Picture evidence of wood drying from ends

[Steve NW WI]

I took this shot a couple weeks ago, but managed to lose my camera in the snow very shortly after. Warmer temps allowed me to find my camera back today - still in working order!

Anyway, I'd dropped this dying but not yet dead red oak about a week before and bucked it up. I left two big rounds as my back was tired of hoisting them that day. The next weekend they met the 7300 for a quick noodle and splitting. I thought this picture would give people an idea of how wood dries mainly through the ends:

 

[Circle B MN]

Agreed...!




PS. I think you need a few more novas...

 

[MostShady1]

Good visual example! We need to add more pics of other kinds of wood "seasoning." I'll see what I can come up with this weekend.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Good stuff, Steve.


Dunno why this is controversial to some folks. It's been documented well enough!

 

[Gark]

From the sides too

Good pic. Some red oak we did but piled it wrong shows sides drying out maybe as fast as 30% of the ends. Sorry, didn't get snapshot. So a little moisture sneaks out of the sides too.

 

[isaaccarlson]

even more if the bark is off!!

I like to get as much bark off as I can when splitting. Really helps it dry quick...

 

[isaaccarlson]

repped ya!

Tag!

 

[dingeryote]

Nice illustration!!

I never have noticed it like that before... wasn't looking, but never thought to look.

So much for wood not drying in the cold eh?

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[chowdozer]

The same fibers that carry moisture up the tree when it's alive, carry moisture out of the rounds when you buck it up.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Good pic. Some red oak we did but piled it wrong shows sides drying out maybe as fast as 30% of the ends. Sorry, didn't get snapshot. So a little moisture sneaks out of the sides too.

I like to get as much bark off as I can when splitting. Really helps it dry quick...

Yep. The more surface area exposed, the faster it dries. Ends, sides - it's all good.


But the majority leaves through the end grain.

 

[Wife'nHubby]

Great example! And, just have to say, you are a "Lucky Duck" that you found your camera AND it still works!

Shari

 

[TreePointer]

Great example! And, just have to say, you are a "Lucky Duck" that you found your camera AND it still works!

Shari

Hah, sounds like my house, too.

 

[coog]

Leave that in the round, with bark on, for a year and you'll see that it hasn't progressed much past where it is now.You'll also notice that once split, that line will not progress.The moisture leaves quickest through the ends, but the majority will leave through the split sides...the shortest path out.Go ahead and leave a few of the bigger rounds for a year and get back to me.It will be as wet as the day you cut it.

 

[palmrose2]

Leave that in the round, with bark on, for a year and you'll see that it hasn't progressed much past where it is now.You'll also notice that once split, that line will not progress.The moisture leaves quickest through the ends, but the majority will leave through the split sides...the shortest path out.Go ahead and leave a few of the bigger rounds for a year and get back to me.It will be as wet as the day you cut it.

I've burned enough 10" un-split rounds in my life to know they will dry WELL in two years.

How does moisture leave quickest out the ends yet have the majority leave the sides. One idea seems to exclude the other.

 

[coog]

I've burned enough 10" un-split rounds in my life to know they will dry WELL in two years.

How does moisture leave quickest out the ends yet have the majority leave the sides. One idea seems to exclude the other.

Well, I guess the short answer is that when split, the surface area of the 'sides' is much greater than the ends.As far as burning rounds, I guarantee you that you would have less aggregate moisture in 4 pieces than you would in 1.If your theory holds, it would work equally well with a 24" round, right?Well you leave a 24" Red Oak round for two years and you'll have nice...PUNK! We always tell people to split fine if they don't have a long time to season for this same reason.

 

[AKKAMAAN]

I took this shot a couple weeks ago, but managed to lose my camera in the snow very shortly after. Warmer temps allowed me to find my camera back today - still in working order!

Anyway, I'd dropped this dying but not yet dead red oak about a week before and bucked it up. I left two big rounds as my back was tired of hoisting them that day. The next weekend they met the 7300 for a quick noodle and splitting. I thought this picture would give people an idea of how wood dries mainly through the ends:

Great picture Steve NW WI!!
I had my Sony Cybershot 7.2 megapixel in my jacket the other day....throw the jacket into the laundry and then into the dryer.....took the jacket out.....and felt something I did not like in the pocket......out came the camera and the battery......hmmmmm....what a screw up that was.....anyway, I put the battery back into the camera and turned it on.....and VOILA! it worked, and nothing was lost from the memory card, the lens was cleaner than before too....
So have faith with your camera, it might work when you find it....


About that log you split....I bet it is from a beech tree!!!

 

[Steve NW WI]

So have faith with your camera, it might work when you find it....


About that log you split....I bet it is from a beech tree!!!

Thanks Akkaman, I did find it back (this pic was on the card) and it still works great.

You lose, it's definitely red oak LOL!

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

rounds, I guarantee you that you would have less aggregate moisture in 4 pieces than you would in 1.

Well, DUH! You've got more surface area! By a long way!

If your theory holds,

It's not a theory, it's a measurable fact.

it would work equally well with a 24" round, right?Well you leave a 24" Red Oak round for two years and you'll have nice...

...firewood. Works fine for me, and I'm in a humid climate. Works fine on the 36" rounds I often get.

Bucking and splitting will give the fastest drying, of course. Increased surface areas means faster drying. Duh!

It still dries faster through the ends.


:monkey:

 

[AKKAMAAN]

Thanks Akkaman, I did find it back (this pic was on the card) and it still works great.

You lose, it's definitely red oak LOL!

Definately have the beech structure, especially the color and the 100's of "rays" per sq inch...

Real beech veneer...

But I only have experience from north european beech, Fagus Silvatica...have never seen red oak veneer, so I ca not argue with you about the red oak claim....

 

[Steve NW WI]

Akka, you're right, the grain does look very similar. The bark is very different however, oak once mature has a very rough ridged bark, as opposed to the smooth bark of the beech. That, and the leaves and acorns are a dead giveaway.

Give me a bit, I'm uploading some pics for another post right now, and I'll see if I have a shot of the tree they came from. I think I have some on a post here already.