Wet wood in a log that has been cut for years.

Bird · Feb 1, 2005

John, the worst twisted species I ever split was the lower end of BIG sycamore trees. I had to let some of those "stumps" dry for over 2 years before I could split them with a maul and wedges. The first time I drove a wedge into one, it stayed there for that two years; split about as much as driving a finishing nail in a 2 x 4. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Jim_Fisher · Feb 1, 2005

Dan,

( What the stove seems to like best wood size wise, and we just moved in at the first of the January, is smaller wood with the width of the wood being no more than three inches. In a couple of hours I split, and loosly stacked about a half a cord. The stove does not take long pieces so the wood has to be smaller which splits easier.
)

If the wood is just wet, three inch splits shouldn't take long to dry. It seems like water will leave the wood a whole lot quicker than sap.

I think that you are on the right track switching to some of the smaller diameter logs with the bark still on. If they've been down for several years and not growing leaves, I can't imagine that they are still green. If, however, they are still green it would be better to split them in the spring and stack them for next winter. You'll probably be able to tell when you cut them to length. Seasoned oak is considerably harder to cut than green oak.

Do you have any dead standing oak with the bark off? If they aren't hollow, they're usually pretty dry inside. The wind removes what little moisture they pick up when it rains or snows. Be careful of the dead limbs in the top if you decide to drop one.

Let us know how you make out.

jwnge · Feb 1, 2005

We had oak wilt and Gypsy Moths here 3 years ago and it killed 2 of our big oaks, 3 ft at the base and 75 to 100 ft tall. They stood till last fall anf I had them cut down and cut into firewood sized chunks figuring they would have dried. We bought our new 2015 in November with splitter and started splitting. Water would gush all around the cutting wedge as it pushed through. They had not been rained on in at least a month.. We split and put the wood in an 8ft. by 36 ft. greenhouse which is attached to our house. On sunny days we get 140 degrees of drying heat and I also have a fan running in there. The wood has been there since mid Dec. 04 and we still have a hard time starting it. Watching those big oaks dry standing , I thought I had easily dried wood, boy was I wrong... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif JohnJ

CtRick · Feb 1, 2005

( As a side note, I found a good way for bringing wood indoors. Get some of the larger Rubbermaid tubs and put the firewood in those. I use about 6 of them and stack outside and bring one in when needed. It's clean (keeps chips and stuff in the tubs) and tops keep any bugs that do wake up inside the tub. )

I do kinda the same thing only I use square garbage cans. I got square ones in case I had to use a dolly, but so far I've been able to muscle them into the house. I can fit about a days worth in each one, as they are fairly large. I used to use a cart made for this purpose but it made a mess. This way is much better, for me at least.

Rick

dmccarty · Feb 2, 2005

Brian,

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

( Please Dan, call me Brian or bczoom or something. Mr Zoom is my Dad. )

I figured bczoom was not your real name but that it meant that you like to go fast or something. I was thinking race cars or bikes. LOL! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If you have kids you are a Mr. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I still do a double take when someone calls me Mr. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I went home last night and the wifey had started the fire. Which is goodness. The badness is that the piece of wood I brought in was already burnt up.

But I don't think it matters. I went and split a Chunk O Firewood that I had split the other day. This piece is sitting so that the sun could hit it all day.

It was just as wet as when I first split the wood. Its drying but not fast. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I did burn a bunch of it just to see what would happen. Well it burns but the end grain gushes water and the wood is charred black. We did manage to get the fire to heat up the house by a couple of degrees which was a good thing. With the dry wood we have been able to get the house 3-4 degrees above the thermastat setting. Since we were not really trying to push the heat up last night the fire was ok.

We have another storm arriving tonight and tomorrow. We have enough wood to get through the next couple of days. This weekend I'll go after trees that have been stacked up for hears and still have bark on them to see if that makes a difference. There are some smaller trees that have been down for years that I might go clean up and see if they are dried out.

This sure has been a suprise to me....

Later,
Dan

dmccarty · Feb 2, 2005

Fishman,

I like the excercise as well. Since my wood is all oak, hickory or that odd poplar its easy to split. When I get to a limb I try to cut that section much smaller so it will be easier to split. If I have to much trouble splitting the section it goes off to the side and gets added to the hugh burn pile I have.

So far the maul has held up well. Its one with a fiberglass handle.

My thighs where killing me yesterday from splitting. Not my back but the back of my thighs....

Later,
Dan

dmccarty · Feb 2, 2005

Jim,

I do have some standing dead trees but I'm leaving them alone. I'll let Momma Nature bring them down since they are not going to hurt anything when they fall.

Birds have made nets all over them as well so I want the trees to stay as long as they can. I have cut down dead trees before. I don't like cutting down dead trees. They scare me bad. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I'll let Momma Nature take these down for me.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

She has done a good job so far on dead trees. Just have to be patient. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Later,
Dan

bczoom · Feb 2, 2005

Dan,

Well, as I expected in my original post, the oak is still wet (green).

Well, I guess you'll have to give the small stuff a try.

I too try to leave the dead stuff standing and let the wind bring them down. Much safer and I have plenty on the ground that keep me busy.

Brian

Varmintmist · Feb 2, 2005

You still have green wood and it is not going to burn well and you wont cure it in a week. I posted on another thread the minimum reccomended time is 9 months. That is for 18-24 in chunks.

Get out there and see if you can find some fallen dead or take the standing dead if you really need the heat.

The other thing that can be BAD about burning green and not being able to burn hot is that you WILL build creosote in the chimney and had a potential for a chimney fire. Wait until next year, or buy some cured wood.

dmccarty · Feb 2, 2005

Varmitmist,

I did see your post about the nine months on the other thread. That is good info. I'm not going to burn anymore of the wood unless we loose power. Thankfully all of the wood is stacked on pallets so all I have to do is put on the forks to move the wood.

I know some of the wood we where burning earlier was similar to the log I just split but it was dry. And this log had been sitting on the ground since 2000/2001. I don't know when that tree fell though. I just know when I cut it into logs. I'm going to see if there is another log from that tree. I'm curious to see if it is dried out.

Later,
Dan