It does have a higher moisture content but will burn. Locust is known for hot fires but also for high moisture retention and I have burned locust that was split just the spring before but in a wood stove and not in a gasifier. Logs that have been covered for four years should burn real well and the moisture content should not rob htat many btu's from it. At least the guy is telling you it has not been cut and split and it's "seasoned" which is a risk you take when ever you buy firewood. If I needed wood I would think I was on to something and if the price was right I would buy several cords just to get ready for next year.

 

[boostnut]

I did exactly what you're about to do my first year out. Bought freshly cut and split wood from trees that were dropped 4 or 5 years prior. Hate to be the bearer of bad news but dont get your hopes up. Mine burned but nowhere near as well as properly seasoned split & stacked wood. Do you have any lumber mills in your area that you could buy scrap from? It could be a better option. Good luck.

 

[smokinj]

Be worth checking out with the moisture meter.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Down to my last cord and I found an add for cord wood. It is a mix of locust black maple and white oak. It has not been split but has been covered for 4 years. Originally the logs were for milling. He has about 20 cords and will split and deliver as needed. I am going to check it out on Saturday with my moisture meter. What should I expect? Is it even worth checking out for burning this year?

Unless it's been sawed with a Dolmer 5100, split into matchsticks with a hydraulic splitter, stacked into a holz hoserstien in a climate controlled woodshed for a minimum of 5 years, your stove will self destruct.

 

[LLigetfa]

Unless it's been sawed with a Dolmer 5100, split into matchsticks with a hydraulic splitter, stacked into a holz hoserstien in a climate controlled woodshed for a minimum of 5 years, your stove will self destruct.

Is it just me or is there a little bit of facetiousness there?

"Covered" could mean anything. I've seen some beautiful sawmill wood pulled up from river bottoms that have been "covered" for decades but wouldn't be ready to burn.

 

[Jags]

What should I expect?

Heck I take a stab at it. For the white oak, I'm going with 34%. Report back with the real numbers.

(what do I win if I'm closest without going over %-P )

 

[mskif]

I am heading over there with the moisture meter tomorrow and will post the results.

 

[smokinj]

Down to my last cord and I found an add for cord wood. It is a mix of locust black maple and white oak. It has not been split but has been covered for 4 years. Originally the logs were for milling. He has about 20 cords and will split and deliver as needed. I am going to check it out on Saturday with my moisture meter. What should I expect? Is it even worth checking out for burning this year?

Unless it's been sawed with a Dolmer 5100, split into matchsticks with a hydraulic splitter, stacked into a holz hoserstien in a climate controlled woodshed for a minimum of 5 years, your stove will self destruct.

Thats Rich! lol

 

[woodconvert]

Down to my last cord and I found an add for cord wood. It is a mix of locust black maple and white oak. It has not been split but has been covered for 4 years. Originally the logs were for milling. He has about 20 cords and will split and deliver as needed. I am going to check it out on Saturday with my moisture meter. What should I expect? Is it even worth checking out for burning this year?

Unless it's been sawed with a Dolmer 5100, split into matchsticks with a hydraulic splitter, stacked into a holz hoserstien in a climate controlled woodshed for a minimum of 5 years, your stove will self destruct.

If they were for milling i'd assume they are on the large side???...if so, put me in for 65% moisture. Logs just don't do the drying thingy necessary for burning purposes.

holz hoserstien

:lol: ...that right there made me laugh.

 

[Duetech]

I am heading over there with the moisture meter tomorrow and will post the results.

Hey organic???,
Let us know what you get for moisture will you? Though they could have been stored in the mud, and that is an astute observation concerning the lack of direct explanation so that could very well be where it was stored, I am thinking that the moisture will be closer to 35% but that is a "shot in the dark" guestimation if they truly were stored under cover of a water shedding roof like a barn or mill. 35% is max for some/most gasifiers but will work fairly well in a wood stove.

 

[mskif]

I am heading over there with the moisture meter tomorrow and will post the results.

Hey organic???,
Let us know what you get for moisture will you? Though they could have been stored in the mud, and that is an astute observation concerning the lack of direct explanation so that could very well be where it was stored, I am thinking that the moisture will be closer to 35% but that is a "shot in the dark" guestimation if they truly were stored under cover of a water shedding roof like a barn or mill. 35% is max for some/most gasifiers but will work fairly well in a wood stove.

I'll let you know what I find out. I already have 2 cords of 30-35% wood that I am hesitant to burn this year, due to my creosote paranoia. I have gone though 1 cord of Cherry, Ash and Maple that was in the 12%-18% range, and have one more cord of that left.

If the wood from these logs is 35% I'll hold off on purchasing since I have two cords in that range already.

 

[LLigetfa]

The logs will dry some through the end grain so test a round taken from the middle, not one of the end rounds. Years ago, when I got desperate for dry wood, I would put aside the end pieces to burn first, giving the middle pieces more time to dry.

 

[drdoct]

I'm going with 39% which is really the top of my meter. Anything over is 39. I've battled this all year. I have given up on trying to find dry wood that hasn't been split and sitting at least all summer. I was hopeful today when a farmer told me that he had a huge limb that had been broken and hanging in the tree since July. He pulled it down with a tractor and I made a few cuts and got the ole 39%. This was an amazing white oak limb that was 20" in diameter and probably 25+' long. It'll be great wood next year after splitting and sitting in the hot GA sun. This guy also has about 4 standing dead trees that were killed by the drought. They've been standing dead for 3 years now, but it's all white oak so I'm sure it's wet as can be too. I think my best bet is a couple of pecan trees on a lot where 2 homes burned (controlled by FD for training). They don't have any bark and have black streaks. I've got to track down the owner for that one though. Probably not dry either.

 

[gzecc]

It will be ready next year. Unless the bark is off the locust. The locust has a chance. But realize you may not be able to cut the locust, it may be rock hard and burn through blades.

 

[Duetech]

I am heading over there with the moisture meter tomorrow and will post the results.

Hey organic???,
Let us know what you get for moisture will you? Though they could have been stored in the mud, and that is an astute observation concerning the lack of direct explanation so that could very well be where it was stored, I am thinking that the moisture will be closer to 35% but that is a "shot in the dark" guestimation if they truly were stored under cover of a water shedding roof like a barn or mill. 35% is max for some/most gasifiers but will work fairly well in a wood stove.

I'll let you know what I find out. I already have 2 cords of 30-35% wood that I am hesitant to burn this year, due to my creosote paranoia. I have gone though 1 cord of Cherry, Ash and Maple that was in the 12%-18% range, and have one more cord of that left.

If the wood from these logs is 35% I'll hold off on purchasing since I have two cords in that range already.

If they are 30% that would be good even though 20 is the desired figure. I guessed 35% but I would not be surprised if they were lower. Kind of key is if they have been de-barked. I've had elm and oak that was dead standing without cover that dried well in the smaller diameters and until I started getting into the 10" did not find moisture. I have cut some big diameter 30" oak that was uncovered on the ground and some that was on the pile and the difference was easy to see and this was two years old. 35% is the extreme high end recommendation for gasification but this time of year it could be very hard to find anything to beat it.

 

[DaveBP]

If they are really sawlogs, be sure to check the maple, and anything else in there that is not white oak or black locust. Logs that big in diameter here in the northeast are likely to rot before they dry. Maybe in Phoenix...

 

[NoPaint]

If they haven't been green for 4 years then you are ahead of the curve. Negotiate a low delivered price, cut them into proper lengths, rent a splitter and split and stack them now. I bet you have a decent couple cords of dry wood by the fall if you take the right steps.

 

[North of 60]

If they haven't been green for 4 years then you are ahead of the curve. Negotiate a low delivered price, cut them into proper lengths, rent a splitter and split and stack them now. I bet you have a decent couple cords of dry wood by the fall if you take the right steps.

Me thinks he,s got a cord left and his intentions are to burn the logs this season. I only burn pine, spruce and poplar so I have no idea what the possibilities of burning it this year are.