The importance of seasoned wood - Dry vs Wet

[stoveliker]

The oak likely will need to sit for two summers more before burning...
Get some pine, fir, spruce for next year.
Some maple, cherry for the year after, and oak for in 3 years.

You'll have to get ahead. Bite the bullet once, spend some $$,.but if you buy enough for three years now, you'll then only have to buy what you burn each year - which then can dry for three years. You'll be a much happier burner.

 

[NickW]

I didn't go back and read the whole thread... Make sure you test MC on a warm fresh split.

 

[Brawndo71]

The oak likely will need to sit for two summers more before burning...
Get some pine, fir, spruce for next year.
Some maple, cherry for the year after, and oak for in 3 years.

You'll have to get ahead. Bite the bullet once, spend some $$,.but if you buy enough for three years now, you'll then only have to buy what you burn each year - which then can dry for three years. You'll be a much happier burner.

Thanks. I still have to build the firewood racks, hopefully done in the next two weeks. I tested room temp logs, freshly split. I will also do some cross- sectional testing of moisture content in an oven, much more reliable for actual mg/g of water in a log. I am a scientist, it is what I do. Hopefully my firewood leads pan out, may go cut some of my own if there is some dead timber. Preparing for 2-3 cords of storage, though I don't anticipate using even 1 cord per year, just don't know right now. Some sellers have better deals. My parents used to have a property on 3+ wooded acres back in my youth. We never had an issue with dry wood, an endless supply. Those were the days.

 

[stoveliker]

I am and do the same...
Just weighed some 8*8*18" blocks of maple. Started out at 41 lbs, now 29.5.
Stoves and wood allow for much data taking!

 

[Turbo89]

The oak likely will need to sit for two summers more before burning...
Get some pine, fir, spruce for next year.
Some maple, cherry for the year after, and oak for in 3 years.

You'll have to get ahead. Bite the bullet once, spend some $$,.but if you buy enough for three years now, you'll then only have to buy what you burn each year - which then can dry for three years. You'll be a much happier burner.

Don’t forget ash! I have a few cords of stuff that was chopped down in march, and split into large rounds that’s now dry (18%).

 

[bigealta]

It's amazing how even the supposed "wood pro's" on youtube with many many "expert" videos of every aspect of selling firewood still don't know how to test for moisture content.

I just watched probably the biggest youtube firewood guy, who sells hundreds of cords and who new people here sometimes even quote, go to a customers house who had a problem burning one of his last deliveries.

He was stumped as to why the customer was having troubles burning because "everyone else" did not complain about his wood. So he pulled out his moisture meter and tested the EXTERIOR of a bunch of splits he delivered. They were Outside with, it looked like, snow all around so it was Cold.

He tested 14%, 13%, 15% and similar readings and declared this is all GOOD! All well under 20%.

If you are reading this this "Tested" Wood is NOT GOOD.
The wood was NOT Freshly SPLIT and was Cold.
And it did not look like the pins were very parallel to the grain.
He did say he was sinking the pins deeply so at least he got that part Correct.

That's at least 2 BIG Mistakes and is COMPLETELY INACCURATE.


I'd bet that load was more like 25-30% moisture on Correctly Tested Splits,

It's just amazing that this guy is so Overconfident in his knowledge and Clueless about this Basic Testing Procedure in his profession.

He seems like a nice guy, but in Moisture Testing, he is Spreading Completely Wrong INFO to Lots of people.

Buyers Beware and Test it right (Fresh Split, Room Temperature, Pins sunk deeply Parallel to the grain) and you will be smarter than many of the "Experts".

 

[Duds13]

It's amazing how even the supposed "wood pro's" on youtube with many many "expert" videos of every aspect of selling firewood still don't know how to test for moisture content.

I just watched probably the biggest youtube firewood guy, who sells hundreds of cords and who new people here sometimes even quote, go to a customers house who had a problem burning one of his last deliveries.

He was stumped as to why the customer was having troubles burning because "everyone else" did not complain about his wood. So he pulled out his moisture meter and tested the EXTERIOR of a bunch of splits he delivered. They were Outside with, it looked like, snow all around so it was Cold.

He tested 14%, 13%, 15% and similar readings and declared this is all GOOD! All well under 20%.

If you are reading this this "Tested" Wood is NOT GOOD.
The wood was NOT Freshly SPLIT and was Cold.
And it did not look like the pins were very parallel to the grain.
He did say he was sinking the pins deeply so at least he got that part Correct.

That's at least 2 BIG Mistakes and is COMPLETELY INACCURATE.


I'd bet that load was more like 25-30% moisture on Correctly Tested Splits,

It's just amazing that this guy is so Overconfident in his knowledge and Clueless about this Basic Testing Procedure in his profession.

He seems like a nice guy, but in Moisture Testing, he is Spreading Completely Wrong INFO to Lots of people.

Buyers Beware and Test it right (Fresh Split, Room Temperature, Pins sunk deeply Parallel to the grain) and you will be smarter than many of the "Experts".

What do the comments say about the video. Does anyone point out his mistakes?

 

[bigealta]

What do the comments say about the video. Does anyone point out his mistakes?

I watched it on youtube thru my TV so i did not read the comments, don't know how to with the remote? It was late as well. Now of course i can't find that exact video, but it was the "in the woodyard" guy and the algorithm loaded it.

 

[stoveliker]

I watched it on youtube thru my TV so i did not read the comments, don't know how to with the remote? It was late as well. Now of course i can't find that exact video, but it was the "in the woodyard" guy and the algorithm loaded it.

I've seen the same.

And big YouTube channels have so many comments that the owner won't read them all let alone respond to them - so he can conveniently make it look like he didn't see those comments.

 

[Brawndo71]

Well, it looks like I have a source of free firewood, but have to do work to get it cut, split, transport etc. Which lets me cut my own size, but I am still a working to get ahead for the first season. I did find someone who has 2-3 year old seasoned wood, will buy a load and test for moisture, see how that plays out. I also have access to another 30 acre property, but have to ask the owner if I could harvest some wood. It is farther to transport. This is why I need a truck eventually.

 

[bigealta]

Well, it looks like I have a source of free firewood, but have to do work to get it cut, split, transport etc. Which lets me cut my own size, but I am still a working to get ahead for the first season. I did find someone who has 2-3 year old seasoned wood, will buy a load and test for moisture, see how that plays out. I also have access to another 30 acre property, but have to ask the owner if I could harvest some wood. It is farther to transport. This is why I need a truck eventually.

I'd grab anything dead standing or fallen. Also trees cut down in winter have less moisture than spring, summer, fall wood as the sap has retreated to the roots.
It doesn't mean it's ready to burn but will shave off some seasoning time.

 

[Brawndo71]

I'd grab anything dead standing or fallen. Also wood cut in winter has less moisture than spring, summer, fall wood as the sap has retreated to the roots.
It doesn't mean it's ready to burn but will shave off some seasoning time.

Thanks. The owner burns any type of wood, they heat their house with an outdoor wood furnace. Don't need no seasoning.

 

[kborndale]

Thanks. The owner burns any type of wood, they heat their house with an outdoor wood furnace. Don't need no seasoning.

Of course an outdoor wood furnace runs better with dry wood. Boiling water wastes btus.

 

[brenndatomu]

Thanks. The owner burns any type of wood, they heat their house with an outdoor wood furnace. Don't need no seasoning.

Just cuz you can, doesn't mean you should...burning wet wood in an owb means using more wood, and WAY more smoke floating around the neighborhood! Exactly why they are banned in many places.

 

[bigealta]

Just cuz you can, doesn't mean you should...burning wet wood in an owb means using more wood, and WAY more smoke floating around the neighborhood! Exactly why they are banned in many places.

And will lead to more bans. A few bad burners ruining it for everyone else. Not very cool.

 

[weee123]

I watched it on youtube thru my TV so i did not read the comments, don't know how to with the remote? It was late as well. Now of course i can't find that exact video, but it was the "in the woodyard" guy and the algorithm loaded it.

I know the youtube channel you’re talking about. He “seasons” it all in a big pile for a year. Another channel Hometown Acres made a video about a customer who said his wood creosoted up his chimney and he tested the MC after he dumped the wood in snow.

I commented on his completely incorrect method of testing and said if any of it was oak none of it would be properly seasoned but the point still stands the testing method was incorrect. His reply was none of it was oak and then he highlighted his own comment.

I will say he did mention in a recent video how his testing cold wood would throw off the reading but didnt mention splitting and testing the fresh face.

 

[bigealta]

I know the youtube channel you’re talking about. He “seasons” it all in a big pile for a year. Another channel Hometown Acres made a video about a customer who said his wood creosoted up his chimney and he tested the MC after he dumped the wood in snow.

I commented on his completely incorrect method of testing and said if any of it was oak none of it would be properly seasoned but the point still stands the testing method was incorrect. His reply was none of it was oak and then he highlighted his own comment.

I will say he did mention in a recent video how his testing cold wood would throw off the reading but didnt mention splitting and testing the fresh face.

The hometown acres guy is a complete Hack. He's clueless.

 

[begreen]

It's amazing how even the supposed "wood pro's" on youtube with many many "expert" videos of every aspect of selling firewood still don't know how to test for moisture content.

I just watched probably the biggest youtube firewood guy, who sells hundreds of cords and who new people here sometimes even quote, go to a customers house who had a problem burning one of his last deliveries.

He was stumped as to why the customer was having troubles burning because "everyone else" did not complain about his wood. So he pulled out his moisture meter and tested the EXTERIOR of a bunch of splits he delivered. They were Outside with, it looked like, snow all around so it was Cold.

He tested 14%, 13%, 15% and similar readings and declared this is all GOOD! All well under 20%.

I have seen veteran wood sellers testing their firewood on the ends and claiming those numbers. It's surprising how many do not know how to test wood moisture content.

 

[bigealta]

I have seen veteran wood sellers testing their firewood on the ends and claiming those numbers. It's surprising how many do not know how to test wood moisture content.

I also talked to my tree guy last year when he took down 2 big red oaks. They did a great pro level job with taking down those trees.
When he said he sold about 100 cords a year i asked him about the moisture content of the wood he sells and he hesitated and seemed like he did not know, and wondered why i was asking that. He said his wood was seasoned and i'm pretty sure he just said less than a year. He clearly had no idea what the moisture content was.

So yes he was a very good tree cutting expert, but that in no way made him good at knowing about the wood he sold.

 

[begreen]

Technically, he's not wrong. It probably was seasoned for a year, just not enough to reach under 20% mc.

 

[kborndale]

I have seen veteran wood sellers testing their firewood on the ends and claiming those numbers. It's surprising how many do not know how to test wood moisture content.

Is it that they do not know how to test, or is it that they do know how to test, and know that testing correctly will not give them the results they want so they purposely test it wrong to fool the customer?

 

[brenndatomu]

testing correctly will not give them the results they want so they purposely test it wrong to fool the customer?

I'm 100% sure that is the case for some...

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

I watched it on youtube thru my TV so i did not read the comments, don't know how to with the remote? It was late as well. Now of course i can't find that exact video, but it was the "in the woodyard" guy and the algorithm loaded it.

That video is a couple of years old. I commented on it when I watched it. Hopefully he has learned (either to do it right or not bs, not sure which applies). The wood from that video came from his original woodyard and was stacked in rows and top covered. Not sure how long it was "seasoned".

 

[qwee]

It sounds like a few youtube videos are being talked about. This one is where the outer wood is checked and called the moisture content. This guy is nice and appears to be trying to do things the right way. But ya he is testing wood in the wrong way. The inside and the outside of firewood can be really different in terms of moisture. We all have to learn. People just don't know much about firewood. Moisture meter check starts at around 5:10 mark.

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[begreen]

It sounds like a few youtube videos are being talked about. This one is where the outer wood is checked and called the moisture content. This guy is nice and appears to be trying to do things the right way. But ya he is testing wood in the wrong way. The inside and the outside of firewood can be really different in terms of moisture. We all have to learn. People just don't know much about firewood. Moisture meter check starts at around 5:10 mark.

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I've noted that on several youtube videos about wood stove burning.