Introduction... From Raleigh, NC

[RockyFordOak78]

I've been lurking around awhile, and I figured it was time to join up to meet some of you. Wife and I recently decided to have a Regency I2400 installed, and I am just as happy as a hog in slop. I miss burning firewood as a kid. Installation should be in a few weeks. I have just recently went out and got my first couple of loads to start building in my stock. Working on the the "3 year" plan that I picked up here. I am so glad I found this site to teach me about these new fireplace inserts.

I'll try to upload a couple pics of the firewood. Mostly red oak, and some poplar wood to start with.

First load

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Second haul...

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Yep, I know I could have done better loading this setup... I had anticipated also adding a woodsplitter on the back of the trailer, but deemed it would be too heavy...

So.. anyways... Hello to all! Look forward to hanging out here..

RockyFord

 

[stephiedoll]

Welcome and a great start on the wood. Way to put the truck to use.

 

[blazincajun]

Welcome - know some Nature Conservancy folks from that area. The firewood burning realm is so much fun. Nice pickup truck load.

 

[bigbarf48]

Welcome aboard! Nice couple of loads, keep at it and you'll have a good stock pile in no time

 

[ryjen]

Welcome from Winston-Salem!

 

[dougand3]

Welcome and good start on firewood. For burning 2014-15, pine and cedar CSS now will be good and dry.

 

[Woody Stover]

Hey, that's great! Welcome, and enjoy the 'slop."
Put that Oak on the back end of your three-year plan, especially with those larger splits....even those small rounds will take their sweet time drying out. For next year's wood, like dougand3 said, you need some quick-dry wood. That (Tulip?) Poplar should be pretty good. Also grab some soft (Red or Silver) Maple if you can. Don't split 'em too big, and they should be dry by the time you need 'em. Won't burn as long as the Oak eventually will, but your stove will reward you for feeding it dry wood.

 

[Jags]

Where the heck is the snow???

 

[dougand3]

Where the heck is the snow???

Jags, this is the SE USA. 2 weeks ago, we had 3" on Monday - gone Tuesday night. And then 6" on Wednesday night - gone Saturday. We like snow - just not for long. LOL. It's been 65* this past weekend. We go back to "winter" this week - highs 40s/lows 20s.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Welcome to the forum RockyFordOak78.

Nice start on the wood pile. I would advise to hold off on any more oak until you have a 2 year supply on hand. Up here we need 3 years for it to dry enough but 2 should be good for you. So in your case, it definitely would be wise to separate the wood.

 

[Paulywalnut]

Nice pics and Welcome! Nice to see a property without two feet of snow on it. Not complaining though,
that's why I love burning wood. Nice set up with the truck too.

 

[RockyFordOak78]

Hey all.. Long day.. thanks for the welcome! I definitely plan to separate out the oak. I am going to be on the lookout for some maple like woody stover suggested. I think the poplar will dry quickly, and I have plenty more of that to get too. I am conflicted though about something and I want yall's opinion. Pine... My chimneysweep guy that is installing everything says not to burn it, but I see where many on here do burn it successfully. If I were to get it split up in the next couple of weeks, would it be good to go come October? Thanks for the trophy and the likes.. I have to figure out how all this stuff works on this forum.

I'll post another pic after I get everything cleaned up and stacked.

Jags you can have all of the snow, I don't want it lol. The week before last we got 3" with a layer of ICE, and it seems like it shut down the whole city.. Folks here just aren't prepared for it.

RockyFord

 

[dougand3]

Pine... My chimneysweep guy that is installing everything says not to burn it, but I see where many on here do burn it successfully. If I were to get it split up in the next couple of weeks, would it be good to go come October?
RockyFord

Poor Pine...such an undeserved rep. Yes, most likely, Pine will be dry enough (15-20% MC) by October if split in March and stacked in the sun and wind. I would split no bigger than 6" across because 7 months is pushing drying time (smaller split = faster drying).
I just loaded the Tile Fire with 5 x 8" splits of southern yellow pine (18 mos CSS) and will get 8h of usable heat.
Sounds like your sweep is embracing the urban legend of "pine will cause a chimney fire because of so much creosote". It will do that if you don't dry it. As will any wood. Pine will burn the same day you split it - much better than other woods because of resins....and dump 50% moisture in the chimney to form creosote.

If you dry yo pine, you be fine.

 

[BrotherBart]

The longer pine is stacked split and top covered the better it gets. I have gotten all night burns out of two year stacked Eastern pine many a time.

 

[toddnic]

Glad to see another NC'er on the forum. Welcome from the western side of the state .

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hey all.. Long day.. thanks for the welcome! I definitely plan to separate out the oak. I am going to be on the lookout for some maple like woody stover suggested. I think the poplar will dry quickly, and I have plenty more of that to get too. I am conflicted though about something and I want yall's opinion. Pine... My chimneysweep guy that is installing everything says not to burn it, but I see where many on here do burn it successfully. If I were to get it split up in the next couple of weeks, would it be good to go come October? Thanks for the trophy and the likes.. I have to figure out how all this stuff works on this forum.

I'll post another pic after I get everything cleaned up and stacked.

Jags you can have all of the snow, I don't want it lol. The week before last we got 3" with a layer of ICE, and it seems like it shut down the whole city.. Folks here just aren't prepared for it.

RockyFord

It could very well be ready to burn by fall. Just beware, the pine will burn fine but you may grow hair on the palms of your hands and lose hair off the top of your head. Nasty stuff, that pine....

 

[Seanm]

Pine burns great. Lodgepole Pine makes up 60-70% of what I burn... in fact im burning it right now. Many people out here burn nothing but Pine as its so plentiful and hard woods are non-existent except for a bit of Paper Birch. Grab lots of it for next year and it will serve you well as long as you split it and stack it now! Welcome to the forum!

 

[RockyFordOak78]

Well I guess that answers that. I will not turn down a pine if it easy to get to, or if it needs to come down. Spent a couple hours tonight making little wood out of big wood. The Fiskars is a CHAMP! Here's a pic of tonight's efforts.

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[RockyFordOak78]

So another question for you guys/gals... I have a moisture meter and took intial readings of the read oak, and the poplar as I split it. The results were 32% and 31% respectively. Is that accurate on fresh split wood? First time measuring moisture content so I have nothing to compare to. Thanks!

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

Welcome - i would like to give you a top tip i learned early on (but not early enough) Whatever space you think you need for your wood 'collection' you will need more - much more.....

 

[Seanm]

So another question for you guys/gals... I have a moisture meter and took intial readings of the read oak, and the poplar as I split it. The results were 32% and 31% respectively. Is that accurate on fresh split wood? First time measuring moisture content so I have nothing to compare to. Thanks!

For our purposes yes. As long as you are measuring the heart of a fresh split. If its cold out then warm the split in the house and then split for a good reading and make sure you press the probes in as far as you can. A couple points either way shouldnt matter.

 

[Missouri Frontier]

Welcome RockyFordOak78. Great start on the woodpile.Be careful, this wood burning stuff is addictive!

 

[paul bunion]

So another question for you guys/gals... I have a moisture meter and took intial readings of the read oak, and the poplar as I split it. The results were 32% and 31% respectively. Is that accurate on fresh split wood? First time measuring moisture content so I have nothing to compare to. Thanks!

Not if it was fresh cut green and your meter reads on a dry basis which is what we are referring to. Green oak is 60% or more the day it is cut. A moisture meter is very inaccurate when measuring saturated wood. It looks like your meter tops out at 31%. If you put some splits on a scale and then probe and weigh them again in about June you should see some measurable weight loss with wood still measuring 31% with your meter. When you resplit it to get the moisture readings you should also be able to see a well defined dry area around the edges probably 1/4-1/2 inch or so. That will be where the weight loss came from. Got to look quick because the newly exposed surface will dry right off.

 

[RockyFordOak78]

Paul Bunion.. thanks that makes sense... The meter does go a little higher if I put it to other things that have more moisture... but I understand perfectly what you are saying.. Not much else I can do except get it split and stacked.

I am now up to about 2 cords. My goal is to get to 9 cords this year. It seems like a big goal for me being a newbie. Thanks for the advice. Here is a pic of tonights efforts. I have two more temporary stacks about the same size that I made before the ground dried out. Couldn't drive through the wet yard. I'll get them moved later.

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[tfdchief]

Welcome to the forum RockyFordOak78. Love your pics. Having burned wood as a kid, you know what you have been missing and so you also know how much you are going to enjoy. Glad you got back to it. For me, it is therapy for the body, mind, and soul. I wouldn't trade it for anything. It has made me happy for 40 years.