It's time to change the formula!

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NordicSplitter

NordicSplitter

Minister of Fire
May 22, 2011
541
Western,NY
Over the last couple of years, it seems most of the time when folks are trying to calculate how much wood they have...they go by a dimensional formula...You know,,LxWxH.....What about using a weight formula instead> All of us know a Cord of Red Oak is a lot better that a Cord of Silver Maple....But why? Same dimensions right....The reason is because of the weight. The chart below should help....
CORDWOOD WEIGHT CONVERSION FACTORS
Weight conversion factors are generally established by the various mills and are accepted for billing purposes. The following weight conversion factors may be used as guidelines in the conversion of weight scale to standard 128 cubic foot cord.

Weights shown are for average cordwood size wood that is reasonably straight. Consequently, wood conditions which may increase or decrease the amount of solid wood in a cord must be taken into consideration when applying these data.

Up to a 5% reduction is often warranted for wood that is unusually small, or wood that is usually crooked.

Up to a 5% increase is often warranted if sawlog size material was cut for pulp, or the material is exceptionally straight.

Seasoned wood is normally understood to be that which was cut and dried two or more months between April 1 and October 31 before weighing. All other wood should be considered green.

Factors for mixed cordwood may be developed by weighted average of cruise estimates based on species volume distribution and/or ocular estimate.

CORDWOOD WEIGHT CONVERSION FACTORS - POUNDS PER CORD


Species Green Seasoned
Hemlock 4800 4650
Tamarack 4650 4450
Red Pine 4500 4350
Jack Pine 4250 4100
Balsam 4250 4050
White Pine 4200 4000
Spruce 4000 3850
Cedar 3150 3050
White Oak 5850 5650
Red Oak 5500 5350
Hickory 5400 5200
Yellow Birch5350 5150
Hard Maple 5100 4900
Beech 5050 4850
Elm 5000 4800
Balsam Poplar 4900 4650
White Birch 4800 4600
Cottonwood 4650 4400
Ash 4600 4450
Soft Maple 4550 4350
Aspen4500 4300
Basswood3850 3650
 
Those numbers, particularly for the seasoned wood, seem awfully high. That might be a result of only having 2 months of seasoning, but still, doesn't seem right.

I used a 14 foot box truck to move what worked out to be almost exactly 4 cords of wood, and I don't think there's any way it had 16000-18000 pounds of wood in it.
 
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I think it's the density of the wood. Oak is much denser then pine which is why it's heavier.
Anyway I think it's easier to measure a stack then weigh a stack.
Many dense wood won't be seasoned in 2 or so months between April and October.
 
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The seasoned numbers are WAY off.
 
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That is because wood doesn't dry in 2 months. I say you can dry it allot quicker than allot of guys here but 2 months no way.
 
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I use a similar density scale. We are metric here so we use Kg / Metre cubed. I have added lb / Ft cubed. Dry weight.

[Hearth.com] It's time to change the formula!
 
So if you buy wood by weight and you buy unseasoned but they sell it as seasoned wouldn't you be getting messed over in two ways. One you get less wood then you pay for and two it's not ready to burn.

I guess it's what you're use too. I just fail to see the benefit of buying wood by weight but coal is a different story.
I hate trying to measure a ton of coal.
 
All the different species of firewood we burn season and burn with different characteristics. 4x4x8 just seems like the way to go. I 'm half nuts anyway but I have to stack my wood in same species stacks. No.. Not alphabetically, not yet anyway.!!!
 
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Many biomass power plant owners have discovered that buying wood by weight means wet wood. Some individuals have been known to wet down their loads before delivery. So someone would need to incorporate moisture testing if they wanted to buy by weight.
 
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[Hearth.com] It's time to change the formula! Technically, a 4x4x8 measurement will change as the wood drys out.
I have racks that are made with two horizontal 2x4s on the ground, vertical 2x4s in the corners and two more horizontal 2x4s at the top.
When I fill them with fresh splits I am squeezing in the top row of splits. ...a few months later there is enough room to squeeze in another row and a year year later there is room again.
 
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peakbagger said:
Many biomass power plant owners have discovered that buying wood by weight means wet wood. Some individuals have been known to wet down their loads before delivery. So someone would need to incorporate moisture testing if they wanted to buy by weight.
Click to expand...

the biomass plants here burn green chips. from what I've read, the boilers don't work right if the chips are dry...
 
They burn fine with dry chips, they just don't want to pay for them. Usually the plant lets the chips set for a few days and they dry out. They keep some drier wood around to blend in with any really wet stuff that comes in. Most of the fuel delivered to the plants were standing trees the day before.
 
Three years for chip seasoning too
 
infinitymike said:
View attachment 134280 Technically, a 4x4x8 measurement will change as the wood drys out.
I have racks that are made with two horizontal 2x4s on the ground, vertical 2x4s in the corners and two more horizontal 2x4s at the top.
When I fill them with fresh splits I am squeezing in the top row of splits. ...a few months later there is enough room to squeeze in another row and a year year later there is room again.
Click to expand...

Nice size splits you got there.
 
BIGDADDY said:
Nice size splits you got there.
Click to expand...


Thanks. Funny thing is, that they are a little to small for the Wood Guns liking.
That stuff disappears pretty quickly.
The wood I'm splitting now is not quite double that size, but it is considerably bigger.
I still have at least 2 years worth of that size in the back behind those racks.
I'm a little concerned that the new big splits may not dry enough in two years.

[Hearth.com] It's time to change the formula!
 
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infinitymike said:
I'm a little concerned that the new big splits may not dry enough in two years
Click to expand...

top cover them and space out those stacks and i bet they will be dry
 
thats some pretty stacking too, i dont have it in me to crib stack everything.....
 
bholler said:
top cover them and space out those stacks and i bet they will be dry
Click to expand...

Those stacks were top covered right after that pic.. They are the smaller splits and have been there for 18 months. Its the new BIGGER splits I'm concerned about. Not sure if they will be dry by the time the splits in the pic are burned up.
 
bobdog2o02 said:
thats some pretty stacking too, i dont have it in me to crib stack everything.....
Click to expand...

It's only the ends. But I hear ya. That's why I built those 2x4 racks. Real quick to stack those up
 
Yeah bigger will take a little more time but if you cover them and they get decent airflow i would bet they will be ok in 2 years
 
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