(And I've read more than once) that guys on here assume that because they hear a saw this time of year it's because somebody is cutting this years wood. I don't know about you, but I sure as hell don't plan on lugging the saw into poison oak, tuck and skeeter infested woods......just sYing.
I find it funny
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Right now, in seeing people everywhere in my travels bucking, splitting and stacking firewood in the garage, down to the basement, etc. I suppose some of those could be thinking ahead, but, I'd bet 9 out of 10 are getting their firewood ready for next month.
I have fired up a saw at my house every 3rd or 4th day for the last month. Not because I am constantly cutting down trees but I repair them and this is the time of year that people should be getting their saws ready for the season.
I hope most aren't firing up their saws for this years wood or next years wood in my area. We have barely seen mid 50s for lows so far. Too many creepy crawlies about right now and humid.
I hope most aren't firing up their saws for this years wood or next years wood in my area. We have barely seen mid 50s for lows so far. Too many creepy crawlies about right now and humid.
Babaganoosh
Minister of Fire
I've been cutting and splitting lately....for next year and hopefully year after.
Seanm
Minister of Fire
Yeah I agree with the op. I do assume that most are probably cutting for this year but honestly, where we live you can go out in the bush and drop standing dead lodgepole pine beetle kill trees that are registering below 20% on the moisture meters. Hell I was out 10 days ago and went into the sub alpine and dropped a few alpine firs and a bigger lodgepole and all were at or under 20% with the exception of the bottom few rounds that went into my next years pile. The rest I stacked in the garage and have been burning it all week. Ive had my wood put up since spring for the most part and that stuff was mostly dead standing as well so will be nice and dry now. Once the snow hits we dont have truck access to the bush until late April or into May and then June up higher. After work the other day I went for a bit of a drive to see if a standing dead fir was still there and it was. What made me shake my head were three green pine trees that had recently been cut down. Some jerk was breaking the law and probably will smoke out the neighborhood burning wet pine!
The ones doing it around me have been doing it for 30 years. I am the only dry wood nut in the immediate area. In 2010 I was whacking a tree down on the driveway in October and one of them came up and asked me if I was getting ready for winter. I said "Yes. The winter of 2013.". He laughed.
Edit to add: I noticed the other day that one of the other full time burners just had a load of oak rounds delivered and dumped next to his splitter. He has no stacks, yet. Does it that way every year.
Edit to add: I noticed the other day that one of the other full time burners just had a load of oak rounds delivered and dumped next to his splitter. He has no stacks, yet. Does it that way every year.
Poison ivy is a problem 12 months of the year.
If you hear a chain saw here it is cutting wood for sure.
Given that I cut dead standing and some of my pine logs have been sitting for a couple years I could be cutting wood for this year.
But being 3 years ahead I have no need to be struggling like that.
If you hear a chain saw here it is cutting wood for sure.
Given that I cut dead standing and some of my pine logs have been sitting for a couple years I could be cutting wood for this year.
But being 3 years ahead I have no need to be struggling like that.
Wisneaky
Minister of Fire
Just blows my mind that people burn wet wood. I know people that cut all winter and burn it the day they cut.
One of the main features of this board is a persistent, low grade sense of self righteous indignation.
prezes13
Minister of Fire
I like to work on wood when it's cooler. Just the other day I was bucking and splitting some pine for next year.
Fall is definitely the best time of the year around here to cut wood out in the bush. Cooler yet no snow (yet), no wood ticks, no mosquitoes, etc... But yeah, there are plenty of people around here cutting firewood for this season. Thing is, around here firewood permits only allow for cutting standing dead or fallen trees out in the bush and most people assume that because those trees are standing dead they are ready to burn. In some cases that can be true, but the greater number of those trees should be cut split and stacked and given a year like that to season,,,, but they don't.
The problem is most people really don't know what seasoned dry wood is and what the advantages of having properly dry wood gives them. The later can only be witnessed through experience. In other words, until you've actually burn wood for a while that you know is properly dried and compare that to some wood that is not, you'll never really quite understand the concept. But again, most people are ignorant of what properly dried wood is (sometimes this forum contributes to that ignorance), so how can they compare apples and oranges if they don't even have an orange or know what it is? Some think that if the tree is standing dead then it must be already dried enough. Some think if the rounds show signs of checking or discoloration then it already seasoned. Some claim you can tell by the weight or by knocking two pieces of wood together, not taking into account that different species have different weight and densities.
This not knowing what properly seasoned wood is is in my opinion the biggest reason why people burn wet wood.
So what is properly seasoned (dried) wood? ... All the other crap aside it comes down to moisture content. Less then 20% MC is what is generally considered "seasoned".
What is the best way to determine if your wood is less then 20% MC? ... Proper use of a moisture meter.
And yet some people in this forum claim that moisture meters are a waste of money. For them that might be the case, but for lots of people out there a moisture might be the only way they'll really be able to distinguish between that unseasoned wood they've been getting away with burning all their life, and wood that is truly seasoned (< 20% MC).
The problem is most people really don't know what seasoned dry wood is and what the advantages of having properly dry wood gives them. The later can only be witnessed through experience. In other words, until you've actually burn wood for a while that you know is properly dried and compare that to some wood that is not, you'll never really quite understand the concept. But again, most people are ignorant of what properly dried wood is (sometimes this forum contributes to that ignorance), so how can they compare apples and oranges if they don't even have an orange or know what it is? Some think that if the tree is standing dead then it must be already dried enough. Some think if the rounds show signs of checking or discoloration then it already seasoned. Some claim you can tell by the weight or by knocking two pieces of wood together, not taking into account that different species have different weight and densities.
This not knowing what properly seasoned wood is is in my opinion the biggest reason why people burn wet wood.
So what is properly seasoned (dried) wood? ... All the other crap aside it comes down to moisture content. Less then 20% MC is what is generally considered "seasoned".
What is the best way to determine if your wood is less then 20% MC? ... Proper use of a moisture meter.
And yet some people in this forum claim that moisture meters are a waste of money. For them that might be the case, but for lots of people out there a moisture might be the only way they'll really be able to distinguish between that unseasoned wood they've been getting away with burning all their life, and wood that is truly seasoned (< 20% MC).
Fred Wright
Minister of Fire
When saws are heard in this neck of the woods it's usually the Amish neighbor, cutting next year's wood. The ol' boy doesn't cut much green except for mill logs. The rest is standing dead or fallen trees.
It's rare to hear a saw running during summer; the humidity and the bugs are just too much to deal with. Walk outside and it's like you walked into a sauna. Even the pulpwood loggers finish up in spring.
I was over to their place last summer, took a sack of garden veggies for the missus. Their garden didn't do squat; was too wet in the spring. Anyhoo, he'd somehow managed to wedge a big-arssed red oak into the fork of an adjacent tree. I dunno how he planned to free it, didn't want to know.
It's rare to hear a saw running during summer; the humidity and the bugs are just too much to deal with. Walk outside and it's like you walked into a sauna. Even the pulpwood loggers finish up in spring.
I was over to their place last summer, took a sack of garden veggies for the missus. Their garden didn't do squat; was too wet in the spring. Anyhoo, he'd somehow managed to wedge a big-arssed red oak into the fork of an adjacent tree. I dunno how he planned to free it, didn't want to know.
Spring and early Summer are my wood processing time. In Fall it is just too damned wet around here all the time. Just like this week. Two inches of rain last night, same again coming tomorrow night and then Hurricane Joaquin hits this weekend.
Oldman47
Minister of Fire
2 weeks ago I was running my saw to buck up some wood and just yesterday I was out hand splitting. No, I do not intend to burn any of that this season but why would I let the cooler weather pass by without getting some work done? Another factor for me at least is that I am not getting any younger and would like to not need to hand split as much next year by procrastinating.
Batman
Member
Forgive my provincial ways, but Amish people use chainsaws? I know they're great electricians and all, but I thought that they eschewed gasoline powered thingamajigs.
Oldman47
Minister of Fire
Every local community seems to have their own restrictions. Around here the Amish do not have any electricity in their homes. In largely Amish areas you can drive for miles and never see an electrical service drop. They run things using horse power and man power with no electrical or engine power at all.
I was working on the wood pile quite a bit just a few weeks back and everyone would say, "yeah, gonna need that soon". I'd explain that it's actually for a few years down the road. I know more folks around here with older smoke dragons, by far, than with modern stoves. I can only think of one that lets his wood dry as long as I do. I know several who still haven't started on this years supply. Seems like living paycheck to paycheck sort of...
Depends on the Amish community and the Ordnung (best explanation is the "rules" the community follows) . . . the Amish in my home town of Unity can use gasoline powered equipment up to a certain size -- and so they use woodsplitters, chainsaws, etc. along with gasoline powered haybailers pulled by a team of horses. They cannot own a car though . . . hence the reason my neighbor asked me this afternoon if I could drive him and his brother in law to a lumber yard in China to pick up some windows and doors. Again, it all depends on the community . . . some Amish communities are more strict . . . others are less strict . . . supposedly some Amish (like the Mennonites) even are allowed to own vehicles.
D8Chumley
Minister of Fire
And cell phones. I've seen a lot around Lancaster area with them. I haven't cut but maybe 1/2 cord this year so far, but I have several standing dead and blowdowns I will be getting to when it cools down and the underbrush dies off
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