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Author Topic: Drying firewood  (Read 5874 times)

Offline bandmiller2

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Drying firewood
« on: December 18, 2018, 07:16:40 PM »
Have any of you fellas compared firewood curing in a loose pile compared to the stacked row.?? It would sure be easier to just throw the cut to length and split wood in a pile on top of pallets or cement blocks to keep it off the ground. Frank C.

Offline joasis

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Re: Drying firewood
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2018, 07:57:47 PM »
I don't think it matters whether the stack is tight or piled, the key obviously is covered.

I had a friend who found a great use for a grain bin....around here, very common. Anyway...he stacked all the wood he cut in the bin....and about 3 months in the sun, it was "kiln" dried. Insect free too.
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Offline Ox

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Re: Drying firewood
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2018, 09:07:20 AM »
I never noticed any difference back when I was doing it either.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline Stevem

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Re: Drying firewood
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2018, 09:23:02 PM »
I see it done both ways at local firewood sellers.  Stacked would be sort of pre-measured if you're selling it. Air flow is the key to drying.
Stevem
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Offline kbeitz

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Re: Drying firewood
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2019, 04:24:18 PM »
I hate stacking and moving fire wood. I do it one time.
I made 4x4x4ft boxes and stack it once. I made a trailer
to fit the boxes to pick them up and move them. This summer
I'm going to make lift off roofs for each box. I can load a box
at the mill or right out in the woods and it's ready to go.

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Offline Ox

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Re: Drying firewood
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2019, 09:30:22 AM »
I hated doing firewood too.  Handled each piece at least 5 times, the last of which is taking out the ashes.  How many boxes do you need to get through the winter down there in balmy PA?
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline kbeitz

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Re: Drying firewood
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2019, 10:12:22 AM »
How many boxes do I need?  I don't know yet. This year is the first time in around 40 years that I burned fire wood. I was burning coal. The boiler give up the ghost last year and I had put in a new LP gas on demand unit. I was selling all my scrap wood from the saw mill. I found that it's less hassle to burn the wood than to sell it. So I made my own wood stove and so far I'm real happy with it. It also keeps my LP tank full.
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Offline bandmiller2

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Re: Drying firewood
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2019, 07:05:32 PM »
The secret to burning wood is a vicious hot fire, you can burn damp poor wood with little creosote. A good portion of the fire box should be fire brick as it reflects the heat back into the fire. Fire surrounded by steel and water has a hard time burning hot enough for efficient burn. Frank C.