What a difference TWO YEARS make

[Split]

I kid a bit (seeing the other thread title), but it's true!

My first year was survival but bought enough great hardwood to last two-three seasons. Plus I'm adding each year so I'm on the two year cycle. Some covered and some not.

So, if you thought one year was good, I'm now burning my wood from two years ago. And I'm finally burning Oak! I don't even use kindling! Put wood in stove and toss in small fire starter and it's lit. Burns warm and beautiful and extremely light. Bark falls right off for no mess. I use the bark on my paths in my garden.

I always preach you only need one season to get good safe wood but two years.... it's like having a star player on your team - It just takes it to a whole new level! If you've got the real estate I say go for two year cycle.

Thanks for all the tips and discussions on here.

 

[Wildflush]

Most of my oak is coming in at 14% on the moisture meter. Even though my thread below said one year. Much of my wood was cut years before that. Stacking that wood in the summer of 2022 made a huge difference this season. My highest reading on the meter with anything I’m burning is 16%. That was with a large 7” piece of oak that I resplit for the reading.

 

[GrumpyDad]

I kid a bit (seeing the other thread title), but it's true!

My first year was survival but bought enough great hardwood to last two-three seasons. Plus I'm adding each year so I'm on the two year cycle. Some covered and some not.

So, if you thought one year was good, I'm now burning my wood from two years ago. And I'm finally burning Oak! I don't even use kindling! Put wood in stove and toss in small fire starter and it's lit. Burns warm and beautiful and extremely light. Bark falls right off for no mess. I use the bark on my paths in my garden.

I always preach you only need one season to get good safe wood but two years.... it's like having a star player on your team - It just takes it to a whole new level! If you've got the real estate I say go for two year cycle.

Thanks for all the tips and discussions on here.

My oak was maybe 1 or 2% in some cases over optimal MC last year. This year, just a few % less overall and I can tell the difference. It burns forever and 10-11 hours later I can walk up and stir up some large chonky coals, throw half a load in there and burn through the morning into the afternoon hot.

 

[Wood1Dennis]

I started with 1 year seasoned wood and it worked. Ash, e!m, maple mostly. I would stack oak separately so I could leave it season longer. Now that I am on my 7th season and I have been adding to my firewood stash every year. I am far enough ahead that am burning mostly 3 year seasoned firewood. I have an open sunny and breezy location for my piles so I have good drying conditions. The nice thing about that is that I mix the oak in with all my other hardwoods. When 3 years ahead it all dries and burns perfectly!

 

[Caw]

Wait until you try 3 year old wood!

I burn in 3 year cycles so the wood is always very dry. So much so that it actually causes problems sometimes when it gets really cold and the draft picks up. Dry wood, strong draft, cold temps and I have to stick to 3/4 loads max or it'll try to take off on me. I try to mix species and pack it right to slow down the off gassing.

 

[peakbagger]

After this wet summer in New England, two year wood is pretty well required unless the wood was split and under cover and I still think we missed out on a whole lot of drying.

 

[joop]

one year for me,no space

 

[Garbanzo62]

I just did a survey of my wood piles. I have about 2 cords of burnable Ash. Most was CSS last winter. I have 1.6 cords of Beech that was CSS this summer, so thinking that would be 2025 season. I have close to 2 cords of Oak that should be usable next winter. Planning on Dropping a couple of Dead Standing Ash trees as soon as the ground freezes (in a wet area), to have more ash for next winter. Hoping to get a used splitter as the split by hand leaves me with a lot of varied sizes.

 

[stoveliker]

Varied sizes are nice. Safe a few big ones for cold snaps, smaller ones as fillers etc.

Currently burning 4 year old oak and 3.5 year old black locust. Stuff took off on 1" of coals (first 6" of the stove bed only) before I was done reloading.

3 year cycles are the best. And if a winter is warm, you have 4 year wood next season.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

All of the wood I have is a minimum of 3 years sitting in my woodsheds. Mostly oak and various split sizes, thick like 4x5, mediums and smaller. Having really dry wood is a complete game changer. 15 years ago if you told me that there was a significant difference between burning 20%MC wood vs 15% MC wood I would have laughed.. Theres a huge difference in wood quality and performance sub 17%

 

[Dieselhead]

3 years css at a minimum, I like to have 4. I had a injury where I was out of the firewood game for 9 months thankfully I had a piggy bank to dip into.

 

[cahaak]

Before the winter started, I had four years split, with three of those stacked under cover in my woodshed. I have another year plus just sitting in log length form ready to split in the spring, summer. I also have have another few years down or broken off due to some storms this past year. I can't get too far ahead with some space limitations. Also, my son works in tree trimming, so I can get wood any time I need it. It's nice to have plenty.

 

[all night moe]

I just mentioned elsewhere, I'm practically back to 0, A lot of catching up to do....

 

[Caw]

I just mentioned elsewhere, I'm practically back to 0, A lot of catching up to do....

You're going to have great shoulders, forearms, and hands when you're done though!

 

[all night moe]

You're going to have great shoulders, forearms, and hands when you're done though!

Thanks bud. You really know how to make a fella feel good about himself. LOL

Actually, my body's aging faster than my heart and mind. I do have plans to making the processing much easier. The handling wood multiple times will get easier too, once I get a better setup established.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Thanks bud. You really know how to make a fella feel good about himself. LOL

Actually, my body's aging faster than my heart and mind. I do have plans to making the processing much easier. The handling wood multiple times will get easier too, once I get a better setup established.

Woodsheds.. satck it in there after splitting.. no tarping.. no babysitting.. pull the wood out when its dry .. less labor.. its dries quick..

The setup takes time and some upfront labor hours.. but once completed.. you save time.. I made a dedicated processing and log length storage area 2 years ago.. complete with DGA so no mud to content with.. an area that holds 3 cords while we split until were ready to stack.. not having to clean up all the time.. not having to move things around.. best thing I ever did.. processing in the driveway sucked..

 

[Caw]

Woodsheds.. satck it in there after splitting.. no tarping.. no babysitting.. pull the wood out when its dry .. less labor.. its dries quick..

The setup takes time and some upfront labor hours.. but once completed.. you save time.. I made a dedicated processing and log length storage area 2 years ago.. complete with DGA so no mud to content with.. an area that holds 3 cords while we split until were ready to stack.. not having to clean up all the time.. not having to move things around.. best thing I ever did.. processing in the driveway sucked..

This would be ideal but not everyone has that kind of space. I have 1 acre but the only flat area a truck can access is the driveway. I have space out back but a big truck can't drive over my septic system so I'm left processing in the driveway. Thankfully it's a big driveway and doesn't really affect us much other than having to walk an extra 30 feet to the car.

Agree on the sheds though if you can swing it. I'm working on that with repurposed pallets myself. I think I'm probably 2-3 years away from being tarp-less but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just need to burn through all the wood in the way first.

 

[Caw]

Thanks bud. You really know how to make a fella feel good about himself. LOL

Actually, my body's aging faster than my heart and mind. I do have plans to making the processing much easier. The handling wood multiple times will get easier too, once I get a better setup established.

I'm currently dealing with a really sore right shoulder. I cut up a tree that fell for my in-laws the other day and over did it a little bit. I kept cutting branches and tossing them with my right arm instead of dragging and placing them. Fried my rotator cuff. It's not damaged or anything it'll just hurt for a week. I have to be a lot more conscious of my technique these days. Sure I can brute force my way thru anything but I pay the price the rest of the week. Much better to just do it smarter in the first place!

I still plan on splitting a good chunk of my wood by hand but Im glad I got the splitter this year. It just makes the whole process so much faster. Plus I really like having slab/square pieces to take advantage of the limited space in my stove.

 

[stoveliker]

Plus I really like having slab/square pieces to take advantage of the limited space in my stove.

That is the one thing that has me thinking about a splitter too.
(Though I have to say that your hand split splits already look fantastically "packable"...)

 

[Caw]

That is the one thing that has me thinking about a splitter too.
(Though I have to say that your hand split splits already look fantastically "packable"...)

Thanks! I enjoy doing split surgery on bigger logs to get the most rectangle pieces possible when hand splitting also, not just with the splitter. It's harder to get perfect pieces but it keeps it fun. My wife and kids just swing away and make splits. I'll never complain though I'm happy for the help.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

This would be ideal but not everyone has that kind of space. I have 1 acre but the only flat area a truck can access is the driveway. I have space out back but a big truck can't drive over my septic system so I'm left processing in the driveway. Thankfully it's a big driveway and doesn't really affect us much other than having to walk an extra 30 feet to the car.

Agree on the sheds though if you can swing it. I'm working on that with repurposed pallets myself. I think I'm probably 2-3 years away from being tarp-less but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just need to burn through all the wood in the way first.

I completely get what your saying regarding space. Yes not everyone will have enough area for this size operation that I have, but scaled down and modified.. anyone can save some serious hours with a more optimized way of processing..

 

[all night moe]

Woodsheds.. satck it in there after splitting.. no tarping.. no babysitting.. pull the wood out when its dry .. less labor.. its dries quick..

The setup takes time and some upfront labor hours.. but once completed.. you save time.. I made a dedicated processing and log length storage area 2 years ago.. complete with DGA so no mud to content with.. an area that holds 3 cords while we split until were ready to stack.. not having to clean up all the time.. not having to move things around.. best thing I ever did.. processing in the driveway sucked..

Yes, understood. I have plans, and plenty of space. Even without chasing the farmer off 2 of my fields. They are 2 smaller fields and he grows grain corn and hay on them. I don't give him grief. good neighbors. He owns 66 acres that the previous HO sold off and, someday, I'd love to buy it back, putting me back in AG status. He'd be overly welcome to keep farming the 66.

I still have room to process and store about 100 cord as is. No wood sheds yet but they will come. I've been collecting a few pallets here n there, and recycled lumber. I gust scored an above ground pressure treated pool deck with plenty of good lumber. All of it actually looks in good shape. 4x4x14L posts, 2x10x10L lumber, and all treated decking. Most of this will build my boiler house for an outdoor gasser and about 6 cord storage. Attached, with door leading into, will be a wood shed of another 10cord capacity. This will have a door on the opposite end for loading.

I have space, not far from that, for another 40-50 cord of outside storage next to the old pump house. Up near one of the small fields is a concrete pad of approximately 25 x35. Most likely a bit longer. Only current issue with that is, there's a dilapidated 2 story chicken coup occupying the space. It's the last of 3 still semi standing. The other 2 had no slab. Just foundations. That pad is perfect for processing wood on with additional storage of 60 plus cord on and around it.

Between the old house, and the firewood plan, I've got lots to do. Supposed to warm up this coming week. I may as well start on that coup. I've a burrning barrel near by to move up to it.

 

[all night moe]

I completely get what your saying regarding space. Yes not everyone will have enough area for this size operation that I have, but scaled down and modified.. anyone can save some serious hours with a more optimized way of processing..

Bing ... you just posted this while I was writing my page. LOL

 

[Caw]

Yeah it's all about streamlining. I can process 2 cords over a long weekend now whereas when I first started it would take 2-3 weeks. It's nice to have a well oiled machine of a process.

 

[BigJ273]

Burning oak from 2019 now. It practically lights itself. And burns hot!