Looks like I'll be burning 98% "oak"tane in 2014.

[fishingpol]

My neighbor cuts and delivers my firewood. Last year he brought maple, cherry, black birch and very little oak. I saw him over the weekend and said I would take a cord of pretty much the same if he had it. He showed up yesterday and dropped of a nice cord of....oak. Only a few maple splits. I have enough mixed for this winter so I can let it sit and think. Fresh split faces are at 25% - 30%. My neighbor next to me gets his oak delivered and it is fresh cut. It stinks for a few weeks until the moisture evaporates off. The rounds that are halved will get quartered before stacking. Having a smaller stove has its' drawbacks.

I really don't have a lot storage area to let oak sit 1 1/2 years. The ends were checked a bit and he said they have been split for a few months. Half of this may go along the driveway with a full southern exposure to move it along a little faster. I think this delivery has a good start to it.

 

[bogydave]

You might be OK.
It'll burn, just not as good as 2 to 3 years seasoned stuff.
You burn what you got.

 

[fishingpol]

I was spoiled on the mixed species Dave. 12% MC was about the lowest to 17% the highest. It all burned like a dream. I hope I don't have a nightmare with the oak.

 

[bogydave]

I was spoiled on the mixed species Dave. 12% MC was about the lowest to 17% the highest. It all burned like a dream. I hope I don't have a nightmare with the oak.

You get a good dry summer, might surprise everyone & have some good dry oak.
What type of oak? Red is the slowest to dry . Very porous, Keep it out of the rain

 

[fishingpol]

You get a good dry summer, might surprise everyone & have some good dry oak.
What type of oak? Red is the slowest to dry . Very porous, Keep it out of the rain

Red. I store it under a porch, eastern and southern exposure. Lots of ventilation no rain. Great place to season wood. 10 steps from the basement door which is great on January nights.

 

[Augie]

Build a solar Kiln, You will be ready by this winter. Here is a link to an article from Cornell summarizing a study of this very fact. They say that in 3 months 8inch splits and rounds are below 20% moisture content. I will probably tent up 4 full cords this summer in an attempt to speed the process. As Im a new burner I am trying to build up my supply of seasoned wood. By tenting 4 cords I should have enough seasoned for the following winter. Of the 4 I was thinking of tenting some oak in an attempt to shorten the seasoning from 3 years to 2 maybe and then Ill be set for the future.

Looks pretty easy Air in from the bottom and a small vent at the top. priced it out based on my situation looks like it will cost $40 for the four cords for cheap plastic and I have enough scrap lumber to fab up the frame. $40 for 4 seasoned full cord is pretty cheap IMHO.

 

[Woody Stover]

If you are starting in the high 20s on that Oak and it's not split too big, it might be decent by the time you need it....

 

[fishingpol]

Build a solar Kiln, You will be ready by this winter. Here is a link to an article from Cornell summarizing a study of this very fact. They say that in 3 months 8inch splits and rounds are below 20% moisture content. I will probably tent up 4 full cords this summer in an attempt to speed the process. As Im a new burner I am trying to build up my supply of seasoned wood. By tenting 4 cords I should have enough seasoned for the following winter. Of the 4 I was thinking of tenting some oak in an attempt to shorten the seasoning from 3 years to 2 maybe and then Ill be set for the future.

Looks pretty easy Air in from the bottom and a small vent at the top. priced it out based on my situation looks like it will cost $40 for the four cords for cheap plastic and I have enough scrap lumber to fab up the frame. $40 for 4 seasoned full cord is pretty cheap IMHO.

If you go this route, start a thread as I'm sure many would like to see your results.

 

[ScotO]

If you go this route, start a thread as I'm sure many would like to see your results.

If there's a single person on this forum who'd benefit from a solar kiln, it'd be you, Jon....
You could dry your lumber in 1/10th the time!
The firewood drying would be a fringe benefit.

But, as has been stated on here many times, oak takes forever to dry out good. If your splits are small to medium (4x4"-5x5"), and the starting moisture content is as low as you stated earlier, and if we get a really hot, dry, breezy summer, you MAY be OK.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Jon, just don't let those checked ends lead you wrong. The end checks only show that the ends are drying.

 

[fishingpol]

If there's a single person on this forum who'd benefit from a solar kiln, it'd be you, Jon....
You could dry your lumber in 1/10th the time!
The firewood drying would be a fringe benefit.

But, as has been stated on here many times, oak takes forever to dry out good. If your splits are small to medium (4x4"-5x5"), and the starting moisture content is as low as you stated earlier, and if we get a really hot, dry, breezy summer, you MAY be OK.

Ha, no kiln here, although I do like to read up on that sort of stuff. This load will be for next winter. I have enough mixed species for this winter coming up.

 

[fishingpol]

Jon, just don't let those checked ends lead you wrong. The end checks only show that the ends are drying.

Good point Dennis. I'll be in no hurry to burn this. The smaller splits will be stacked in the driveway this summer and it should dry nicely. The bigger pieces can sit and think.

 

[jdp1152]

I'll trade you two cords of willow for it!

 

[fishingpol]

I'll trade you two cords of willow for it!

I am a bad wood snob, turning my nose down at oak and all.