In a previous post I mentioned that I got most of the wood from a neighboring elm tree that was dead for about 2 or 3 years. I got it all blocked up on Saturday, and started splitting today. Not too bad for splitting. Alot of it seemed bone dry, especially how light some of the pieces were. A step or two away from being punky, but still real solid. I checked the moisture, came in at around 40. There was only a couple pieces that had that middle fungus line. Must have been a big branch that was dead longer that the tree. Most of the other rounds still had darker stringy, almost like still being green. 2 front rows of rounds are elm, the rest of the stash is white oak, black birch and ash. I got alot of splitting and stacking to do. Good thing my son has a new found love with the splitter, and he is learning to do it my way. I like as many square splits as possible.
Haaaa! That is exactly what I find with standing dead Elm here as well. WET! Can't tell ya how many threads I've read about excited hoarders that are heading straight to the stove with there "dry standing dead" fresh harvest
People say the same about Ash, which is likely a lot lower MC than dead Elm. Still why not just let it season while split in a stack for a year to be safe.
Pricey, why do you like square splits? I like because it makes good pieces to use when building end stacks in the criss-cross pattern. Anything else? I am surprised moisture content is that high. I guess it might be that it improves rapidly upon splitting.
But we don't know if that tree was standing or down. I rarely get that white line and I leave them standing for longer than 2 years if possible. I have burned some right away but never the bottom third of the tree as that usually still has too much moisture.
I'll gladly raise my hand to saying this about ready to burn dead standing elm. That's how it works around here, aside from the first couple of trunk feet off the ground. I have plenty of data points of mm readings over the years to back it up. Ymmv though.
Square and rectangular pieces are best for cribbing the ends of stacks. I'm surprised at the mm reading being as high as shown too. Where was that reading taken from on the tree? Had to have been pretty low to the ground.
I like the square splits to stack in my stove. I stack them on either side, right to the walls, leaving a 1 to 2 inch gap in the middle. I fill that gap a little less than half with less than 1 inch diameter kindling splits, then light those. The kindling usually supports the side stacks, so when it burns up, the side stacks lean in, burning off each other. I call it the canyon fire build. I love experimenting with different fire builds. I believe I have turned the job of heating my home into a whole other hobby level.
I plan on using some in the spring, then my sister always buys campfire wood off me, so she can have some, then get rid of the rest next fall.
I find that dead ash that is standing typically has a moisture content of around high 20's to 30% when cut. Elm, that's dead standing long enough that there's no bark on it and there's cracks the long way in the wood, are under 20% mc once you get up a few feet. Using that kind of wood will help you get ahead in your wood supply because you can burn it right away.
