Firewood Cure time

[NeTree]

Originally posted by rb_in_va
Post them if you've got them. Also, let us know where we can score some of these free roof panels.

Any construction site that's using them...



at about two in the morning.

 

[The Best GM]

GLENS WHY ARTE YOU STATING THE OBVIOUS?

 

[Ax-man]

Any one ever hear this one ?? Wood dries better in a teepee type pile, than in stacked neat rows. Air circulates better through the whole pile and gets to the middle better if it is piled this way.

I'm not talking about face cord or one standard cord, I'm talking like 3 to 5 standard cords in a big heap.

I don't know if their is a difference between one way or another, just curious if any one has ever heard this.

As far as aging , cut and split in summer 2 to 3 months is plenty, some times that darn wood can get too dry and burns up to fast, doesn't really matter what kind of wood it is either.

I've got a question for some of you pyro's ?? If you were to cut and split some summer wood logs in dry winter conditions, cold but with no snow or ice and it stays that way for awhile, will the low moisture conditions during winter suck moisture out of wood enough to burn it?? I've cut wood during these times and you can see the day to day changes in the wood opening up on the ends and changing color.

Larry

 

[glens]

Originally posted by The Best GM
GLENS WHY ARTE YOU STATING THE OBVIOUS?

Because reading through this thread it was obviously necessary.

Where the hell did you learn English ("know" and "no" have different meaning as well do "too", "to", and "two"; I didn't notice you using them today, but I'm sure I must state the obvious to you that "your" and "you're" mean different things too), and what the hell is "sugar"?&nbsp; If it's sugar <i>maple</i>, there's no way, alive or dead, that you can cut it and get any decent heat out of it the same day, week, or even (except maybe in the Sahara) month.

Glen

 

[glens]

Any one ever hear this one ?? Wood dries better in a teepee type pile, than in stacked neat rows. Air circulates better through the whole pile and gets to the middle better if it is piled this way.

I'm not talking about face cord or one standard cord, I'm talking like 3 to 5 standard cords in a big heap.

I've never heard it and it's certainly not true.&nbsp; I know because sometimes I get lazy and leave it piled like that.&nbsp; The outer layer can indeed dry quite quickly, but the inner material stays wet.

As far as aging , cut and split in summer 2 to 3 months is plenty, some times that darn wood can get too dry and burns up to fast, doesn't really matter what kind of wood it is either.

I've <i>never</i> encountered "too dry" firewood.&nbsp; A fireplace might be hard to control when the wood is finally dry enough but a stove works best that way.

If you were to cut and split some summer wood logs in dry winter conditions, cold but with no snow or ice and it stays that way for awhile, will the low moisture conditions during winter suck moisture out of wood enough to burn it??

The dryer winter air can draw moisture out quite well so long as it's above frost temperature.

Glen

 

[NeTree]

glens, you're dead wrong.





GM's daddy told me so.

 

[The Best GM]

Some how I think you would state the obvious any waz, can't we have a conversation with out anal retention, did i spell that right

 

[glens]

Spelling is immaterial in a conversation (oral communication).&nbsp; Here it's important.

Glen

 

[The Best GM]

Glens Glens Glens Glens, why do you take every thing out of context? To dry, just because i did not elaborate on too dry, to dry as fars as cheap assesare concerned, length of fire is as important as ignition' id rather have wood that burned all night than wood thats gonna ignite easily

therefore in between would be my favorite the best of both worlds, can i get a HELL YA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

 

[spacemule]

I like to get my wood cut in the fall, and it seems to burn fine during winter (a couple of months drying time). Of course, a lot of times I screw around and don't get all my wood cut 'til there's snow on the ground. In these cases, I mix green and seasoned, and seem to get away all right with it. Hickory puts out the most heat and burns the best when green around here (Arkansas). While green burns and I have done it, I have to keep the ????ed damper open, and it leaves a huge bed of coals that will choke the air out if you don't keep them cleaned out. I sure like having dry wood that you can damper all the way, control the heat output, and not worry about extinquishing the fire. If the stove is working properly, dry burns as long as green, as Glens said.

 

[The Best GM]

Ya and if the stove is right, my bad, i'm not speaking from a spoilled f$#@ point of view.

 

[spacemule]

Originally posted by The Best GM
Ya and if the stove is right, my bad, i'm not speaking from a spoilled f$#@ point of view.

I guess this is a point we differ in. I don't consider keeping equipment in optimal working condition to be "spoiled." I do, however, consider using poor equipment that is not maintained as a sign of poverty, ignorance, laziness, or a combination. Take your pick.

While I'm somewhat of a bull????ter myself, though, occasionally I prefer to listen to a professional. Carry on, sir.

 

[Crofter]

It sure depends a lot on what type of stove you have. Wood that is too dry? It doesn't happen here on the north shore of Lake Huron. A new epa approved device is misery to try to keep a fire going with wood that is at all green. In an older device like a basic front draught box stove, quite green wood does well and an armful of wood does last longer than dry, but as Glen points out will give off a heck of a lot less heat in the process.
I prefer to let the wind and sun evaporate the water instead of burning wood to accomplish the same, so when I can, it is two summers and one winter from stump to stove. Maple, Red Oak and Yellow Birch.

Frank

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Doesn't firewood cure faster if you leave it out in the weather? Those cycles of wet and dry really work on opening up those pores.

 

[Crofter]

Mike: Birch or poplar will not dry here unless under cover but exposed to wind. Instead you will start to grow mushrooms on it. Oak will dry well enough uncovered (but not as well)

Frank

 

[glens]

I don't have anything scientific to back it up, but I believe that there's a difference between wood that's at X moisture content because it's green and wood that's been "cured" and then rained/snowed upon.&nbsp; In other words, it can sizzle when you put it in the stove but a "green" sizzle is more detrimental than a seasoned-but-wet sizzle.

Frank, that actually sounds good:&nbsp; Hot mushroom soup on a cold day.&nbsp; Just pick 'em off and drop into the pan of water on the stove.

That reminds me.&nbsp; Next winter, peel an orange and leave the peel by the stove to give off some aroma and to get <i>good</i> and dry.&nbsp; Then, just for kicks, toss it in on some coals and watch the action.&nbsp; It's like a pine cone in that there's seemingly the same amount of energy as a whole little tree.

Glen

 

[Crofter]

Moisture

Glen I think I remember something about the difference between intra and inter-cellular moisture. The one is much harder to draw off. About needing to split to start seasoning. Oak will dry well from the ends (round) but some others seem to take forever if you dont split them.

Frank

 

[Stumper]

Glens, You are quite correct about the difference in rewetting dried wood compared to drying green wood. Rehydration requires significant time in a humid environment. Raining on a dry piece of wood will have little effect beyond the surface cells. My father is a bowyer. Moisture content is a critical factor in bowmaking so he has dryers and humidity boxes in order to get his material in the target range of 6% -12% moisture (actual he is working between 6 and 9 percent at the finishing stage.) A stave less than 1/2 inch thick will require 2 or 3 days at 100% humidity and 100 degrees F. to come back up from 5% to 9%. Running water over the wood has virtually no effect.

 

[Nickrosis]

This conversation about drying one's wood could sound really bizarre taken outside of context....and 16-18"??? Wow....

It seems you want the wood to dry out a minimum of ____ (insert local time period required) and not worry about going over in time. If you wait a long, long time (years and years), you'll end up with rotten wood, to be sure, but you can burn that too with a strong fire.

 

[Bills Oak]

Nick, not sure where the 1-2 year drying time came in???--I've been drying most of it covered with plenty of ventilation for 6-9 months. That seems to be about the best average time, granted some of the pieces will be at the 20% moisture content earlier but with the average humidity here year round at above 50% it takes longer than say in PA or NY...