Great summary Chris! Congrats on 4 months drying time, that’s awesome. Other comments - wood will dry quicker in the winter when the relative humidity is generally less. Humid summers won’t make the wood wet but it’ll slow down the drying. Also, where it is in the stack matters. I find the pieces up high or under tarps stay dryer than pieces near the bottom. And if you measure those pieces on the ends versus the middle, it will change. But like you said, it’s an average. And moisture meters are awesome. This isn’t space shuttle stuff, we’re just ballparking if it’s roughly below 20% to keep peoples chimneys clean!
Chris, good explanation, and the fact that wood will almost always surprise you. Cover good Air circulation and Time, make for some great firewood , Take Care and Stay Warm 🚜🪵🇺🇸
Thank you for today's vid. I am starting to cut/split/bundle firewood here in east Texas. I have a meter as well I got for Christmas. Really helpful and this video answered some questions iI had. Keep up the great work.
@@mattb4461 live tree moisture content varies by species. They range between 30 and 65 % moisture. Ash has the lowest moisture of any tree. Ash and maple are the only 2 hardwoods you can cut in the morning and burn it that night without it forming creosote. It sounds crazy but its true. Also everyone talks about the moisture in a cottonwood but red oak is very close to the same living moisture content. There are charts you can search online that give each species a moisture content. Also when checking the moisture content, checking the ends or face isn't accurate mist of the time on hardwoods. If you really want the truth, take the piece to your chops and cut it in half, you may get a big surprise. The end can say 15 but dead center can still be 27. I do this alot on my red and white oak, it is always about a 10 point difference. End readings can be very misleading.
Just wanted to drop a comment and thank you for the information. Also wanted to let you know it's awesome having and selling the beaver hat. Had one made from pelts I caught a few years back and yes we ta the warmest hat you will ever own. Again thank you and please keep the videos coming.
Hey Chris. Ive only been following for a month or so. I like the channel, lots of good info. Love the Easton splitters. I see the # of subs growing and happy to be a part of it. Youve got a new fan here in Ontario, Canada. Cheers and as long as the content is coming out, I will be here to watch and follow it. Thanks.
🤣🤣🤣 I just came inside from testing our firewood and watched this video! Bam there you are testing your inventory! I was also surprised at what I was finding!👍🏻👍🏻GNI
G’mornin Chris. Great information. I like to use the calendar for my burning wood. 3 yr old oak for my stove. I test my selling wood (as we all should). Great show today. GoodNightIrene
Good morning Chris!!😀😀 Good to see how dry all the wood is. The only bad thing is if you sell all the wood you tested this winter. You won't have much inventory for next winter. Looks like you are going to need to get a bunch of loads in soon. JPF always says that 25 percent and under is ready to burn. LOL!! If you want to keep your customers happy I do believe that it should be 20 percent and under. Take care my friend!!😀😀 Logger Al
Yes under 20% for most wood to burn, unless it is for a boiler or for people know that it is not totally dry and they are buying ahead of the season to dry it themselves.
good video Chris.....I have been using a General moisture meter for several years now. I like to test both with the grain and across the grain...try it ...I have a lot of ash to split and stack now that the old splitter is up and running again. Have a good one. GNI .....
hi there interesting show . the wood that surprised me the most was the hickory . i have found from weighing wood that 75% of the moisture comes out in the first 3 months , also low humidity winter days the wood drys the fastest . also on like 3 rainy days in a row the weight goes up . also found the denser the wood always gives a higher rate . good one john. ps would you please take your cold back
Chris, your video was very informative. I've mentioned before, but we have had very dry air and little rain or snow for the last 8 months in my area (record low snowfall for the season, ground has huge cracks). Everything I cut, split and stacked this summer is dry. We have had extremes of warm days (54 yesterday and -7 one night last week) but pretty consistent windy days. I cut up some honey locust a month ago and split it a week ago-as I stacked it a couple of days later there were already ice crystals in the heart wood grains as the locust was giving up it's moisture to the dry atmosphere. I've been enjoying a fire in my outside firepits almost every one of the warmer days this winter and of course that fire is the real test and the only thing that really matters when it comes to firewood. GNI
I have a moisture meter. I have used it but I can usually tell. I let all my wood season usually a min of a year. Some stuff dries a lot faster though especially the ash since that is usually basically ready to burn soon as it hits the ground. Its all real good and dead to begin with since all the ash here is dead from the ash borer. Usually there isn't a single branch even on the trees and either the butt end or top or both are punky. I have quite a few that fall on their own every winter I don't cut that many down but I have a bunch of big ash now I really should cut down so that I know all the wood is good. The bark falling off, the weight, the sound, the checking, wood turning grey/black can usually tell without using the meter. I have used it to show people buying wood from me that its good and ready but since most of it has sat 1-4 years anyway I know its good without doing anything. If I have green stuff a lot of times I cut it into 10-15 foot poles and just leave it a year or 2 before I even cut and split it then I let it sit another 6 months to a year.
Yup, you have a good system! I use the meter mainly to check if it is getting close or if I need a bunch to sell and I am low and worrying about running out! HA!
Yup, old school, works sometimes, I like to be sure with technology so my customers get the best product possible and I maintain my standards and my business.
Jeff from East Tennessee. Burning some dead standing Oak. Stacked and drying for about 16 months. Reading about 18 on meter. Burns very hot!!! Also just got some odd Dogwood. Dead in neighbors yard. Dogwoods are not very big trees. It is very good wood. But it is super wet!! I will check it in a year from now!! Also just stacked some Maple that is about 25 on meter. Wood drys slow down here in the south!!
G'day Chris Boone, I purchased a lignomat with all the bells in the US in 92 and I paid about $550 ISH not 21ISH. Equilibrium moisture content where I am is about 16 percent I can get it to 8 outside after a few years out in the open 👍🇦🇺.
we're burning ash i cut and split 2 months ago! almost right from the stump to the woodstove!! mine checks out between 18% and 16%! we got lucky because we were really low on last yrs wood! i changed my u-tube name !
Chris, good recap on moisture meters and drying time. As you said before it also makes a huge difference on the location of a stack. Since you have the wide open space, with lots of sun and airflow, I'm sure yours dries at a much faster rate.
Morning Chris, that wood that was in your Dad’s shed was about as dry as it gets. Kiln-dried lumber used for millwork is dried to about 7-9 percent. Good video filled with a wealth of information. Take care, Bud
My ash bark is always falling off or already off and great to burn soon as I cut it up I love it I just got a load of cherry and it was so heavy and wet it was insane
I just had a triaxle load of white oak and beech dropped at my house. Many of the tops were from trees that I felled😜. I’m nervous the white oak will take me two years to dry, but I’m hoping the fact I felled them in January will give me a leg up on the drying. Nonetheless I’m trying to get it all bucked, split and stacked ASAP!🤞🤞
Well Chris that was an eye opener of a video. The one thing that tells me is that as soon as you have the room and spot open for a load of logs you need to place the order to get the logs drying as soon as possible. The other thing is I Would probably not discount the cottonwood mix I would just increase the price on the premium hardwoods by $5 or $10 A face cord to make it look like a better deal on the cottonwood mix.
Thanks for the video about wood moisture. Wanted to ask your opinion on those pinless moisture sensors. Are they any good or are the ones with pins better?
1st cherry piece 18.5% then add 4% to that for being frozen, those meters measure resistance between the prongs, frozen wood has more resistance, so you get a false reading, I pretty sure those meters are calibrated to give an accurate reading at room temp so 55 - 75deg f.
Nice video. Was good info reviewing all the "old fashion" ways to test for dry. It's easy to be fooled by frozen maple, it has a nice ping sound when it's fresh-cut soaking wet and frozen solid.
I have a dual moisture meter (pin & pad), and I get very different readings. The pad always shows significantly wetter than the pins. So, i'm wondering if it is safe to trust the pin method.
I cut only cut dead standing hardwood. When cutting into the wood I know how dry it is then I split the wood. I found that the light weight the wood and the bark falling off it burns hot. It burns hot and just about as long as heavier wood. I found some standing dead beach. It the piece's were feather light and when I split it dust was flying off of it. The wood burns hot and long.
Excellent overview of the current stock of wood. That Wood Guy on UA-cam, season’s boiler wood in log form and then splits into via wood processor and sells it @ 5 face-cord units..
I did some moisture testing yesterday, too. Resplitting some too-big pieces, and sorting the ready from the not-so-much. Consistantly getting 19-20% in the dryer Ash pieces, and 22-24 in the others. The Maple got as high as 26%. I threw some of the "dry" 19-20% Ash on the fire- and it hissed and smoked... Not too badly, and it didn't take long for the extra water to boil off, but it makes me wonder if my meter reads too low or if the extreme cold we've had messes with it somehow. Totally agree with you that looks can be decieving. I have cherry that's been stacked since May, looks dry, feels dry- but pushes water anyway. (I bought it from a firewood guy, no idea how long it's been since it was cut, etc) Once it takes off, it burns fiercely. I also have hawthorn which was green in October. Some is split, some isn't. (it's knotty and gnarly as hell, as hawthorn usually is) The ends of all of it are dramatically checked, with large deep cracks- but no way is it anywhere near dry. Also have 2 year old Post/Pin Oak (can't remember which) that was stored for all that time in rounds. The guy split it for me to order, as I asked for oak and it's all he had. NOT ready. I resplit a bunch of pieces yesterday, and many actually felt damp inside. The kindling shards produced even took a long time to get going. I didn't test that, but it looked fresh and not seasoned inside. It does dry fairly quickly, once split into small pieces, but surprising how damp it is after being cut and bucked for 2 years! We really need to disabuse people of the notion that dead standing means ready to burn, or that oak will season in log or round form- in THIS century anyway... LOTS of damp, not ready to burn wood going around this year near me.
Really confused how some people seem to dry wood in a concreted firewood pit? (Outdoors with the Morgan’s) I love the idea because it eliminates stacking but how could the wood in the center of that pile possibly dry in a years time frame? I myself am looking for alternative methods of stacking because it’s playing hell on the tendinitis in my wrists! I have a dozen of the face cord bags but they’re not gonna last forever. I like the IBC totes but you still have to stack the wood in order to get a full face cord in one… not to mention they are pricey! I’m only doing 40 full cord a year for now but I’m not sure if I can keep stacking everything…
Hire some teenagers to stack it for you. Also wood needs air and sun to dry cement enclosures prevent that but it does make it easier with equipment if you can't physically do the work.
Them moisture meters work good. Got one I paid under 20. Then one gave 4500 for not sure what one works best. Hope the one that got that they gave me the stove is but who knows.
Truly enjoyed this very informative video! I have a moisture meter and will start making better use of it for sure! Chris, any suggestions to help learn how to identify wood species?
Thanks! Yes, get a book and study trees for about 50 years and try to figure out what kind it is and ask some one who knows to help. I am still learning!
I've tested wood dryness old-school way of weighing a piece then leaving it in approx. 100c pizza oven overnight or until the weight doesn't change weight. I guess you can use any oven too. Moisture meter is easier ;)
I always burn before I sell. It has paid off to be sure. Where I live wood sells at a premium. I sell to restaurants too so I always burn test before I bring a 2 cord load
Does location matter with drying times? I live in Atlanta and my wood appears to dry within 6 months for hardwoods and below 3 for pine. And I’m honestly getting 10% moisture readings. Anyone else in hotter climates experiencing this?
Cut and haul wood back to the wood yard in 8 ft lengths and stack for a year. Cut into rounds and stack for a year. This helps make axe splitting easier. Did not have a mechanical splitter. Split and stack for minimum of 1 year. Mostly Spruce, Pine, and lots of Douglas Fir Never had any problem with wet wood. Used 5 or 6 full cords a year.
@@InTheWoodyard Did that a few years ago when I was young and foolish. I am retired now. The only exercise I get now is watching you In The Woodyard. 😷😷😷
Good explanation of the wood, moisture content, and air dried lumber at your dads. What moisture meter model number is yours? A few times i had people argue that they could not get the wood to burn. So I brought over my moisture meter, tested below 20%, and asked to see how they were lighting it. They used no kindling or fire starter and using a match. Showed them what i do to light a fire and walla it lit. I think sometimes it would be good to have a second moisture meter to compare.
@@InTheWoodyard, that is what i thought you said in the video. Second funny was my neighbor didnt prepare for the ice and snow we just got. I gave her specific infor.ation to where the dry wood and kindling was at in 2 separate locations. I was leaving my dads farm going home and I saw these big chunks. So i stopped her and asked where she got those from. She told me. I said you didnt get the firewood from the right spot cannot burn those. It was pine just picked up a few months ago. I showed her where the wood was and she said oh firewood on the pallets not by the pallets. Ok. It was like God saidntonleave the farm at that time. Otherwise h She would have had a creosote fire. They had the house 15 years and just started burning wood. So.there was another lesson on burning wood as an hour passed.
Ah the great moisture content debate! Here in the UK the regulations on selling firewood changed recently and there is now a standard way that moisture has to be checked - do I agree with it? Not entirely. We have to take readings from 3 logs. One from the top, one from the middle and one from the bottom of the pile. We have to then split and take three readings from each log . One from each end of the piece of firewood and one from the middle. The average of all of the readings is considered the moisture content of that batch. Also the moisture meter has to work on a wet basis and not a dry basis. The whole idea was to try to stop the sale of unseasoned firewood, but the way it’s been put in place hinders anyone who actually sells seasoned firewood and as any consumer knows, wet wood doesn’t provide decent heat.
Chris. I was always told that frozen wood will show up less on a meter than thawed wood. As others said here. It would be a good test to test and mark the side you tested then take it inside a few hours and retest. It should come up a bit higher then thawed. However it doesn’t explain when you tested inside and the outside of the same peice your getting a higher reading on the inside. If it being frozen throws the meter off why would it show a difference from inside to outside. Please show a test from frozen to thawed and show us your results. I do know one comment about weight. I have also been told the same thing years ago weigh a piece dry in oven or microwave and reweigh to get the real moisture content. This is from woodworking books which was for building fine furniture. We all know this isn’t fine furniture. Peace.
Lets face it, moisture meters provide an analytical approach even though there might be some variation in results. The bottom line is if you test a cross section of your pile of wood and the moisture meter results average less than 20%, you are probably going to have good burning wood. I have become very good at seasoning my wood and think I have gotten too good. My wood is measuring less than 10% and it burning hot and quick this year. Still better than wet wood. Your common sense approach is why I watch the channel!
So, my neighbor and I have a little difference of opinion when it comes to wood drying… I think that stacked wood dries out even when temps drop below freezing… my rationale is that cold dry air will wick moisture away. He says that when it gets cold, wood stops drying…. What do you think?
@pjp80s Just suggest to your neighbor that they look up the definition of freeze drying. It's commonly done with foods. But if they still don't agree, try hanging a towel from the washing machine outside on a line in sub-freezing temperatures. It will dry, albeit much slower than on a warmer day.
Chris are you sure about your moisture test setting? i have cheap chinese one, and there is 4 wood category, (A/B/C/D) for different woods, and you need select good setting before testing. Maybe your is the same? with my gear i need to really hit wood with the two pins for good results.
Mine is the same, I was messing with it one day on some fresh split red oak, it would check from 25-40% according to the selection (it was super wet and heavy). I reckon it changes the scale according the supposed conductivity of the material?
@@InTheWoodyard yes differents woods : for mine gear group A : Teak, Walnut, Afrormosia, Rubber Tree, Imbuia, Kokrodua, Niove Bidinkala, Cork. groupe B: Keruing, White Poplar, Beech, Cedar, Tola groupe C : Lauan, Ash, Elm, Fir, Maple, Padauk, Oak, Cherry. Group D : Basswood, Larch, Pine, Birch. There is around 4% between each group. This is a 10/15$ testing gear. ( sorry for my poor english, i am french...)
You actually need to apply the “correction factors” to the meter reading to get the REAL moisture content. So the meters are “graduated” to “softwood pine” (Pinus radiata). The reading must be corrected either up or down for the actual species - so for “cherry” in this case. Then it must be corrected again for ambient temperature. Here in Oz it’s illegal to sell firewood above 15% There’s 3 different types of moisture within the wood. There’s free moisture (sap) running up the tree from roots to crown. Then there’s intercellular moisture & intracellular moisture. The sap dries out first by being wicked to the surface of the piece of wood by air movement past the wood, creating a moisture gradient. Next you need to remove the moisture from within the cellulose cells, through the lumens (pores) within the cell walls (intercellular moisture) and lastly there’s the intracellular moisture which is trapped within the cell walls itself, the cell walls being like a balloon inflated inside of another balloon. The area between the inner & outer cell wall is where the intracellular moisture resides. Here downunder, for air drying our eucalypt species of hardwoods is 1 inch per year through the thinnest dimension, plus a year. So a 2 x 4 would take 3 years. A 4x4 would take 5 years. Then there’s kiln drying schedules - which is another topic again. Here in Oz we get the “species correction tables” to account for meter graduation setting from the factory from an organisation called the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation). It contains the correction factors for most commonly used Euro, North American, Brazilian, Aussie & Kiwi species. But yeah, just reading the meter is a fail unless your testing radiata pine - which the meters come graduated to from the factory. 😉👍🇦🇺
@@InTheWoodyard So I have recorded a short video for you this morning explaining and showing how to apply the correction factors to the meter readings. ua-cam.com/video/BkAUcSvRnp4/v-deo.html
A day or two ago a commenter wondered if you ever get hard maple… not sure why but when the bark stays on, hard maple and rock maple at my place seem to take a loooooong time to get under 20%, how bout you?
I noticed that, too. The bark is very thick, which probably does a great job of holding water in. I've pulled loose bark off dry pieces, and the surface of the wood felt damp under the bark. Meanwhile, pieces with no bark are ready to burn sooner. Birch is like that, as well and even worse. When the Sugar Maple is ready, though- it's great stuff!
You might want to take a few pieces of wood indoors, let them thaw out and then re-test. Ice has a lower electrical conductivity than does liquid water, especially when the water has some chemical substances from the wood dissolved in it, so when the wood is cold enough to be frozen, the meter may be indicating less moisture than is actually present. Some of those surprisingly low moisture readings may not be accurate.
Chris you are a comment generating machine lol. Thing to consider…..less dry cherry pops a lot more and will launch ambers from a fireplace which some people don’t like. Just a thought.
Moisture meter is the best way to get the best idea what the moisture is. Yes it isn't 100% and there is really nothing that is 100% but it gives you a accurate idea.
@@mitchjones2821 of course. I'm saying as a tool, the moisture meter is the best tool to use to show you what the moisture of the wood is. Different species, location, time split and how it is stacked is all factors that make time seasoning important but to tell you what the moisture actually is when you are looking to check it, moisture meter is it.
@@mitchjones2821 again, it might not be 100% but let's say you are making a delivery to a customer. Customer says how do I know this wood is ready to burn. The customer is going to trust you taking a moisture meter and metering the wood more than you saying, just trust me. I carry one in my truck just incase someone asks.
As a pure bystander, looks to me like you should get several loads of timber in quickly, and then get Bo over to help you to start processing wood for next years sales! 😊 Either that or buy a processor 😩! Len (Devon 🇬🇧)
If you sell you must be 100% sure so moisture meter is best way, but if you use some other method then you still have to "calibrate" it with moisturemeter :P
Some of my cherry I just leave in logs and buck and split to order. Especially the restaurants, if they are smoking, the ones I sell to seem to not mind.
Another way is to cut a disk from the middle of a stick, accurately weigh it, cook it in the oven for a few hours to displace the water and re-weigh it. Umm, baked cherry (wood) pie... Would be interesting to compare it to your meters.
The only way to know the moisture percentage is to cut a 1/4 inch slice out of the center of the piece of wood. Weigh it then oven dry it or microwave 30 seconds at a time find the percentages diffent from predrying to after oven drying. Your meters will read diffent from specie to specie and the temperature. But for firewood the meter is close enough
@@bencote2219 no not retired but iver 30 years in the wood industry from stump to kiln dryed lumber. As a teenager I cut more full cords of firewood then Chris to when i graduated from high school and that was from the Stomp.
Yup, I am just getting started here, I only cut about 600 face cords a year for the last 10 years to sell and just personal heating for about 50 years now.
@@InTheWoodyard please under stand i think you do a awesome job and you deliver every piece. I had a big splitter faster then any Easton's and the wood went out 10 full cords at a time. That a lone like comparing apples to oranges. Not even considering difference in the splitter. And i handled my wood one time on to the trailer.
UA-camr "That Wood Guy" is adamant that buying logs, splitting into his trailer and delivering to customers at 25% - 30% he is selling 'Dry' wood. From this video and others you have done and I have stumbled across, 22%+ is too wet.
!!15k subs!! Congratulations, Chris!
Thanks Mitch!
I’ve heated with wood for many years but I have learned so much watching your videos. Where to stack, the zip ties for measuring, splitting size ect.
Thanks for watching!
Great summary Chris! Congrats on 4 months drying time, that’s awesome. Other comments - wood will dry quicker in the winter when the relative humidity is generally less. Humid summers won’t make the wood wet but it’ll slow down the drying. Also, where it is in the stack matters. I find the pieces up high or under tarps stay dryer than pieces near the bottom. And if you measure those pieces on the ends versus the middle, it will change. But like you said, it’s an average. And moisture meters are awesome. This isn’t space shuttle stuff, we’re just ballparking if it’s roughly below 20% to keep peoples chimneys clean!
YES YES YES! I agree!
I love the beaver hat!
Thanks!
Glad you show the difference between fresh split and outside. 👍
Thanks for watching Mark!
Chris, good explanation, and the fact that wood will almost always surprise you. Cover good Air circulation and Time, make for some great firewood , Take Care and Stay Warm 🚜🪵🇺🇸
Great point Larry!
Thank you for today's vid. I am starting to cut/split/bundle firewood here in east Texas. I have a meter as well I got for Christmas. Really helpful and this video answered some questions iI had. Keep up the great work.
Good luck Rolando!
Ever put a moisture meter on a live tree? Would be cool to see u do a few different species
Yes I have but bark does not measure the same as the inside.
@@InTheWoodyard what is a live fresh tree read? 30%? My oak is at least 12 months old and it still steams a little then burns good after 10 minutes
@@mattb4461 live tree moisture content varies by species. They range between 30 and 65 % moisture. Ash has the lowest moisture of any tree. Ash and maple are the only 2 hardwoods you can cut in the morning and burn it that night without it forming creosote. It sounds crazy but its true. Also everyone talks about the moisture in a cottonwood but red oak is very close to the same living moisture content. There are charts you can search online that give each species a moisture content. Also when checking the moisture content, checking the ends or face isn't accurate mist of the time on hardwoods. If you really want the truth, take the piece to your chops and cut it in half, you may get a big surprise. The end can say 15 but dead center can still be 27. I do this alot on my red and white oak, it is always about a 10 point difference. End readings can be very misleading.
Another good video full of useful information, especially for thoes that don't know, and a good reminder for us that should know better..
Glad you enjoyed it Daniel see you tomorrow!
Just wanted to drop a comment and thank you for the information. Also wanted to let you know it's awesome having and selling the beaver hat. Had one made from pelts I caught a few years back and yes we ta the warmest hat you will ever own. Again thank you and please keep the videos coming.
Thanks Chris for that moisture meter recommendation...I ordered one. Tim in northern TN
Sounds good, now use it!
@In The Woodyard I certainly will. 👍
Hey Chris. Ive only been following for a month or so. I like the channel, lots of good info. Love the Easton splitters.
I see the # of subs growing and happy to be a part of it. Youve got a new fan here in Ontario, Canada. Cheers and as long as the content is coming out, I will be here to watch and follow it. Thanks.
Thanks Jon, glad to have you here! I put out a new video every day just for you!
Congrats on 15K subs
Thanks!
🤣🤣🤣 I just came inside from testing our firewood and watched this video! Bam there you are testing your inventory! I was also surprised at what I was finding!👍🏻👍🏻GNI
That is awesome! Great minds must think alike!!! To bad it aint us!
Congrats on 15K subscribers. I watch every day and didn’t realize how fast that number was going up. Keep ‘em coming Chris 👍🏻
Thanks so much Eric!
Hi Chris
Great video. We always called cotton wood “gopher wood”. Put in one stick and “gopher “ another. Burned that fast.
YUP!
Great video on moisture testing. I had some oak that was dryer according to my moisture meter than I thought. Have a Safe Day
Thanks, you too!
Lots of good information Chris, thank you.
Congratulations on 15K subs! And also thanks to you, Brad at Nelson Ridge Farm is at 1.07 subs today
Awesome! Thank you!
G’mornin Chris. Great information. I like to use the calendar for my burning wood. 3 yr old oak for my stove. I test my selling wood (as we all should). Great show today. GoodNightIrene
Sounds great! Thanks!
I've found cherry seasons quick once split with good sun exposure
Yes, it is one of my favorites!
Good morning Chris!!😀😀
Good to see how dry all the wood is.
The only bad thing is if you sell all the wood you tested this winter. You won't have much inventory for next winter. Looks like you are going to need to get a bunch of loads in soon. JPF always says that 25 percent and under is ready to burn. LOL!! If you want to keep your customers happy I do believe that it should be 20 percent and under.
Take care my friend!!😀😀
Logger Al
Yes under 20% for most wood to burn, unless it is for a boiler or for people know that it is not totally dry and they are buying ahead of the season to dry it themselves.
That's a 'next level' hat, love it!!!
Thanks!
good video Chris.....I have been using a General moisture meter for several years now. I like to test both with the grain and across the grain...try it ...I have a lot of ash to split and stack now that the old splitter is up and running again. Have a good one. GNI .....
I will do that, you had better get splitting then!
hi there interesting show . the wood that surprised me the most was the hickory . i have found from weighing wood that 75% of the moisture comes out in the first 3 months , also low humidity winter days the wood drys the fastest . also on like 3 rainy days in a row the weight goes up . also found the denser the wood always gives a higher rate . good one john. ps would you please take your cold back
Thanks for the info! No, the cold is all yours now!
Good news on the moisture tests Chris, thats one less thing for you to worry about. Thanks for the update, see you tomorrow.
Thanks Mr.D!
Great information. Thank you for all the great education.
Thanks for watching Jack!
Hey man I’ve been loving your channel and I only have one request can you possibly put some links to the tools you discuss in the description
Thanks, I am going to!
Chris, your video was very informative. I've mentioned before, but we have had very dry air and little rain or snow for the last 8 months in my area (record low snowfall for the season, ground has huge cracks). Everything I cut, split and stacked this summer is dry. We have had extremes of warm days (54 yesterday and -7 one night last week) but pretty consistent windy days. I cut up some honey locust a month ago and split it a week ago-as I stacked it a couple of days later there were already ice crystals in the heart wood grains as the locust was giving up it's moisture to the dry atmosphere. I've been enjoying a fire in my outside firepits almost every one of the warmer days this winter and of course that fire is the real test and the only thing that really matters when it comes to firewood. GNI
Yes, fire is a great way to test wood, I have done that before.
I have a moisture meter. I have used it but I can usually tell. I let all my wood season usually a min of a year. Some stuff dries a lot faster though especially the ash since that is usually basically ready to burn soon as it hits the ground. Its all real good and dead to begin with since all the ash here is dead from the ash borer. Usually there isn't a single branch even on the trees and either the butt end or top or both are punky. I have quite a few that fall on their own every winter I don't cut that many down but I have a bunch of big ash now I really should cut down so that I know all the wood is good. The bark falling off, the weight, the sound, the checking, wood turning grey/black can usually tell without using the meter. I have used it to show people buying wood from me that its good and ready but since most of it has sat 1-4 years anyway I know its good without doing anything. If I have green stuff a lot of times I cut it into 10-15 foot poles and just leave it a year or 2 before I even cut and split it then I let it sit another 6 months to a year.
Yup, you have a good system! I use the meter mainly to check if it is getting close or if I need a bunch to sell and I am low and worrying about running out! HA!
Great stuff Chris Thanks for sharing 👍
Glad you enjoyed it Frank!
Does your moisture meter work the same on frozen wood?
My moisture meter is to listen the sound of dry wood, banging it around, and knowing how long the wood has been drying!
Yup, old school, works sometimes, I like to be sure with technology so my customers get the best product possible and I maintain my standards and my business.
Jeff from East Tennessee. Burning some dead standing Oak. Stacked and drying for about 16 months. Reading about 18 on meter. Burns very hot!!!
Also just got some odd Dogwood. Dead in neighbors yard. Dogwoods are not very big trees. It is very good wood. But it is super wet!! I will check it in a year from now!! Also just stacked some Maple that is about 25 on meter. Wood drys slow down here in the south!!
Yes, that high humidity does not help!
Sweet my meter is coming this week, love the hat!!!
thanks Scott!
G'day Chris Boone, I purchased a lignomat with all the bells in the US in 92 and I paid about $550 ISH not 21ISH. Equilibrium moisture content where I am is about 16 percent I can get it to 8 outside after a few years out in the open 👍🇦🇺.
That is good moisture content!
we're burning ash i cut and split 2 months ago! almost right from the stump to the woodstove!! mine checks out between 18% and 16%! we got lucky because we were really low on last yrs wood! i changed my u-tube name !
Yup, ash is great firewood for sure!
Chris, good recap on moisture meters and drying time. As you said before it also makes a huge difference on the location of a stack. Since you have the wide open space, with lots of sun and airflow, I'm sure yours dries at a much faster rate.
Yes, I am sure it helps.
Here in Australia I go by how heavy the wood is and if it has bark or not as most of the fire wood in Australia are types of gums, best being red gum
How many BTUs does red gum put out?
Morning Chris, that wood that was in your Dad’s shed was about as dry as it gets. Kiln-dried lumber used for millwork is dried to about 7-9 percent. Good video filled with a wealth of information. Take care, Bud
Thanks for the info Mike!
My ash bark is always falling off or already off and great to burn soon as I cut it up I love it I just got a load of cherry and it was so heavy and wet it was insane
But if you get the chery cut and split right away, it will be good soon too, it drys fast too!
@@InTheWoodyard yeah I'm burning a load of cherry that I cut and split about 4 months ago right now for myself
15K congratulations!
Thanks Joe!
I just had a triaxle load of white oak and beech dropped at my house. Many of the tops were from trees that I felled😜. I’m nervous the white oak will take me two years to dry, but I’m hoping the fact I felled them in January will give me a leg up on the drying. Nonetheless I’m trying to get it all bucked, split and stacked ASAP!🤞🤞
You should be nervous, white oak drys sloooow. Split it smaller and get it off of the ground asap!
Thanks Chris. Good information. Time is the key. Nebraska WoodSTR
Yes it takes a lot to dry wood. Air flow sun cutting splitting and time.
Well Chris that was an eye opener of a video. The one thing that tells me is that as soon as you have the room and spot open for a load of logs you need to place the order to get the logs drying as soon as possible. The other thing is I Would probably not discount the cottonwood mix I would just increase the price on the premium hardwoods by $5 or $10 A face cord to make it look like a better deal on the cottonwood mix.
Yes and yes! I agree!
Thanks for the video about wood moisture. Wanted to ask your opinion on those pinless moisture sensors. Are they any good or are the ones with pins better?
Good question! I have not tested one yet myself but heard that they do work!
Great video for us wood nerds!!
Glad you enjoyed it Wes!
1st cherry piece 18.5% then add 4% to that for being frozen, those meters measure resistance between the prongs, frozen wood has more resistance, so you get a false reading, I pretty sure those meters are calibrated to give an accurate reading at room temp so 55 - 75deg f.
Good point I’d bring a piece inside let it warm up and compare it to the outside reading
@@bencote2219 exactly 👍
Yes it does make a little difference as does a fresh battery and meters do vary also.
Maybe so!
Nice video. Was good info reviewing all the "old fashion" ways to test for dry. It's easy to be fooled by frozen maple, it has a nice ping sound when it's fresh-cut soaking wet and frozen solid.
Great point! Most wet frozen wood sounds dry, but is not!
I have a dual moisture meter (pin & pad), and I get very different readings. The pad always shows significantly wetter than the pins. So, i'm wondering if it is safe to trust the pin method.
Put new batteries in both then try them, mine are all very close.
@@InTheWoodyard I only have one unit that measures pin and pinless. It has a new battery. Of course, the pinless measures deeper.
Any idea how the prongs vs flat moisture meters compare? Great video.
I only have and have used the prong types.
Hi chris have you ordered and truck loads yet
Yes, they will be here in a couple weeks.
We are gonna have a heat wave here tomorrow I'm going to get out and get cuttin!! May take the meter out tomorrow too! GNI
Yes the heat is on!
Great info, I was checking some also yesterday
Glad it was helpful!
Interested in one of those beaver hats if I could some ordering guidelines thanks
Email me at chrisinthewoodyard @ gmail.com with your name address and head measurement and we will put you on the list for when we make them.
I cut only cut dead standing hardwood. When cutting into the wood I know how dry it is then I split the wood. I found that the light weight the wood and the bark falling off it burns hot. It burns hot and just about as long as heavier wood. I found some standing dead beach. It the piece's were feather light and when I split it dust was flying off of it. The wood burns hot and long.
Nice!
Good morning Chris, great video. Can you provide the model of the moisture meter you were demonstrating in the video please. Thank you.
It is an SBI, that is all I know about it.
Excellent overview of the current stock of wood. That Wood Guy on UA-cam, season’s boiler wood in log form and then splits into via wood processor and sells it @ 5 face-cord units..
To season wood it log form take YEARS especially oak. Most people think months, they are wrong.
Congrats on 15k
Thank you so much Dale!
Congratulations on hitting 15k
Thank you so much 😀
I did some moisture testing yesterday, too. Resplitting some too-big pieces, and sorting the ready from the not-so-much. Consistantly getting 19-20% in the dryer Ash pieces, and 22-24 in the others. The Maple got as high as 26%. I threw some of the "dry" 19-20% Ash on the fire- and it hissed and smoked... Not too badly, and it didn't take long for the extra water to boil off, but it makes me wonder if my meter reads too low or if the extreme cold we've had messes with it somehow.
Totally agree with you that looks can be decieving. I have cherry that's been stacked since May, looks dry, feels dry- but pushes water anyway. (I bought it from a firewood guy, no idea how long it's been since it was cut, etc) Once it takes off, it burns fiercely. I also have hawthorn which was green in October. Some is split, some isn't. (it's knotty and gnarly as hell, as hawthorn usually is) The ends of all of it are dramatically checked, with large deep cracks- but no way is it anywhere near dry.
Also have 2 year old Post/Pin Oak (can't remember which) that was stored for all that time in rounds. The guy split it for me to order, as I asked for oak and it's all he had. NOT ready. I resplit a bunch of pieces yesterday, and many actually felt damp inside. The kindling shards produced even took a long time to get going. I didn't test that, but it looked fresh and not seasoned inside. It does dry fairly quickly, once split into small pieces, but surprising how damp it is after being cut and bucked for 2 years!
We really need to disabuse people of the notion that dead standing means ready to burn, or that oak will season in log or round form- in THIS century anyway... LOTS of damp, not ready to burn wood going around this year near me.
Yes oak dries very slow especially in log or rounds, it has to be split.
My meter said in the manual something along the lines of its calibrated to 70f and in lower temps you have to add % per 5f.
I have cut lots of dead standing Oak with no bark that show 35+% moisture, but it loses it and pretty fast when split and stacked
If you sell all the almost ready wood this winter will you have dry wood in the fall?
Yup, I have to get busy!
How do you feel about pinless meters ?
I have not tried one yet.
Chris, when are the beaver hats going on sale?
Right now, send me your Name address and head size measured around your head at the hat line. chrisinthewoodyard@gmail.com I will put you on the list!
Always a learning experience
Yes it is!
Really confused how some people seem to dry wood in a concreted firewood pit? (Outdoors with the Morgan’s) I love the idea because it eliminates stacking but how could the wood in the center of that pile possibly dry in a years time frame? I myself am looking for alternative methods of stacking because it’s playing hell on the tendinitis in my wrists! I have a dozen of the face cord bags but they’re not gonna last forever. I like the IBC totes but you still have to stack the wood in order to get a full face cord in one… not to mention they are pricey! I’m only doing 40 full cord a year for now but I’m not sure if I can keep stacking everything…
Hire some teenagers to stack it for you. Also wood needs air and sun to dry cement enclosures prevent that but it does make it easier with equipment if you can't physically do the work.
Them moisture meters work good. Got one I paid under 20. Then one gave 4500 for not sure what one works best. Hope the one that got that they gave me the stove is but who knows.
Thanks for watching!
Love moisture meters! Only way I can definitively prove to customers that it’s seasoned
Yes. Some can look at it and see some visual signs like checking, bark coming off, grey surface , weight , sound and know.
Truly enjoyed this very informative video! I have a moisture meter and will start making better use of it for sure! Chris, any suggestions to help learn how to identify wood species?
Thanks! Yes, get a book and study trees for about 50 years and try to figure out what kind it is and ask some one who knows to help. I am still learning!
@@InTheWoodyard 😂😂😂
You run a tight ship sir . I also use a moister meter ,works great .
Cool, thanks!
Does the time of year that the wood is cut down make a difference in the moisture content?
YES, Good question. Spring is the most wet followed by summer.
What moisture meter brand is that
SBI $50-60
We have almost all Ash here which is around 30% alive with leaves on it. So after a month a or two it's ready to burn.
Yes! Ash is a fast drying wood!
I've tested wood dryness old-school way of weighing a piece then leaving it in approx. 100c pizza oven overnight or until the weight doesn't change weight. I guess you can use any oven too. Moisture meter is easier ;)
I don't have time to bake my wood! But I hear that it does work, I just have too much to test do it that way.
I always burn before I sell. It has paid off to be sure. Where I live wood sells at a premium. I sell to restaurants too so I always burn test before I bring a 2 cord load
It is a good test!
Does location matter with drying times? I live in Atlanta and my wood appears to dry within 6 months for hardwoods and below 3 for pine. And I’m honestly getting 10% moisture readings. Anyone else in hotter climates experiencing this?
Location absolutely matters. I'm on the opposite end in a temperate rain forrest. Also if it's getting air and sun.
Yes! Heat, sun, wind, lack of rain, time , kind of wood all matters.
YUP!
How much havee you got ready for next year?
Less than 80 face cords so far.
So it's going to be "Fingers out" for a while now then?@@InTheWoodyard
Cut and haul wood back to the wood yard in 8 ft lengths and stack for a year.
Cut into rounds and stack for a year. This helps make axe splitting easier. Did not have a mechanical splitter.
Split and stack for minimum of 1 year.
Mostly Spruce, Pine, and lots of Douglas Fir
Never had any problem with wet wood.
Used 5 or 6 full cords a year.
You must be in good shape, splitting wood is a great workout!
@@InTheWoodyard Did that a few years ago when I was young and foolish. I am retired now. The only exercise I get now is watching you In The Woodyard.
😷😷😷
Good explanation of the wood, moisture content, and air dried lumber at your dads. What moisture meter model number is yours? A few times i had people argue that they could not get the wood to burn. So I brought over my moisture meter, tested below 20%, and asked to see how they were lighting it. They used no kindling or fire starter and using a match. Showed them what i do to light a fire and walla it lit. I think sometimes it would be good to have a second moisture meter to compare.
Thanks for the funny my wood won't burn story! My meter is an SBI, not sure on the model number.
@@InTheWoodyard, that is what i thought you said in the video. Second funny was my neighbor didnt prepare for the ice and snow we just got. I gave her specific infor.ation to where the dry wood and kindling was at in 2 separate locations. I was leaving my dads farm going home and I saw these big chunks. So i stopped her and asked where she got those from. She told me. I said you didnt get the firewood from the right spot cannot burn those. It was pine just picked up a few months ago. I showed her where the wood was and she said oh firewood on the pallets not by the pallets. Ok. It was like God saidntonleave the farm at that time. Otherwise h
She would have had a creosote fire. They had the house 15 years and just started burning wood. So.there was another lesson on burning wood as an hour passed.
Ah the great moisture content debate! Here in the UK the regulations on selling firewood changed recently and there is now a standard way that moisture has to be checked - do I agree with it? Not entirely.
We have to take readings from 3 logs. One from the top, one from the middle and one from the bottom of the pile. We have to then split and take three readings from each log . One from each end of the piece of firewood and one from the middle. The average of all of the readings is considered the moisture content of that batch. Also the moisture meter has to work on a wet basis and not a dry basis.
The whole idea was to try to stop the sale of unseasoned firewood, but the way it’s been put in place hinders anyone who actually sells seasoned firewood and as any consumer knows, wet wood doesn’t provide decent heat.
Yes, if regulators get involved it messes everything up...usually.
Chris. I was always told that frozen wood will show up less on a meter than thawed wood. As others said here. It would be a good test to test and mark the side you tested then take it inside a few hours and retest. It should come up a bit higher then thawed. However it doesn’t explain when you tested inside and the outside of the same peice your getting a higher reading on the inside. If it being frozen throws the meter off why would it show a difference from inside to outside. Please show a test from frozen to thawed and show us your results. I do know one comment about weight. I have also been told the same thing years ago weigh a piece dry in oven or microwave and reweigh to get the real moisture content. This is from woodworking books which was for building fine furniture. We all know this isn’t fine furniture. Peace.
Maybe frozen does matter a little. Another variable is a fresh battery in the meter and some meters measure differently.
Lets face it, moisture meters provide an analytical approach even though there might be some variation in results. The bottom line is if you test a cross section of your pile of wood and the moisture meter results average less than 20%, you are probably going to have good burning wood. I have become very good at seasoning my wood and think I have gotten too good. My wood is measuring less than 10% and it burning hot and quick this year. Still better than wet wood. Your common sense approach is why I watch the channel!
Thanks Roy I appreciate that!
So, my neighbor and I have a little difference of opinion when it comes to wood drying… I think that stacked wood dries out even when temps drop below freezing… my rationale is that cold dry air will wick moisture away. He says that when it gets cold, wood stops drying…. What do you think?
@pjp80s Just suggest to your neighbor that they look up the definition of freeze drying. It's commonly done with foods. But if they still don't agree, try hanging a towel from the washing machine outside on a line in sub-freezing temperatures. It will dry, albeit much slower than on a warmer day.
Yup!
It will dry in freezing temps but slower.
Chris are you sure about your moisture test setting? i have cheap chinese one, and there is 4 wood category, (A/B/C/D) for different woods, and you need select good setting before testing. Maybe your is the same? with my gear i need to really hit wood with the two pins for good results.
What do your categories mean? Different woods as in soft or hard wood or firewood and lumber? And yes you need to push in the pins hard.
Mine is the same, I was messing with it one day on some fresh split red oak, it would check from 25-40% according to the selection (it was super wet and heavy). I reckon it changes the scale according the supposed conductivity of the material?
@@InTheWoodyard yes differents woods : for mine gear group A : Teak, Walnut, Afrormosia, Rubber Tree, Imbuia, Kokrodua, Niove Bidinkala, Cork. groupe B: Keruing, White Poplar, Beech, Cedar, Tola groupe C : Lauan, Ash, Elm, Fir, Maple, Padauk, Oak, Cherry. Group D : Basswood, Larch, Pine, Birch. There is around 4% between each group. This is a 10/15$ testing gear. ( sorry for my poor english, i am french...)
You actually need to apply the “correction factors” to the meter reading to get the REAL moisture content.
So the meters are “graduated” to “softwood pine” (Pinus radiata).
The reading must be corrected either up or down for the actual species - so for “cherry” in this case.
Then it must be corrected again for ambient temperature.
Here in Oz it’s illegal to sell firewood above 15%
There’s 3 different types of moisture within the wood.
There’s free moisture (sap) running up the tree from roots to crown.
Then there’s intercellular moisture & intracellular moisture.
The sap dries out first by being wicked to the surface of the piece of wood by air movement past the wood, creating a moisture gradient.
Next you need to remove the moisture from within the cellulose cells, through the lumens (pores) within the cell walls (intercellular moisture) and lastly there’s the intracellular moisture which is trapped within the cell walls itself, the cell walls being like a balloon inflated inside of another balloon.
The area between the inner & outer cell wall is where the intracellular moisture resides.
Here downunder, for air drying our eucalypt species of hardwoods is 1 inch per year through the thinnest dimension, plus a year.
So a 2 x 4 would take 3 years.
A 4x4 would take 5 years.
Then there’s kiln drying schedules - which is another topic again.
Here in Oz we get the “species correction tables” to account for meter graduation setting from the factory from an organisation called the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation).
It contains the correction factors for most commonly used Euro, North American, Brazilian, Aussie & Kiwi species.
But yeah, just reading the meter is a fail unless your testing radiata pine - which the meters come graduated to from the factory. 😉👍🇦🇺
Okay!
@@InTheWoodyard
So I have recorded a short video for you this morning explaining and showing how to apply the correction factors to the meter readings.
ua-cam.com/video/BkAUcSvRnp4/v-deo.html
And aĺl the heat from the jet exhausts helps dry it.
Yes!
A day or two ago a commenter wondered if you ever get hard maple… not sure why but when the bark stays on, hard maple and rock maple at my place seem to take a loooooong time to get under 20%, how bout you?
I noticed that, too. The bark is very thick, which probably does a great job of holding water in. I've pulled loose bark off dry pieces, and the surface of the wood felt damp under the bark. Meanwhile, pieces with no bark are ready to burn sooner. Birch is like that, as well and even worse. When the Sugar Maple is ready, though- it's great stuff!
That is why you split it, bark is like your skin it protects moisture from leaving, so yes bark off is good for all wood.
Yes it needs to be split and bark off is best to dry faster.
You might want to take a few pieces of wood indoors, let them thaw out and then re-test. Ice has a lower electrical conductivity than does liquid water, especially when the water has some chemical substances from the wood dissolved in it, so when the wood is cold enough to be frozen, the meter may be indicating less moisture than is actually present. Some of those surprisingly low moisture readings may not be accurate.
Yes, I have been informed of that, thanks Thomas.
Chris you are a comment generating machine lol. Thing to consider…..less dry cherry pops a lot more and will launch ambers from a fireplace which some people don’t like. Just a thought.
Thanks for the info Stan!
Looking like next season is going to be slim pickings for dry wood for you.
No, I just need to get busy!
Take a couple pieces in to thaw out and recheck.
Yup.
Success in business can be an unmanageable thing at times ? Congratulations ! If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it !
Yes! Thank you Eddie!
Moisture meter is the best way to get the best idea what the moisture is. Yes it isn't 100% and there is really nothing that is 100% but it gives you a accurate idea.
Time is 100% don’t ya think? With proper care taken regarding seasons and weather.
@@mitchjones2821 of course. I'm saying as a tool, the moisture meter is the best tool to use to show you what the moisture of the wood is. Different species, location, time split and how it is stacked is all factors that make time seasoning important but to tell you what the moisture actually is when you are looking to check it, moisture meter is it.
@@mjmtreeservicemaintenance2940 that’s right. I use one now. Only started because people ask and a persons word doesn’t mean anything anymore.
@@mitchjones2821 again, it might not be 100% but let's say you are making a delivery to a customer. Customer says how do I know this wood is ready to burn. The customer is going to trust you taking a moisture meter and metering the wood more than you saying, just trust me. I carry one in my truck just incase someone asks.
Yup!
As a pure bystander, looks to me like you should get several loads of timber in quickly, and then get Bo over to help you to start processing wood for next years sales! 😊 Either that or buy a processor 😩! Len (Devon 🇬🇧)
You are correct!
If you sell you must be 100% sure so moisture meter is best way, but if you use some other method then you still have to "calibrate" it with moisturemeter :P
Btw, at moment i heat with spurce that is so dry it's out of scale of my moisture meter 🤣 Your videos are great! Greetings from Estonia!
Yup, just burn some and you will know!
Thanks for watching!
Some of my cherry I just leave in logs and buck and split to order. Especially the restaurants, if they are smoking, the ones I sell to seem to not mind.
That is great for you!
Another way is to cut a disk from the middle of a stick, accurately weigh it, cook it in the oven for a few hours to displace the water and re-weigh it. Umm, baked cherry (wood) pie... Would be interesting to compare it to your meters.
No thanks, to much work and time I'll stick to the meter.
Better get the logs in as fast as yoy can and get cutting for winter 2022-2023!
Yup!
The only way to know the moisture percentage is to cut a 1/4 inch slice out of the center of the piece of wood. Weigh it then oven dry it or microwave 30 seconds at a time find the percentages diffent from predrying to after oven drying. Your meters will read diffent from specie to specie and the temperature. But for firewood the meter is close enough
You must be retired.
A retired engineer at that 😂
@@bencote2219 no not retired but iver 30 years in the wood industry from stump to kiln dryed lumber. As a teenager I cut more full cords of firewood then Chris to when i graduated from high school and that was from the Stomp.
Yup, I am just getting started here, I only cut about 600 face cords a year for the last 10 years to sell and just personal heating for about 50 years now.
@@InTheWoodyard please under stand i think you do a awesome job and you deliver every piece. I had a big splitter faster then any Easton's and the wood went out 10 full cords at a time. That a lone like comparing apples to oranges. Not even considering difference in the splitter. And i handled my wood one time on to the trailer.
I don't have the concern of angry customers/reputation, but if i bang it together and it sounds like bowling pins, IT'S GOING IN!
As long as you are happy, that is all that matters!
UA-camr "That Wood Guy" is adamant that buying logs, splitting into his trailer and delivering to customers at 25% - 30% he is selling 'Dry' wood. From this video and others you have done and I have stumbled across, 22%+ is too wet.
It is not dry from the log, 20% or less is recommended.