I knew when we were making the video I best add that part in lol. Lately I’ve been the stacker cause Karen’s been bundling . Gota say that’s my least favorite job in the wood yard stacking . Thanks Todd
Been at it a few yrs lol problem now is I’ve forgotten a lot of it lol . My buddy always says he’s forgotten more than he will ever know and now I’m starting to understand what he ment lol.
Ive stacked mine, put it in totes, now trying the Chris bins!! In SE Georgia, we are fortunate (?) To have the heat!! Thanks for the video!! Stay Hydrated and Have a Safe Day
I should think you ought to have enuf heat down there in the summer to make wood dry anyway you put it up lol . Must be just like standing in a kiln this time if yr . This northern boy ain’t a fan of the heat . Always appreciate hearing from you David .
Thanks Dave we’re trying to. I finally got to use that thing you brought . Sure is slick . Thanks so much for dropping that off it sure makes wrapping the pallets so much easier.
Very informative video! The more a consumer knows about the product they buy the better it is when they come to choosing the vendor they purchase from. Thank you for educating firewood buyers not only in your area but all across your subscribers areas, should help filter out some not so honest dealers that offer inferior wood as quality and at a lower price. You get what you pay for if you know what it is you’re buying!
I’ve always said good things are seldom cheep and cheep things are seldom good . Definitely holds true to firewood as well . People just look on face book and order the cheapest they can find . I’ve had to deal with that for yrs . Put out a good product at a fair price and eventually it will all work out and you’ve got a good customer base for as long as you can keep up .
I agree with you 100% on everything you said one other thing I do know is not only can I tell by the looks and the weight I can also tell by the sound when you bang them together, I know some people would say the sound you’re crazy but you know that you throw a few pieces together and it has a different sound when it’s dry compared to when it’s wet and your video was very informative I enjoyed it greatly keep them coming when you can cause this is our busy time you two have a safe week Lee Hillsgrove trucking signing off 👍
Your right any wood guy worth there salt can just listen to the sound wood makes and know it’s dry . I know I can just pick up a piece and know if it’s good to go or not . The moisture meter is good solid proof to show your customers though because most of them don’t know
@@AllenFamilyFirewood how true that is I took on a new client this year and they asked me how much of my cordwood had Pine mixed in with it cause I guess the people they were buying it off before was mixing softwood in with it so I had to let them know that my cords are all hardwood and you’re right. I bring a moisture meter with me for those people that don’t know. Have a good evening you two
Thanks good to see another Mainea in the comments . I get up to Windsor about once a yr in September for the Maine trappers convention at the fairgrounds . Thanks for watching and leaving a comment .
I totally agree with you Phil. I do my wood exactly the same way and keep it all in a good sunny and breezy Location. My wood takes one to two years to dry even after splitting.
I agree with everything you said 100%! The only thing I might add based on my experience down here in OOB, is the split pine on the bottom or the middle of a stacked row seems to grow way less mold if it's stacked when its dry (and by dry I mean physically dry on the outside, I don't mean seasoned). I noticed that if i split wet pine and then stack it at the bottom of a row, it will never properly dry or air out will grow that moldy white fungus. That never happens to any of the wood on the top couple rows
Now that you said that I do remember last yr we had a problem with that same thing . That’s the biggest reason we swaped over to the new pallet design so it would get more air flow and this yr it hasn’t been a problem . That white fuzzy stuff is nasty stuff no one likes to see that . Thanks Nick we still need to come down an do a video with ya .
Camera girl , stacking machine , bagging machine , book keeper she dose it all but Karen definitely has her work cut out to make my old carcass look good lol . Thanks Todd .
Phil now that’s some good info. I also believe that area and conditions vary around the country. My land and woodyard is in the Adirondacks not a lot of sun or wind. Stack all on pallets mostly beech. Yes takes forever
Yup every place is different out west they get more of a dry heat and it’s relatively flat . Not much flat area between you and us and lots of woods so it’s hard to get that sun and wind . I do know guys here in Maine that make huge 100 cord piles but they pave a big area and it’s a wide open area so they get the sun and wind .
I stack in 2 rows with a space between. Also I cover just the top so the wind and sun hits both sides. In south Louisiana we deal with heat, rain and thick humidity, just like y’all, so drying oak is challenging. Fun show, thanks
@@saltrock9642 yup that’s how we do our pallets as well 2 rows with 6 inches between . The humidity really makes it hard to dry firewood in huge piles . Appreciate ya watching and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Great video Phil. I usually stack my firewood in 4ft tall by 24 ft long rows. The wood not only dries quicker but it looks sexy all stacked up nicely. Majority of my customers have wood stoves so splitting small isn't really an option. I do have a couple customers that have really small cook stoves that ask for smaller split wood. In those cases I usually charge more because it takes longer to cut and split. Also, my kindling sales have slowed down quite a bit but I have managed to sell 310 bundles so far. Not too bad I guess. Thanks for all the tips and advice!
I love the look of stacked wood . We’re near the coast and it’s all fancy houses . Most all them folks burn oil but they like to still have a fire every now and then . Inland from us 20 miles and people burn 4-10 cord a yr for heat . They want bigger wood and they want it as cheap as possible . Sounds like you’re doing real good on that kindling . I don’t think all together we’ve sold a dozen bundles so far this yr . Guess I’ve got a 20 yr supply on my hands so I won’t be making any more of that for a long time lol gona writ that one off as a learning experience.
Can't argue with ya on that one. I like it small for the fireplace and it dries quickly. I can burn it in six months. Winston likes it big for the furnace and some of it isn't split, it takes a long time to dry his wood, but he has lots, so it doesn't matter. Id prefer if he split everything but he's the boss.
We all do what works for us . Big wood is nice for heat but it just takes an extra long time to get it dry enuf . Our boiler is a gasser so it has to have dry wood and I have a bad habit of selling every stick of dry wood I have so I try and split it small in hopes that I will have it dry enuf to use myself .
Great video Phil lots of information and good information on drying wood I am trying out Chris's in the woodyard method for the first time I have a been full of Beach and Maple I live in the Hudson valley area of New York so my environment is not much different from yours so come October November I will find out if I made a mistake take care and stay safe look forward to the next video
You did a very good and informative video, my friend. I concur with all you said. I use to stack mine, but I look at that about like I view weed-eating (and I’d rather be beaten with a weed-eater than use it lol). However, I pile my wood on pallets, but do so with a face cord here, another beside it and so on down the length of the long pallet area. Once the bottom of all the pallets are covered, I’ll return to the first face cord and pile another atop it repeating the earlier process. This allows each face cord to have a good measure of this brutal Missouri heat-index before being covered by another. By the way, my piles are probably 15’ x 20’ x 60’.
Thanks Mark we figured we would try a different type of video and see how it went . Them are some big piles but it makes sense putting down a layer then moving down and then come back to add more layers . I also noticed that when I split and throw it into a pile as long as it’s scattered around it seems to dry also especially the pine . I wish we had more land I’d pave a big area and try it your way I can see that working up here
All good tips. Speaking stacking I got get 4 cord done. I don’t like stacking but feel it most important part. About cord left to split the it be the stacking game. Stay cool out there ✌🏻
Stacking is my least favorite thing to do in the wood yard but it’s an important part of our operation . It’s been getting into the 90s every day here so we take a lot of breaks . Lil at a time and that 4 cord will be all stacked in no time .
Ideal firewood system .... run 16' wide 8 ft lengths through an alaskan saw mill to de-bark. Run the squared-off 18 inch lengths through a 4-way splitter. Use every scrap of waste to fire an airtight wood-stove kiln for a week...logs held loosely in 8-10 IBC totes (stacking reduces circulation). Solar powered fans to circulate heat and battery powered extractor fan to vent moisture...👍
Hi guys. Great video. Lots of dandy tips there. I enjoyed it. What!!!!! You don’t pile wood. ???!! Hehe. Great job on the video. Location location location. Depending where the wood is stored is key. Sun. Wind. Small wood. 👍🏻👍🏻👋👋 Have a great week. I was stacking wood in my garage today. Brought home a trailer load of the hurricane Fiona wood. Need another trailer and a bit to finish. Might cut wood tomorrow out of the 8’ log pile. Still gotta do that yet. To much ramblin, BYE.
Thanks Noel yup I’m a wood stacker lol don’t tell no one . That trailer you redid came out nice good job on that . Definitely way too hot to be putting up wood this week .
Same here the guys that do 3-800 cord a yr seem to take care of the bulk wood people that want big chunks for heating . I much prefer catering to the folks that burn a cord or less .
I season my wood for about 5 months in Wisconsin. Piled facing Southwest, UV just cooks the wood all day when sun is the most intense . 3 rows with a 2 foot space between each. I cover the rows with used building metal sheets. One of the most important things I observe is to cover the top of the pile. What sense does it make to let the pile get soaked with every rain event, and have to dry off that soaked in moisture before real wood drying can resume? I heat a 2500 sq.ft. house plus the garage with an indoor furnace. I seldom buy any wood. Wood can be over dry and I would not buy anything over a year old as it burns too fast. Past experience. That's my reality, been at it for 15 years plus. I wouldn't even haul home 3 or 4 year old wood.
I definitely agree on covering the top . We just have to much to cover but if I could I would . Sounds like you have the drying process down . Appreciate ya watching and taking the time to comment .
I'm with Joe on this.. "it's the customer's job to dry the wood".. we really don't have the time nor space to hold the wood.. we simply cut split clean and deliver
I think that’s a good business plan less handling for sure . There’s a lot of guys doing that around here and I’ve done it myself in the past . It’s just so competitive around here and if ya don’t have a huge processor you’re not in the game . Lot less people around here willing to sit on there inventory for a yr or more to get the higher prices so we decided to go more in that direction and so far it’s worked good for us . Every now and then we do some green wood but it’s usually because we need the extra cash or they have been a long time customer.
Morning I have a 22 x28 steel bldg that I emptied out as much as I could then split into IBC totes then put into that with my tractor I have two customers that do outside cooking that pine will dry pretty good in about a week or so because it gets so hot and I run two big fans alot but I use about 50 totes and 2 bins one for pine one for hardwood but I also stack wood like birch so it depends on what kind of wood and who I am selling it to as I get older I need to handle it less or I ll be looking at early retirement lol take care guys
That building is the answer especially with a fan running . Having a place in out of the elements is key . We stack on the pallets because we can dump them into the trailer and it saves a ton for us on rehandling the wood come delivery time . As we get older we have to work smarter .
@@AllenFamilyFirewood thats true my shop gets so hot in the summer its like a kiln and I load my truck by flipping the ibc totes and sometimes use a conveyor which isnt too bad. I would like to try the pallets like you make but dont have a mill and can get the totes for free I even sell the bladders. Someday I would like to take a roadtrip and have a diet MD stay cool
Great video and awesome info!! I feel like I’m geographically blessed for drying wood 😂😂. I’m totally with ya on splitting smaller!! Appreciate the video, I really enjoyed it!! 🤝🔥🪵
She was behind the camera doing all the stuff I’m not very good at lol . We figured it was time for a different kind of video . We might try one with just her in it if we ever figure out how all this UA-cam stuff works .
thanks for the video. I am thinking of building a greenhouse type structure over a few of my fresh split oak stacks for the month of August and compare that to the others. Have you tried anything like that?
Yrs ago when I had a garden ctr I would dry firewood in one of the greenhouses. Worked almost as good as a kiln during July and august . Key is to having a vent at one end and a fan at the other pulling the air threw to get rid of the moisture . I never had fans blowing on the wood but I’m sure that would help as well
Under 20% moisture rule here in NY state is considered seasoned wood. If it sounds like a bowling pin when it hits concrete most times it’s seasoned and ready to burn. I always carry a moisture meter in the truck when I’m delivering especially to 1 st time customers
I like that rule Maine should adopt that . I like your idea about caring the meter so you can show the customer . That sure can take any problems out of the equation later on down the rd . I think I’m going to adopt that idea . Thanks for the great idea Bob
Good video but I’m not gonna stack wood just yet😂. I’m scheming a plan but it has a few bugs to work out. Air flow and sun is the biggest key to getting the wood to dry. Keeping the tops only covered will help to dry it a bit quicker also.
Russ you definitely have it figured out split right into the truck and deliver it , quick turn over . Yrs ago I used to cover the tops of the piles the first of sept because of all the September rain and I was selling it all by the end of September. Now I wait till everyone is out in December and it’s cool and dry and get an extra 100 pr cord .
Nice video guys! You have got me wondering how my personal fire wood is coming along, looking nice and brown. Trying fresh cut oak and hickory to dry in 7 months before winter, split small and stacked in 30 degree angles, we just got 4 inches of rain in 4 days, looking forward to getting my meter out when it dries out a bit, you've got my curiosity going! I've always gotten dead junky knotted up elm for years
@@WilleysFirewood last yr we had the stands out till the first week of November. Trying now to just keep up with splitting pine I figured I had plenty to keep the bundles going but this heat is kicking me hard .
It takes forever to dry wood up here in Vermont, i have ash that is almost 2 years old ,i can take a split ,split it again check it with the moisture meter and it will be 20 %.
Bark on a dead tree really makes it rot sooner. A standing tree without bark is usually in really good shape. Few od my trees lose their bark. Red elm is a tree that burns great if you leave it stand until all the bark falls off. We almost never get pine.
I would think any standing hardwood without bark would be an excellent way to speed things up . We have a lot of pine up here and if ya cut one down that is missing the bark chances are it’s all punky . I’ve cut a fair amount of standing dead hardwood and it’s great stuff . Kinda tough cutting but it’s well worth it . Thanks Jim .
Was the pile of wood raised off the ground? You don't need to stack, but it does need to be on a pallet or something off the ground. Stacking gives you LESS air space than thrown in a pile.
Our pile was just sitting on the ground . I should do a video and test the 2 methods in our wood yard again piling on top of some pallets . You do get more airspace to an extent with piles vs stacking . When I stack though I don’t stack it tight cause I want the air space as much as I can . I’d have to use hard wood not pine for the test . The pine will definitely mold in the pile even small half cord piles and it only takes a few days for it to start happening.
It was on the ground . As I’m splitting I throw all the ugly pieces on the ground and after a cord adds up I usually stop and stack it . If it takes more than a few days to get to stacking it starts getting that white mold but that’s pine with hardwood it could sit for a few weeks befor it starts going bad . The humidity we have this time of yr is just crazy
Yup gota have that air flow to dry off the rain . We’ve been getting them thunder showers almost every afternoon . Cools things off for 20 min then the humidity just starts building again
Well that went through so I’m gona try again lol . There’s a guy not far from here that has about 10 acres and he paved a huge spot in the middle and makes piles and it works good for him as well . I think I just need a bigger property and I could do the same thing . I’ve always wanted to just pile the wood on a big paved are and come delivery time just run it threw a disk cleaner with the loader right into the trailer . Sure would speed up the process for us . Probably wouldn’t work for pine as that stuff molds so fast but it’s definitely the way to go for hardwood if ya have the open area and conditions for it .
I had a 2 acre concrete pad that we would pile the wood up in cones. In the summer time wood would go from 30 percent to around 16 to 18 in about 2 weeks. No shade tho.. keep on working Phil!!! Im back on the beach fishing.. lol
Back fishing again ? I need to get with the program and start doing what you’re doing lol. There’s a guy here in Maine that piles it on a huge paved area and it works for him as well .
Oak is probably the only exception that seems to take forever even splitting it small but your probably right about that being about lumber the inch pr yr .
That sounds backwards I know when I’m behind I split it small so it drys faster and when I’m caught up I tend to split it bigger cause I know I have more time to dry it . Maby I misinterpreted what you said .
Good evening Phil & Karen 😊 iiiii iiiiii dry and seasonal my firewood 🪵 the organic way plus Free ranch it get more money 💵 for sale it . Plus every cord you buy I put in 18 free ranch organic fresh eggs 🥚, if you buy 8 cords I give a Free ranch organic turkey 🦃 that will be delivered in end October or mid of November Phil and Karen . 😊
Well that’s a good idea Leonard everyone likes eggs and Turkey . Maybe some day we will build up to having a kiln but for now we’re gona do it Mother Natures way like you .
I totally disagree about stacking. I grew up in Vermont and don’t you tell me there’s no wind in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine where is your head? I implemented CHRIS in the Wood yards pallet rack system in Iowa and it works great and the humidity here is the same as it would be in Maine, again where is your head? I save so much time not stacking when in actuality. It’s a form of stacking just a different process of stacking so let’s get that straight. If you wanna stack your Firewood stack it, but don’t criticize a different form and process of stacking! Have a good day!!
@@bryanlafleur2419 I don’t think I criticized anyone for piling there wood it just don’t work for us . In the video I said piling works great for Chris and it works great in alot of other places just not here for me . If you have ever watched one of our videos you would see we have a small Woodyard on the side of a hill with lots of trees around . Not a lot of wind and not much sun on our drying area . Thought I was perdy clear that it works for some people but not for everyone piling wood . I even mentioned in 1 or 2 comments that a guy not far from here that has a huge paved area piles his wood and it works great for him . The title of the video is tips and tricks to dry your firewood and for me stacking keeps my wood from molding and makes it dry faster than if I had piled it . No one way works best for everyone and seeings ware it’s my video I figured I would talk about what works best for me here in my wood yard . We all gota do what works best for us .
Remember Phil & Karen you make your Benjamin by sale premium firewood 🪵. Chris in the wood 🪵 yard make his money 💴 into take pictures and showing E- bikes 🚴, promoting business 👩💼 stuff on his channel. If you look 👀 on Chris channel he don’t have one business name on his vehicle or DOT license 🪪 on trailer or truck . If just fun my firewood business is cover in name and province # and Highway license # . Biden probably promoting his business 🧑💼 in the corn 🌽 field under the table , it’s the way Trudeau work up here Phil if you want to join there hand 🤚 out in business 👩💼. 😊
I don’t run my name on my truck because it’s less hassle not having to deal with the men I blue , I try and stay under the radar as much as possible. A meet up with them guys can cost ya $1000s . I think chris puts alot of that on his channel because the guy puts out a video every day and eventually it’s hard to make a video interesting so he has a wide verity of things on his channel. He’s also really good at what he dose I vary rarely miss one of his videos .
I rarely respond to comments, BUT! I enjoy the commercial free zone here, but I have been watching Chris for a long time. He is a straight up guy. How about you forget the politics and get a life.
@@lefthandedleprechaun8702 For a home owner it really is just that easy . For us guys producing 100 s of cords the name of the game is to dry it fast and cash it in . Sure would be nice to have a massive building that I could store wood in though .
That barn you have sure has done a nice job of drying wood over the yrs . Dose the wood in the bags your doing seem to be drying as good as the way you were doing it just piling it in the barn .
What works for you was the key words!! Great topic for a video. Good stuff👍🏻👍🏻 Keep on stackin Phil….. I mean Karen😂
I knew when we were making the video I best add that part in lol. Lately I’ve been the stacker cause Karen’s been bundling . Gota say that’s my least favorite job in the wood yard stacking . Thanks Todd
This was excellent information
From a person who heats with wood in Maine in 👍
Thanks, glad if it was helpful!
Another important aspect to drying and seasoning wood, especially oak, location, location ,location! Full sun and a constant breeze is key.
Sure is I wish I had 10 acres of open ground for a wood yard . I’d pave an area and do piles . Definitely gota have that sun and wind .
Great video you have a wealth of knowledge an a world of experience great job
Been at it a few yrs lol problem now is I’ve forgotten a lot of it lol . My buddy always says he’s forgotten more than he will ever know and now I’m starting to understand what he ment lol.
Ive stacked mine, put it in totes, now trying the Chris bins!! In SE Georgia, we are fortunate (?) To have the heat!! Thanks for the video!! Stay Hydrated and Have a Safe Day
I should think you ought to have enuf heat down there in the summer to make wood dry anyway you put it up lol . Must be just like standing in a kiln this time if yr . This northern boy ain’t a fan of the heat . Always appreciate hearing from you David .
Phil, great video. You’re putting out a lot of good info for firewood users. TY for sharing. Dave D. from Auburn.
Thanks Dave we’re trying to. I finally got to use that thing you brought . Sure is slick . Thanks so much for dropping that off it sure makes wrapping the pallets so much easier.
@@AllenFamilyFirewood, glad you can use it. I’ll stop by again someday & say hi. Who knows, I might even bring a treat. 👍🇺🇸😉
@@DaveDunehew-e1f stop by any time
Nice work very neat and tidy I can tell you have a lot of pride in what you do. Keep up the great work!
Well you haven’t seen the inside of my truck yet lol but we do try and keep the wood yard as neat and orderly as possible.
Hello Phil and Karen. Thanks for the information. It’s always good to have things explained. Thanks for another good video.
Thanks DonO I think it’s all just basic info but we wanted to try doing a lil different kind of video to see how it went over .
Very informative video! The more a consumer knows about the product they buy the better it is when they come to choosing the vendor they purchase from. Thank you for educating firewood buyers not only in your area but all across your subscribers areas, should help filter out some not so honest dealers that offer inferior wood as quality and at a lower price. You get what you pay for if you know what it is you’re buying!
I’ve always said good things are seldom cheep and cheep things are seldom good . Definitely holds true to firewood as well . People just look on face book and order the cheapest they can find . I’ve had to deal with that for yrs . Put out a good product at a fair price and eventually it will all work out and you’ve got a good customer base for as long as you can keep up .
I agree with you 100% on everything you said one other thing I do know is not only can I tell by the looks and the weight I can also tell by the sound when you bang them together, I know some people would say the sound you’re crazy but you know that you throw a few pieces together and it has a different sound when it’s dry compared to when it’s wet and your video was very informative I enjoyed it greatly keep them coming when you can cause this is our busy time you two have a safe week Lee Hillsgrove trucking signing off 👍
Your right any wood guy worth there salt can just listen to the sound wood makes and know it’s dry . I know I can just pick up a piece and know if it’s good to go or not . The moisture meter is good solid proof to show your customers though because most of them don’t know
@@AllenFamilyFirewood how true that is I took on a new client this year and they asked me how much of my cordwood had Pine mixed in with it cause I guess the people they were buying it off before was mixing softwood in with it so I had to let them know that my cords are all hardwood and you’re right. I bring a moisture meter with me for those people that don’t know. Have a good evening you two
Just come across your UA-cam today. I live over in Windsor. Glad to see a local doing well on this website!
Thanks good to see another Mainea in the comments . I get up to Windsor about once a yr in September for the Maine trappers convention at the fairgrounds . Thanks for watching and leaving a comment .
Thank you for this new video. It's really informative and I really appreciate it! Chip
Thanks chip we figured it was time to try a different kind of video other than our normal to see if we could do it . So far it seems to be doing ok .
I totally agree with you Phil. I do my wood exactly the same way and keep it all in a good sunny and breezy Location. My wood takes one to two years to dry even after splitting.
Wow that’s a long time most of our hardwood we can dry over the summer in 5 months .
Not here in Vermont, 5 months if you split it small ? With the new catalytic combuster stoves, it needs to be fifteen percent or less
Great tips Phil! Keep stacking 👍👍
Thanks Jerimia I’ve been keeping a close eye on your piles seems like there working good for ya .
I agree with everything you said 100%! The only thing I might add based on my experience down here in OOB, is the split pine on the bottom or the middle of a stacked row seems to grow way less mold if it's stacked when its dry (and by dry I mean physically dry on the outside, I don't mean seasoned). I noticed that if i split wet pine and then stack it at the bottom of a row, it will never properly dry or air out will grow that moldy white fungus. That never happens to any of the wood on the top couple rows
Now that you said that I do remember last yr we had a problem with that same thing . That’s the biggest reason we swaped over to the new pallet design so it would get more air flow and this yr it hasn’t been a problem . That white fuzzy stuff is nasty stuff no one likes to see that . Thanks Nick we still need to come down an do a video with ya .
Well said Phil. The moisture under the bark attracts insects also.
I never thought of that but it sure makes sense . Thanks Ethan
Phil and Karen nice 👍 to see you guys camera person is doing a amazing job to make you look 👀 good Phil 😮😊❤
Camera girl , stacking machine , bagging machine , book keeper she dose it all but Karen definitely has her work cut out to make my old carcass look good lol . Thanks Todd .
Phil now that’s some good info. I also believe that area and conditions vary around the country. My land and woodyard is in the Adirondacks not a lot of sun or wind. Stack all on pallets mostly beech. Yes takes forever
Yup every place is different out west they get more of a dry heat and it’s relatively flat . Not much flat area between you and us and lots of woods so it’s hard to get that sun and wind . I do know guys here in Maine that make huge 100 cord piles but they pave a big area and it’s a wide open area so they get the sun and wind .
I stack in 2 rows with a space between. Also I cover just the top so the wind and sun hits both sides. In south Louisiana we deal with heat, rain and thick humidity, just like y’all, so drying oak is challenging. Fun show, thanks
@@saltrock9642 yup that’s how we do our pallets as well 2 rows with 6 inches between . The humidity really makes it hard to dry firewood in huge piles . Appreciate ya watching and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Very well explained 🎉❤
Thanks
Great video Phil. I usually stack my firewood in 4ft tall by 24 ft long rows. The wood not only dries quicker but it looks sexy all stacked up nicely. Majority of my customers have wood stoves so splitting small isn't really an option. I do have a couple customers that have really small cook stoves that ask for smaller split wood. In those cases I usually charge more because it takes longer to cut and split. Also, my kindling sales have slowed down quite a bit but I have managed to sell 310 bundles so far. Not too bad I guess. Thanks for all the tips and advice!
I love the look of stacked wood . We’re near the coast and it’s all fancy houses . Most all them folks burn oil but they like to still have a fire every now and then . Inland from us 20 miles and people burn 4-10 cord a yr for heat . They want bigger wood and they want it as cheap as possible . Sounds like you’re doing real good on that kindling . I don’t think all together we’ve sold a dozen bundles so far this yr . Guess I’ve got a 20 yr supply on my hands so I won’t be making any more of that for a long time lol gona writ that one off as a learning experience.
Great video. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks Chris figured we’d change things up and do a lil different kind of video this time . We appreciate ya watching and taking the time to comment.
Can't argue with ya on that one. I like it small for the fireplace and it dries quickly. I can burn it in six months. Winston likes it big for the furnace and some of it isn't split, it takes a long time to dry his wood, but he has lots, so it doesn't matter. Id prefer if he split everything but he's the boss.
We all do what works for us . Big wood is nice for heat but it just takes an extra long time to get it dry enuf . Our boiler is a gasser so it has to have dry wood and I have a bad habit of selling every stick of dry wood I have so I try and split it small in hopes that I will have it dry enuf to use myself .
Great video Phil lots of information and good information on drying wood I am trying out Chris's in the woodyard method for the first time I have a been full of Beach and Maple I live in the Hudson valley area of New York so my environment is not much different from yours so come October November I will find out if I made a mistake take care and stay safe look forward to the next video
Chris method works good as long as you have that big open area that gets sun and wind all day . Let us know how it works for you
You did a very good and informative video, my friend. I concur with all you said. I use to stack mine, but I look at that about like I view weed-eating (and I’d rather be beaten with a weed-eater than use it lol). However, I pile my wood on pallets, but do so with a face cord here, another beside it and so on down the length of the long pallet area. Once the bottom of all the pallets are covered, I’ll return to the first face cord and pile another atop it repeating the earlier process. This allows each face cord to have a good measure of this brutal Missouri heat-index before being covered by another. By the way, my piles are probably 15’ x 20’ x 60’.
Thanks Mark we figured we would try a different type of video and see how it went . Them are some big piles but it makes sense putting down a layer then moving down and then come back to add more layers . I also noticed that when I split and throw it into a pile as long as it’s scattered around it seems to dry also especially the pine . I wish we had more land I’d pave a big area and try it your way I can see that working up here
All good tips. Speaking stacking I got get 4 cord done. I don’t like stacking but feel it most important part. About cord left to split the it be the stacking game. Stay cool out there ✌🏻
Stacking is my least favorite thing to do in the wood yard but it’s an important part of our operation . It’s been getting into the 90s every day here so we take a lot of breaks . Lil at a time and that 4 cord will be all stacked in no time .
Ideal firewood system .... run 16' wide 8 ft lengths through an alaskan saw mill to de-bark. Run the squared-off 18 inch lengths through a 4-way splitter. Use every scrap of waste to fire an airtight wood-stove kiln for a week...logs held loosely in 8-10 IBC totes (stacking reduces circulation). Solar powered fans to circulate heat and battery powered extractor fan to vent moisture...👍
Yup I can see that set up working
Hi guys. Great video. Lots of dandy tips there. I enjoyed it.
What!!!!! You don’t pile wood. ???!!
Hehe. Great job on the video.
Location location location. Depending where the wood is stored is key. Sun. Wind. Small wood. 👍🏻👍🏻👋👋
Have a great week.
I was stacking wood in my garage today. Brought home a trailer load of the hurricane Fiona wood. Need another trailer and a bit to finish. Might cut wood tomorrow out of the 8’ log pile. Still gotta do that yet.
To much ramblin, BYE.
Thanks Noel yup I’m a wood stacker lol don’t tell no one . That trailer you redid came out nice good job on that . Definitely way too hot to be putting up wood this week .
Gotta get it done. 👍🏻👍🏻👋👋
Thanks on the trailer mention. Came out great. 👍🏻👍🏻👋👋
Most of my customers love the smaller Pieces . Burns good and they can handle that better
Same here the guys that do 3-800 cord a yr seem to take care of the bulk wood people that want big chunks for heating . I much prefer catering to the folks that burn a cord or less .
I season my wood for about 5 months in Wisconsin. Piled facing Southwest, UV just cooks the wood all day when sun is the most intense . 3 rows with a 2 foot space between each. I cover the rows with used building metal sheets. One of the most important things I observe is to cover the top of the pile. What sense does it make to let the pile get soaked with every rain event, and have to dry off that soaked in moisture before real wood drying can resume? I heat a 2500 sq.ft. house plus the garage with an indoor furnace. I seldom buy any wood. Wood can be over dry and I would not buy anything over a year old as it burns too fast. Past experience. That's my reality, been at it for 15 years plus. I wouldn't even haul home 3 or 4 year old wood.
I definitely agree on covering the top . We just have to much to cover but if I could I would . Sounds like you have the drying process down . Appreciate ya watching and taking the time to comment .
I'm with Joe on this.. "it's the customer's job to dry the wood".. we really don't have the time nor space to hold the wood.. we simply cut split clean and deliver
I think that’s a good business plan less handling for sure . There’s a lot of guys doing that around here and I’ve done it myself in the past . It’s just so competitive around here and if ya don’t have a huge processor you’re not in the game . Lot less people around here willing to sit on there inventory for a yr or more to get the higher prices so we decided to go more in that direction and so far it’s worked good for us . Every now and then we do some green wood but it’s usually because we need the extra cash or they have been a long time customer.
Morning I have a 22 x28 steel bldg that I emptied out as much as I could then split into IBC totes then put into that with my tractor I have two customers that do outside cooking that pine will dry pretty good in about a week or so because it gets so hot and I run two big fans alot but I use about 50 totes and 2 bins one for pine one for hardwood but I also stack wood like birch so it depends on what kind of wood and who I am selling it to as I get older I need to handle it less or I ll be looking at early retirement lol take care guys
That building is the answer especially with a fan running . Having a place in out of the elements is key . We stack on the pallets because we can dump them into the trailer and it saves a ton for us on rehandling the wood come delivery time . As we get older we have to work smarter .
@@AllenFamilyFirewood thats true my shop gets so hot in the summer its like a kiln and I load my truck by flipping the ibc totes and sometimes use a conveyor which isnt too bad. I would like to try the pallets like you make but dont have a mill and can get the totes for free I even sell the bladders. Someday I would like to take a roadtrip and have a diet MD stay cool
Great video and awesome info!!
I feel like I’m geographically blessed for drying wood 😂😂. I’m totally with ya on splitting smaller!!
Appreciate the video, I really enjoyed it!! 🤝🔥🪵
Thanks Jacob splitting it small sure makes a huge difference once it’s time to start drying it .
You had good tips for drying wood Phil. What happen to Karen we didn,t see her. Great video.
She was behind the camera doing all the stuff I’m not very good at lol . We figured it was time for a different kind of video . We might try one with just her in it if we ever figure out how all this UA-cam stuff works .
thanks for the video. I am thinking of building a greenhouse type structure over a few of my fresh split oak stacks for the month of August and compare that to the others. Have you tried anything like that?
Yrs ago when I had a garden ctr I would dry firewood in one of the greenhouses. Worked almost as good as a kiln during July and august . Key is to having a vent at one end and a fan at the other pulling the air threw to get rid of the moisture . I never had fans blowing on the wood but I’m sure that would help as well
A trick that is usefull for me is using a greenhouse roof on the woodshed to speed up the drying process
I’m sure that’s a big help . We do plastic roofs on all our rd side stands and it dose help .
Under 20% moisture rule here in NY state is considered seasoned wood. If it sounds like a bowling pin when it hits concrete most times it’s seasoned and ready to burn. I always carry a moisture meter in the truck when I’m delivering especially to 1 st time customers
I like that rule Maine should adopt that . I like your idea about caring the meter so you can show the customer . That sure can take any problems out of the equation later on down the rd . I think I’m going to adopt that idea . Thanks for the great idea Bob
Working WITH mother nature is a big key, along with smaller splits. Everything else has it's place but you don't have as much control over.
Sure is Bill and it verrys threw out the yr . This is our hardest time of yr with all the humidity. Dry and cold is my favorite time of yr .
I see you have the stringers under your pallets that helps with ground moisture
They do I did that mostly to save the pallets from rotting but being up an extra 4 in gives alot more air flow .
Nice video
Thanks Ralph we appreciate that .
Good video but I’m not gonna stack wood just yet😂. I’m scheming a plan but it has a few bugs to work out. Air flow and sun is the biggest key to getting the wood to dry. Keeping the tops only covered will help to dry it a bit quicker also.
Russ you definitely have it figured out split right into the truck and deliver it , quick turn over . Yrs ago I used to cover the tops of the piles the first of sept because of all the September rain and I was selling it all by the end of September. Now I wait till everyone is out in December and it’s cool and dry and get an extra 100 pr cord .
@@AllenFamilyFirewood and who said you couldn’t teach an old dog new tricks! Keep splitting those campers don’t go home until the end of September.
Nice video guys! You have got me wondering how my personal fire wood is coming along, looking nice and brown. Trying fresh cut oak and hickory to dry in 7 months before winter, split small and stacked in 30 degree angles, we just got 4 inches of rain in 4 days, looking forward to getting my meter out when it dries out a bit, you've got my curiosity going! I've always gotten dead junky knotted up elm for years
@@WilleysFirewood last yr we had the stands out till the first week of November. Trying now to just keep up with splitting pine I figured I had plenty to keep the bundles going but this heat is kicking me hard .
It takes forever to dry wood up here in Vermont, i have ash that is almost 2 years old ,i can take a split ,split it again check it with the moisture meter and it will be 20 %.
That’s interesting. Ash dries fast here
I can go out and split one now., where should I send a picture? I have a good moisture meter
Bark on a dead tree really makes it rot sooner. A standing tree without bark is usually in really good shape. Few od my trees lose their bark. Red elm is a tree that burns great if you leave it stand until all the bark falls off. We almost never get pine.
I would think any standing hardwood without bark would be an excellent way to speed things up . We have a lot of pine up here and if ya cut one down that is missing the bark chances are it’s all punky . I’ve cut a fair amount of standing dead hardwood and it’s great stuff . Kinda tough cutting but it’s well worth it . Thanks Jim .
Was the pile of wood raised off the ground? You don't need to stack, but it does need to be on a pallet or something off the ground. Stacking gives you LESS air space than thrown in a pile.
Our pile was just sitting on the ground . I should do a video and test the 2 methods in our wood yard again piling on top of some pallets . You do get more airspace to an extent with piles vs stacking . When I stack though I don’t stack it tight cause I want the air space as much as I can . I’d have to use hard wood not pine for the test . The pine will definitely mold in the pile even small half cord piles and it only takes a few days for it to start happening.
Karen stacks your wood 😮 but I have seen you do once in awhile 😂 take care!
It’s inevitable I have to stack at times lol
My Woodyard is not that big either, so time and open weather is my key.
Yup gota have the air flow around the wood to make it all work . Sure would be nice though to have a huge field for a wood yard .
Curious when you tried drying in cones did you have the wood up off the ground with air flow underneath or was it directly on the ground?
It was on the ground . As I’m splitting I throw all the ugly pieces on the ground and after a cord adds up I usually stop and stack it . If it takes more than a few days to get to stacking it starts getting that white mold but that’s pine with hardwood it could sit for a few weeks befor it starts going bad . The humidity we have this time of yr is just crazy
@@AllenFamilyFirewood what happens if you stack the wood directly on the ground and not up on a pallet?
We get these down pours that soak the wood i find two pallets on. the ground works better either way
Yup gota have that air flow to dry off the rain . We’ve been getting them thunder showers almost every afternoon . Cools things off for 20 min then the humidity just starts building again
Buster have an internal leak, with the way it settles down when off?
It dose the hose that goes to the log lift leaks a lil but the log lift is coming off in a few weeks for something new and improved I belive .
I always split my wood small size. My place is always raining and I don't have indoor storage. So, big chunks are no no for me.
That sounds like a good plan . Rain and humidity are our biggest challenge here in Maine .
So whats your percentage you looking for to sell? 20%?
20% on the pine bundle wood but I like 15% or lower on the hardwood
You guys going to boonville
Planing to be there but we never know what we have going on .
Stacking takes a lot of time. The bins work great for us and saves over 300hrs a year.
Bert I’ve answered your comment 3 times and for some reason it’s not showing up, I don’t know why. Hoping this one comes through!
Well that went through so I’m gona try again lol . There’s a guy not far from here that has about 10 acres and he paved a huge spot in the middle and makes piles and it works good for him as well . I think I just need a bigger property and I could do the same thing . I’ve always wanted to just pile the wood on a big paved are and come delivery time just run it threw a disk cleaner with the loader right into the trailer . Sure would speed up the process for us . Probably wouldn’t work for pine as that stuff molds so fast but it’s definitely the way to go for hardwood if ya have the open area and conditions for it .
👍
I had a 2 acre concrete pad that we would pile the wood up in cones. In the summer time wood would go from 30 percent to around 16 to 18 in about 2 weeks. No shade tho.. keep on working Phil!!! Im back on the beach fishing.. lol
Back fishing again ? I need to get with the program and start doing what you’re doing lol. There’s a guy here in Maine that piles it on a huge paved area and it works for him as well .
@AllenFamilyFirewood yeah alot of reds and alot of big sharks off the beach on padre.. fun times.
I think the one inch per year rule is for lumber used to build something. Firewood down to 20% shouldn't take that long.
Oak is probably the only exception that seems to take forever even splitting it small but your probably right about that being about lumber the inch pr yr .
When behind on my heating wood I split big when I’m not I split small
That sounds backwards I know when I’m behind I split it small so it drys faster and when I’m caught up I tend to split it bigger cause I know I have more time to dry it . Maby I misinterpreted what you said .
@@AllenFamilyFirewood never said I was smart you are right
Good evening Phil & Karen 😊 iiiii iiiiii dry and seasonal my firewood 🪵 the organic way plus Free ranch it get more money 💵 for sale it . Plus every cord you buy I put in 18 free ranch organic fresh eggs 🥚, if you buy 8 cords I give a Free ranch organic turkey 🦃 that will be delivered in end October or mid of November Phil and Karen . 😊
Well that’s a good idea Leonard everyone likes eggs and Turkey . Maybe some day we will build up to having a kiln but for now we’re gona do it Mother Natures way like you .
I think Karen needs more saw time
Yes she certainly dose that was the first time she had ever tryed running a chain saw .
I totally disagree about stacking. I grew up in Vermont and don’t you tell me there’s no wind in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine where is your head? I implemented CHRIS in the Wood yards pallet rack system in Iowa and it works great and the humidity here is the same as it would be in Maine, again where is your head? I save so much time not stacking when in actuality. It’s a form of stacking just a different process of stacking so let’s get that straight. If you wanna stack your Firewood stack it, but don’t criticize a different form and process of stacking! Have a good day!!
@@bryanlafleur2419 I don’t think I criticized anyone for piling there wood it just don’t work for us . In the video I said piling works great for Chris and it works great in alot of other places just not here for me . If you have ever watched one of our videos you would see we have a small Woodyard on the side of a hill with lots of trees around . Not a lot of wind and not much sun on our drying area . Thought I was perdy clear that it works for some people but not for everyone piling wood . I even mentioned in 1 or 2 comments that a guy not far from here that has a huge paved area piles his wood and it works great for him . The title of the video is tips and tricks to dry your firewood and for me stacking keeps my wood from molding and makes it dry faster than if I had piled it . No one way works best for everyone and seeings ware it’s my video I figured I would talk about what works best for me here in my wood yard . We all gota do what works best for us .
Remember Phil & Karen you make your Benjamin by sale premium firewood 🪵. Chris in the wood 🪵 yard make his money 💴 into take pictures and showing E- bikes 🚴, promoting business 👩💼 stuff on his channel. If you look 👀 on Chris channel he don’t have one business name on his vehicle or DOT license 🪪 on trailer or truck . If just fun my firewood business is cover in name and province # and Highway license # . Biden probably promoting his business 🧑💼 in the corn 🌽 field under the table , it’s the way Trudeau work up here Phil if you want to join there hand 🤚 out in business 👩💼. 😊
I don’t run my name on my truck because it’s less hassle not having to deal with the men I blue , I try and stay under the radar as much as possible. A meet up with them guys can cost ya $1000s . I think chris puts alot of that on his channel because the guy puts out a video every day and eventually it’s hard to make a video interesting so he has a wide verity of things on his channel. He’s also really good at what he dose I vary rarely miss one of his videos .
I rarely respond to comments, BUT! I enjoy the commercial free zone here, but I have been watching Chris for a long time. He is a straight up guy. How about you forget the politics and get a life.
Start a year ahead ... put it under a shed ... that simple people
@@lefthandedleprechaun8702 For a home owner it really is just that easy . For us guys producing 100 s of cords the name of the game is to dry it fast and cash it in . Sure would be nice to have a massive building that I could store wood in though .
Dead trees, standing in the forest. Ready to burn
Absolutely! If they can be found, that stuff is gold
Hello Phil, yep we split bagwood small also, Dry area and well ventilated is our way🪵👍🏼🇺🇸
That barn you have sure has done a nice job of drying wood over the yrs . Dose the wood in the bags your doing seem to be drying as good as the way you were doing it just piling it in the barn .