From everything I've been reading, it's supposed to, right? So what's the deal? I cut the trees in the spring of '13...while the snow was still on the ground. The logs were cut into stove length right away and then thrown into a stack/pile for the two following summers. Starting around Labor day (a bit before) the rounds were split and stacked. Now at the same time, there were also maple and oak trees that were cut and bucked etc. It is all split and stacked now. As of last weekend, I noticed the nc-13 dying out and struggling to keep lit...the same problem one has when the wood is too wet, you know? So, I throw in a couple smaller splits-still the same. When I switch to the maple, well sir, no problem. The stove takes off and gets back up to temp. I thought ash was supposed to dry quicker and season faster. I have found that to be false. Anyone else with me on this one?
I agree with you. I believe that Ash is much drier than a lot of other species when first cut, but it still takes a least a year or 2 to fully dry. I have burnt Ash that was seasoned about 18 months and that sizzled in the stove. People around here cut Ash in the Fall and burn it that winter in their smoke dragons.
How were the rounds stacked prior to splitting? My BIL had been sitting on a whole bunch of rounds for a couple years - some 3+. He was expecting to be able to burn it this year. Brought my MM over there, and tested them. In fact, the majority of the ash rounds he had were in the teens - even after resplitting. However, anything that was standing on end, or in contact with the ground, was still in the high 30's on the ends - and pegged the meter when we resplit them.
Stacked on the ground with the bark still on, of course. Never stacked with the cut down...acts like a wick. But, so was the maple...that seems to burn just fine which leads me to believe it is drier than the ash.
Yep. If that was soft Maple, it will dry a lot faster than White Ash (don't know about the other Ashes.) Here, it seems to get noticeably drier in 4 months. Dennis says it will even dry fast in the round.... yooperdave, maybe you just ran into some of the wood that was in contact with the ground, maybe the stuff on top of that is better? Now, I stack it all on pallets; Splits, fresh-cut rounds, everything.
Would've used pallets if I could have found some...for some odd reason, there seems to be a shortage of em here in the U.P.---I'm told there's a market for them below the bridge! But no, it wasn't the stuff that was in contact with the ground. I put that on a different pile. I'm hoping that it will be alright for the upcoming months. I now have it stacked (since splitting) under an eave with southern exposure. Which, by the way, half of the pile fell over whilst 99 and I were on a bike ride!
Well, this just re-enforces the idea that the wood should be split and stacked for at least a year, just about no matter what it is. (Oak doesn't count in this discussion) Hard lesson right there. And, it sucks. I'd like to burn some Ash, but don't have any available unless I buy it, and that ain't happenin'. Another learning moment......don't take bike rides, since they obviously cause wood stacks to fall. Man Dave, when it rains it pours.
(Sure are a lot of guys named Dave on this site) I have the wood for this year well under control. I just put some of the wonder ash on top of the pile...probably take it off next weekend to avoid the aggravation of it. Maybe I need a sit/lay down bike like the Savage in order to get away with going for a ride??? The oak will be used next year or the year after. The 13 can be finicky ya know.
+1 At Least a year Sounds like the Daves have learned the lesson about CSS for at least a year to properly season wood. Learned that lesson with birch, gotta split it or it will get punky , Sounds like the ash is gonna warm you a few times
Hey, maybe the fact that it fell means that it's drying! Never give up hope! Good to hear that you're not relying on the Ash for this year.
Not being split is the key, wood seasons terribly in rounds even if they're stacked. My first season I cut/split some ash in March and by October it was right about 20%. Ash starts out in the 30's after one summer and it's in a pretty decent place, it takes oak a season two just to get to where ash starts out.
This is the first time I've devoted any effort to ash; with all the good rep that it has been getting, I actually surprised that it is not any better than any other hardwood...in fact, the maple is better. Doesn't matter, I thought that someone else had met with the same disappointment. If it bothers me that much, I can always burn it in the OWB.
