Time to haul some ash

[4seasons]

Had an ash tree in the yard that has some major storm damage back in spring. Rather than let it die in a few years I went ahead and took it down. Wasn't the biggest tree around as I got it all on the old Toyota in one load except for the top that blew into the road a few months ago.
This is the first wood I have cut at the house this year. I have been cutting out of the leftover tops from a guy at church that had his place logged back in March. Most of that was oak and some hickory. Pulled about 4 cords out of there last month.
I got a little behind on wood this year. I let my supply get down to about 1 1/2 cord hardwood and about 1/2 a cord pine. I like to have 3 cords on hand for the winter although I normally only burn 2. So I find myself thinking that I may have to burn some of what I have cut this year by the end of winter.
So here is the question. If you were in my situation which do you think would dry faster, ash tree cut and split today or oak and hickory that has been down since March but only cut and split last month?

 

[mikey517]

The ash.... depending on the size of the splits.


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[Stayalert]

ash

 

[HD2010]

I would also say the Ash.

 

[trophyhunter]

Split the Ash small and it will work better than anything else on hand.

 

[blacklocst]

Probably the Ash but your still gonna have splits that bubble and sizzle. Keep an eye out on the flu, and make sure your wood is split small at start of your fires and that they have good air flow in between.

 

[brenndatomu]

Ash...x6, CSS Oak and Hickory need at least 2 years!

 

[zogger]

Ash will dry quicker. Criss cross stack it for faster drying.

 

[farmboss45]

I have been cutting and hauling nothing but ash for last three years. Most of what I cut is ready to burn as soon as it hits the ground, finding some going to rot standing. Woodshed is full but I cant' walk away from whats left, hauled 8 more up the other day.

 

[4seasons]

Looks like the consensus is ash. I know it has lower moisture content when green than oak but I always burn hickory after a year before the bugs do too much damage to it. I'm not to concerned with creosote buildup as I will take my wood inside and set it near the stove for a few days before I burn it to speed drying if I get into anything I cut this year. That and this is a pic of last years stovepipe buildup.
Actually I'm a little surprised no one is fussing at me for overloading my truck.

 

[hardpan]

Naw. That truck has Character.

 

[milkman]

Truck is not near overloaded, but looks like you been bustin' some ash also...

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

You're not overloaded.

 

[firmwood]

You're not overloaded.

Jesus, at least do that with FF'ing axles!

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[farmboss45]

Is there such a thing as "over' loaded?

 

[brenndatomu]

^^^Not until the truck breaks or fails to get the load to it's destination! Now where's that big orange smiley?! Smart azz like me use the heck outta that'un! Oh well, least the site is back up, those black out days were rough!

 

[513yj]

Look for the EAB warning signs. Chances are the ash was already on the way to drying by way of dying.

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

Jesus, at least do that with FF'ing axles!

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1/2 tons rule! I loaded/unloaded 4 loads like that of splits in a half day. Remnants of the tree it came from in the background. Got over 10 cord out of it and now that snag has blown down. Probably another 2 -3 in that.

Here is a pic of the tree in it's better days. Right at 5 ft in diameter. Lightning strikes got it as it was over 70 ft high. I was trimming out the dead so it wouldn't hit my buildings. That's our 60 ft lift to give you some scale to the thing.

 

[firmwood]

I've tried tried doing daily work on semi floaters, it's just not reliable.

Tear up $300 shafts, $50 bearings... Can't tighten slop, soon seals leak, slobbers lube.... Plus when (I have, several times) you snap one, you'll fall to China.

FF just pull shaft out, snug up a packing nut, done . If you do break one, no jacks/disaster required.


I've broke spindles, but that's another topic of vehicle abuse

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[Kevin in Ohio]

I've tried tried doing daily work on semi floaters, it's just not reliable.

Tear up $300 shafts, $50 bearings... Can't tighten slop, soon seals leak, slobbers lube.... Plus when (I have, several times) you snap one, you'll fall to China.

FF just pull shaft out, snug up a packing nut, done . If you do break one, no jacks/disaster required.


I've broke spindles, but that's another topic of vehicle abuse

Sent from my rooted HTC Supersonic using Tapatalk 2 Pro

This truck has had the rear axle replaced. Ironic part is that it happened BEFORE I started using it as a wood truck. It was my daily driver at the time and had around 150,00 miles on it. Hauled very little on it up to that point. Pinion grenaded and tore up the center section casting. Over 300,000 miiles on it now and strictly a wood/beater truck.

At my first job we REALLY tested trucks. Hauling/spraying liquid fertilizer. Had a 3/4('76) and 1 ton('78) Chevy 4x4 single rear wheel. 500 gallon tanks so every full load was 5000 lbs, plus the spray rig weighed close to 1600 lbs. Bouncing that much weight over plowed ground on single rear wheels will test stuff. Never had any driveline failures other than transmissions and u joints. E rated Michelin Radials were junk and popped so we went back to cheap bias ply. Broke springs a few times. Frame broke on the 3/4 ton but welded it back with a fishplate and was fine.

Before I quit working there I bought the 1 ton. The rear axle had a 1 1/2 bow and wore the center section bad. Never let go though, just extremely loose. The front Dana 60 was fine and used the running gear on the truck in my avatar. Frame had no cracks, not even at the steering box mount.

Between my father and I we use about 20 cord a year so we do haul more than the average. We've had as much as 120 cord under roof but we'r down to around 80 now, Lost a barn to fire and one to wind damage. Trying to empty the wind damage one so we can replace all the posts or start over.

Going to have a LOT of ash in the future as the EAB has started here and the are really going to town, lots of standing dead. I wish there was a bug that loved to eat, Honeysuckle, poison Ivy, Grape vines and Multiflora rose bushes!