Getting ready for winters to come

[Marine woodsman]

I'm new here but not new to stick collecting and burning. Just moved from the Midwest to southern MD. Missing the orange hedgewood and giant oaks, I am finding firewood collecting here in MD to be easy pickings though.

Glad to be here and hope I can help out around here. I'm an old Marine who is broken but still kicking. Thought I'd say hi, and introduce myself.

Moved here in April and have 9.4 cords of Black Locust, Oak, and Hickory up now.

 

[Gearhead660]

Welcome!

 

[JimBear]

Welcome

 

[MoDoug]

@Marine woodsman, Hi back at cha'!

Sounds like you're off to a good start for good quality firewood!

 

[jatoxico]

Moved here in April and have 9.4 cords of Black Locust, Oak, and Hickory up now.

That sounds like my wood diet, especially right at this moment. All good stuff even if it takes a good amount of time to dry. What are/will you be burning with?

 

[Simonkenton]

Locust, oak, and hickory. You are off to a good start!

 

[Marine woodsman]

We have a New-Aire wood stove that heats all 3K sq ft.

Facebook Market place is filled with people wanting downed trees removed here. Almost exclusively Oak, and Black Locust. When you see Hickory you have to move fast. Lol

Thanks for the welcomes. Will be building some woodsheds soon, so really appreciate everyone sharing yours, so I can get some great ideas.

 

[Caw]

Thats a very interesting looking stove. How old is it? I don't think I've ever seen one of those.

 

[Marine woodsman]

I got four of these with the farm we bought back in the mid-west. 3 in barns and this one from the house. They are from the late 80s.

Double walled with an iron grate built into the box that is made so the ash scoop fits perfectly between them when cleaning it out. At least a 1/2 thick and heavy as hell. No fire brick and easily burns for up to 12 hours. No feeding these every 4 to 6 hours.

Can't find em anywhere now. Original owner paid 1200 for each of them.

 

[Simonkenton]

I don't know if you have experience with hickory, but I don't mess with it because it is not possible to split with a maul.
And, I bought a big truck load of it a while back, let it season for 2 years, and the wood was covered with fine powdery sawdust from hickory bark beetles. I have never had such a problem with beetles in firewood.

 

[Marine woodsman]

I don't know if you have experience with hickory, but I don't mess with it because it is not possible to split with a maul.
And, I bought a big truck load of it a while back, let it season for 2 years, and the wood was covered with fine powdery sawdust from hickory bark beetles. I have never had such a problem with beetles in firewood.

Splits like butter for me....lol I hand split 2.5 cords in a weekend. I'm a monster with a mual. It's my favorite exercise and if I'm not soaking wet in sweat when I'm done, I didn't do it right.

Here in MD Hickory split and stacked right dries in about 6 months to 20% MCT.

It burns clean and hot with minimal ash. Great for cleaning out the pipes.

 

[Simonkenton]

There are different species of hickory. Bear in mind, I can split a 28 inch white oak drum with two whacks of the Monster Maul.

The last hickory I tried was 12 inch diameter. I cut a 14 inch long piece and it took me 15 strikes to split it in two.
I hope you don't have the type that has bark beetles.

As for storing outside and getting dry in 6 months, I have never heard of that. More like 2 years. I think you need a new moisture meter.

 

[Marine woodsman]

There are different species of hickory. Bear in mind, I can split a 28 inch white oak drum with two whacks of the Monster Maul.

The last hickory I tried was 12 inch diameter. I cut a 14 inch long piece and it took me 15 strikes to split it in two.
I hope you don't have the type that has bark beetles.

As for storing outside and getting dry in 6 months, I have never heard of that. More like 2 years. I think you need a new moisture meter.

The moisture meter works great. Lol

As does the maul and Marine. Enjoy those oak rounds. Nothing worth having is easily had.

As far as drying time, a lot has to do with how long your rounds have been down. I get all my wood from people who had had trees cut down, sectioned, and when they finally get tired of looking at it - they post it. I then get it.

How you split it, stack it, and where you stack it has a lot to do with how quick your wood dries. For woods that take longer to dry, I split them into 2 to 3 inch thick by 20 inches in length slabs instead of quarters. Always full sun, lots of wind, smaller piles and properly stacked equals faster drying.

The uncontrollable variable is the climate for the drying period, which is different for us all.

 

[Grizzerbear]

Hickory makes up probably 50% of my stacks. If it's been down for a while.....6months to a year.....I find that when you split it most of the bark comes off which really helps to stop the grub looking bugs that turn it into powder. That and keeping it dry. Of course this could be species specific of the hickories too. I have a lot of pignut on my place and no Scaly bark which I have always heard is a bear to split. Pignut isnt too bad if it isn't all twisted.....which mine normally are. Nevertheless I split the majority of them fairly easy after they have sat a while in rounds. If I didn't go after hickory I would be really limited on my firewood options here. It's great firewood.

 

[jatoxico]

I get a fair amount of Hickory here. It can be a PITA to split but same goes for lots of woods depending on the way it grew. I get beetle and other bug damage too but if it gets split quick it's not too bad.

Yesterday I happened to throw a log of Hickory on and went straight outside (to sharpen and clean chainsaw as it happens) and man did that smell good.

 

[Marine woodsman]

Some of it always finds its way into the BBQ stick burner.

 

[Marine woodsman]

Hickory makes up probably 50% of my stacks. If it's been down for a while.....6months to a year.....I find that when you split it most of the bark comes off which really helps to stop the grub looking bugs that turn it into powder. That and keeping it dry. Of course this could be species specific of the hickories too. I have a lot of pignut on my place and no Scaly bark which I have always heard is a bear to split. Pignut isnt too bad if it isn't all twisted.....which mine normally are. Nevertheless I split the majority of them fairly easy after they have sat a while in rounds. If I didn't go after hickory I would be really limited on my firewood options here. It's great firewood.

That bark burns as well as the wood. Strong, thick, and sharp on the edges. Hands always look like I was grappling with a buzz saw after loading the trailer a couple of times.

 

[D8Chumley]

Welcome and thank you for your service

 

[sweedish]

Nicer stuff than what this marine is burning, around my property here in Michigan I’ve got mainly pine, poplar and when it’s colder some cherry and ash.

 

[Marine woodsman]

Nicer stuff than what this marine is burning, around my property here in Michigan I’ve got mainly pine, poplar and when it’s colder some cherry and ash.

I 've been burning some cheery this winter my neighbors cut down. I need to save some for the BBQ. Stay warm.


Semper Fi

 

[Caw]

I 've been burning some cheery this winter my neighbors cut down. I need to save some for the BBQ.

Definitely save some. We took down a big cherry branch hanging over the driveway and I saved a nice pile of like 15-20 splits on my deck for smoking. I just cut off chunks as I need them. It's really fun to smoke with your own local wood. Kind of gives a story to the food and I think makes it taste better too. Cherry is my fav smoking wood along with apple. I have a crabapple tree I "trim" when I'm in the mood lol. I can always find some dead branches!

 

[Riff]

Welcome! That's an impressive start!