I think I'm starting to see the problem

I just dont get that papadave, I have no sizzlers in the Oak I burn (Bur), dead when cut and sit for 2 summers and it takes off on coals instantly with no signs of moisture what so ever. I have some dead Oak I cut this fall and I am pretty sure I will be able to burn it next winter with no problems unless we have a weird drying season.

 

Yeah, I thought for sure it'd be great to burn by now. It only sizzles for a short time, though.
Are your stacks under cover at all times? I leave mine uncovered until the late summer the year I plan to burn, then they go in the shed when they've had at least several days with no rain.
Most of this stuff is from small (maybe no more than about 8" DBH) Oak that were either dead and down, or dead standing, and at least partially barkless.
Should be less of an issue next year, as it's looking like I won't burn nearly as much of that Oak as I thought. That gives whatever is left another year in the shed.

 

I only cover what I think I will use that winter in the fall so all seasoning is done with out any top cover.
I have burnt Bur Oak for over 30 years this way and have never had any sizzlers with it, it is fairly windy here and I stack in single rows.

 

Could be I'm mis-remembering the amount of time they've been css.
Maybe I should put dates on the stacks, like bogy does.

 

And don't feel bad about it Papadave.. wife is barely in her 40s ... we just had the question of how long she owned her Subaru ... she was insisting just over a year been 3 weeks short of 2..... she's arguing with me then explain it to her... so if she can't remember how long she's had an suv! how are you supposed to 1 batch of Oak?

just for any newly wedded men.. I LOST that argument even though I was right... that's just one of those things!

 

May I ask how you lose an argument when there is clear data; such as registration?

 

I put a label with species, month, year on every stack. I had some leftover tree labels I was using. Then I realized that I could make my own using material cut from a beer can and my metal stamps. Sure, it is overkill, but it sure is nice knowing what I've got. Plus, I have a good reason to empty a can. For the good of the family and all that.

 

Kimberly Easy, she's mad cause I was right... so I lose! My wife does not do paperwork, phone calls or deal with inspection or registration or mechanics. She puts gas in vehicle and drives it.. if it does something "funny " I fix it or bring it to get fixed...

example one of her tires was soft (a light came on) I was not home.. she called me.. I said dear you need to put air in tires.. air compressor is hooked up and charged air chuck is on it.. she said No dear you need to pick up dinner on way home! and fix it before I go to work tomorrow!@

 

Tell her that if I can overhaul an automatic transaxle without a breakdown manual, she should be able to put air in her tyres.

 

Better do the math on the value of being right vs being happy first.

 

oh you misunderstand.. it's not that she cant.. she educated BS degree, She WONT.. her response is I never learned and don't want to.. if I have a vehicle if you won't fix it.. I will go to dealership and lease one that all maintenance included for 2 years period...

our daughter is learning basics with me.. my FIL died when wife was a baby.. her mother never knew anything about vehicles.. never learned

to be fair wife is a hygienists and is very careful with her hands.. ever since (before we were married) she had 5 stitches on her predominant hand and lost 10 days of pay because she washed a glass that broke.. but she stacks wood

bert the turtle you are right!

 

Cool.
Good idea on the month/year thing, but I know what types of wood are out there and where each is, so I can do w/o that part.
If I were fully into the 3 year plan, it would matter much less, especially since all the wood I've been getting is Ash or Maple with a little Beech thrown in.

 

So, just started another small Oak fire, and what do I see? Yep, sizzle fo shizzle.

 

Dave do you got a moisture meter?

 

Yep. No need to check this stuff, except out of curiosity. It's getting burned no matter what. I can mix it with Maple if I really need to. This fire is going gang busters right now.
Ok, just used the MM on a piece that's been in the house all afternoon. Freshly split, it's bouncing between 14-16%. Same batch of wood.

 

Last year I had a bunch of oak in my stacks that I had been drooling over for 3 years waiting on the splits to dry good. Well, it got down right cold last year and I brought in the oak with much anticipation of wood burning Valhalla. No spitting or hissing from the wood in the stove. BUT! I was surely (Did I just call you Shirley?) disappointed in the heat and burn time of what was some primo red oak. I dont have much access to oak and glad off it. Give me the elm, hackberry, ash and soft maple that is abundant for me and dries quick and I am a warm and happy camper. To me, oak, like walnut should be made into beautiful and useful furniture to be enjoyed by the generations. But thats just me I guess. Did I tell ya about the time I chooched some 140 year old ceder all at once?


Burnt for 3 or 4 days with some spectacular secondaries.

 

I can get a nice overnight burn with Red Maple, just like Oak, but it can dry in 1/3 the time.
However, it does burn a bit differently. Hard to explain.
Still experimenting with Ash.
I think the big firewood move I made from the back field up into the drive has changed how firewood dries. Not nearly as much sun, or wind.

 

I don't have a lot of oak either... but Sugar, red maple birch ash elm popular cherry beech and butternut I got.. not a lot of hickory or locust.. I see it farther south... but those 4 sticks of iron wood I threw on top that time saw 15 below that was Cho choochin

 

Pretty much burn all white/red oak here in VA. I will say I had a big truck load of soft maple I burned this year and I was impressed. Don't get me wrong it won't coal as long and won't throw the heat as long. What my thinking is if I really need the heat I need wood not coals.. so in theory I could burn more loads of maple instead of waiting for the oak coals to burn down. I'll definitely be diversifying my wood in the coming years to test different loads and when they work best.

 

I wonder if that is the same iron wood down here; which is an understory tree.