Hello all, my name is Andy I just posted in the new member section about my stove, wood, and equipment. I have a rather small wood stove so I cut my wood to about 8”-10” to accommodate. One perk is that this does allow our wood to season rather quick. I am currently splitting some red oak for the first time and will record the moisture content over the next several months. Pictured below is my premium curing spot for firewood as it receives full sun, is breezy, and gets hot has heck in that spot. Although it’s a small spot, it acts like a kiln haha. I have dried cherry in this spot in a single summer, so we will see how the infamous oak does. I know the pile is small but it will be stacked full in a day or so. Moisture on fresh cut red oak, day 1 To be split My wood stash, consisting of black cherry, black locust, tulip poplar, and now red oak Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Welcome Ford101 . You have a nice variety of hardwoods there. Stacks look nice and neat. I see you split by hand, which is a great workout. Great post!
Thank you, and yes all hand split. My only tools are a Stihl farm boss 271 and a 3.5 pound axe. Oh and some beer! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Our last house was built into a hill, so the south facing side had about 5 feet of foundation above grade and a driveway. It would get so hot in the summer, wood seasoned very quickly. Location is key. Handsplitter here to. Fiskars x 27
Welcome to the forum Ford101 Great to have you on board. Nice looking wood and stacks. Fellow hand splitter myself. Has the stacked wood gone through your kiln dryer?
Welcome to the site Ford101 I used to cut my firewood short when I was using my Earth Stove Hotshot insert. 12 inches worked well in that stove. We each cut the size that works for us.
Thanks! I'd say a 1/3 of it has, yes. Typically what i do is split a 1/4 cord and stack against the house in this sweet spot. Then after a couple months ill move it to the regular pile and replace with fresh cut stuff. This gives it a nice head start. I plan on doing this until i achieve a couple year stock pile supply.
Does red oak have a nice smell when burned, like cherry does? I'm learning it has a pretty decent smell when freshly split. As i said earlier, first time working with oak.
I've only stacked 11-12 inch splits once. I ran out of patience rather quick. I'd probably cut, split , stack and season twice or thrice as long as needed and then cut with less kerf loss as needed during the Winter. (if I had a stove that took 12" or less splits)
Yes the small cuts/splits are very time consuming. I have probably cut, split, stacked about 1-1/2 cords over the last week and it feels like I have done the work of 3. One bonus is logs cut to 10" are super easy to split, its almost a one handed job haha
Yes the shorts are much easier to split, but yes a lot more to process. I cut my wood consistently 16", but had an oak score last winter where i cut them 10-12". See my thread I hate to cut you short. I dont mind an occasional shortie, but i am now overflowing with them. Wish i had cut them 16". Still have some to stack The closest row of the stack pictured is all the oak shorties.
Some varieties of red oak can smell like manure when fresh split. Pin oak is notorious for this. Ive always liked white oak as it smells like whiskey. Watch me chop and ill PU a fresh split and sniff it! Birch and sassafras are my favorites.
Ive owned mine for a few years and love it. Had the X25 model with the shorter handle first and lost it roadside in leaves while grabbing some wood. The X27 was a gift. Actually broke it in March see threads Broken F iskars! & Replacement for broken F iskars came today...no foolin'!
Welcome to the forum Ford101 Yes, it can get hot in that spot but the biggest problem is lack of air flow and air flow will dry the wood the quickest outside of a real kiln. Here are some tips for putting up wood: Primer on Woodburning by Backwoods Savage You say you've dried cherry in a summer like that and there is no doubt you have as cherry is a very quick drying wood. Red oak is indeed a great wood but like most oak, it gives up its moisture very reluctantly. That is why most of us will give oak 3 years in the stack before burning it. Yes, it can be burned sooner but you won't get the maximum heat from it; many of the btu's will go straight up the chimney. Also, as you have no doubt noticed, many say that red oak and pin oak (which is a red oak) smell like manure. To some I guess it does but to others, like me, I do not think it smells bad at all. Yes, pin oak is a bit stronger but still not a bad smell. Perhaps it is because I've worked around oak for so long that it does not bother me; not many of the odors of wood bother me but willow and cottonwood are certainly not my favorites. Popple can also be bad (not yellow or tulip but aspen type popple). Cutting the wood short also will help dry it quicker and I like that stack which is out in the open.
Its funny you say that about the smell of red oak. My wife actually made the comment that the patio smelled a little like poop after i split the wood, i however only smelled wood haha. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.
Nice stacks of excellent firewood! Good job on the ample air space between stacks and house siding! Welcome aboard!
