This year, it was our first summer seasoning wood. Last year was our first year burning full-time. I cut , split, and stack mostly Black Locust exclusively. They are from fell trees with no barks at all. I stack them on steel racks. I realized they keep bending over as if they will fall.I initially thought I am bad at stacking since it is my first year. I pushed them back. After some time , they again bend over. Last week I took few pieces from a few row down on different racks and split them. MC was for all around 17-19%. Is “bending over” normal?
How high are you stacking? Between 4 and 5 feet, a wobble is introduced. I don't go any higher. As wood dries, it shrinks. The shrinking can introduce a lean to the stack. Just tap them back, and show them who the boss is!!
In my experience they lean towards the sun. Just like when alive but for different reasons. I try for a little extra lean away from the sunny side. Easier said than done in my case.
It's normal. As mentioned, the sunny side shrinks faster, so you get a lean unless you planned for it. Stacking a double row and leaning them together at the top can help an awful lot with this!
Like MikeInMa said tap em' back in as soon as you see lean. I am fortunate to have a wife who after close to 40 yrs stacking is as good as it gets doing it. She has an eye for where each split goes, she gets them to "lock' together and she 's fast doing it. If a piece doesn't fit right in the spot, she finds where it wants to go. She has has never had a leaning stack, or any fall over, and she doesn't go over 4', like Mike said.
I'll go as high as 5', but I learned the hard way not to go over that.....nothing fell over, but that gangsta lean had me concerned until I shortened up the stack. Also lean the stack away from prevailing winds and sun a bit, so by the time the shrinkage starts it almost straightens up. Keep an eye on things too (remember you're now a FHC member, so it's ok), so when you see it start, smack 'em back in line. I usually do the chest bump, but that can hurt if done wrong.
do you rent her out by chance? She can work with my wife since my stacks seem to keep being gravity's bitch.
Those stacks look great! if it makes you feel better, whack 'am back into place with a hammer or the back of your splitting maul. I don't think that's enough of a lean that I'd worry, though. You'll be tearing it apart to burn soon enough.
there's something satisfying about giving them a tune-up whack. Even better the first time the whack no longer makes a thud and starts sounding like a bowling pin
I have those as well. Sometimes I will body check them back into proper postured stacks and sometimes they'll be found toppled over despite the corrective action(s).
