Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[MechanicMatt]

Except for steves girl friend hehehehehe. Btw when I retire its of to bristol tn for me, they got a dragstrip, circle track, and cheap beer. Got a BIL down there, visit quite often, every time were out catching a game and having a beer I meet the nicest folks. Always friendly, up here in NY I'm more likely to need bail money from jerks wanting to start trouble.

 

[Ambull01]

Yeah you guys are right, lots of states are represented here. Maybe it just seems like more are from MN and Canada because ya'll are the loudest.

Got a stupid question. I'm going to scrounge some wood this weekend. Lady said the downed trees in her "acreage" is some kind of oak. I know oak is good firewood but it takes so long to season! Do you guys really season oak for 2-3 years?

 

[Ambull01]

Except for steves girl friend hehehehehe. Btw when I retire its of to bristol tn for me, they got a dragstrip, circle track, and cheap beer. Got a BIL down there, visit quite often, every time were out catching a game and having a beer I meet the nicest folks. Always friendly, up here in NY I'm more likely to need bail money from jerks wanting to start trouble.

Sounds like the NC Appalachian mountains. Everyone waves as you drive by. Took me a while to get used to that. Nothing like that around here. I believe DC/MD has some of the most rudest drivers in the U.S.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Depends on how skinny you split it, how much sun light and wind its exspossed to. And oh yeah what kinda oak is it?

 

[Ambull01]

Depends on how skinny you split it, how much sun light and wind its exspossed to. And oh yeah what kinda oak is it?

I see, so lots of variables. I think it's white oak. I'll take some pics this weekend and try and figure out for sure.

 

[svk]

I believe DC/MD has some of the most rudest drivers in the U.S.

They aren't like folks from rural Texas that's for sure.

But I think Philly drivers are the worst.

 

[greendohn]

Why is everyone from MN or Canada in this thread?

Nope, I'm not Canukistanian nor Ministonian,,I'm from out here in God's country,,where the soil is fertile and the fishes are sneaky-elusive beasts,,

 

[svk]

Except for steves girl friend hehehehehe.

I think Olyman (where is he lately) and Spidey are high above me on a certain member's dance card

 

[Zale]

Sounds like the NC Appalachian mountains. Everyone waves as you drive by. Took me a while to get used to that. Nothing like that around here. I believe DC/MD has some of the most rudest drivers in the U.S.

Thats not true. We just don't like people from the eastern shore.

 

[Ambull01]

They aren't like folks from rural Texas that's for sure.

But I think Philly drivers are the worst.

Haven't been to Philly in a while. I need to go up, get a cheese steak, and scrounge some firewood. I'll see if they are worse than DC beltway drivers.

Nope, I'm not Canukistanian nor Ministonian,,I'm from out here in God's country,,where the soil is fertile and the fishes are sneaky-elusive beasts,,

I thought NC was God's country. I went to Indianapolis, I like that town too. Pretty simple actually finding your way around, not like other cities.

 

[Ambull01]

Thats not true. We just don't like people from the eastern shore.

lol. Well you can have the grid lock. No seriously, I heard it on DC 101 (best station ever BTW). DC has the rudest drivers in the nation.

 

[Zale]

I don't know about rudest but I would say they are not the brightest. I commute 10 minutes to work so I get to avoid the rush hour traffic until I jump in a tree truck and join the madness.

 

[Ambull01]

I don't know about rudest but I would say they are not the brightest. I commute 10 minutes to work so I get to avoid the rush hour traffic until I jump in a tree truck and join the madness.

They can't drive worth a lick either. Throw some rain in the mix and there's accidents every where.

So you drive a tree truck huh. Umm, you have any scroungable firewood?

 

[mainewoods]

Got a stupid question. I'm going to scrounge some wood this weekend. Lady said the downed trees in her "acreage" is some kind of oak. I know oak is good firewood but it takes so long to season! Do you guys really season oak for 2-3 years?

Splitting it in small pieces will really speed up the drying process, especially oak. Stack it in rows running north to south for maximum sun exposure, and out in the open as much as you can, so the prevailing wind can work it's magic. Remember that sunny,hot, never any shade, spot last summer. The one where you wouldn't set up a lawn chair on any given really hot day. That's where your wood pile should be. With oak, there is no better time to c/s/s it than right now. Yesterday would have been better.

 

[mainewoods]

If that "oak" has been down a while and the bark is showing any signs of falling off, you are that much further ahead of the game. Ask her how long it's been down, you might get lucky and find out it's been a year or two, which is a whole better than completely green. There are lot's of "tricks" to speed up seasoning firewood on here, and online. These particular red oak were left behind by a logging outfit and were down for 3 years. I split them small, stacked them in Aug., and by Oct. they were cracked on the ends and ready enough to burn. Got a stove full burning right now. Not perfectly dry, but very burnable, and that 3 month seasoning time wasn't even during the best drying time of the year.

 

[fj40]

Yeah you guys are right, lots of states are represented here. Maybe it just seems like more are from MN and Canada because ya'll are the loudest.

Got a stupid question. I'm going to scrounge some wood this weekend. Lady said the downed trees in her "acreage" is some kind of oak. I know oak is good firewood but it takes so long to season! Do you guys really season oak for 2-3 years?

Hey Ambull01,
I normally collect blow downs or standing dead in the spring, c/s/s and the wood is more than ready for the following winter. It’s been my experience that oak doesn’t need two years to season. Two or three years ago a large white oak came down in a September storm, I promptly cut it up into rounds with the help of my neighbor. I stacked the rounds exposing them to the elements all winter, the following spring I spilt and stacked them in my wood shed and they burned just fine the following winter. Maybe it’s our lovely Maryland summers. I’m not trying to be argumentative just giving you my experience. Hey, I’ll be heading to the eastern shore this Saturday my daughter is in the State field hockey championship.

 

[Ambull01]

If that "oak" has been down a while and the bark is showing any signs of falling off, you are that much further ahead of the game. Ask her how long it's been down, you might get lucky and find out it's been a year or two, which is a whole better than completely green. There are lot's of "tricks" to speed up seasoning firewood on here, and online. These particular red oak were left behind by a logging outfit and were down for 3 years. I split them small, stacked them in Aug., and by Oct. they were cracked on the ends and ready enough to burn. Got a stove full burning right now. Not perfectly dry, but very burnable, and that 3 month seasoning time wasn't even during the best drying time of the year. View attachment 377849

Hmm, thanks for posting that pic. If I saw that in the woods, I probably would have passed on it. Looks rotted to me with my untrained eye. I think the lady said most of the oak has been down about a year. Others just came down this summer. If I do burn this year, I'll just use all the poplar and save the oak for next year.

Hey Ambull01,
I normally collect blow downs or standing dead in the spring, c/s/s and the wood is more than ready for the following winter. It’s been my experience that oak doesn’t need two years to season. Two or three years ago a large white oak came down in a September storm, I promptly cut it up into rounds with the help of my neighbor. I stacked the rounds exposing them to the elements all winter, the following spring I spilt and stacked them in my wood shed and they burned just fine the following winter. Maybe it’s our lovely Maryland summers. I’m not trying to be argumentative just giving you my experience. Hey, I’ll be heading to the eastern shore this Saturday my daughter is in the State field hockey championship.

Not argumentative at all. That was just what I read on Hearth.com so it's good to know I don't have to sit on the oak for so long before I burn it.

What part of MD are you? I love the eastern shore. Oh, stay away from it Sunday. They're having a bridge run or something.

 

[svk]

Hmm, thanks for posting that pic. If I saw that in the woods, I probably would have passed on it. Looks rotted to me with my untrained eye. I think the lady said most of the oak has been down about a year. Others just came down this summer. If I do burn this year, I'll just up all the poplar and save the oak for next year.

If you ever see blowdown in the woods, just cut one section of round out of it to see if it's good because things like oak can sit for a long time and still be solid.

 

[Ambull01]

I think I may have another scrounge opportunity. Anyone know what lap wood means? Saw a CL post about a logging operation and they said there's plenty of lap wood for free.

 

[benp]

If you ever see blowdown in the woods, just cut one section of round out of it to see if it's good because things like oak can sit for a long time and still be solid.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said for my Sugar Maples but I think they hit the ground with one foot in the punky grave already.