In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Seasoning Times

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by bbqhunter, Dec 15, 2014.

  1. Uncle Augie

    Uncle Augie Banned

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    You have zero incentive to use the Solar Kiln, someone who doesnt have seasoned wood, and cant wait 3 years, or lives in a location with species that dry in 2 months.... well that is a different story, I guess we need to specify that.
     
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  2. bogydave

    bogydave

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    I would like the see the same test done with your kiln design of having plastic under the stack & stacked on a pallet.

    IMO their kiln,
    with the wood directly on the ground, was designed to fail :)
     
  3. Uncle Augie

    Uncle Augie Banned

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    I know, you have mentioned that previously. :emb:

    Thank you for at least engaging in the conversation, many times I have sought to engage Backwoods Savage in discussion, both here, and over at Health. He has been burning for decades, he has much more experience than I, he knows many things that I don't, and I would like his honest opinion on the reason he is so set against attempts to short cut the seasoning process.

    Maybe with his input we can work together and improve the design, or come up with a completely new and unrelated solution. I have no idea though as he wont even address me, the above is the first acknowledgment that I even existed. I find that both amusing and telling all at the same time.
     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2014
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  4. bogydave

    bogydave

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    You implying that you or him or me are hard headed LOL :rofl: :lol:
     
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  5. Uncle Augie

    Uncle Augie Banned

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    Yes, wait what was the question?
     
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  6. thistle

    thistle

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    European Oak (distant botanical cousins to American White Oaks such as White,Bur,Chestnut,Swamp White,Overcup etc)when rough split or sawn into pieces for future barrel staves used by French cooperages, are preferred to sit in the stack outside for 2-3 years before final shaping & assembly into a finished barrel or cask.The sun/rain etc leaches out the tannins making for a better tasting wine after aging is done.
     
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  7. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

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    IIRC someone here used either a greenhouse kit or portable garage kit here, that looks like the link you posted. I can't remember :picard:may have been Pallet Pete . Anyone else remember?
     
  8. ansehnlich1

    ansehnlich1

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    To the original poster,

    split and stack in single rows off the ground, on pallets, I don't care where ya live, unless it's deep in the pacific ocean, cover the tops of the stacks, and you will likely be able to burn that ash and maple next winter, the hickory maybe, but the oak, to be it's best, is probably 3 years of sitting there looking pretty.
     
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  9. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

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    Folks I am cleaning this mess up and returning it to the op. No offense meant!
     
  10. bogydave

    bogydave

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    Thanks
    :thumbs:
     
  11. oldspark

    oldspark

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    We are still talking about seasoning right, whats the problem, seems like some of you are bent on making this an argument instead of a discussion.
    I dont agree with some of the things BWS says but if it works for him who's to question it.
    The thing I dont like is giving advice as an absolute for drying wood, many ways to go about it and YRMV.
     
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  12. bogydave

    bogydave

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    +1
     
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  13. maulhead

    maulhead

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    I have a question, not looking to open a can of worms. Meant to start thread on this subject "Seasoning Times" since this thread is open I'll ask here.

    The last six years (since I lived on this farmstead) I have been stacking all my wood outside on pallets, uncovered. I tried covering it one year but it was a pain. The wind always blew the tarps off, no matter what I stacked on top of it. So I now I just leave my stacks uncovered.

    Pretty much burn all Elm, cut standing dead. MC around 30-35% (or less) on most of it when CSS'ing. I live in a dry climate, lots of sun and wind. I can get it to 18-20% leaving it out in the sun/wind easy, in under a year. Most times in 6 months. I've I have stacked 35% Elm, in June and by November it is 18-20% (on the inside) and ready.

    There are two sheds on my property (were here when I bought the place) One of them is 10x20' closed in a three sides, open side faces east. It has a concrete floor. I have been using it for something else. But now I have it cleaned out and want to put pallets in there, and stack in full of wood as high as I can reach. The 2nd shed is 12x24' it also has a concrete floor and it is open on the south side and the east side, I plan to do the same thing, pallets and stack in full of wood.

    So here is my question, how long is stacking my wood under roof, out of the direct sun and wind, going to lengthen the drying or Seasoning Time? Will in double or triple it, or longer?

    My plan is to stack the buildings full, in rows, with maybe 6-7" (at most) between them. I want to get ahead a few years, thought these sheds would help.

    I know some of you guys, stack your wood outside then after it is seasoned, move it under cover of a shed. I dont like stacking that much. Once it's stacked I don't like to touch it, until it's time to carry it inside and burn.

    Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2014
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  14. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

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    I wish I could remember where to find an awesome chart on drying times by state, might have been bogydave ? And I know from personal experience how hard it is to keep wood stacks covered in Colo/Wy/Nebrsk, losing battle....
     
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  15. bogydave

    bogydave

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    Wasn't me, but I remember someone posting that. But then each year's weather varies too.

    "from personal experience how hard it is to keep wood stacks covered in Colo/Wy/Nebrsk, losing battle."
    Add Wasilla & Palmer Alaska , 50 mph wind is a breezy winter day , . LOL :)
    Max last winter was 80 mph for a couple days.
     
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  16. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

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    :doh:
     
  17. maulhead

    maulhead

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    Yes it 's a losing battle, FORSURE! I gave up after one winter of trying. I had some heavy huge, old military canvas tarps. I tried stacking everything on top of them, old tires, pallets, firewood, etc, nothing worked. Every time the wind blew and got under the tarps they were like kites and blew off.

    I dont think most people in other parts of the country understand the wind in this part (CO, WY, NE) of the USA. It's fairly common to have 50-60 MPH wind (several days a week in the winter) and even up to 80 MPH! 3 winters ago we had a week of sustained wind at 60 MPH with guts up to 85 MPH. A friend of mine came to visit me from MN one winter, he still talks about the wind here!
     
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2014
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  18. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

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    x2
     
  19. Paul bunion

    Paul bunion

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    I tracked weight loss in some of my splits over the past summer. Some in the sun but under an old window sash to keep it dry and some tarped in the shade. The wood that got sun lost weight about 2x as fast. From that I would hazard a guess that shedded, your wood will take no more than 2x as long as you usually need and probably not even that long based on the fact that your air is so much drier than NJ air and you have some wind to push the drier warm air into your stacks. You certainly will have no problem rotating wood through the sheds.
     
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  20. maulhead

    maulhead

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    X2,

    I think it was 2 maybe 3 winters ago they recorded 100-110 MPH wind in eastern CO for 3 days, I was supposed to go to Denver that day, got about 60 miles away from home and turned around and went back. Several over turn'd trucks on the highway, the dust was worse then the blowing snow.

    I remember watching on the news that night one fatality b/c of the wind, a guy somewhere in the Fort Collins area was impaled in his car by a tree branch/limb, that came out of a tree. I remember thinking of all things to die from, what are the chances!?!?!
     
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