Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[John_Mc]

Yesterday I packed a trail that I haven't used this winter and want to start using.

There are a couple soft spots that I hope will stiffen up now that they are exposed and out from under the snow.

I've been doing that myself, every time it looks as though we'll get a good cold snap. Unfortunately, every time it starts to stiffen up, it warms up and we get rain. I'd really like to get some work done on the far end of the property, but don't want to tear up my trails to get there.

 

[Loaderman22]

Ahh, its nice to see snow again! We got 2 different dustings, one just before Christmas, that the rain promptly removed, and some wintery mix last night that the 45 degree weather took care of by 10am today. Not that I want to go plow, but it does help keep everything a bit cleaner.

 

[IndyJay]

Is “need” really ever a requirement for government grants?

Yes, you "need" to be on the list of contributors...

 

[Loaderman22]

Here's a question that I don't think has been asked in a while... What moisture content do you guys prefer in your firewood when ready to burn? The jolly fat man in red brought me a moisture meter, so I have been checking everything! I know the internet says about 20% but that seems high to me. And I know some of you with newer wood stoves need to have the pieces smaller and quite dry to burn efficiently. I know the drier the better, but is there a number you like to get below? Just curious.

 

[stephenh]

I prefer less than 20%. In fact, I don't burn it if it's that high. You probably know this, but you should test the moisture on a fresh face of a newly-split piece. The end of the chunk will always test lower than inside the wood.

 

[John_Mc]

Here's a question that I don't think has been asked in a while... What moisture content do you guys prefer in your firewood when ready to burn? The jolly fat man in red brought me a moisture meter, so I have been checking everything! I know the internet says about 20% but that seems high to me. And I know some of you with newer wood stoves need to have the pieces smaller and quite dry to burn efficiently. I know the drier the better, but is there a number you like to get below? Just curious.

20% is more of a maximmum for efficient and clean burning. I tend to air-dry mine down to under 15% and get good results with that. If the relative humidity in the area of your woodpile is around 60%, the equilibrium moisture content of the wood will not get below about 11% anyway.

A former business partner was a wood combustion guru (designed & troubleshot control systems for commercial wood boilers). He dispelled me of the notion that dryer is always better. I can no longer repeat the science behind it, but what it amounts to is that some moisture is necessary to regulate the combustion.

 

[Loaderman22]

I prefer less than 20%. In fact, I don't burn it if it's that high. You probably know this, but you should test the moisture on a fresh face of a newly-split piece. The end of the chunk will always test lower than inside the wood.

Yes I checked some fresh off the splitter poplar and maple and they ranged 18%-21%. I let it sit a week in my covered totes outside and the pieces went down a little. Now it's in the dry basement about 10 feet from the woodstove so I will check it again to see how much they lost..

I have some cherry I cut down a while ago, (it was that severe leaner tree I posted pics of). It was laying on the ground, so I split and tested various pieces of that. The pieces that were on the top "side" were 20%, the parts that were touching dirt were a bit more. (no surprise there) What I did find surprising were the standing dead cherry trees that blew over in the storm last July, part of the insides were starting to mush, but the solid pieces were still 17%-18%, I figured they'd be much lower. I will keep checking them also.

A kid and his new toy!!

 

[ericm979]

I think it depends on the stove. My EPA I non cat stove does not like wood that's wet. The manual says under 15% and they're right. For my climate and wood species that means at least one summer split and stacked, preferably two. Some species like Eucalyptus need two at a minimum to burn cleanly.

Thanks for the NCRS etc links. All of that and the state Williamson Act as well are for land in production or supporting it. While we do have some vinyards and Christmas tree farms in the area most people including me just live here for the space and quiet and make their living in some other way. Our whole area of private plots and public open space is in desperate need of forest management. It's not burned here in a very long time, maybe a century or more, and the land is very productive. As a result the fuel loading is super high.

 

[goeduck]

I will burn 18% and lower. In our climate wood bottoms out around 16% to 17% (on my meter) when stored outside under cover. I usually burn wood that has gone through 2 summers after being split. My wood goes straight from outside to the stove, I do not keep any inside for bug reasons.

 

[CobyRupert]

I will burn 18% and lower. In our climate wood bottoms out around 16% to 17% (on my meter) when stored outside under cover. I usually burn wood that has gone through 2 summers after being split. My wood goes straight from outside to the stove, I do not keep any inside for bug reasons.

I need one of those meters.
I like to see a test of:
1) How wood in a shed dries compared to wood out in the sun. (And how this varies by covered, not covered, rain, snow, stack spacing, orientation, shed ventilation, etc..)
2) Old timers would say to cut tree and leave leaves on until they whither to draw moisture out. Wonder how this would compare to cutting dormant tree after leaves have fallen in winter?