So I picked up a meter at lowes today while the kids,wife and I traveld to Dubuque Iowa today. I decided to go in the basement when I got home tonight and run some test on the wood I have inside to burn. All this wood was cut split and stacked before June. I did split the splits again to get a good test and also drilled the wood with a bit to get the prongs seated in the split all the way wich is what the instruction said to do for the most accurate reading.
Fourth split was black locust I forgot this wasn't cut up and split until sept I think but it was dead on the ground with no bark on it when I bucked it up. The guy cutting with me that day said it would be good to burn the way it was,said it will be real dry.
Next was some hard maple I believe . I got a load of this and oak at the sawmill that were rejects cause of hollow spots and stuff
Everything seemed to be burning great except that black walnut. I have only burned a couple splits of that locust and it was mixed in with better stuff. I was saving that for real cold weather but now I wonder if I should throw it back outside along with the walnut and give it another season.would I be okay to throw a split or two of the wet stuff in with a load of my dry wood to get it used up instead of hauling it back outside?
[QUOit E="North woods, post: 205343, member: 1082"]Everything seemed to be burning great except that black walnut. I have only burned a couple splits of that locust and it was mixed in with better stuff. I was saving that for real cold weather but now I wonder if I should throw it back outside along with the walnut and give it another season.would I be okay to throw a split or two of the wet stuff in with a load of my dry wood to get it used up instead of hauling it back outside?[/QUOTE] Place it by the stove so it dry out more
I resisted buying a MM for years, thought I was smarter than some dumb 'ol ohmmeter. I wasn't. I have the same model you show and like it. Hey stick it into an exposed 2 X 4 of your house framing.. 9% here.
That's what I had to do more than once. If you have enough dry fuel to get ya through winter, then wait for the wet stuff to dry more. Otherwise, YBWYG you burn what you got. A bunch by the stove does speed drying.
Like Gark and NYCountry said. Keep it inside if you have the space. You might be surprised how fast things can dry if they are picking up some heat from the stove.
I think what you have you will do fine. I personally wouldn't haul any of that back out, between keeping the walnut by the stove for a few days and mixing it with the good dry stuff, you should be golden. Check your chimney once a month and get busy cutting and splitting NOW for next year and year after.
Sounds good guys the wood that I tested has all been in the basement with the stove a couple weeks but is about 20 feet away. I will move some splits closer thanks.
They cost about $15-20, well worth it if you have any questions or doubts about the wood you are burning I don't use mine a lot since I'm a few years ahead on my wood supply. But I did get it out to test some locust I was going to wait till next year to burn. The first few were at 12% and a more recent load was at 17%. Both are ready now if I want to burn this year!
