If we scrounger-hoarders had a theme song, it would have to be Johnny Cash-One Piece At A Time because that's how we build up our hoards. Here's a small scrounge of white oak I managed to pull off on my way to work today. I've been eyeing some of these pieces since winter now, I just wasn't looking forward to all the roadside noodling work. Today was the day to stop hemming and hawing and just do it. I'm glad I did because it's decent firewood. The tree has been on the ground and cut up for a couple years now but the wood is still prime condition. Each little scrounge helps.
Every little bit adds up... I would look at that nice little pile of oak and say to myself, "that should heat my house for about 5 or 6 days this winter"...
I forgot how much work it is splitting oak! Ooof. I’ve gotten spoiled lately with all the Ash and black birch I’ve been scoring. Oak is a real workout in June. I’m sure in another year and a half I’ll be grateful to have it around on a cold morning.
You have a ton of black birch up in the Bristol area! My father in-law is in Terryville and always wants me to cut down black birch for him. I finally had to say "no thanks" and stick to the red oak. That birch can be finnicky as all heck. If you don't get it split and stacked not long after it's felled then it just gets rotted and punky.
True. You know what they say about opinions and all that... I figured 2 years cut and on the ground plus another year and a half after splitting would do the trick. My moisture meter will have the final say regardless. As much as I like oak, sometimes it’s hard waiting that 57 years to dry to a balmy 20%.
I can believe it. The best looking oak that I’ve got is a 4 year old cord I got from my buddy who recently sold his house and let me clear out his wood pile. Nice, lightweight and gray in color. I imagine a lot of it comes down to drying conditions. In a perfect world I could store everything in the middle of a windswept field where it would cook in the sun all summer and have perfect airflow. Someday maybe.
Nice little score Eric. I like little scrounges, quick to process after. Been there done that...driven by wood many times until i finally stop and grab it. Not so much as of late though. Catchy title btw!
Oak is way over rated in my books as ya it is wicked burning dry. But alot of people dont have the room to store it that can wait that long. I aint knocking what your saying man..I am just saying i would rather burn nice dry Swamp Maple. The T5 dances with it.
Oak is my least favorite of my preferred firewood. Last year I burned red and sugar maple almost exclusively along with a little beech. It’s just nice bright clean burning stuff.
Not all oak splits the same. Some split really easy and then there are those others. Seems I read once there are something like 50 different types of oaks! Around our parts is is basically red, pin and white.
I've only dealt with the red and white in my area. Both seem to be stubborn to split by hand without breaking out the sledge hammer and wedge. I tend to cut it on the short side, around 12"-14" to overcome it. A 12" length is a good fit in my stove running front to back anyway.
