It was dead, been dead at least a couple years I think. I figure if I cut it and split it that it would have a good chance on drying out
The laws of nature do not cease to exist in Va. The stove will still require dry wood. In my experience with dead standing trees, I have only come across one small maple in the years I have been burning EPA stoves that was actually ready to be burnt inside the stove. It was cut down in the early spring (still some snow on ground) and before the melt started in earnest.
Well, I am a scientist; perhaps we can work out the laws of nature. I do know that increase surface area means more area in contact with the air which means quicker drying. Therefore, I need to get it split ASAP.
I have worked with oak that I would have sworn was dead and dry but nope....Moisture meter said no way...
Yes, I know. I split a piece of that red oak and left it in the shed. I think I will split it again and do a moisture test. The problem is that is no real good place here to stack it that would get some good hours of sun. We didn't get as many of the trees down when setting the house up; I hurt my back and it put me out of commission. We were being pressured to get the house off of the dealer's lot because of insurance.
No, I'll sweat. That's why I won't cut when it's hot out. Being in the hole though wood wise with heating season knocking on your door, I applaud your efforts to keep cutting.
Same here. Processing wood is enjoyable under the right conditions, miserable in others. Another advantage to being years ahead.
In my experience, oak is not a good wood to try to rush. It holds moisture so well, that it will take years to dry, even if dead standing, or simply not split.
One piece does not a warm Kim make. Ya gots to split 'em all. Whats the shed got to do with it? Dry storage? Leave it outside.
There's been some dead standing trees that will be ready even that year, at least a few feet up from the ground at least. Elm that's dead standing barkless, and with long vertical cracks in it will surely be dry enough to burn in an EPA stove pretty much as soon as it's cut and split. Wood like that is about as close to being CSS'd as mother nature allows. ( Time in the stacks will only make it better though.)
I put new points and condenser and adjusted the timing and clean connection points and ground and drain the fuel and replace it with fresh. So I guess it was all that stuff; I don't know. These 8Ns can be a mystery at times.
