Moisture Meter Readings

[svk]

Cut several different species today and tested all with the moisture meter. A few surprises.

Standing dead balsam (died this summer) 25-45%

Live black ash. 45%. This was a surprise as I've heard that BA was a dry tree. However, 3 hours later the ends of the cuts were noticeably drier so maybe it just dries fast.

Live birch. 30%. This surprised me as I would expect it to be higher. However the birch I cut last summer was ready to burn by fall.

Live aspen. 30-45%. This one was dying so I suspect that's why there were varying readings. Normally aspen comes in at 45-50% when green.

Live balsam poplar (balm of gilead locally). 50%

Blowdown cedar, suspended by branches. 18%

Blowdown cedar on the ground. 22%

Blowdown white spruce, suspended by branches. 20%. If this stuff splits easy enough I'm going to take the rest of the tree home to burn this winter.

 

[Marine5068]

Love my SBI moisture meter
Great tool to take the guesswork out of some wood I thought was dry enough to burn well.
I always use time it was cut and a year or more approach, but some wood take longer and the moisture reader tells me whats actual and what's satisfactual.

 

[svk]

Standing dead tamarack, 22%. Large blowdown Norway pine, bucked into rounds this spring, 25%.

 

[blacklocst]

I need to get a MM I just split Red Oak sitting in the round for three years and I bet it wasn't below 30%.

 

[svk]

I need to get a MM I just split Red Oak sitting in the round for three years and I bet it wasn't below 30%.

I split some red oak that was from a blowdown. Had been there at least 2 years. Was 35% in middle of splits two months after I initially split it.

 

[blacklocst]

I split some red oak that was from a blowdown. Had been there at least 2 years. Was 35% in middle of splits two months after I initially split it.

The sad part is it takes 3 years to season that stuff.

 

[svk]

The sad part is it takes 3 years to season that stuff.

I'm tempted to put it in my boiler room to dry quicker but know I'll end up burning it too soon.

 

[Coldfront]

If you keep fresh split red oak 16" stacked in a covered dry place it will be dry in 12 months, if you leave it outside uncovered in the rain it takes forever.

 

[CTYank]

If you keep fresh split red oak 16" stacked in a covered dry place it will be dry in 12 months, if you leave it outside uncovered in the rain it takes forever.

IME, that happens in your dreams, not in my top-covered stacks. Still improving, the third year. Good thing there's no rush.

Lumber processors us a rule of thumb for air-drying red oak: "twice as long as other hardwoods." I trust their judgement.

 

[benp]

I'm tempted to put it in my boiler room to dry quicker but know I'll end up burning it too soon.

You wood be surprised.

For forced air boiler applications, I have found if the ends are cracked well, it burns good.

I am in your same boat. I have a hardwood stash that rotates in the boiler house, it dries much quicker that being outside.

Not good enough for an inside stove but good enough for something hitting it with 9oo cfm of air.

It pops, cracks, and carries on when I throw it on a bed of coals......good enough.

 

[Coldfront]

IME, that happens in your dreams, not in my top-covered stacks. Still improving, the third year. Good thing there's no rush.

Lumber processors us a rule of thumb for air-drying red oak: "twice as long as other hardwoods." I trust their judgement.

If your red oak is not dry in 12 months you are not splitting it enough, or round length is too long. 15 -18 % on a moisture meter is plenty dry to burn for oak. If you want it as dry as pine after a year it won't happen. I am not using it for lumber, I am burning it for heat.

 

[blacklocst]

If your red oak is not dry in 12 months you are not splitting it enough, or round length is too long. 15 -18 % on a moisture meter is plenty dry to burn for oak. If you want it as dry as pine after a year it won't happen. I am not using it for lumber, I am burning it for heat.

I cut to 20 " lengths and the wedges are anywhere from 3 to 6" and stack in an area where it doesn't get more than 4hrs worth of sun. What should I readjust my splits to be then? Btw my stove can take 24 in pcs.

 

[Coldfront]

Great for you if you have the luxury of getting 2-3 years ahead. Many of us don't have that, specially after last winter killed a 2 year supply. Are you saying you won't burn oak until it is at 12%. I never had trouble getting red oak down to at least 18% after 12 months. Are you just guessing or do you even own a mm. what % are you shooting for with cut and split red oak?

 

[blacklocst]

It actually has become a problem storing Oak for that long, where as i need to c/s/s lesser hard wood so I can do the 2 or 3 year ahead thing.

 

[sdt7618]

I have the stihl mm, dinky little thing but works great. Certainly opened my eyes as to what was ready and what wasn't

 

[STLfirewood]

I have to dry red oak an extra day or 2 in my kiln vs other woods. If the wod is frozen it can take 7 days or so to dry. I just put in a special order for a cord of 22" red oak. I'll take it out in 5 days.

Scott

 

[reddogrunner]

A moisture meter is one my best friends determining what is ready and what is not. Everything coming off the splitter now gets a read. Above a certain % and it goes to the stack for a year. Below and it goes in the barn to dry for this season. No more guessing. It's a beautiful thing

 

[svk]

Here are a few readings from last night, taken from fresh resplits for accuracy.

Siberian elm cut late April, small unsplit rounds, 45%.
Siberian elm cut late April, medium splits, 31% (same tree as #1)
Silver maple cut early June, medium splits, 18%

I am pretty amazed that a 2" round held that much more moisture when kept in the round. Also amazed that the silver maple is drying that quickly!

 

[sledge&wedge]

Here are a few readings from last night, taken from fresh resplits for accuracy.

Siberian elm cut late April, small unsplit rounds, 45%.
Siberian elm cut late April, medium splits, 31% (same tree as #1)
Silver maple cut early June, medium splits, 18%

I am pretty amazed that a 2" round held that much more moisture when kept in the round. Also amazed that the silver maple is drying that quickly!

Sometimes I'm convinced that all it takes to dry silver maple is for it to be driven home in the open air in your truck bed or trailer. Leave your site with green, wet wood and get home with a load of perfectly dried and seasoned shoulder wood. Despite several people's negative opinions on silver maple, I love the stuff. Easy to cut, easy to split, and easy to burn.

I will have to check some of my splits from last fall and see how they are doing. Waiting on the rain to take a damn break, first.

 

[svk]

Sometimes I'm convinced that all it takes to dry silver maple is for it to be driven home in the open air in your truck bed or trailer. Leave your site with green, wet wood and get home with a load of perfectly dried and seasoned shoulder wood. Despite several people's negative opinions on silver maple, I love the stuff. Easy to cut, easy to split, and easy to burn.

I will have to check some of my splits from last fall and see how they are doing. Waiting on the rain to take a damn break, first.

I tell you what, for certain purposes you don't want long burning wood and something like silver maple is great. Like the last load of the night in a firepit. I don't like to put my fires out with a big bunch of unburned wood so I'm sitting there half in the bag and half asleep waiting for the last of the oak to burn down and it takes forever!!