For the most part this is the cherry wood I have. It was cut and left in logs about 18 months ago. Then I got it bucked and split 16 months ago. It's been stacked in a single row with some locust for the past 14 to 15 months. It's still sizzling a little bit! I've tested with a moisture meter and nothing is over 18%. The bark is still intact and there's definitely moisture under the bark. The locust in the same stack is dry as a bone. What gives? Is it just the bark sizzling? Does cherry bark hold in moisture more than the average type of bark? Opinions?
I have trouble with almost anything that has less than 2 years CSS on it...3 years for the better stuff... My sister is having issues right now with some Cherry wood that I was positive was gonna be dry as a popcorn fart...
It could be moisture under the bark or it just hasn't sat long enough. I know ever since I got ahead and burn stacks that have been sitting for 4 or 5 years I've never had any moisture at all, and no creosote at all in the chimney.
Yeah I'm working on the 3 year plan my self but this stuff was stacked in the sunniest area of the yard. Direct sun literally all day. Good breeze too. It's gotta be the bark. I'll mess around with a few pieces split from the center of the log versus the outside.
Cherry has always sizzled for me no matter how long it's sat. The layer under the bark before the sap wood is almost sponge like. Fresh splits read 17-19%. I put it on hot coals and burn it hot never an issue. Sizzle only lasts 10minutes give or take
That's exactly the same scenario. The bark of anything else I have usually falls right off or is pulling away from the wood at this point. The cherry bark is on there like the day I cut it. Mystery solved.
I've burnt Cherry that sat for only one summer and it did not sizzle, sometimes you just scratch your head and wonder why?
If it got rained on The sap wood takes a lot of time to dry Spruce here is similar, splits hold moisture just under the bark
Strange as I don't ever recall any sizzle from cherry except that we burned right after cutting. We used to do that at deer camp; cut down a small cherry and burn that in the little tent stove. It worked but would not be good for a long term thing.
When you took the readings was your test wood up to about 70°? What type of meter are you using? I believe most are calabrated to Duglas Fur so to get an accurate reading you need a species conversion chart. Fish around and you can find one. You gotta figure most low cost meters have a +- 3 or 4% range so at 19% you could actually be as much as 23% or as little as 15%. Meters are more of a ballpark figure and not an exact. Temp and type of wood can affect the readings. If you're using a stove with secondary burn tubes it's not as critical as if you are using a cat or hybrid stove. If you really need to burn it, burn it and dont worry. If not hang in there until next year. This is the point where I say: "The best device for measuring the moisture content of split firewood is a multi-year calendar."
Loving it already , do you know how many times iv been told pine causes chimney fires Iv saved it for garden fire pit
Hoarders only start One fire per year . I'm not that bad lit it 2pm Friday and it's not gone out all weekend if that's any good.
