Burning myths

In my region people are more apt to use the words "green" and "seasoned", although like anywhere else, the term "seasoned" is subjective. I think the most accurate way to refer to dryness of wood is in terms of it's moisture content (MC) in percentage points (%). To say your firewood is "seasoned" is virtually meaningless, but to say your firewood is < 20% MC is very meaningful and useful. Of course the only way you can do that would be if you had access to a moisture meter and knew how to use it.

 

The holes from the beetles are pretty small and not the most obvious sign of pine beetles. The most obvious sign is the blue gray stained wood that may look like the pictures below. Either in radial steaks like the first image, or a solid ring next to the bark like the second image. It is not the beetle damage that kills the trees, but the blue staining bacteria that beetles introduce into the tree when they burrow in.

 

Myth: Heating your home with firewood saves you a lot of money.

Fact: Well if you are a firewood hoarder who likes saws and equipment, then no, it probably does not.

Myth: There is no such thing as Sasquatch.

Fact: If you ever ran across some of these guys from the Firewood Hoarders Club in the woods while hunting for firewood, with their beards and all dirtied up work clothes from head to toe you, you would be a questioning that!

Myth: Scotty Overkill's wood stash can be seen from the moon.

Fact: I saw his stash in the new movie "Interstellar" when they looked at earth from a massive black hole light years away. Even Mathew McConaughey was talking about it after they finished the movie. In that real cool voice like in the car commercials. He was talking about Scotty's dedication. You know how it sounds, quiet..... "Scotty didn't do it to be cool, he is just a real American firewood hoarder."



(The movie takes place in the future so Scotty's ancesters were still using his stacks!)

 

We have the eab. I know that we also had a bad oak wilt a while back I'm not sure if it's totally ran it's course yet but I've been getting a ton of wood access from it so at least someone's benefiting from it right?

 

That is helpful i guess maybe we don't have the beetles here but a lot of the pine that i do get is a little punky and sponge like on the outside abd solid as can be inside later I'll snap a couple pics so you guys can see

 

A cord of wood will fit in a pick-up bed. What does 4x4x8 or 128 cu feet mean. (not a burning myth just a buying myth)

 

Hedge myth. I have burned tons of Hedge in my old Buck since 1982 and it hasn't melted down yet It is a hot burner for sure. Closest other wood I have burned is Hickory. Oh, and it yields big hot coals in the morning. Just be ready for sparks and more sparks when you stir the coals and put air to them

 

Myth: "This will be the last chainsaw I'll ever need, honey. And it was such a good deal it practically paid for itself!"

Fact: I'm sleeping on the couch.

 

Myth...wood stoves are dangerous.

Fact...wood stoves are dangerous if not properly used and maintained.

 

And installed.

 

Actually that's not a myth. If you have a full size PU truck with side racks (which is pretty common), and heavy enough suspension, you can quite comfortably fit a full cord in the bed. A truck bed is 8 ft long x 5 ft wide, so you would only have to stack the wood about 3.2 ft high to get a full cord. 8 X 5 X 3.2 = 128 sq ft.
I do it all the time, except I usually stack my load 7 ft long X 5 Ft wide X 4 ft high = 140 sq ft, so I can get a little more then a full cord in there

EDIT: In order to be totally accurate you have to add a few splits extra on to the above measurements to account for the space wheel wells displace.

 

My FIL always says no way can you get a cord in your truck bed. I just smile and nod.

 

Sounds like a "face cord" or "kitchen cord" or some other fraudulent measurement. No way I'm putting in the time, effort and fuel to cut, transport, split, etc. a legal cord for that kind of money.

 

I've always heard a full size pick up load stacked roughly flush is about a face cord and that 3face cord is one pulp cord, loggers cord, or full cord. With so many people with so many different opinions who knows what's what anymore! 1pile stacked 8feet long 4feet high pieces cut 16to 18inches long is one face cord,that's the only thing i would sell or buy from anyone, with a accurate moisture content reading of course

 

The definition of a face cord is highly variable depending on where you are.

 

And the size of your face.

 

Myth - heating with wood warms you twice.

Fact - warms you dozens of times.

 

Myth? Burning beer cans in your stove will clean your chimney...I never tried it and I get 5 cents a can to return them so guess I will just burn dry wood and not worry about creosote build-up...