Must be nice to get MC down to 20% in a summer on Oak. Yep, now that the days are getting longer, more time to process.
I got one piece that is about 6-8" thick from the base of the tree that I have just sitting. It has cracked due to not sealing it but I thought about doing something with for like a work bench or something of the sorts for the shop. I'll have to get a picture of it. Red oak has a particular smell for sure though and hopefully seeing the pics won't ruin a good dinner for anyone haha. Might bring back those smells that are singed into the memory bank seeing the pics. The smells don't effect me too much either. I think I can get the MC down to 20% or less by next fall for sure with it covered and stacked all summer. T2 Tappin'
It would be interesting to take a moisture reading now. In my experience, even standing dead oak has a lot of moisture in it. The smell is....well...not all that pleasant. We call red oak "pizz-oak" around here.... How did you knock all the dead stuff off before cutting; with the axe? I'd be concerned about dead limbs or even the whole top coming down if you whacked it with an axe. My method for dropping dead trees is to drop them in the direction they want to go; cut my notch but then just back cut it; no bore cut...chase the hinge looking up all the while. That vibration can knock something/anything loose....
Now you got me curious but there is some proof to this as I got some stickers(the drying ones) and broke it in half and smelled it. Just as you describe :inside of a cow stable like. I doubt it was red oak but is this what red oak smells like ? This smell deal leads me to believe theres just a compound in the wood that is volatile. Doubt it stays there for long as its a terpene. This may be the smell that you get when wood has begun to rot?
It can be really humid here in NC sometimes but seems like there is a breeze sometimes a wind more days than none. Had a gust measuring 38mph here today. Just glad the humidity doesn't stay high around here. I wish I had a moisture meter but it would distract me quite often while cutting firewood lol. The smell to me kind of reminds me of a petting zoo at a fair. I took a small 2lb axe with a 28" handle and shaved off most of the dead. Didn't ever strike it dead on parallel though as I didn't want to send much vibration up the tree like was mentioned earlier. Try to keep around 45 degrees or greater. If you aren't comfortable with an axe I wouldn't put much force behind it cause you can get a glance off every now and then. I wouldn't use a heavy axe for it either as you might not have much control after your arms are down past parallel with your body. The 2 large oaks had next to no small limbs in the top and the dead gum was near petrified with no real top to speak of. No doubt as I was making the back cut I let the saw do its job and kept my eyes looking up. Once I got far enough into the back cut I put my axe in the cut so as I was looking up I could keep the axe in my vision. Reason for the axe is once the tree makes the first movement forward to fall the axe will fall out and let you know the tree is moving. Kind of off topic but I know while I was splitting I hung my axe on a gum tree and the corner of the bit that was in the bark turned a black/blue color. Something volatile in gum I do believe T2 Tappin'
I do appreciate it y'all. It kinda looked like that oak had some kryptonite in it lol. The gas station lights had a weird effect with the camera though. Got a lead on a local farmer that has several trees down in his fields. Might have the chance to grab those too T2 Tappin'
All the oaks smell like scrumptious BTU's.... As an aside, Shag and Pecan have their own distinct aromas, and willingly offer a special sniff pleasing experience.
Nice firewood there!! Looked like fun. Good to see another NC fellow on here!! I'm down around Fayetteville, about an hour south of you.
Pecan does a pretty distinct smell and makes some really good cooking wood. Wish I could come across it more often. It is good to see a fellow NC member. It would be nice if we could have some GTG's in Eastern NC. Fayetteville isn't too far at all. T2 Tappin'
I've cut up some pecan this winter, too, unfortunately thanks to Matthew. Going to use some of it or some hickory to cook a pork shoulder on the grill tomorrow. An Eastern NC GTG would be great! Don't know how many members are in here from NC but it would be fun just to get together with some other folks who are wood burners and just cut some firewood, if nothing else. Not too many people in my area, that I know of anyway, that burn wood anymore.
There isn't a huge number of people around my area that CSS their own wood. There are plenty of people who burn wood in fireplaces and a handful that use wood stoves. Got 3 local tree services and a buddy of mine owns one. A GTG for everyone to get to know each other and maybe experience some saws that they are thinking about buying would be nice though. Had to take the evening off from splitting yesterday to replace a fitting on my log splitter and replace the hydraulic lever. She's back ready for business now though. T2 Tappin'
My father bought this splitter from a man who was mechanical engineer about 16 years ago. It has been a great splitter. Has a 50 ton cylinder on it but not sure what it is truly pushing. It by far is more than needed for firewood though. Got a feeling I am going to have rebuild the control valve on it cause I think it got fluid leaking by a seal in it. It sounds like it at least. T2 Tappin'
Made a little progress yesterday on splitting up all the Maple. Also while clearing the river bank for a customer an elm tree had to come down so I got that sitting by the splitter now. A big thank you to everyone that helped me ID the tree as elm The Maple split up and stacked temporarily The Elm that had to come down T2 Tappin'
Was making a grocery store run this evening and saw some rather dogwood laying by road. It was still in one big log and I couldn't just let it go to a landfill somewhere so I snatched it up. My addiction kicked in when I saw it haha. Gave me an excuse to test the 2238 that I got today while I was on a parts run. It sure ran good for just a 30min tune up. T2 Tappin'
