Standing dead oak...?

[hoosier daddy]

I need a little advice. I have a family from our church that is in need of firewood. I found some standing dead oak in a pasture, no or very little bark, very few limbs left on the trees. Any way I am planning on dropping them and splitting them up for them, it's basically all they are going to have to heat with this winter...am I stepping in @#&! thinking this will be OK for them to burn...I have no moisture meeter but have already dropped, bucked and split one...it split so easy...

I just don't want make a mistake on their behalf...and I really don't want to give up my seasoned wood...

thanks in advance and NO I don't really want to come cut for you for free... unless there is a hardship and then please call me...

 

[Redneck Ont]

Kudos to you for stepping up and helping people in need. All depends on the condition of the tree could be still solid or could be punky to the point where you could push it over, the only way your going to know is to knock em down, as soon as you start bucking them up you will know if they are any good for firewood. Just my 2c

Rep sent for being a good guy

 

[Beefie]

I would drop it and block it. You will no the condition of the wood after blocking it. The bottom 3' maybe a little dozy but the rest should be fine. Good for you for helping out a needy family.

Rep sent your way.


Beefie

 

[HOGBEAR]

Check a few rounds you will know pretty quick,should be ok. Big thumbs up for being a stand up guy helping out

 

[PA Plumber]

Nice of you to help others out!

Have cut a few standing dead Oak trees over the years.
I have found that the outer branches, if it's been there a couple of years, are ready to burn right away.
Anything in the 10" and bigger, usually needs at least two months to dry out.
Stuff in the 14" range, and bigger, usually needs a few months to season.

 

[logbutcher]

I need a little advice. I have a family from our church that is in need of firewood. I found some standing dead oak in a pasture, no or very little bark, very few limbs left on the trees. Any way I am planning on dropping them and splitting them up for them, it's basically all they are going to have to heat with this winter...am I stepping in @#&! thinking this will be OK for them to burn...I have no moisture meeter but have already dropped, bucked and split one...it split so easy...

I just don't want make a mistake on their behalf...and I really don't want to give up my seasoned wood...

thanks in advance and NO I don't really want to come cut for you for free... unless there is a hardship and then please call me...

You're some rare person HD ! Thanks.

Standing dead oak is fine. Yes, smaller limbs and branches will be fine for immediate burning. The larger trunk wood may still be wet ( strange smell if it's red oak ). Split the big stuff right away, bring in for seasoning in a month or two like the man said.

Be warned though, dead oak still sucks water AND grit up the cambium layer under the bark : it will kill the chain quickly. Keep an eye on the teeth.

Damn it's good to hear about good deeds. :rockn::rockn: You get our kudos.

 

[Wood Doctor]

You're some rare person HD ! Thanks.

Standing dead oak is fine. Yes, smaller limbs and branches will be fine for immediate burning. The larger trunk wood may still be wet ( strange smell if it's red oak ). Split the big stuff right away, bring in for seasoning in a month or two like the man said.

Be warned though, dead oak still sucks water AND grit up the cambium layer under the bark : it will kill the chain quickly. Keep an eye on the teeth.

Damn it's good to hear about good deeds. :rockn::rockn: You get our kudos.

+1. Also true for standing dead elm. Do not be surpised when you find moisture that you never dreamed existed. Many trees just plain refuse to die and the roots are often the last to give up.

 

[super3]

Where are you at in NW Indiana?

 

[ShoerFast]

My $0.02 cents are on that some will be to moist to burn well. Oak just takes some time.

A very simple moister meter is to just rip (cut with the grain) curly-ques out, make a loose ball out of it and light them.

Not real accurate, but a place to start.....

15% or lower: If they light and burn real well with no smoke, very seasoned, ready to go.

15% - 20%: little harder to light, stays lite, smokes but the smoke re-burns in the flame. Block split and give it some time.

Over 20%: Hard to light, wont stay light, and smokes, block, split and save for next year.

Oak is just to good a wood to be burning to soon. And one of the nastiest woods for chimney build-up if burnt to green.

 

[Wood Doctor]

My $0.02 cents are on that some will be to moist to burn well. Oak just takes some time.

A very simple moister meter is to just rip (cut with the grain) curly-ques out, make a loose ball out of it and light them.

Not real accurate, but a place to start.....

15% or lower: If they light and burn real well with no smoke, very seasoned, ready to go.

15% - 20%: little harder to light, stays lite, smokes but the smoke re-burns in the flame. Block split and give it some time.

Over 20%: Hard to light, wont stay light, and smokes, block, split and save for next year.

Oak is just to good a wood to be burning to soon. And one of the nastiest woods for chimney build-up if burnt to green.

+1. Oak seems to take forever to dry, and that's why I tend to downgrade it as a firewood in preference for ash and red elm. You can split red elm after the bark falls off, wait another month after you stack it, and burn it. In less than a year, you have good firewood from a tree cut down green.

However, it takes a little waiting and muscle to split red elm.

 

[sawinredneck]

Good on you!

It should be fine for the most part to burn.
But watch yourself! Falling these tree's can be dangerous. I've no idea your skills so please forgive me.
But it's not uncommon for the tops to break and come back at you, branches to snap off from the force of falling over, etc.
I just ask you to keep your head up while you do this. I'd hate to see someone become a "statistic" while trying to help someone out is all.

 

[BPS. LLC]

You're some rare person HD ! Thanks.

Standing dead oak is fine. Yes, smaller limbs and branches will be fine for immediate burning. The larger trunk wood may still be wet ( strange smell if it's red oak ). Split the big stuff right away, bring in for seasoning in a month or two like the man said.

Be warned though, dead oak still sucks water AND grit up the cambium layer under the bark : it will kill the chain quickly. Keep an eye on the teeth.

Damn it's good to hear about good deeds. :rockn::rockn: You get our kudos.

Totally agree on the smell. The one I dropped this morning had a chemical smell, almost like automotive paint, that's how I tell whether it can be burned or not...the bottom 25' or so had the smell.

 

[Mike PA]

Does it really matter if it optimal? I don't think so. You know it will burn, but how well is another question. I've cut and burned plenty of standing dead oak, with mixed results. When the bark is off, but no punky wood, it is usually pretty good, but the lower portion tend to be wetter, as well as around crotches, holes, etc. I would burn it, if I were them. Just make sure they burn some hot fires. If it's all you got, you burn it. Good for you for giving them heat.:rockn:

 

[logbutcher]

Good on you!

It should be fine for the most part to burn.
But watch yourself! Falling these tree's can be dangerous. I've no idea your skills so please forgive me.
But it's not uncommon for the tops to break and come back at you, branches to snap off from the force of falling over, etc.
I just ask you to keep your head up while you do this. I'd hate to see someone become a "statistic" while trying to help someone out is all.

Roger all that and more.

Some of our standing dead "pasture oaks" were up to 38" DBH. Big for us Downeast. A couple had rotten cores adding to the misery. Plan the cuts, the fall, and go slow. Use your friend the wedge(s) -- ( no you fools, not "wedgies" umpkin2. One monster dropped before I was ready, the upper branches flying like shrapnel in all directions scaring the %#@&% out of me. You'll know when you do the face cut how to fell the beast.

Then plenty of noodling to move the butts. Here in Paradise, the oak is saved for those single and below days to come. ( Then again, Msr. AlGore could be correct. :chainsawguy: )

And thanks.

 

[sawkiller]

Usually standing dead oak will be fine! Watch the overhead branches as already said and even when you are driving wedges!!

 

[woodman44]

I love dead standing timber. If you get it before it has been there to long it is great. It should have very little moisture and be ready to burn. I move huge amounts of fire wood this way. Great for you helping this guy.

 

[hoosier daddy]

thanks for all the advice...

Where are you at in NW Indiana?

30 miles north of Lafayette...

Also on the falling advice...I have dropped three of them and the trunks are very solid. outside 1/2 inch is a little punky on the worst of them but they seem to be in pretty good shape other than that. I don't walk up to a tree to fall with out at least three wedges and my trusty lil #4 hammer. as soon as I can slide a wedge in I do...I learned some time ago it's much easier to have the wedge placed and not use it than trying to figure out how to walk around this, half cut, what the heck was I thinking, going to kill me, saw pinching tree to get my wedges. I am no professional and probably take too much time but hey I still got all my fingers and toes.

I think the plan after your advice is to drop them (around 15), buck and split all the big (over 18") and stack it first (it will be the last they can burn that way) then move up the tree. Hopefully by the time they get to it, it will be ready.

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Mike Williams]

I need a little advice. I have a family from our church that is in need of firewood. I found some standing dead oak in a pasture, no or very little bark, very few limbs left on the trees. Any way I am planning on dropping them and splitting them up for them, it's basically all they are going to have to heat with this winter...am I stepping in @#&! thinking this will be OK for them to burn...I have no moisture meeter but have already dropped, bucked and split one...it split so easy...

I just don't want make a mistake on their behalf...and I really don't want to give up my seasoned wood...

thanks in advance and NO I don't really want to come cut for you for free... unless there is a hardship and then please call me...

Great to hear about people stepping up to help their neighbors. More of this and the world would be a much better place than it is. Well earned rep sent.

As far as the wood goes, I think everyone else has pretty much said it all. I've used a lot of standing dead oak. The limbs and top part of the trees I was able to use right away. The rest in about a month or two.

 

[Somesawguy]

We cut down dead standing trees all the time. If it's not too old, the outer bark may be a little punky, but it's usually pretty solid in the middle. Like others have said, watch out for the branches, as they are dry and break off easily when it's coming down.

The tops and branches are usually drier than the butt. Split it up into smaller pieces and it will dry faster.

Best of luck, and kudos for helping out someone in need.