Wood moisture content

[muncybob]

We were having a campfire recently burning mainly some scrap wood I had laying around and I remembered somebody saying if your firewood is high in moisture you'll see the moisture bubbling out of the wood when put into a hot fire. I knew the mc of the oak I had was around 30% so I wanted to see what it would look like in the fire. The only bubbling I saw was coming from under the bark(it wasn't a lot but was visible)....the rest of the ends didn't show any which is where I thought I would see it?

 

[NitroDave]

Your waisting oak in a campfire ?? :bug:

 

[PapaDave]

Your waisting oak in a campfire ?? :bug:

I think banishment would be in order here. At least until he learns the error of his ways.
Perhaps there was beer involved. If that's the case, there's probably hope. ;-)

Dave

 

[Bootlegger]

That's better than my neighbor who insists that wood that is 2 years old is "too light" and burns "too fast". He says you need a good heavy log to "slow the fire down" and that it will burn longer. I tried to explain to him why more heat is impossible, he said he's been burning wood for 20 years and he didn't believe me. I tried again, even using fancy words like "laws of thermodynamics", he just looked at me like I was some citified college feller. I've since come across other Kentucky old timers, i.e. natives not age, who say the same thing. One of my other neighbors, also a transplant, and I had a few laughs about the other day because he's heard the same thing every day since he moved here. The guy who use to live next to me (died the year before I moved in) insisted on burning "fresh wood" and split his wood right before burning it. Received wisdom like this explains why it has taken me three years and hearth.com to learn the value of seasoned wood.

 

[LLigetfa]

using fancy words like "laws of thermodynamics"...

Ja, that's it... what he said. The dynamics of burning in a stove are different than burning in a campfire. Even if you don't see much foaming, you should hear the hissing when you open the stove.

 

[ohio woodburner]

That's better than my neighbor who insists that wood that is 2 years old is "too light" and burns "too fast". He says you need a good heavy log to "slow the fire down" and that it will burn longer. I tried to explain to him why more heat is impossible, he said he's been burning wood for 20 years and he didn't believe me. I tried again, even using fancy words like "laws of thermodynamics", he just looked at me like I was some citified college feller. I've since come across other Kentucky old timers, i.e. natives not age, who say the same thing. One of my other neighbors, also a transplant, and I had a few laughs about the other day because he's heard the same thing every day since he moved here. The guy who use to live next to me (died the year before I moved in) insisted on burning "fresh wood" and split his wood right before burning it. Received wisdom like this explains why it has taken me three years and hearth.com to learn the value of seasoned wood.

Bootlegger, my granddad did the same thing and he's from that area. He passed it onto to my dad... now i have to explain to him why i split and stack a year in advanced. Must be something in the water.....

 

[Bootlegger]

Bootlegger, my granddad did the same thing and he's from that area. He passed it onto to my dad... now i have to explain to him why i split and stack a year in advanced. Must be something in the water.....

....mine tailings...they dump all the mountain tops from coal mining in the headwater streams. It's euphemistically called "valley fill". I filter all my drinking water.

I told my neighbor I'd take any "old wood" off his hands.

 

[bill*67]

i agree with LLigetfa, in a campfire you have no control over the amount of air the fire can recieve, but in a stove you can. that will make a big difference in how something burns.

 

[muncybob]

Been out of town but didn't take into account the air supply in a campfire.

Just to not be banished...yes there was beer and other beverages involved and it was ony a small piece of wood. It even "hurt" to try this! I should be ok after a few more therapy sessions though.

 

[Bootlegger]

Been out of town but didn't take into account the air supply in a campfire.

Just to not be banished...yes there was beer and other beverages involved and it was ony a small piece of wood. It even "hurt" to try this! I should be ok after a few more therapy sessions though.

For your penance split a cord then drink 4 beers, not 3, not 5. You must learn discipline ;-)

 

[smokinj]

Been out of town but didn't take into account the air supply in a campfire.

Just to not be banished...yes there was beer and other beverages involved and it was ony a small piece of wood. It even "hurt" to try this! I should be ok after a few more therapy sessions though.

For your penance split a cord then drink 4 beers, not 3, not 5. You must learn discipline ;-)

a good discipline would be to drink 6 and think about the next one very carefully, and stop the chain sharpening on 3

 

[Bootlegger]

a good discipline would be to drink 6 and think about the next one very carefully, and stop the chain sharpening on 3

Stop using the sharp tools at 3 beers? Well that explains the scars on my hands, I thought it was 5. Boy I feel sill now.

 

[smokinj]

a good discipline would be to drink 6 and think about the next one very carefully, and stop the chain sharpening on 3

Stop using the sharp tools at 3 beers? Well that explains the scars on my hands, I thought it was 5. Boy I feel sill now.

thats when the discipline come in handy! And on sundays if your on the back side of your last chain you can move to #4

 

[quads]

Your waisting oak in a campfire ?? :bug:

I think banishment would be in order here. At least until he learns the error of his ways.
Perhaps there was beer involved. If that's the case, there's probably hope. ;-)

Dave

Gee, I burned almost a full cord of my best seasoned oak in the campfire this summer! No beer either. Maybe a couple old people smooching, and that's about it.

 

[billb3]

why not put a live branch in to see bubbling and oozing ?
( or morning wood)

 

[Bootlegger]

why not put a live branch in to see bubbling and oozing ?
( or morning wood)

OUCH

 

[NitroDave]

Your waisting oak in a campfire ?? :bug:

I think banishment would be in order here. At least until he learns the error of his ways.
Perhaps there was beer involved. If that's the case, there's probably hope. ;-)

Dave

Gee, I burned almost a full cord of my best seasoned oak in the campfire this summer! No beer either. Maybe a couple old people smooching, and that's about it.

I love

but it's no place for dry oak.... thats why God created the softwoods.

 

[leaddog]

That's better than my neighbor who insists that wood that is 2 years old is "too light" and burns "too fast". He says you need a good heavy log to "slow the fire down" and that it will burn longer. I tried to explain to him why more heat is impossible, he said he's been burning wood for 20 years and he didn't believe me. I tried again, even using fancy words like "laws of thermodynamics", he just looked at me like I was some citified college feller. I've since come across other Kentucky old timers, i.e. natives not age, who say the same thing. One of my other neighbors, also a transplant, and I had a few laughs about the other day because he's heard the same thing every day since he moved here. The guy who use to live next to me (died the year before I moved in) insisted on burning "fresh wood" and split his wood right before burning it. Received wisdom like this explains why it has taken me three years and hearth.com to learn the value of seasoned wood.

This type of thinking came about years ago when they were useing old wood stoves that didn't have any control. If you put in dry wood it would burn fast and hot and then they would get cold. If you put in wet wood it would burn slower and they didn't have to stoke it as much. The dry wood would put out too much heat and because the stoves were over sized they didn't care as they could put in a lot and it would last the nite if they used wet wood. They didn't have as much problem with creasote as the stove never choked down. Some of those old stoves would get red hot if you burnt dry wood.
leaddog

 

[JoeyD]

I'm doing just the opposite, I'm scrounging my campfire wood to burn in my stove. :blank:

 

[quads]

Your waisting oak in a campfire ?? :bug:

I think banishment would be in order here. At least until he learns the error of his ways.
Perhaps there was beer involved. If that's the case, there's probably hope. ;-)

Dave

Gee, I burned almost a full cord of my best seasoned oak in the campfire this summer! No beer either. Maybe a couple old people smooching, and that's about it.

I love

but it's no place for dry oak.... thats why God created the softwoods.

I got so much dead oak that when I see a dead pine, I pass it up and let it rot in the woods. Nothing against burning pine, I would burn pine if I had to, but I don't cut separate wood for the campfire. I just grab it off the woodpile and toss it in.