James Bond had P.... Galore! Rookie has Red Oak Galore!

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Just kidding guys.... Me still being in my first year of serious burning, I'm looking for any or all wood to try to get ahead, I have been scrounging since sandy hit us, first, I got some grey skin stuff that burns in seconds, then I payed a hefty price for seasoned red oak when I got my new insert. Worth every penny.....I got some honey locust.....then got some black locust...awesome... Then got some maple, great new neighbor... Now I found enough red oak to last me 4 years or so, I will definitely have to rent a splitter. If i get it all to my property. Please post any comments that you may have about red oak, I want to Learn as much as possible. I know it makes great kindling when it gets dry, I know it smells like sour grapes when when freshly cut......thank you all for any input....
I will send pics hopefully on Thursday. I'm working too much these days....

 

[BrotherBart]

Gonna send you and The feline Galore Flying Circus to the wood shed for this one.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Ok, i will start, must be a slow night here, I had a few logs that were very easy to split and browner then most of the stringy red that I have. What do you think that means? Pre dried?

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

What's the difference between stringy red oak and non stringy? Some looks like it belongs in a living room.
Thanks all... I'm just trying to learn...

 

[bogydave]

Red oak takes longer to season than other wood.
Roughly 3 years. So if you get is CSS'd by Sept 2013, it'll be ready to burn in Sept 2016.
Not that it won't burn before that, just not well .

Splits easy.
When dry, it's Primo wood

You say you got some maple drying for this year? Good, gonna need it , cause the oak is not gonna be ready !
You'll need some wood to bridge the gap between now & when the oak is ready.
Try to get some more maple soon, for 14/15

Your Locust takes 2 years , good for 14/15.

Nice score, (we think, pictures soon ? ) LOL

You have a good plan working, just need to get some other wood to bridge the gap until the oak is ready.
Maple, Birch, Ash ... etc... 1 year to dry wood types.

 

[Woody Stover]

Please post any comments that you may have about red oak....I know it makes great kindling when it gets dry

I like faster-burning woods for kindling, like soft Maple or Pine.
I've got my Red Oak stacked on pallets, double-row, so I'm going to leave it stacked for three years before burning the bulk of it. I'll probably pull a few splits at two years, split them and test with a meter....

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Thanks guys, this next season will be tricky for me but if I keep my nose to the grindstone, I will be in great shape for 2014/2015. The wood is growing on the property...

 

[Hickorynut]

Just some tidbit info. on red oak. In my experience, if you have any you will be keeping longer than 3 years cover the top or the sapwood under the bark will start rotting Good firewood for sure.

 

[gzecc]

Thanks guys, this next season will be tricky for me but if I keep my nose to the grindstone, I will be in great shape for 2014/2015. The wood is growing on the property...

What town are you in?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Ok, i will start, must be a slow night here, I had a few logs that were very easy to split and browner then most of the stringy red that I have. What do you think that means? Pre dried?

You may have both red oak and pin oak. Pin is in the red oak family. Smell is a bit stronger. Lots and lots of limbs close together on most of them so plenty of small knots.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Ok guys, finally an update, I work a lot of hours, have three kids that play ball so I have limited time to axe some red oak, but I am glad to report some progress, I have pics of all the rounds that I have. I Am hauling Ram by Ram as i can, I split by hand as I can, I do really like to split the big ones, makes me feel like I'm getting ahead....the splits as of tonite, measure 22 ft long by 3 ft high, does anyone know what that is in cords percentage? I appreciate your help.... I have counted 550 pieces of splits that are of good size, I used to split small before coming on Hearth.com.... Thanks for all your help, and this stuff stinks.....let me tell you...thanks again all

 

[Dairyman]

Looking good! If your splits are 18 inches long you've got around 3/4 of a cord. Keep at it she piles up quick!

 

[Woody Stover]

I'm splitting some dead standing Black Oak (pretty much the same as Red.) The rounds sat for a couple of months before I started to split, and it smells good, kinda like peaches.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Looking good! If your splits are 18 inches long you've got around 3/4 of a cord. Keep at it she piles up quick!

They are 18 and over, I will have to trim some down.... Thanks for the info of 3/4 so far...I will keep at it as I can

 

[Paulywalnut]

Ram. That's aromatic heaven. Love that red oak.

 

[paul bunion]

Ram, to figure out how how much you have just multiply length x width x height and divide by 128. 18 inches is 1.5 feet so you have 22 x 1.5 x 3 = 99. 99/128 = .77 cord

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Thank you... Happy 4th all...

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Ok guys, finally an update, I work a lot of hours, have three kids that play ball so I have limited time to axe some red oak, but I am glad to report some progress, I have pics of all the rounds that I have. I Am hauling Ram by Ram as i can, I split by hand as I can, I do really like to split the big ones, makes me feel like I'm getting ahead....the splits as of tonite, measure 22 ft long by 3 ft high, does anyone know what that is in cords percentage? I appreciate your help.... I have counted 550 pieces of splits that are of good size, I used to split small before coming on Hearth.com.... Thanks for all your help, and this stuff stinks.....let me tell you...thanks again all

Naw, it doesn't stink. It gives the yard a nice odor.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Yes you are right guys, at first I was like why is this wood stinking up the yard, now as intake a whiff it is reminding me of my hard work and what I have....Ty

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Ok, question about this bark and split... The bark seems different to me from the red oak, is that because it is a limb or a different type of oak, it smells similar but it Is more brownish in the center. What do you think? Thanks all...

 

[Woody Stover]

Ok, question about this bark and split... The bark seems different to me from the red oak, is that because it is a limb or a different type of oak, it smells similar but it Is more brownish in the center. What do you think?

Not Red bark I don't think. Similar smell is pretty strong evidence, but are you sure it's Oak? Medullary rays in evidence on the end of the split? In your first pic, I see a bigger round with similar bark....the one with the hinge splinter sticking out of the top. Is that the one that the splits came off of?

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Not Red bark I don't think. Similar smell is pretty strong evidence, but are you sure it's Oak? Medullary rays in evidence on the end of the split? In your first pic, I see a bigger round with similar bark....the one with the hinge splinter sticking out of the top. Is that the one that the splits came off of?

I don't know what it is, it was inbetween a huge pile of red oak, and a small pile of beech, it' was in between the 2 piles, not much there, but the bark is noticeably different, it smells when split and is brownish in center compared to the red oak. it was a groan to split but it is 25 inches with a knot or two on the outside so that is why I think I had a hard time with it. It was more stringy then the red oak... Ty for the help

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Oh by the way, I was filling my Ram for like the 10th time since i started this trek, this morning, hauling the last of the beech there, I say to myself, this is all the beech there is, damm :-(, Scotty taught me to get all the beech I can, I say to myself I'm ready to pack up and the go to work, Ram is full, a neighbor comes over while walking his dog, I say hello, he says I can have the pile in his yard if I want, I say ok, I will get it this week, I go take a look and son of a beech(Scotty style) it is more beech, just when I thought I was all out of it....it's a small pile but looks like its been there for years, I need dry wood till this dang red oak dries, so it's a nice little score while scoring, I guess the moral of the story is to be nice, say hello to anyone while hauling a free score and you never know what can happen when looking and hauling wood.... Thank you God
And I look forward to getting that nice little load in the morning.....i

 

[Woody Stover]

it smells when split and is brownish in center compared to the red oak....It was more stringy then the red oak.

Does it smell a little nicer than the Red? That, and the stringiness....maybe something in the White Oak group??

 

[red oak]

Red Oak - great firewood, splits like a dream, when it's seasoned it'll keep you warm all winter.

White Oak tends to be stringier than red oak and does have a different scent, not as strong and most people would describe it as better smelling. I've always enjoyed the smell of red oak split though, but that's most of what I burn, so I guess I'm used to it.