Today I Feel Small, Very Small

[Ralphie Boy]

You've heard me say it many times: "the best device for determining the moisture content of split firewood is with a multi-year calendar." Please pass the humble pie.

Today I was going to bring some Honey Locust, that had been split and stacked in the sun and wind for 3 years 4 months, to the house. Just by chance I had my moisture meter with me so for giggles and grins I re-split and checked a piece. When I saw a reading of 35% you could have knocked me over with a feather. I split and checked another 9 pieces from various parts of the stack and got readings between 28 and 35%!

The funny thing is I also checked some B lack Locust, cut from the same lot, split and stacked the same week as the Honey Locust and it read between 15% and 18%!

I think I need a new calendar, mine seems to be running fast!

 

[Knots]

Yikes! Sounds like honey locust needs to take the oak calendar and double it!

 

[Sconnie Burner]

Yikes! Sounds like honey locust needs to take the oak calendar and double it!

No doubt! Was it fully covered on all sides or what?
Are you sure your thinking of the right pile? It sounds almost impossible. Unless you live in the rainforest!

 

[NordicSplitter]

Check your moisture meter. Some have 3 or 4 different settings. I accidentally had mine on the wrong setting and it showed 32% for 3yr old maple. Switch to the correct setting and it came in at 9%...Just a thought...

 

[Ralphie Boy]

Check your moisture meter. Some have 3 or 4 different settings. I accidentally had mine on the wrong setting and it showed 32% for 3yr old maple. Switch to the correct setting and it came in at 9%...Just a thought...

I only have 2 settings on mine (I think it's by Central Tool from Lowes) and I checked it a couple of time and it was on the wood setting and had a good battery. I think this my become one of life's little mysteries.

 

[Ralphie Boy]

No doubt! Was it fully covered on all sides or what?
Are you sure your thinking of the right pile? It sounds almost impossible. Unless you live in the rainforest!

Nope, none of my wood has ever been fully or even top covered. Weird, ain't it

 

[nyny]

i got a load of honey locust this march that was just cut down. most of it's dry

 

[Grateful11]

Way OT: I hope they're more accurate than hay measure and temp testers. Those things only seem to throw doubt into ones ability to judge when hay is dry enough. My wife has been working with hay for over 40 years and she won a hay probe tester a couple years ago, and it just makes one doubt your knowledge. I think you can trust the temperature but not the humidity.

(broken link removed)

 

[19FarmHand78]

I've got some honey locust, and red oak logs I scored from a buddy of mine... I got them two years ago, a logger had left them sit for 3-4 years before I snatched them up. I'm just starting to buck and split them and the HL is showing 25-30% and the oak is 20-25%... by the looks of them I would have guessed lower....(broken image removed)
These HL rounds are from the same score, bucked them last fall, they are still showing 20-25%(broken image removed)

 

[smokedragon]

But, that is why we have moisture meters.

BTW, I have the same meter and love it.