I love standing dead oak!
- Thread starter Gboutdoors
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Ok here is what I got from this weekends work .
About a cord and a half of 17-21% the rest was over 21% so I stacked it with my 2 year oak I would say that was about a half cord to. It took a little more time to check moisture and stack but I think it was worth it.
About a cord and a half of 17-21% the rest was over 21% so I stacked it with my 2 year oak I would say that was about a half cord to. It took a little more time to check moisture and stack but I think it was worth it.
I don't check the moisture super close when I do it. I cut the tree into rounds, and my wife checks the ends with a meter as I am cutting,,,then decides where to separate for "burn now" and "burn later". In my woods, if there is any bark still on the stander,,,,it will be wet usually.
I find the "double" tree that has one of the trunks dead, will usually be drier then a single trunk dead tree. I guess the double tree cuts water off when it dies to that side,,where the single does not (pure guess)
We then throw them in different piles for processing. I second guess her sometimes by weight, as I throw the rounds in the trailer.
I find the "double" tree that has one of the trunks dead, will usually be drier then a single trunk dead tree. I guess the double tree cuts water off when it dies to that side,,where the single does not (pure guess)
We then throw them in different piles for processing. I second guess her sometimes by weight, as I throw the rounds in the trailer.
lindnova
Feeling the Heat
I like dead oak. It usually is 25% for me even on the top so I split and wait 1 year on it. If it has been dead for a long time the sapwood gets fluffy and soaks up moisture from rain. I guess it depends on how wet of a season it has been if it got a chance to dry out enough. I like to get cut down it before the fluffy mess is moved to my basement. I am getting to the point where the older dead stuff is gone now.
We have oak wilt fungus around here. It can wipe out red/pin/black oak real quick. The white/bur varieties are tougher but still can get it. I haven't confirmed if I have it or if it is drought/stress related in some area. I have only a few dead oaks randomly here and there, but there is one area where oak wilt wiped out a big area of young pin oak. It also got 2 bur oaks, but they died slow a few years later. I have my piles by my house for most wood and I have my quarantine pile in an isolated spot away from any other oaks that goes straight to the shed or basement to be burned that year and avoid spreading disease.
We have oak wilt fungus around here. It can wipe out red/pin/black oak real quick. The white/bur varieties are tougher but still can get it. I haven't confirmed if I have it or if it is drought/stress related in some area. I have only a few dead oaks randomly here and there, but there is one area where oak wilt wiped out a big area of young pin oak. It also got 2 bur oaks, but they died slow a few years later. I have my piles by my house for most wood and I have my quarantine pile in an isolated spot away from any other oaks that goes straight to the shed or basement to be burned that year and avoid spreading disease.
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
I had a couple where the sapwood was pretty far gone, and I trimmed it off with a small saw; Talk about slow! Hopefully I can catch up on the dead Oaks this year and avoid the fluff in the future. I think the sapwood won't fluff out on me if I've got it stacked and covered....
Billb3 they are 48"x20' your local lumberyard should have them 48"x18' if they carry koma or Kleer trim boards. At our yard we buy it in 20' lengths if you would like some I have plenty. I cut my wood at 16" so I get three splits across the pallet. Each pallet gets 2 1/2 cord if stacked right.
razerface that is how I checked the moisture. I took my m/m with me as I cut the trees down and checked the rounds as I cut them, after the first 21% or less round I just figure the rest is good to go in next years stack.
Nice work. Man, I wish I had access to dry oak like that. I am just about out of dry wood (already burned 3 cords this winter) and it looks like winter is not going to go away anytime soon. I have about 7 cords of wood (mostly oak) css, but it is not dry yet.
only place flat enough here for anything 20 feet long is my driveway and the garden and even those aren't level.
I double row 16 " splits on 48x42 - takes 3 skids. Easy enough to follow the contours.
Cut down two dead oaks yesterday after work . I know with out pictures it did not happen so here you go.
Sorry about the sideways pictures don't know what happened. The highest reading was 21% on only two longs the first 4' of each tree all the rest were 14-18%. Did not bring out the tops yet but they will be fine to burn for sure.
Sorry about the sideways pictures don't know what happened. The highest reading was 21% on only two longs the first 4' of each tree all the rest were 14-18%. Did not bring out the tops yet but they will be fine to burn for sure.
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