Hickory seasoning

[thepheniox]

Wow, I feel bad about laughing earlier but I really needed it. Good things happen to good people, good things must be coming your way. I work as a municipal arborist. Most of the guys I work with throw good wood through the chipper. I am constantly arguing with them that someone can and will use it if we just leave it on the curb. It always disappears when we leave it and I leave as much as I can.

 

[JRepairsK70e]

you could send me a piece o hickory each week i will see if its good to go in my stove[ kinda wood of the week club ] or you could purchase a wood moisture meter and monitor the seasoning yo self [ive been told they are not that spensive] jk

 

[sb47]

I have a piece of split shagbark hickory that was a top of a log that was cut in January 2011. I cut and split it on September 8, 2011. Measurements are 4"x4"x 18" and weighs exactly 10.0lbs. At what weight would this piece be ready(seasoned) for optimum burning in my woodstove? Thanks in advance!

I have found that not all of the same wood weights the same. Some sections of the wood are denser and will weigh more then others. Just take two pieces and whack them together, if it sounds dull then its green, if it rings or pings then it’s dry. Some wood burns better then others when green. Get a hot bed of coals goin and green or not it will burn. When it comes time to burn just try a piece or two and see how it does. Nothing like trial and error to figure out if something works or not.

 

[zogger]

I have a piece of split shagbark hickory that was a top of a log that was cut in January 2011. I cut and split it on September 8, 2011. Measurements are 4"x4"x 18" and weighs exactly 10.0lbs. At what weight would this piece be ready(seasoned) for optimum burning in my woodstove? Thanks in advance!

You have to go look up the green versus seasoned tables (might be up in one of the stickies up above), then figure out how much of a ton or cord you have, then run the proportion. No I ain't gonna do it. Wild guess, around 8 lbs.

aww shoot..made me look

green to dry at 20% per cord is

green/wet 5107 lbs

seasoned ready to rock 3830

so 10 lbs wet would be 7.499 lbs dry..I was close

 

[thepheniox]

Sounds a lot more realistic than what I figured out. I found a chart that had it 500 or so pounds heavier per cord. So basically the only way to know for sure would to use a moisture meter.

 

[logbutcher]

You have to go look up the green versus seasoned tables (might be up in one of the stickies up above), then figure out how much of a ton or cord you have, then run the proportion. No I ain't gonna do it. Wild guess, around 8 lbs.

aww shoot..made me look

green to dry at 20% per cord is

green/wet 5107 lbs

seasoned ready to rock 3830

so 10 lbs wet would be 7.499 lbs dry..I was close

Sounds a lot more realistic than what I figured out. I found a chart that had it 500 or so pounds heavier per cord. So basically the only way to know for sure would to use a moisture meter.

I don't know about all of you, but when I make love ( e.g. "have sex" for the unsophisticated here ) I do not usually interview or ask for a CV from my partner ( besides, she'd castrate me if I did ). So why do all this busy stuff about seasoned wood ? Use your head ( sorry, couldn't resist :tongue2: ). Let's try some techniques ( use all or some ) that have worked for most of us wood burners for decades:

1. Pick the split up in your hand. Is it heavier than just cut, green splits ?

2. Do the splits have solid end cracks ?

3. Is the wood ash ? Burn it now.

4. Have the splits changed color since you split them ? Think shades of gray.

5. When you put a split in an established bed of coals or a solid fire, does the split sizzle ?

6. Do you remember when the tree was felled and bucked and split ?

JMNSHO