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

What's that Red Oak ready when cut!

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by gboutdoors, Oct 12, 2015.

  1. gboutdoors

    gboutdoors

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2014
    Messages:
    797
    Likes Received:
    5,752
    Location:
    S.E. Massachusetts
    I know it can't be true but it is :eek: here is one of the trees I cut yesterday split and stacked. Most of it read 18-21% ready to burn. I find with most of the dead standing 8" or less this is the case.
    image.jpg
    Some of the larger rounds were 25-28% but even they should be good in one season.
    image.jpg
     
  2. capetownkg

    capetownkg

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    797
    Likes Received:
    3,145
    Location:
    southern, MD
    Thats a great score! I have a dead read oak I need to cut and was wondering what it's mm might be. Much larger but the tops would prolly be decent.
     
    Eric VW, Hammy, gboutdoors and 3 others like this.
  3. jo191145

    jo191145

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2015
    Messages:
    6,385
    Likes Received:
    42,958
    Location:
    Ct
    Yep, I have a few dead standing small red oaks (16%)that are dryer than the dead oak stacked for two years. The two year stuff was split into bigger chunks for the old stoves and from bigger trees.
    I'm gonna cut and split those little guys and toss em right in the basement. No sense handling them twice.
     
    Eric VW, Hammy, gboutdoors and 3 others like this.
  4. Fanatical1

    Fanatical1

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2014
    Messages:
    2,688
    Likes Received:
    12,290
    Location:
    Ohio
    Yea I get a few oak that are dry now then. :) Nice looking wood when its barkless and dry and you hardly had to split it. Almost looks like red elm when you find them dead standing.

    Nice score!
     
    Eric VW, Hammy, gboutdoors and 2 others like this.
  5. WVhunter

    WVhunter

    Joined:
    May 26, 2014
    Messages:
    930
    Likes Received:
    3,220
    Location:
    Mountains of WV
    Great deal right there, ready to burn!
     
  6. Sconnie Burner

    Sconnie Burner

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2015
    Messages:
    617
    Likes Received:
    2,856
    Location:
    Western Wisconsin
    Always a bonus when you find that! I use my mm a lot when cutting and find stuff like this to add to a back up pile so I know it is dry. Instead of grabbing it out of a stack I know won't be good till next year!
     
    Eric VW, Hammy and gboutdoors like this.
  7. Scotty Overkill

    Scotty Overkill Administrator

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2013
    Messages:
    9,480
    Likes Received:
    62,917
    Location:
    Central PA
    I've found that with most of the standing dead oak that have all the bark missing and most of the sap wood gone as well, that limbs and tops as big as 10-12" diameter are usually good to go right away. But most of the trunk wood is just as wet a s a green tree.....

    At any rate that stuff is some of my favorite BTU'S! Good score!
     
    Eric VW, fox9988, MO. Wood and 7 others like this.
  8. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    45,140
    Likes Received:
    282,109
    Location:
    Central MI
    Right on. With most dead standing trees, it is that bottom third of the tree that holds the moisture. Many years we burned dead standing elm. The tops were super dry and burned great. The bottom logs got stacked and used the following year.
     
    Eric VW, MO. Wood, Hammy and 4 others like this.
  9. jo191145

    jo191145

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2015
    Messages:
    6,385
    Likes Received:
    42,958
    Location:
    Ct
    I just harvested a small wagon full. Straight off the wagon onto the splitter and down the cellar hatch.
    I would have filled the wagon but the darn maggot dog took off and went home without me. I was getting worried about him so I cut it short. Thought he might have wandered into the road or got mistook for a deer. Nope laying on the porch while I'm slavin away. That's why I call him maggot dog.

    We had a nice dry summer so they're mostly dry right down to the stump. Problem is I don't have many dead trees anymore.
     
  10. Oakman69

    Oakman69

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2014
    Messages:
    638
    Likes Received:
    2,765
    Location:
    Mechanicsville
    Super sweet man! damm u got that one on the rack didn't u.
    I went for a ride back in my woods and found 4 dead red oak stnds i havent noticed before last season..2 are 36" dbh 2 are around 24.. I'm sure they won't be ready till next season if I css this fall. I think they hot the blight..
    I hate to see dead oaks but I love to see em in my fire box..:smoke:
    Looks great man
     
  11. Oakman69

    Oakman69

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2014
    Messages:
    638
    Likes Received:
    2,765
    Location:
    Mechanicsville
    Funny bout the pup.. mine do the same. Both hounds.
    I dunno, even if I think it's dry, I'll stack it up chimney style on the concrete slab after split and let it sit for a year to let the critters crawl out and keep it top covered w tin roofing.
    Then nex fall when it's dried out fully ill put her up in the wood shed.
    Extra steps w wood pay off. I found at least
     
  12. Oakman69

    Oakman69

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2014
    Messages:
    638
    Likes Received:
    2,765
    Location:
    Mechanicsville
    Me too especially w red oak. White tends to be dried.
    Still should let dry and burn last year's cuts..
     
  13. Midwinter

    Midwinter

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2017
    Messages:
    19,846
    Likes Received:
    130,465
    Location:
    Nashua, NH
    I love dead oak! There's a lot to be found at my local dump, I think because it's too ugly for the tree services to process and sell as firewood.
     
  14. Midwinter

    Midwinter

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2017
    Messages:
    19,846
    Likes Received:
    130,465
    Location:
    Nashua, NH
    Speak of the devil...dumped at the dump! Too big for me to pick up, too bad... IMG_20170810_9459.jpg
     
    Eric VW, gboutdoors and FatBoy85 like this.
  15. Scotty Overkill

    Scotty Overkill Administrator

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2013
    Messages:
    9,480
    Likes Received:
    62,917
    Location:
    Central PA
    Looks like hackberry
     
    Eric VW and Backwoods Savage like this.
  16. gboutdoors

    gboutdoors

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2014
    Messages:
    797
    Likes Received:
    5,752
    Location:
    S.E. Massachusetts

    Same here the tree guys keep all the dead bark less oak for their own use. The home owners want the nice looking wet wood with the bark still on