I have some medium size rounds of popular, bark intact, that I never split. I decided to check this evening. I split one of the rounds and I could tell from the feel of the wood that it was wet. I used the meter and tested the split in the centre and it read 33.2% on my meter. These rounds were cut the same time as the wood in the stack. Of course these rounds are open to the weather but they do have the bark on. I need to get them split and stacked and under cover and dried out. I would have thought they would have been much drier.
Have noticed that rounds too small to split, left with bark all around, hold their water for longer. They are often heavier and sometimes even sizzle. I guess the bark acts like a moisture barrier, at least slowing down the drying process. Still I'm not going to take the time splitting 3-inchers. Good experiment, Kimberly.
....on small rounds that I don't intend to split 'cause of their size, before I buck them up, I will skim the saw along the length of the log and take off a layer of bark to help let moisture out. A light touch is all that is needed. Face protection is essential!
Poplar I have around here doesn't dry worth a crap with the bark on. Had 6 inch hickory splits that dried quicker than 3 inch hickory pieces with the bark on
Hey!! I didn't see you were new here Welcome to da club great tip there, that's what I will do, take 8-10 foot poles and score of them first, and buck em
The poplar and birch I have here will never dry in the round - the bark is water tight and rounds will rot before they dry. The "unzipping" technique can be used on anything too small to split, but if you're going to do this with the tip of the bar, use the "starting" (bottom) corner, not the "kickback" (top) corner.
Welcome to the forum burntreyno11ds I've never worried about the small rounds not drying and never had a problem. Of course they sit in the stack 3-4 years minimum before burning.
Shawn, I too have to split my birch because that bark is waterproof. No wonder they used to make canoes out of it. Once I split, stack and cover with the sides open it dries really nice. I do like how it burns this time of the year.
I try to get my wood split ASAP just to get that drying clock started. Even though I've been burning close to 40 yrs. You guys/gals at FHC opened my eyes to drying wood and moisture content, I was always told dry it for a year, all woods the same, and oh, you can't burn pine.
No birch here at all. At least I can't recall having a chunk in my posession. Like Backwoods Savage, I've no concern about moisture content of the small rounds because we have been three years minimum ahead on cutting for decades. It is amazing though how many tidbits of info I've learned about wood and wood heat from FHC members and this birch topic is one more.
tractorman44, you got that right. Everytime you think you got something figured out is when you learn something new.
I typically don't split anything under 7", but I've noticed that even after 2 years a lot of the ash rounds are a lot heavier than similarly sized splits. I haven't taken a moisture meter to them, but I'm thinking I should start splitting logs that still in the 4-7" range in half to help them dry out more.
Thanks for the welcome fellas....I've been reading the forums from the back to the front because I can't seem to get enough pics and stories about cutting wood! Lots of knowledge and enthusiasm here, and a great outlet for an outdoors kind of person. I'm sure my wife is sick of hearing about chainsaws and splits!
Welcome burntreyno11ds! I chuckled at your screen name, very witty! What part of this tiny country are you from? No worries if you want to keep it to yourself Im just wondering if you're a neighbor!
Ditto. I have to say my wife was ecstatic about the heat the wood insert put out vs the fireplace. I doubt she'll ever fully accept the chainsaw, splits, pictures of wood, seeing me notice a tree being cut up by a road, loaded truck/trailer pics, etc... She'll get over it. Lol Welcome to FHC burntreyno11ds
