I gave up spending all that time trying to get and keep a fire burning with un-dry wood several years ago. Load the stove with dry wood, put in a firestarter, light it, and in a few short minutes I can have the air adjusted for a long burn. Went through that crap for about 3 years. Those who refuse to learn will waste a good chunk of their life doing things bassackwards.
Good question Randy. Unless you have standing dead wood like some of us are fortunate to have it will take some time to dry as others have said. Take the guess work out of it and buy yourself a cheap moisture meter. Then you and your buddy will know.
One big question: Will water burn? Until we are smart enough to make water burn I do not feel there is any better way than to burn dry wood. That does not happen fast unless you use a kiln but that is not the best way for sure. Here is some good reading for you and the so-called expert: Primer on Woodburning by Backwoods Savage But to answer your question about the cord of wood being cut now and will it be dry in November. As you know, there are many factors involved here in what kind of wood is it? Is it dead or live? How small will it be split? How will it be stacked in order to give the best chance of drying the fastest? Will it be indoors or out (of course outdoors is a must for drying)? etc, etc.
I'll agree with everyone else and say chances are slim unless it's cedar/pine of having fully seasoned wood in 3 months. I cut some oak rounds that were logging leftovers and cutoffs that had been harvested 2-3 years prior, on splitting MM reading was mid 30's
Even the the wood the most firewood dealers sell as seasoned is only 6 to 8 months dry (or less ). But the the uniformed public doesn't know that, nor do they probably care.
If you do decide to burn it keep I good eye on the pipe. I have been burning less than optimal wood only because it was all I know. But you all have educated me and I'm on my way to get with the program
Yeah the whole getting it split and off the ground works best but not all do it in terms of feasibility. Often wood is split but not off the ground and the bottom splits become sacrificial with mud and weathering. Down to brass tacks, this works but the ground stuff is less than optimal. Plus with dirt caking it, Id throw it in my pit pile to dry if I did this method and got down to that level of the stacks. Pallets do work but they become cumbersome as the wood weight drives the pallet into the ground, then they rot. A member just posted his pallet racks wonderfully made on a thread here, he uses two pallets together on the base. Great idea if you got the space and the equipment to move that around and get it organized. Then at that point your job is halfway done, the rest is leaving it to season. The most Optimal drying stacks are in the sun basically all day. I arranged my wood this year that started drying last year to a much more exposed area of the yard from sun up to sun down. It really was interesting to see what places around the house are not good for stacking, even if it did get the exposure! Both Sun and Air! Mold started growing on my split ends and this was still in an area where the wind would get to the pile... Then what I noticed was that the moisture during times would get so bad, it wouldn't go anywhere. It would create a pocket of moist air that made it so easy for mold to grow. The trial and error has forced me to move my stacks that I originally started with about 4 times. It'll be 5 when I count moving it to the house wood bin. Its not bad when my yard is only a fraction of an acre or realistically 50-75 feet from the house to the fence line. I know others would say "why move your wood so much?" My response would be, "I'm learning" The folks who have more yard space and use the odd tractor or ATV to get stuff around easily and find better places for the wood that is out of the way reap the benefits but know that the toy they bought will pay off in dividends! Some even decide to put that in terms of heating costs saved!!! That's a wonderful benefit to turn money into a labor saving tool rather than pay for electricity which isn't all that efficient anyways.
Wow! that was absolutely painful to watch. 40 mins in and he's still telling us how good it's working as the fire is still trying to go out? And the "tapping and restacking" trick? I've never tried that one.
Not to mention the blanks on top of the stove? Anyone look at the stove pipe? It looks like just simple dryer tubing....
Thank you all, My friend is not a bad dude just hardheaded and young. We all been there I just don't want him to burn his family down I will give him a cord of my dry wood to help him out. Some body feed him this BS and now he think is the way to go, I ask him to join the site because I learn most of my wood burnings skills here and by no means I'm no expert but you have to be willing to learn. God Bless and thank you
This. Given the right circumstances, some wood might be ready in a few months. But for most cases it will not be. Moisture meters are cheap.
