A different theory on seasoning firewood

[NeoTree]

Quoting an excerpt of The Grandfors Bruks Swedish axe maker "The Axe Book"

"...An old Swedish way, not very common
today, is to fell the tree with its leaves on
– especially directly after leafing – and
put off the limbing until the leaves have
withered. Then much of the water has
evaporated through the leaves and the
wood dries quickly after splitting. Apart
from this old method, winter is regarded
as the best time of year for felling."

Page 19
http://www.gransfors.us/TheAxeBook.pdf

I'm neither agreeing or disagreeing with the validity, but this is not a new concept.

 

[Redneck Ont]

Quoting an excerpt of The Grandfors Bruks Swedish axe maker "The Axe Book"

"...An old Swedish way, not very common
today, is to fell the tree with its leaves on
– especially directly after leafing – and
put off the limbing until the leaves have
withered. Then much of the water has
evaporated through the leaves and the
wood dries quickly after splitting. Apart
from this old method, winter is regarded
as the best time of year for felling."

Page 19
http://www.gransfors.us/TheAxeBook.pdf

I'm neither agreeing or disagreeing with the validity, but this is not a new concept.

Touche...

 

[dingeryote]

If ya notice, it mentions drying faster using the method, not "Dried".

There very well might be a an advantage in drying time after bucking and splitting. Who knows.

I do know that dropping them when the snow is too deep to get them out, and then bucking them up the following fall, makes no dadgum difference in the amount of water squishing out on the splitter, compared to one dropped 20 Min. before bucking and splitting.

There is a largish Red Oak top I left unbucked last winter, and the last bit of the stem was quartered and piled. I reckon a moisture meter would tell the tale if there was one to be heard. If I think of it, I'll set some splits from each aside, and take a reading once in a while.

The only meaningfull evaporation, is from the end grain according to everything I have found. And from what I have seen, the only advantage to be gained from timing a cutting, is Sap down when possible.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[goanin]

I sceintific terms, this would not be called a "theory".
A theory is an explenation that is supported by evidence and is not contraticted by any. It does not nean a "hunch" or an untested idea. Your friend has a Hypothesis, not a theory.

So of course it needs to be tested and experimented.
I would think that because the tree dies and loses its life functions before it dries, seasoning with branches it the same as seasoning without them. And you're gonna have to cut and split it anyway. the wood's diameter is the main factor in the seasoning process.

 

[woodman44]

It you have not tried leaving the leafs on til they brown you should. I did this a few months ago with a 25inch black heart cherry and I could tell a difference in weight when I loaded it. No way this takes all the water out but it helps. I have had this stuff stacked in rounds for a few months now.

 

[deerlakejens]

Even though everyone scoffs at cottonwood for its relatively low btu's, I've had to take some down and it was close, so into the woodpile it goes. The first time I bucked and split the rounds immediately. There was so much moisture I swore I'd never waste my time again. Out of necessity a few years later, I ended up dropping a few more, fully leaved out and did not get at them for about 2 months. By that time the leaves, which were pretty green for almost a month after being dropped, had withered up. When I bucked and split it, it popped apart easily. I still had to season it (from Aug. to Jan.) but it was checking and burned nicely the end of that winter. I tend to believe the leaves do help through transpiration and may shorten the seasoning period but it probably has a lot to do with the species.

 

[turnkey4099]

Has anyone heard of letting firewood season by dropping a tree whole and leaving it sit with all the branches still on? I friend of mine was telling me that he had run into an oldtimer somewhere recently who said that was how they used to do it.

His reasoning was that after dropping the tree, the leaves, in time, would leach all the moisture out of the wood. In theory it makes sense but I think it would be better to just cut up the wood and let the sun and wind season it. Thoughts?

It's so much horse puckey. Any water the leaves suck out stops as soon as the leaves wilt...only a matter of a few minutes. If you like rotted wood, just try that.

Harry K

 

[dingeryote]

Awwright, then somebody figure this out.

Ya drop an Elm and leave the top about March.
Come May the thing is popping buds and leafing out, right next to the stump.
Stupid thing supported the leaves well into mid June.
In October it's still as wet and soppy, as any freshly dropped sap down Elm, ever put on a splitter.

Zombie Elm Apocalypse?

Another goofy observation. Sassafrass seasons quickly, but goes to pooch overnight if left on the ground. But mill it into a Cant, and it maintains it's weight like Oak. Put a Sassafrass fence post in the ground with the bark on it, and it will sprout leaves a year after it was cut.

I really doubt the leaves move that much water,and they only require a miniscule amount for the tissues to remain green.
On a living tree, both sides of the hydraulic system need to function in order for that to work.

Just sayin'. This sorta stuff is interesting.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Streblerm]

I cut a lot of tree tops left over from logging. Lots of times those tops have been hanging around for years. The bark will be peeling and it will have that nice grey look. When you cut and split it, it is as wet as can be inside.

I have noticed that it seems to dry fairly fast once it is cut and split. Much faster than green wood, like 30-60 days. But I have rarely cut downed wood that was truly "dry"

 

[AKKAMAAN]

Quoting an excerpt of The Grandfors Bruks Swedish axe maker "The Axe Book"

"...An old Swedish way, not very common
today, is to fell the tree with its leaves on
– especially directly after leafing – and
put off the limbing until the leaves have
withered. Then much of the water has
evaporated through the leaves and the
wood dries quickly after splitting. Apart
from this old method, winter is regarded
as the best time of year for felling."

Page 19
http://www.gransfors.us/TheAxeBook.pdf

I'm neither agreeing or disagreeing with the validity, but this is not a new concept.

ok here is the deal about this....first of all, I am a Swede, pure breed, as a a Swedish Forest Engineeer, I have practiced technique a few times in Sweden and it works. This is a optional method that is used when tree couldn't be cut in the winter. I would never give up the option to cut in the winter and have it all split BEFORE the driest time of the year in Sweden (10-20%), the late winter and first part of the spring. The reason this is the driest time of the year (very low precipitation) is that there are relatively warm days but now vegetation have started to grow yet.....growing vegetation evaporates a lot of water and increases the air humidity, so fire wood dries 70-80% during that short period (2 months)
These climate factor have to be considered when you plan to process your firewood. Check local statistiics about air humidity and temperatures.....

the Birch trees gets a seasoning boost from this felling technique .....the stems will keep evaporating the sap (water) and you let them stay like this till leaves are all dried out....In Sweden we do this felling while the trees have leaves of the size of mouse ears...happens in in middle of may through beginning of june, depending on altitude and latitude....process takes about 4-8 weeks.....and trees HAVE to be taken care of after that, or they start the rotting process....

So with all this in mind, I would recommend winter cut and get your firewoood split as soon as possible....then you will have dry firewood for next year......using the felling technique....well I would use it in lack of time during the winter....if you want to try it, do it in advance rather than late...

 

[AIM]

If I dropped a tree and waited a few months to cut it up I'd forget where it was at.

Or my brother in law would would have it cut, split and stacked next to HIS house before I got back to it.

 

[Junkrunner]

I just wonder if it wasn't just an ole fellas reason for not cuttin it up right away?
Some ole fella told a neighbor; Yeh that's how your supposed to do-it. Then that neighbor tells another.........

Anyone here "ring" their prospected firewood trees?

If I do, it's because it's mid-winter and I'm not gonna get to'em before the sap comes up.

 

[flxblx]

Was this information passed to you at the local diner on a Saturday morning,
at the 4 or 5 tables pulled together,
where the guys mostly don't buy any food
and make a cup of coffee last about an hour?????????????

 

[rmount]

The only benefit I've ever found to leaving the branches on a dropped tree is that it keeps the trunk off the ground. If you can't get it bucked and split right away the trunk is less likely to rot than it will if limbed and left lying on the ground. Never noticed much difference in moisture content, but never measured it either.

 

[bowtechmadman]

Dinger that sassafras post will also rot alot quicker in the ground if the bark is left on. Most wouldn't believe that sassafras can get big enough to cut a cant from it. I grew up in southern michigan (sturgis) and our barn was all rough sawn sassafras.

 

[1harlowr]

Yesterday I split a 30" red oak that had fallen down last summer (August-ish 2009). I bucked it about May of this year. It was drier than a green tree but wasn't seasoned. I'm sure it cut a few months off the time it will take to season but even being down now about 14 months it won't be ready to burn anytime soon.

 

[nassin2]

Was this information passed to you at the local diner on a Saturday morning,
at the 4 or 5 tables pulled together,
where the guys mostly don't buy any food
and make a cup of coffee last about an hour?????????????

My buddy and were talking about it while knocking down a row of hedge yesterday. He heard it from one of his coworkers so it was third-hand information at best.

I really don't think this method really has any merit and wanted to see what everyone else thought.

 

[turnkey4099]

Was this information passed to you at the local diner on a Saturday morning,
at the 4 or 5 tables pulled together,
where the guys mostly don't buy any food
and make a cup of coffee last about an hour?????????????

Hey now! Quit talking about me.

Harry K

 

[tawilson]

Why doesn't someone with a moisture meter test this theory? Leaves stay green for a week after cutting a tree. Moisture is coming from somewhere.

 

[banshee67]

Was this information passed to you at the local diner on a Saturday morning,
at the 4 or 5 tables pulled together,
where the guys mostly don't buy any food
and make a cup of coffee last about an hour?????????????