It pains me to watch...

[marcy-m]

Also you may want to look into a moisture meter. Grey wood is great but it's usually dry long before that. I've got maple and oak that's dry as a bone but still very much yellow.

I have one of those little ones. Some of you great people on here had just told me how to really test the MC a few months ago with my meter. Then my mil got sick and passed, so I'll have to brush up on that information again.

We still have what sounds like your summer weather for another six weeks or so. Our average first frost is the middle of November. We normally get a cold snap for a minute or two around that time just to let us know it can do it, and then it's back to beautiful weather for awhile. So I might have at least another six weeks of drying daytime temps in the upper 60's-80's.

Based on that, I guess I can cut in the spring and have it dry by burning time. If I have to. Hopefully, I've got three years worth out there now. ::fingers crossed:: oh yeah and I've got a bunch of ash and elm logs waiting on me to cut up, so it's on the slow season back up plan

 

[marcy-m]

I scored two billboard tarps last month for 40 clams apiece. they are the BEST looking durable tarps ever! These were..hmm..14 by 48 I believe. All those giant billboards you see are printed on this rubberized fabric..they are tarps!.

I would love to get some of those. Many of our billboards are digital. I'll go investigate / call some billboard companies to see if I can find some here. Thanks!

laughing about coca cola in your greenhouse

 

[marcy-m]

Where does everybody get this green wood?

I scrounge it. Craigslist, neighbors, some landscaper friends, after storms it's all at the curb. Sometimes it's cut up nice. Most of the time it's knotty because these are subdivision lone trees. Lots of crotchety wood at the curb, too. We rarely got straight grained wood this last summer. I'm afraid the ash might have ruined us for hand splitting.

 

[marcy-m]

We're a hardy breed out here in fly-over-country...
It's been cold here before, it'll be cold here again...
If weather of any sort drove the real estate market 'round here... every house would be standing empty and for sale.
There's much worse than cold weather here; twisters, straight-line winds, floods, softball sized hail, lightening, and a malady of other weather related events destroy homes/buildings/property (or even whole towns) quite regular here... they always get rebuilt... giving-up, quitting, or running away just ain't in our make-up.

Naw... another cold winter ain't gonna' increase the number of "McMansions" for sale... likely it will reduce the number.
That sort'a stuff just increases our stubbornness...
*

This sounds like Texas where I live. Where are you?

 

[svk]

This never ends. I’ve watched a guy near my work put up a whole semi worth of logs in the past month that he’ll be burning in the next few weeks.

 

[Husky Man]

For me, it is a combination of things, that form a "Perfect Storm" to conspire against me. I am a truck driver, not long haul, but often away from home for a week or more, helping other accounts. I just got home yesterday, from Medford, went down there on the 2nd, I was away from home for about 2 1/2 weeks, just not able to get out cutting or splitting during that time.

The 2018/19 winter was really rough on the trees south of Cottage Grove, Logs Stacked along the I-5 shoulder, I was driving through there quite a bit after that, drove me NUTS seeing all that wood right on the shoulders of the highway, many places with excellent pull outs. In June of 2019, I was sent to Medford to help out there, it is one of my Common to Help accounts, I was scheduled for at least 2 weeks, so I took the trailer, and a couple saws, and got a bit over 2 cords, during the weekend in the middle of my time down there, but that was a LOT more mileage than I would normally even think about for firewood. Where we stay in Ashland is about 325 miles each way from home, and where we were cutting wood was about 150 miles from where we were staying, so all told, that trailer ran about 950 miles for that 2 cords of wood, about 625 of it loaded, but I was paid my Travel Time and Mileage ( .58/mile) for my trip to and from Ashland, so only about 300 miles were on my dime and time. We hadn't gotten too much cutting in before that trip, and were getting a bit antsy about getting some wood cutting in.

Fortunately, the Forest Circus had opened up some log decks, from trees that were cut down making fire lines for the 2017 "Eagle Creek" Fire, and we got a lot of wood out of those, the upper layers, especially of the "Tops Deck" were well exposed to the sun and wind, and were in the 11-15% MC range, with some as low as 9% MC, that we were able to burn last winter. The MC went UP as we (and others ) worked down through the decks, the lower stuff was pretty wet, around 40% MC, but it all got cut, some split, and the MC readings are looking great for this winter, with Conifers, a full year plus, is usually plenty to get good MC Levels, so we have well seasoned wood for this winter.

We heat almost exclusively with wood, and August was the Only Month this year without at least a morning fire to take the chill out of the house, even in July, we were getting over night temps in the 40's and 50's. We burn an average of 10 cords a year, a bit more during colder winters, and we are on a .17 acre, not 17 acre neighborhood lot, so trying to get 3 or more years worth of wood stockpiled isn't practical. I have another Large Cedar to have removed from the backyard, then I should be able to build another woodshed, that should Hopefully get us a bit past 2 years worth of storage, so we can get a year ahead.

Where we live, covered storage is a MUST, we get enough Rain and Snow, that firewood would NEVER season to a Burnable level uncovered, simply not an option here.

There are plenty of other projects that get delayed, Time is an issue, Space is an Issue, Availability is an Issue, we are only allowed 6 cords from the National Forest, which is where we mostly cut, but we have to scrounge the rest, so getting that extra year ahead, is a real challenge, just on the supply issue. We do what we can, but for us a 3+ year supply isn't an option. Fortunately, the Forest Circus often falls Standing Dead, and opens that up to wood cutters (Usually After July 15th, in the LSR, Late Season Reserve) and that is usually in the 13-18% MC range, some times lower. We are NOT allowed to Fall in the Mt. Hood NF, other NF's, Falling and quotas vary by amount of wood available, and the anticipated number of wood cutters for the area. Some areas allow falling Standing Dead up to 24" DBH, and up to 12 cords per household, unfortunately, those are a bit too far to go for firewood. But if I do end up in Wenatchee WA, in a couple weeks for 2 weeks, I may take the trailer and saws, They allow Falling 20" standing dead, and the permits are $5/cord, with a $20 minimum purchase, so that would be worthwhile as the cutting areas should only be 30-45 minutes from the Hotel, and I will be getting paid Time and Mileage there and home again, as well.


Doug

 

[Lionsfan]

My father in law is 84 years old and he burns 25-30 face cord a year to heat their old, uninsulated 2-story Northern Michigan farmhouse. He was born and raised on the farm next door, so he's cut, split and stacked firewood out of the same woodlot for damn near 80 years and he has never in his life put up wood a year ahead, always cuts and splits in the spring and summer, moves it to the woodshed in the fall.

 

[Marine5068]

My father in law is 84 years old and he burns 25-30 face cord a year to heat their old, uninsulated 2-story Northern Michigan farmhouse. He was born and raised on the farm next door, so he's cut, split and stacked firewood out of the same woodlot for damn near 80 years and he has never in his life put up wood a year ahead, always cuts and splits in the spring and summer, moves it to the woodshed in the fall.

So what are you saying then?
That's the best method to burn by?
Science doesn't matter?
If Johnny jumped off the bridge and lived then so should I?

 

[Marine5068]

For me, it is a combination of things, that form a "Perfect Storm" to conspire against me. I am a truck driver, not long haul, but often away from home for a week or more, helping other accounts. I just got home yesterday, from Medford, went down there on the 2nd, I was away from home for about 2 1/2 weeks, just not able to get out cutting or splitting during that time.

The 2018/19 winter was really rough on the trees south of Cottage Grove, Logs Stacked along the I-5 shoulder, I was driving through there quite a bit after that, drove me NUTS seeing all that wood right on the shoulders of the highway, many places with excellent pull outs. In June of 2019, I was sent to Medford to help out there, it is one of my Common to Help accounts, I was scheduled for at least 2 weeks, so I took the trailer, and a couple saws, and got a bit over 2 cords, during the weekend in the middle of my time down there, but that was a LOT more mileage than I would normally even think about for firewood. Where we stay in Ashland is about 325 miles each way from home, and where we were cutting wood was about 150 miles from where we were staying, so all told, that trailer ran about 950 miles for that 2 cords of wood, about 625 of it loaded, but I was paid my Travel Time and Mileage ( .58/mile) for my trip to and from Ashland, so only about 300 miles were on my dime and time. We hadn't gotten too much cutting in before that trip, and were getting a bit antsy about getting some wood cutting in.

Fortunately, the Forest Circus had opened up some log decks, from trees that were cut down making fire lines for the 2017 "Eagle Creek" Fire, and we got a lot of wood out of those, the upper layers, especially of the "Tops Deck" were well exposed to the sun and wind, and were in the 11-15% MC range, with some as low as 9% MC, that we were able to burn last winter. The MC went UP as we (and others ) worked down through the decks, the lower stuff was pretty wet, around 40% MC, but it all got cut, some split, and the MC readings are looking great for this winter, with Conifers, a full year plus, is usually plenty to get good MC Levels, so we have well seasoned wood for this winter.

We heat almost exclusively with wood, and August was the Only Month this year without at least a morning fire to take the chill out of the house, even in July, we were getting over night temps in the 40's and 50's. We burn an average of 10 cords a year, a bit more during colder winters, and we are on a .17 acre, not 17 acre neighborhood lot, so trying to get 3 or more years worth of wood stockpiled isn't practical. I have another Large Cedar to have removed from the backyard, then I should be able to build another woodshed, that should Hopefully get us a bit past 2 years worth of storage, so we can get a year ahead.

Where we live, covered storage is a MUST, we get enough Rain and Snow, that firewood would NEVER season to a Burnable level uncovered, simply not an option here.

There are plenty of other projects that get delayed, Time is an issue, Space is an Issue, Availability is an Issue, we are only allowed 6 cords from the National Forest, which is where we mostly cut, but we have to scrounge the rest, so getting that extra year ahead, is a real challenge, just on the supply issue. We do what we can, but for us a 3+ year supply isn't an option. Fortunately, the Forest Circus often falls Standing Dead, and opens that up to wood cutters (Usually After July 15th, in the LSR, Late Season Reserve) and that is usually in the 13-18% MC range, some times lower. We are NOT allowed to Fall in the Mt. Hood NF, other NF's, Falling and quotas vary by amount of wood available, and the anticipated number of wood cutters for the area. Some areas allow falling Standing Dead up to 24" DBH, and up to 12 cords per household, unfortunately, those are a bit too far to go for firewood. But if I do end up in Wenatchee WA, in a couple weeks for 2 weeks, I may take the trailer and saws, They allow Falling 20" standing dead, and the permits are $5/cord, with a $20 minimum purchase, so that would be worthwhile as the cutting areas should only be 30-45 minutes from the Hotel, and I will be getting paid Time and Mileage there and home again, as well.


Doug

Sounds like a good plan.
I'd take the trailer and do that same thing too.

 

[Marine5068]

A "head light" works great, one with an array of leds. Been known to use one busting up a few sticks after sundown.

I love my headlamps.
Use for fishing, woodsplitting and general work around the homestead after dark.

 

[Marine5068]

Every year the neighbor across the street has wood dumped around the beginning of Sept., splits it by the end of Sept. I watch the smoke billowing out of the chimney on them cold Jan. mornings and wonder how the house hasn't burnt down yet.

I like to plan ahead.
I find that my wood burns more efficiently when it's well seasoned.
That makes me feel safer and that my labors have been efficient ones too.
More energy comes out as usable heat instead of steam.
I'm usually early to arrive, but I'm not saying others that aren't or don't plan ahead are lazy or stupid.
I know that's not the case, it's more like how we like to live and that life itself gets in the way of our best laid plans.
Just some plan ahead and some don't.
That's the way of the world.
It's called Freedom.

 

[Marine5068]

Might now have had juice pouring off, but the 2 year logs I've been running are still fairly wet. Wood isn't going to really season in log form, especially birch and other "sealed bark" woods.

True.
I've burned 3 year seasoned Oak that started sizzling.
Some can take years and it sometimes just isn't possible for folks to get that far ahead if they burn say 8-10 cords a year.
That'd be 25-30 cords of firewood. I mean, where would you store it first off?
I only burn maybe 4 cords, so keeping ahead can be challenging for one guy, but a lot easier than others that burn more.
Just do our best knowing that well seasoned wood is better to burn that wet (green) wood.

 

[Marine5068]

I scrounge it. Craigslist, neighbors, some landscaper friends, after storms it's all at the curb. Sometimes it's cut up nice. Most of the time it's knotty because these are subdivision lone trees. Lots of crotchety wood at the curb, too. We rarely got straight grained wood this last summer. I'm afraid the ash might have ruined us for hand splitting.

Yep.
Millions and millions of dead Ash trees around.

 

[olyman]

Your post can be taken both ways.

with that spaz, its only bad...…...

 

[Lionsfan]

So what are you saying then?
That's the best method to burn by?
Science doesn't matter?
If Johnny jumped off the bridge and lived then so should I?

I'm saying there's no hard and fast rule. If he had all red oak instead of hard maple you wouldn't get away with it. If lived in an area with high humidity it probably wouldn't work either.

 

[Marine5068]

I'm saying there's no hard and fast rule. If he had all red oak instead of hard maple you wouldn't get away with it. If lived in an area with high humidity it probably wouldn't work either.

So there is actually a rule, or shall we say a process based on physics which is a branch of science.
We all know that dry wood is better for many reasons.
That's the rule, if you choose to follow.
The if, ands or buts don't apply.

 

[Lionsfan]

So there is actually a rule, or shall we say a process based on physics which is a branch of science.
We all know that dry wood is better for many reasons.
That's the rule, if you choose to follow.
The if, ands or buts don't apply.
Rather not get into an internet pissin' match, so I'll just say thanks for your advise and move along.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

I used to burn quite a bit of wet crap. I could fill the OWB till my little arms wore off and I got no good heat at all from it, took tons of babysitting and relighting. Have nightmares about the furnace running and blowing cold with the water temp around 50 degrees, so now whenever I wake up in the middle of the night when the furnace kicks on I wait till it kicks off... If it doesn't... I know there's problems.

This year I'm ahead, and I have an easy supply to cut on all winter for next year.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

I used to burn quite a bit of wet crap. I could fill the OWB till my little arms wore off and I got no good heat at all from it, took tons of babysitting and relighting. Have nightmares about the furnace running and blowing cold with the water temp around 50 degrees, so now whenever I wake up in the middle of the night when the furnace kicks on I wait till it kicks off... If it doesn't... I know there's problems.

This year I'm ahead, and I have an easy supply to cut on all winter for next year.

Plus, piss off your neighborhood with smoke. Or have township put rules on having an OWB.

 

[muddstopper]

Growing up, dad always burned wood in a fireplace. He had a bigstick wood loader/truck and we cut 5ft pulpwood year round, so getting a load of firewood wasnt an issue. We also had plenty of room for storage. Not knowing any better back then I never thought much about it, but grown up, I wonder about it now. Why dad didnt stock pile firewood for the winter. Cut and split a load when we needed and freeze trying to burn it in the fireplace.

My first house had a fireplace and following the tradition of harvesting wood to burn only took place right before a severe weather event. After a couple years, and a $300 power bill, I finally installed a wood stove, but my firewood was mostly cut late fall and left in a huge pile until cold weather. My next house was totally electric, altho I did install a gas fireplace in the basement den. I had 3658sqft of heated living space. We stayed warm, but it was costly. Blizzard of 93 we where without power for 9 days, we relied on kerosun heaters to keep the house warm.

My home I lived in for 20years had a wood stove in the basement, but it was burnt out and unsafe to use. I just blocked off the chimney and heated with electric until I got another one of those $300 power bills. I came home one week and the wife said, guess what I bought. It was a big steel wood stove. Well of course it was Oct and I didnt have a stick of firewood anywhere on the place. I had a truck and a saw and three sons big enough to work, so to the woods we went. Building a fire was always a pain, chopping tons of kindling, and the smoke out of the chimney staining the roof. Chimney cleaning was a regular event, at least twice each winter. While I had plenty of room for storage, working out of town every week just didnt leave a lot of time for gathering wood. I finally started getting ahead a little at a time.

I bought a log truck load of wood and processed it one winter and had wood left over. I bought a used metal carport and would stack the wood under it. Once I started stacking under the shed, I just naturally moved to wanting to see it full. It took a couple years to fill it and it would hold 8 cords. I burnt about 4 cords a year so two years ahead. Next move was stacking wood against the walls of the full wood shed. Gathering firewood became addicting. I would burn out of one end of the shed one year and replace that wood with new as I burnt out of the opposite end the next winter. All excess was stacked outside against the shed and often in large piles all around the shed. Now the beauty of being that far ahead was I didnt have to rush trying to harvest wood. I could take easy wood at any time I found it, and I found that there was plenty of wood just for the taking around new homesites and developments. Often the contractors would load my trailer for me using their equipment. Another benefit was those same contractors would call me when they had wood needing to be moved. Another benefit was splitter scraps make excellent kindling. Starting a fire was a breeze. If I didnt have scraps in the house, I would just pull splinters off the splits and they would light with a match. Chimney cleaning became less often and often resulted in just a few handfuls of soot.

I sold my house and have bought a new one. Nothing but electric and a wood burning fireplace. I donated almost 7 cords of split and dried wood I had stockpiled to some folks that burnt wood but not able to harvest it themselfs. I hope they dont burn their houses down burning dry wood because they have never burnt dry wood before. I guarantee the dry wood will burn hotter than the green wood they are used too. My plans are to install a gas heater in the fireplace. I wont go to the expense of trying to fit a wood stove since my plans are to only live here about two years. Where I plan to build my new home, I have about 3 or 4 cords of logs already stacked and drying to give me a start for when I get moved into the new house which will have a new energy efficient wood stove. I can harvest plenty of dead and dying wood off the new place to last me well into old age.