Any body go an idea how long it wood take to bring moister down to 25 percent with large amount of air flow and moderate heat. Cut and split 16 inchs long. Wood verys. Just ball park. I have sold around 1500 ton already and I am just about out of dry wood. May be have 4 more dump truck loads. I thought I was setup for the winter. Wrong later
Drying Firewood
- Thread starter CRThomas
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forgeblast
Elite Member
Build a holz hausen to dry firewood by Doug Fluckiger Issue #132
I have used this and if you can get away with not having to burn it until 1/2 way through the season it works well, I also came across this.
STORING FIREWOOD
but, i think that you really need to make sure the plastic is not touching the wood. I would even think something like a saltbox top would help get the condensation off the wood.
I have used this and if you can get away with not having to burn it until 1/2 way through the season it works well, I also came across this.
STORING FIREWOOD
but, i think that you really need to make sure the plastic is not touching the wood. I would even think something like a saltbox top would help get the condensation off the wood.
Kyle241
Platinum Member
When was it cut? If it was recent, it's going to take a while to get down to a decent moisture level or considered 'dry'. Depending on the species, this can range from 40%-65% when initially cut. Even at 20% moisture, it only has available heat of approximately 80% of total energy content. So I'm going to say, 'a while' or likely 4-6mths if it was freshly cut and I would lean more towards 6mths as ideally it should be dried for longer than that.
LD1
Epic Contributor
Good air flow, good heat, and smaller peices, maybe a month.
But it all depends on HOW much airflow, how warm, and how small it is split. Smaller stuff will dry faster.
But it all depends on HOW much airflow, how warm, and how small it is split. Smaller stuff will dry faster.
SandburRanch
Veteran Member
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- NHtd75
If you can find customers gullible enough to purchase wood by the ton, leave it at 50 percent and give um a real good screwin.:laughing:
I agree. I hope he's not selling firewood by the ton. In New Hampshire it's illegal to sell firewood by the ton. It also sends up a huge red flag cause you're usually being taken advantage of unless you're buying by the cord.
LD1
Epic Contributor
I agree too:thumbsup:
I sometimes see ads around me selling by the ton. Usually down in the big city of columbus.
And oddly enough, they usually charge as much per/ton as the people selling by the cord:confused2: And sometimes more.
Average in my rural area is $130/cord. Down in the city, it is $170-200/cord. And last I seen the guy selling by the ton, it was $180/ton.
Too bad it takes almost two full tons DRY just to make one cord.:confused2:
And what if he is delivering that wood on a rainy day?????????
And in ohio, a cord or fraction of a cord is the ONLY legal way to sell firewood too. (unless it is in pre-wrapped bundles)
90cummins
Veteran Member
I've been burning wood for years but this year I was quite late getting wood cut & split. Being in a bind I started to ponder my options on force drying my wood.
What I ended up doing was this and it's working quite well.
I took my utility trailer which is 6 1/2 ft by 16 and installed 12 sideboards on the sides & front to allow stacking.
Then I cut an opening in the front board over the hitch end and installed a squire cage fan like those found in forced air heating systems with the outlet forcing air through the wood pile.
I then packed the split wood and covered it with a 12 X 20 rubber (old floor matt) & used straps to prevent the wind from blowing the cover off.
Then parked it out in the open for sun exposure and plugged the fan in and let it run 24/7.
If the temp is going to be cold at night I UN plug the fan so the wood retains the heat then plug it back in the AM.
Hope this helps
Tim
What I ended up doing was this and it's working quite well.
I took my utility trailer which is 6 1/2 ft by 16 and installed 12 sideboards on the sides & front to allow stacking.
Then I cut an opening in the front board over the hitch end and installed a squire cage fan like those found in forced air heating systems with the outlet forcing air through the wood pile.
I then packed the split wood and covered it with a 12 X 20 rubber (old floor matt) & used straps to prevent the wind from blowing the cover off.
Then parked it out in the open for sun exposure and plugged the fan in and let it run 24/7.
If the temp is going to be cold at night I UN plug the fan so the wood retains the heat then plug it back in the AM.
Hope this helps
Tim
Short Game
Veteran Member
Sub-freezing air is great for drawing out moisture.
I hate buying wood. I haven't in many years. When I was just out of the navy and/or L.A. for the first time, and moved to the north coast, I didn't know squat. Everyone said their wood was dry and seasoned, but rarely it was. I think about all I've learned since I was that ignorant 21 year old. Just getting my own wood was so much work and trouble, selling it never seemed worth it. I didn't want to cut all my own trees, so I'd get a permit to go out and cut behind the loggers.
Now, in my old age, and having a tractor, I get my, and my neighbors' wood every year. I do my neighbors as a free service, as we're all old now. I take time to remove the moss so it dries faster and better and is cleaner. If I were doing it for money, I could never do it as well. Now we also cut our own trees (alder). With the amount of woodlot we have, we could never cut them as fast as they grow, so we have a system with a positive carbon collection.
I hate buying wood. I haven't in many years. When I was just out of the navy and/or L.A. for the first time, and moved to the north coast, I didn't know squat. Everyone said their wood was dry and seasoned, but rarely it was. I think about all I've learned since I was that ignorant 21 year old. Just getting my own wood was so much work and trouble, selling it never seemed worth it. I didn't want to cut all my own trees, so I'd get a permit to go out and cut behind the loggers.
Now, in my old age, and having a tractor, I get my, and my neighbors' wood every year. I do my neighbors as a free service, as we're all old now. I take time to remove the moss so it dries faster and better and is cleaner. If I were doing it for money, I could never do it as well. Now we also cut our own trees (alder). With the amount of woodlot we have, we could never cut them as fast as they grow, so we have a system with a positive carbon collection.
165masseyky
Bronze Member
I work for a rather large company that produces Charcoal,firewood,chips,chunks, and fire logs. I believe I can help you with your problem. I am unsure of what temps you can reach with your heating system but I will throw some numbers out. To achieve 25% moisture in 24ton cycles in a 40hr period we input 280 degrees with 70cfs air flow. We usually dry in the neighborhood of 1000T per year and I am sure you can pull back the heat and air flow to accomplish your drying needs. Our wood sizes vary as well coming thru a KordKing but you can usually figure on 40hrs for 24T. If you are drying 5T or less at a time I used a tight insulated structure that makes reaching 140 degree ambient temp easily done with a oil or gas burner with the forced air blowing in thru the bottom of one wall. Now this is the tricky part. You need to make a curtain ran in the same direction as your stacks.Attach it to the ceiling and laying on the wood to force the air flow through the wood an not allowing it to pass over. Also you need to install two baffle gates one on either side of the building high up on the walls. Switching the open/closed sides ever 8 to 10 hrs. This should dry 5T in 72 hrs. For mine that I built I purchased an Amish built portable barn 10x12 and insulated it with fiber board. Used a oil burner from a local garage that had closed down and burned used motor oil which was happily donated by the community. Its EPA approved and efficient. I built a heat channel made of metal duck work to run 15 feet to the inlet of the building. In the summer months I can hit 170. I installed a couple of spark screens that I purchased from the local fireplace store as fire safety. I have noticed it takes us(me,wife ,kids, and any neighborhood kids who show up and are bored enough to help) about the entire cycle time to haul in saw up split and have ready for the dryer 5T for the next cycle. My company uses this exact set up with saw mill slab wood for the production of Charcoal. Works awesome brings 60T of wood down to 10% or less in 50hrs at 375degree. There is of coarse some much bigger heat and air sources but the same concept.:thumbsup:
