I cut, split and burn mostly White Oak because we have an abundance on our place in Northeast Ohio, but for me "Seasoned" means cut, split, and stacked out of the weather for at least a year. My experience with "standing dead" is a cold smokey fire with little heat.
The view from the camera of the tractor coming toward it was beautiful! The lighting through the trees and the shadows was stunning. Great work, Mike! What a wonderful way to start the day.
I have been cutting, and burning wood for about 50 years, and the only wood I have found that will dry on the stump is Sycamore. Ash will burn green, because it has a low moisture content, but still does way better dried.
Awesome advise and very true. A meter will eliminate 1/2 of the firewood sellers. So many selling seasoned wood and surprise it’s NOT seasoned. Mike you touched on another important fact geography/climate. These are definitely different by location. The moisture in the air effects the drying time to cure or season. Well seasoned wood may require mechanical ventilation to aid in that process as well in some areas.
In my neck of the woods, it would wipe out about ninety percent. They cut and split in the woods and then load it sell to avoid handling it more. So it is up to the buyer to stack and dry if they want seasoned. But I guess that is ok if the price takes that into consideration. Firewood is much cheaper here than in the city an hour away.
Another good one! I would have guessed that tree had been dead 3-5 years but I also know that you know a lot more about firewood than I do. Moisture meter sounds like a good Father’s Day gift ❣️ Marcus from Chesapeake VA.
Mike you are so right about the moisture content in firewood. We burn a lot every year, occasionally the wood will be seasoned. Most times we have to let it sit for a year.
Great video.....yes, Red Oak is a very dense wood and holds moisture longer then most hardwoods, even standing dead. But it’s shows most wood holds moisture longer, the closer it is to the base. Not much can beat a good moisture meter...the best way to tell. Thanks for showing the real deal! 🤴🏻👍🤠
That makes sense Mike. Out here in Alberta we are semi-arid in the foothills of the Rockies at 4400' ASL. We get Chinook winds all year around and once a spruce or pine dies it is dry and ready to burn in two years. On the other hand trembling aspen or black poplar, which is a cottonwood type tree, will NOT be ready to burn as standing dead after two years. Once wood is split and stacked here with the dry air you can season wood in 6 or 7 months in the summer. Like you said depends on where you live.
Glad you guys like firewood propane guy here after growing up cutting wood with my dad. Turning the thermostat on the wall is a beautiful thing don’t miss it one bit
I am selling firewood as fast as I can get it in. Around here if the bark is off, the top 1/3 of dead standing oak trees is ready to sell. I cut up the limbs too. Those are usually quite dry down to the first "Y" of the tree. The next 1/3 is around 24 to 26%. It is ready in a week or two once its split and stacked. The bottom is around 30 as you showed on your video. That can take a long time to dry. If the bark is on, it has a higher moisture content by far.
Mike - Great information regarding moisture in trees, even those that are standing dead trees. Wish I had known about moisture meters back in the 70s and 80s when I was heating my home with wood in Missouri. I had a flu fire as a result of burning green wood, and chose to purchase from a different guy from then on. The second guy was honest, and we did a fair amount of business over the years. Blessings to you, Melissa, and your family. Hi Hunter - always great to see you and your sisters in the videos.
Mike, consider splitting this and then testing it every 10 days or so to show the rate of drying. Perhaps even compare it to a green split round. In central PA many of the oak burning folks like their wood to be cut, split, covered, and dried for 2 years prior to burning.
I have a old wood/coal furnace not air tight like the newer ones the older gentleman that put my flue liner in told me years ago seasoned wood was ready in 6 months. I cut mine a year in advance and sometimes if I need a load in a pinch I will cut a dead oak or ash and burn it with no problem. Like mike said u can tell as soon as u cut it if its to damp.
Hey Mike, Most of my standing dead trees have been Ash and Cherry and the have all read below 20 on the meter. I believe the red oak takes longer to season.
The bottom will always be wetter, the tops of trees die first, and sap gets pulled to the stump trying to save itself. It’s why fatwood is made of pine stumps, that’s where all the pine resin is. Also, as you know, the bigger the wood, the longer it takes to season. Once it’s split it will dry fast. Good video.
I have cut a lot of those standing dead red oak at our property in upstate NY . Once those logs are split and put out in the sun they will be below 20 percent moisture within a month .
Dead standing trees in my area, the PNW, are usually dry in a couple of years. We mostly have soft woods like pine, douglas fir, white fir and western larch. I have found that the lodgepole pine will dry the fastest if cut dead standing. Its a fair firewood but can burn quickly. The local preferences are the doug fir and larch which burn much hotter and longer.
Mike, enjoy the videos. I have a 271 Stihl and it is therapeutic every time I have an opportunity to run it. I had the honor of getting a lot of training and tips on chainsaw operation from a very renowned chainsaw trainer. I find myself watching how others operate their saws. I noticed that you tend to have your left thumb on the handle rather than around it. As much as I prefer that way also, I have found it to be much better to wrap the thumb around the handle as recommended by all operation trainers. Safest way to operate.
The only standing dead tree I would say is good to burn in our area, SE Wisconsin, is dead elm with no bark. I consider it emergency firewood. Our only heat for nearly 40 years has been wood. There have been a few occasions where standing dead elm got us through the winter. It actually burns a little better to get it under cover for a week or two after cutting before burning.
The ole Red Oak is the King of hangin on to moisture...I've seen many people think a standing dead tree just like that can be cut & burned same day...lol....nope! The other mistake people make is thinking they just need to buck it up & it will dry, nope... larger diameter rounds have to be split to properly season. 👍😎🍻
Mike, here in central Missouri we use a lot of exterior boiler type heating systems with very little chimney so less worry about chimney fires and folks burn that wood all day long as it burns slower and plenty hot. However those who have indoor stoves or fireplaces and even wood furnaces are more careful. Best system I saw was I guy I use to help years ago and we never cut wood until the sap was down so fall/winter cutting. He always would ring the trees he wanted to harvest in Feb when sap was down and let them stand a year dead. Next year we would cut firewood and haul. At home he would split, stack, and cover with barn roofing. When we were done cutting all that he had ringed the year before, he would ring the ones for next year. Meanwhile the ones we split and stacked would air dry for another year before burning to finish off the drying. So yeah, standing dead still needs to be split and such to finish off the drying but that year of standing dead got it very far along the way. And maybe feed a few woodpeckers along the way. Of course he was "improving his woodlot" by harvesting the lesser trees to give his prime lumber trees less competition in order to make more off of his timber harvest which was usually about ten years apart depending on lumber pricing when ready. PS here in Missouri the vast majority of firewood is oak and hickory. Hard to sell anything else except for campfire wood. Personally I kind of like to throw a stick of cedar in once in a while for the aroma.
One other thing. A few folks have figured out that the left over tops of a timber harvest of walnut can make for some easy cheap firewood also. They leave a lot because the tops twist and turn on the mill when trying to make lumber out of walnut. They leave most everything about eight inches diameter and smaller. Walnut does not have as many BTUs but burns nicely and decent heat, so if free it is worth it.
Hey Mike I absolutely agree with you on this. I do think once the wood is cut and split it will dry much faster than a it’s brother that was cut live. Never did a meter test to compare, but that’s my impression after cutting my own firewood in upstate NY since 1977. Great video as always!!
I'd place the lower section on the bottom of the wood stack and the top on the top. Hope to find dryer trees/logs along the time. Not a bad summer start !
Very true Mike, some of the wettest wood I have handle is dead Red Oak. And that almost all that I cut. I seem to lose that weight fast, once you split it.
Mike I seen right away like you that the second piece of wood was wet , but the first piece I wood put it into a fire that is going pretty good, the heat from the fire will dry it petty fast and also it will last longer.
Hi Mike. I use same moisture meter and prefer to get down to 15% in oak and 20% in ash. The 2 most common wood I burn here in SE Pa. Have about 120 ash logs to buck and split due to ash bore.
After watching this video, I was curious about a standing dead walnut tree that has been standing in one of my fence lines for about two years. After I took it down, I cut a section, split it and tested it with a moisture meter and was quite surprised to find that it had a moisture content of 15 percent. This is probably due to the fact that since it was in a fence row surrounded by open fields as compared to the one you had that was in a shaded woods.
Good morning Mike, really good advice about the moisture meter 👍👍. Looking good around there, got lots of wood to be harvested so you all will be busy all summer around there with all your planned projects. Thanks for sharing with us. Fred.
Just my opinion. I think the statement ready to burn means. A standing dead tree is ready to burn after a few months drying out. A dead log will loose the little moisture it has very fast. If you don’t have a moisture meter you can do the old take two pieces and snack them together. Lol Very big difference of sound when two dry logs are smacked then when not ready to burn are smacked. Great videos. I like and appreciate the frequency of you doing so many. I almost always can count on one when I wake up with my coffee. So what’s your opinion on the grapple? I remember it didn’t seem to work as well as the other one. Or maybe you addressed this and I just missed the comment.
I purchased that exact same meter after watching the video by Life In Farmland. I love removing the guesswork but mine seems pretty spiratic. Different readings when checking the same spot on the same peace of wood several times.
Jimmy and Kathy Harrell really? The whole time he did this was to show the moisture content in that log. At no time was he saying he was gonna sell it. Totally an information video for those not as experienced in the woods. I found it very informative, and feel if an emergency I could cut a standing tree down and go to the higher branches to burn.
It is seasoned its just water wicking up the tree. Once the tree is felled and it cant wick the water dampness will disappear in no time. Tree sap on the other hand takes a lot longer.
I’ve just started cutting up a fallen tree that has been down for 30 years and was in the range of 30’s, 70’s and 80’s. This tree is an Australian hardwood “Gum” tough as nails! It looked in the same condition as your tree did, but a bit bigger in size and approximately 150’ long and approximately 4’ dia at the base down to about 2’ dia at the top. It’s taken a bit of doing to cut it up, but I’m getting there. Hopefully it burns ok when properly dry? The moisture meter really comes in to a class of its own In these situations. Thanks for sharing your video.
The ambient humidity has an impact on the moisture content of firewood... Here in the N.E., if you measure it in the middle of February it will likely be dryer than at the end of May. As such that tree may have passed the 20% test a few months ago. That's why even if I've had hardwood boards in my lumber shed for 10 years I still let them sit in my warm dehumidified shop before I use them for fine woodworking. This matters now but 200 years ago the inside of homes weren't much different from the outside in regards to humidity so it was less of an issue.
You are so right Mike. I have my trusty moisture meter and when I go to see about firewood (if I buy any) I check the moisture content before I make any decision. sometimes the seller gets a panicked look on their face when you pull out the meter. lol Have a day
I can vouch for oak, the limbwood may dry in a year or so but anything over about 4 inches will not be dry in a year, over six in two, and that is without the bark. Oak dries about 1-1 1/2 inches a year and some species of oak start at almost 50% moisture.
Would like to hear what your thoughts are on what would make good boots for working in the woods and operating the tractor. Is there a significant difference between boots for use in a shop, on a construction site, and in the woods?
Dave S. I purchased a pair of logging boots from a American Company called 'Westcos' great boot for line work, logging, steel shank,speed laces, great arch support, and they will rebuild them when needed. They were hard to break in, but you could wear them 16 hrs a day. Pricey, but better than Red wings, Danners, Carolina's.
I got a cheaper pair from redwing (their cheap is still a lot) and so far they've held up great and are pretty comfortable once they're broken in. I haven't cut much firewood on them because they're not steel toe and my cheaper boots are. I know people say that you don't need steel toe if the surface you're standing on isn't solid, but it's a nice added security when you're messing with things that weigh more than a truck.
@@daveschmidt5713 They're a bear to break in, but what a difference! As I said before, They're pricey, but comfortable after breaking them in,and when I sent them back, they kept my uppers and rebuilt the whole bottoms from the ankle seam down! Leather color didn't match, but my feet didn't care!
Definitely a moisture meter does help but I don't sell wood I gave a couple of loads to my neighbor and we just burn it I can kinda tell if it's seasoned or not thanks for the video mike
Great video Mike and I was wondering the same thing. I have a standing oak that died last year and was thinking when to drop it. I have the same moisture meter as well. Be safe out there and God Bless :)
Mike I agree standing dead are not ready to burn but when I was cutting my own firewood I removed the dead standing dead first because of the hazard they are presenting. I never cut and split and immediately burned. That wood sat in the wood house for 10-12 months before burning. I do not believe any wood really dries well until it is split and the interior wood is exposed.
I burn alot of red oak and tryin split and stack it as i bring it home. I usually get wind blown or storm damaged trees thatd been alive. I split mine about 3x3" to 4x4" and stack it in direct sun so the wind blows over it mist if the time,and i dont cover it unless we're expecting snow. If i get it cut in early spring its usually down to around 18% by late fall. I have had it dry earlier depending on the weather and humidity. I have even got myself in situations where i had to burn greener wood with a 25%+ moisture content. It sucked,but we didnt freeze to death. It burns liw smokey,and is hard to keep goin. As far as ruining your chimney,ive never seen excess creasote or buildup
I rarely consider wood that hasn't been cut & split to be dry. What I was told is that 1. It doesn't dry till you split it. 2. Bark keeps it from drying, the less bark, the better. 3. Air movement is better than sun for drying. Having said that, there are some trees around here that have been dead for longer than this one. All of the bark AND sapwood is gone, leaving only the center. Even that stuff seems reluctant to burn. Occasionally, I'll run across a small (less than 4 inch) standing maple that's dry.
I was watching 'anne of all trades' on her youtube channel, she does everything. woodworking, welding,gardening,etc. she said the other day, that she uses sawdust to go in between the rows.. it retains water and slowly releases it back to the roots of the plant. that's why i said you should think about bagging and selling your sawdust. they were asking $40 for a 6 lb bag on amazon. tell melissa to start bagging and selling the sawdust on ebay or partner with amazon, if she wants her pool. lol
Mike, thank you for posting a link to the moisture metre. I have been trying to find one of those in my area for a while and nobody has one like that. Just ordered one thanks again.
I found a few of them call them bleached bone wood no bark on them and their bleached white never had a problem with them straight to the wood burner when you hit them together they sound Halo. Maybe was lucky nice video
I cut standing dead every year. I cut two or three weeks worth and burn it and go get more. I stay away from oak cuz it does take a few days to dry. Hickory is my favorite. From the woods to the stove with no problems. I burnt 12 cords every year if that means anything
I’d like to do a similar test that you did but with white ash. I’m in Ohio and burn a lot of wood and always assume standing dead ash can be ready to burn but I think I’d get the same results you have . Great video !
Ash is low moisture even when alive, so it is better than some, but Cut and Split is always the best way to dry. Just that ash will dry in months while others might take a year or more after splitting. Just cutting to rounds is not enough in most cases as the center will not dry until exposed to air.
The worse thing about cutting down a completely dead tree, like a green ash, is once it hits the ground, all the smaller branches just shatter making an awful mess to clean up. That is why I prefer to cut down a dying tree as it keeps most branches intact or really close to the tree after it has fallen.
Great video Mike. Not sure ide want standing dead firewood in my house anyways, it died for a reason ... Ide sure hate to find Insects roaming around my living room one morning lol.🤣
For bonfire wood I go through the woods with a pipe and a chainsaw. I find pieces that are about 6" on the ground with no bark. I hit it with the pipe for feel and sound. If it's hard and crisp and there is a ring to it I cut it up. A lot of the time I can't tell the species with no bark, but I have cut and split wood most of my life and that stuff (whatever species) burns like crazy. I've been tempted to burn it in my fireplace and never have. After seeing this video I am going to try it inside.
G'day Mike, I can't speak for the wood in your country the experts talk about bound water trapped in the inner cells especially in more dense woods which can only be released by exposing it . I've found the same thing down under unless the dead standing tree is hollow then it's usually good to go .
I never cared @bout the moisture level to much. My question was it split and would it burn. I used to cut down trees, usually oak, split it up and stack it in the wood pile. Then when it got cold and I needed my fireplace I would fill my wood Rick. It would hold about a couple of days of wood. It was an old wagon wheel rim that .I had welded to a flat base. When I lit a fire I would keep it going, continuously, depending on the outside temperature. If it would burn it was dry enough. However,a lot of times steam came out the end of the logs. Idid not care because slightly wet wood burned slower, so I did not have to lug in as much wood. If it had been drier, nor refill the Rick as often. Any creosote I the chimney I would clean out the next spring. What I wanted was warmth.
I live in N.C. and cut down a live willow oak. I used the same moisture meter as Mike. I checked the moisture the next day on top of the stump and it was 35%.
there are a lot of variables with that question. If you cut with the sap up in summer it will be a whole lot higher than if you cut in the dead of winter with the sap down. Also standing dead that died with sap up is different than standing dead that died with sap down.
That messed me up too. His helmet cam has a different aspect ratio, so when he splices in that footage the cuts look eight inches long, but when it moves to a different camera they look normal again at I am guessing fourteen to sixteen inches long. Wish that helmet cam could be set to the same ratio as the other cams.
@@waltermattson5566 Yeah, I wasn't sure what he had always used. I was commenting mostly on the opitcal illusion of the helmat cam being different aspect ratio and getting squished in the editing. That confused me for a while until I figured it out.
Gas prices are so high here in Ca. that I just started burning wood. I tried 3 spots and got burned twice. Pun intended. Now I cut my own for the winter and the hot sun seems to dry it fast. Just cut oak and black maple today. more pine and eucalyptus come.
Indiana wood is typically split and stacked under cover for two years before burning, especially those with catalytic converters on their wood stoves. Do not expect standing dead wood to be ready to burn!!
Like Mike Says ,The Moisture Meter Is The Tell All For Checking Firewood ,I Used To Think, It Might Be Dry ,It Could Be Dry ,Best $30 Tool You Can Buy If You Burn Wood !!!
I cut, split and burn mostly White Oak because we have an abundance on our place in Northeast Ohio, but for me "Seasoned" means cut, split, and stacked out of the weather for at least a year. My experience with "standing dead" is a cold smokey fire with little heat.
The view from the camera of the tractor coming toward it was beautiful! The lighting through the trees and the shadows was stunning. Great work, Mike! What a wonderful way to start the day.
Have a great day guys. Today is my wife Joyce and my 48th Anniversary and what better way to do it than watching outdoors with the Morgans.!
I have been cutting, and burning wood for about 50 years, and the only wood I have found that will dry on the stump is Sycamore. Ash will burn green, because it has a low moisture content, but still does way better dried.
Awesome advise and very true. A meter will eliminate 1/2 of the firewood sellers. So many selling seasoned wood and surprise it’s NOT seasoned. Mike you touched on another important fact geography/climate. These are definitely different by location. The moisture in the air effects the drying time to cure or season. Well seasoned wood may require mechanical ventilation to aid in that process as well in some areas.
In my neck of the woods, it would wipe out about ninety percent. They cut and split in the woods and then load it sell to avoid handling it more. So it is up to the buyer to stack and dry if they want seasoned. But I guess that is ok if the price takes that into consideration. Firewood is much cheaper here than in the city an hour away.
Another good one! I would have guessed that tree had been dead 3-5 years but I also know that you know a lot more about firewood than I do. Moisture meter sounds like a good Father’s Day gift ❣️ Marcus from Chesapeake VA.
Mike you are so right about the moisture content in firewood. We burn a lot every year, occasionally the wood will be seasoned. Most times we have to let it sit for a year.
Great video.....yes, Red Oak is a very dense wood and holds moisture longer then most hardwoods, even standing dead. But it’s shows most wood holds moisture longer, the closer it is to the base. Not much can beat a good moisture meter...the best way to tell. Thanks for showing the real deal! 🤴🏻👍🤠
That makes sense Mike. Out here in Alberta we are semi-arid in the foothills of the Rockies at 4400' ASL. We get Chinook winds all year around and once a spruce or pine dies it is dry and ready to burn in two years. On the other hand trembling aspen or black poplar, which is a cottonwood type tree, will NOT be ready to burn as standing dead after two years. Once wood is split and stacked here with the dry air you can season wood in 6 or 7 months in the summer. Like you said depends on where you live.
Glad you guys like firewood propane guy here after growing up cutting wood with my dad. Turning the thermostat on the wall is a beautiful thing don’t miss it one bit
Not dry but alot harder to cut. In NE Ct I cut standing dead red oak and it is like rock compared to green wood. Great topic.
I am selling firewood as fast as I can get it in. Around here if the bark is off, the top 1/3 of dead standing oak trees is ready to sell. I cut up the limbs too. Those are usually quite dry down to the first "Y" of the tree. The next 1/3 is around 24 to 26%. It is ready in a week or two once its split and stacked. The bottom is around 30 as you showed on your video. That can take a long time to dry.
If the bark is on, it has a higher moisture content by far.
Mike - Great information regarding moisture in trees, even those that are standing dead trees. Wish I had known about moisture meters back in the 70s and 80s when I was heating my home with wood in Missouri. I had a flu fire as a result of burning green wood, and chose to purchase from a different guy from then on. The second guy was honest, and we did a fair amount of business over the years. Blessings to you, Melissa, and your family. Hi Hunter - always great to see you and your sisters in the videos.
Mike, consider splitting this and then testing it every 10 days or so to show the rate of drying. Perhaps even compare it to a green split round. In central PA many of the oak burning folks like their wood to be cut, split, covered, and dried for 2 years prior to burning.
Same thing for a lot of folks in Minnesota. Less creosote in the chimney.
@@maryblaylock6545 Mary what part of Mn. are you from? I am near Cloquet.
I have a old wood/coal furnace not air tight like the newer ones the older gentleman that put my flue liner in told me years ago seasoned wood was ready in 6 months. I cut mine a year in advance and sometimes if I need a load in a pinch I will cut a dead oak or ash and burn it with no problem. Like mike said u can tell as soon as u cut it if its to damp.
Yep depending on the weather that could below 15% in a month?
@@waltermattson5566 Twin Cities. I haven't been to Cloquet in about 15 to 20 years. We got rain very early this morning.
Hey Mike, Most of my standing dead trees have been Ash and Cherry and the have all read below 20 on the meter. I believe the red oak takes longer to season.
This man has no clue what he’s talking about. Always trust your own gut and do your own research. Oak always takes 2-3x longer :)
Thanks for the tip !!! Great to know the range for dry !!! Hello to Hunter !!!
The bottom will always be wetter, the tops of trees die first, and sap gets pulled to the stump trying to save itself. It’s why fatwood is made of pine stumps, that’s where all the pine resin is. Also, as you know, the bigger the wood, the longer it takes to season. Once it’s split it will dry fast. Good video.
I have cut a lot of those standing dead red oak at our property in upstate NY . Once those logs are split and put out in the sun they will be below 20 percent moisture within a month .
Dead standing trees in my area, the PNW, are usually dry in a couple of years. We mostly have soft woods like pine, douglas fir, white fir and western larch. I have found that the lodgepole pine will dry the fastest if cut dead standing. Its a fair firewood but can burn quickly. The local preferences are the doug fir and larch which burn much hotter and longer.
Mike, enjoy the videos. I have a 271 Stihl and it is therapeutic every time I have an opportunity to run it. I had the honor of getting a lot of training and tips on chainsaw operation from a very renowned chainsaw trainer. I find myself watching how others operate their saws. I noticed that you tend to have your left thumb on the handle rather than around it. As much as I prefer that way also, I have found it to be much better to wrap the thumb around the handle as recommended by all operation trainers. Safest way to operate.
Good morning Mike. Have a great day. God Bless.
The only standing dead tree I would say is good to burn in our area, SE Wisconsin, is dead elm with no bark. I consider it emergency firewood. Our only heat for nearly 40 years has been wood. There have been a few occasions where standing dead elm got us through the winter. It actually burns a little better to get it under cover for a week or two after cutting before burning.
In SE Ohio, dead barkless Osage Orange is very dry and burns hot.
There's nothing like the smell of a rack of fresh split oak drying in the summer sun.
mcycle12,
Some people hate the smell! I wonder what is wrong with them?
I don’t trust them!!!
The ole Red Oak is the King of hangin on to moisture...I've seen many people think a standing dead tree just like that can be cut & burned same day...lol....nope! The other mistake people make is thinking they just need to buck it up & it will dry, nope... larger diameter rounds have to be split to properly season. 👍😎🍻
Regardless of the diameter I always think it's good idea to split. Makes drying 100% faster.
Yup, those centers must be exposed to air. They hold moisture as long as they can. Cannot finish until split.
@@markpashia7067 I don't care if it's 3 inches in diameter. I still split it! I agree with you 100%
Mike, here in central Missouri we use a lot of exterior boiler type heating systems with very little chimney so less worry about chimney fires and folks burn that wood all day long as it burns slower and plenty hot. However those who have indoor stoves or fireplaces and even wood furnaces are more careful. Best system I saw was I guy I use to help years ago and we never cut wood until the sap was down so fall/winter cutting. He always would ring the trees he wanted to harvest in Feb when sap was down and let them stand a year dead. Next year we would cut firewood and haul. At home he would split, stack, and cover with barn roofing. When we were done cutting all that he had ringed the year before, he would ring the ones for next year. Meanwhile the ones we split and stacked would air dry for another year before burning to finish off the drying. So yeah, standing dead still needs to be split and such to finish off the drying but that year of standing dead got it very far along the way. And maybe feed a few woodpeckers along the way. Of course he was "improving his woodlot" by harvesting the lesser trees to give his prime lumber trees less competition in order to make more off of his timber harvest which was usually about ten years apart depending on lumber pricing when ready. PS here in Missouri the vast majority of firewood is oak and hickory. Hard to sell anything else except for campfire wood. Personally I kind of like to throw a stick of cedar in once in a while for the aroma.
One other thing. A few folks have figured out that the left over tops of a timber harvest of walnut can make for some easy cheap firewood also. They leave a lot because the tops twist and turn on the mill when trying to make lumber out of walnut. They leave most everything about eight inches diameter and smaller. Walnut does not have as many BTUs but burns nicely and decent heat, so if free it is worth it.
I learned something in today’s video about the moisture content of firewood. Thanks Mike!
Hey Mike I absolutely agree with you on this. I do think once the wood is cut and split it will dry much faster than a it’s brother that was cut live. Never did a meter test to compare, but that’s my impression after cutting my own firewood in upstate NY since 1977. Great video as always!!
I'd place the lower section on the bottom of the wood stack and the top on the top. Hope to find dryer trees/logs along the time. Not a bad summer start !
I can tell if it is "dry" or not but that meter takes all the guess work out for sure. I may be investing in 1.
I have the same one that moke has and i love it. I try to burn under 15% moisture.
Nice video & tip. Some people will burn wet wood and be upset with all the smoke or the fact it won't burn. Stay safe
Very true Mike, some of the wettest wood I have handle is dead Red Oak. And that almost all that I cut.
I seem to lose that weight fast, once you split it.
And it loses a lot of weight as It dries.
Mike going old school with the double bit axe. Buckin' Billy Ray would be proud.
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Bark holding on to the bottom part will hold more moisture in. Figured it should be higher. Nice comparison Mike. Keep up the great content ✌️
Mike I seen right away like you that the second piece of wood was wet , but the first piece I wood put it into a fire that is going pretty good, the heat from the fire will dry it petty fast and also it will last longer.
Hi Mike. I use same moisture meter and prefer to get down to 15% in oak and 20% in ash. The 2 most common wood I burn here in SE Pa. Have about 120 ash logs to buck and split due to ash bore.
Greetings from Central NH (Lake) - Good video, major misconception about standing dead. Thanks for passing along the real situation.
After watching this video, I was curious about a standing dead walnut tree that has been standing in one of my fence lines for about two years. After I took it down, I cut a section, split it and tested it with a moisture meter and was quite surprised to find that it had a moisture content of 15 percent. This is probably due to the fact that since it was in a fence row surrounded by open fields as compared to the one you had that was in a shaded woods.
The red oak was brilliant red and smelled fresh
Good morning Mike, really good advice about the moisture meter 👍👍. Looking good around there, got lots of wood to be harvested so you all will be busy all summer around there with all your planned projects. Thanks for sharing with us. Fred.
Just my opinion. I think the statement ready to burn means. A standing dead tree is ready to burn after a few months drying out. A dead log will loose the little moisture it has very fast. If you don’t have a moisture meter you can do the old take two pieces and snack them together. Lol Very big difference of sound when two dry logs are smacked then when not ready to burn are smacked. Great videos. I like and appreciate the frequency of you doing so many. I almost always can count on one when I wake up with my coffee. So what’s your opinion on the grapple? I remember it didn’t seem to work as well as the other one. Or maybe you addressed this and I just missed the comment.
I purchased that exact same meter after watching the video by Life In Farmland. I love removing the guesswork but mine seems pretty spiratic. Different readings when checking the same spot on the same peace of wood several times.
i did a video about moisture meters and how essential they were for firewood production / buying , my god the negative comments i got were unreal
Left thumb around top chainsaw grip! Thank You!
Great topic, Mike. I know a lot of guys fall over themselves to get that wood. Looks like the lesson is no rush needed!
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Just curious. Why are you concerned about the moisture when you won't be selling it for quite awhile?
Jimmy and Kathy Harrell really? The whole time he did this was to show the moisture content in that log. At no time was he saying he was gonna sell it.
Totally an information video for those not as experienced in the woods. I found it very informative, and feel if an emergency I could cut a standing tree down and go to the higher branches to burn.
Great video! Thanks for clearing that up!
It is seasoned its just water wicking up the tree. Once the tree is felled and it cant wick the water dampness will disappear in no time. Tree sap on the other hand takes a lot longer.
Great Instruction on dry or not dry wood !!👍👊
Great way to start the day with a little knowledge. Have a wonderful day!
I’ve just started cutting up a fallen tree that has been down for 30 years and was in the range of 30’s, 70’s and 80’s. This tree is an Australian hardwood “Gum” tough as nails! It looked in the same condition as your tree did, but a bit bigger in size and approximately 150’ long and approximately 4’ dia at the base down to about 2’ dia at the top. It’s taken a bit of doing to cut it up, but I’m getting there. Hopefully it burns ok when properly dry? The moisture meter really comes in to a class of its own In these situations. Thanks for sharing your video.
The ambient humidity has an impact on the moisture content of firewood... Here in the N.E., if you measure it in the middle of February it will likely be dryer than at the end of May. As such that tree may have passed the 20% test a few months ago. That's why even if I've had hardwood boards in my lumber shed for 10 years I still let them sit in my warm dehumidified shop before I use them for fine woodworking. This matters now but 200 years ago the inside of homes weren't much different from the outside in regards to humidity so it was less of an issue.
You are so right Mike. I have my trusty moisture meter and when I go to see about firewood (if I buy any) I check the moisture content before I make any decision. sometimes the seller gets a panicked look on their face when you pull out the meter. lol Have a day
I can vouch for oak, the limbwood may dry in a year or so but anything over about 4 inches will not be dry in a year, over six in two, and that is without the bark. Oak dries about 1-1 1/2 inches a year and some species of oak start at almost 50% moisture.
Would like to hear what your thoughts are on what would make good boots for working in the woods and operating the tractor. Is there a significant difference between boots for use in a shop, on a construction site, and in the woods?
Dave S. I purchased a pair of logging boots from a American Company called 'Westcos' great boot for line work, logging, steel shank,speed laces, great arch support, and they will rebuild them when needed. They were hard to break in, but you could wear them 16 hrs a day. Pricey, but better than Red wings, Danners, Carolina's.
I got a cheaper pair from redwing (their cheap is still a lot) and so far they've held up great and are pretty comfortable once they're broken in. I haven't cut much firewood on them because they're not steel toe and my cheaper boots are. I know people say that you don't need steel toe if the surface you're standing on isn't solid, but it's a nice added security when you're messing with things that weigh more than a truck.
@@JohnSmith-tv5ep Thank you! I feel like picking a new pair of boots is tougher than buying an older used truck.
@@foolwithatool2052 Thank you. I appreciate your thoughtful advice.
@@daveschmidt5713 They're a bear to break in, but what a difference! As I said before, They're pricey, but comfortable after breaking them in,and when I sent them back, they kept my uppers and rebuilt the whole bottoms from the ankle seam down! Leather color didn't match, but my feet didn't care!
Definitely a moisture meter does help but I don't sell wood I gave a couple of loads to my neighbor and we just burn it I can kinda tell if it's seasoned or not thanks for the video mike
I learned something new today. Thanks Mike
if the bark is off and at the base of the tree is moist, then split it, store inside. it will dry out quickly
Good One will go out and get a moisture meter.
Great video Mike and I was wondering the same thing. I have a standing oak that died last year and was thinking when to drop it. I have the same moisture meter as well.
Be safe out there and God Bless :)
Mike I agree standing dead are not ready to burn but when I was cutting my own firewood I removed the dead standing dead first because of the hazard they are presenting. I never cut and split and immediately burned. That wood sat in the wood house for 10-12 months before burning. I do not believe any wood really dries well until it is split and the interior wood is exposed.
I burn alot of red oak and tryin split and stack it as i bring it home. I usually get wind blown or storm damaged trees thatd been alive. I split mine about 3x3" to 4x4" and stack it in direct sun so the wind blows over it mist if the time,and i dont cover it unless we're expecting snow. If i get it cut in early spring its usually down to around 18% by late fall. I have had it dry earlier depending on the weather and humidity. I have even got myself in situations where i had to burn greener wood with a 25%+ moisture content. It sucked,but we didnt freeze to death. It burns liw smokey,and is hard to keep goin. As far as ruining your chimney,ive never seen excess creasote or buildup
You sure can give some great advice. I got me one of those meters , works great takes all the guess work out 👍
Like your blooper at the end. Melissa will get a chuckle. Great video. Interesting about the moisture content.
Mike, Good to see you haven't forgot how to split wood with an ax. No hydraulics needed.
Not so sure about the "no hydraulics" part. Seems like my heart is pumping pretty good when splitting by hand!!! Just a different fluid.
I rarely consider wood that hasn't been cut & split to be dry. What I was told is that 1. It doesn't dry till you split it. 2. Bark keeps it from drying, the less bark, the better. 3. Air movement is better than sun for drying. Having said that, there are some trees around here that have been dead for longer than this one. All of the bark AND sapwood is gone, leaving only the center. Even that stuff seems reluctant to burn. Occasionally, I'll run across a small (less than 4 inch) standing maple that's dry.
I was watching 'anne of all trades' on her youtube channel, she does everything. woodworking, welding,gardening,etc. she said the other day, that she uses sawdust to go in between the rows.. it retains water and slowly releases it back to the roots of the plant. that's why i said you should think about bagging and selling your sawdust. they were asking $40 for a 6 lb bag on amazon. tell melissa to start bagging and selling the sawdust on ebay or partner with amazon, if she wants her pool. lol
Mike, thank you for posting a link to the moisture metre. I have been trying to find one of those in my area for a while and nobody has one like that. Just ordered one thanks again.
The dead gray limbs on standing red oak are the best biscuit wood you’ll ever find.
I found a few of them call them bleached bone wood no bark on them and their bleached white never had a problem with them straight to the wood burner when you hit them together they sound Halo. Maybe was lucky nice video
I cut standing dead every year. I cut two or three weeks worth and burn it and go get more. I stay away from oak cuz it does take a few days to dry. Hickory is my favorite. From the woods to the stove with no problems. I burnt 12 cords every year if that means anything
I’d like to do a similar test that you did but with white ash. I’m in Ohio and burn a lot of wood and always assume standing dead ash can be ready to burn but I think I’d get the same results you have . Great video !
Ash is low moisture even when alive, so it is better than some, but Cut and Split is always the best way to dry. Just that ash will dry in months while others might take a year or more after splitting. Just cutting to rounds is not enough in most cases as the center will not dry until exposed to air.
The worse thing about cutting down a completely dead tree, like a green ash, is once it hits the ground, all the smaller branches just shatter making an awful mess to clean up. That is why I prefer to cut down a dying tree as it keeps most branches intact or really close to the tree after it has fallen.
Good morning everyone!
Mike you should track those pieces of wood to see how long it takes to get under 20% moisture.
Good information, thanks for sharing!
Great video Mike. Not sure ide want standing dead firewood in my house anyways, it died for a reason ... Ide sure hate to find Insects roaming around my living room one morning lol.🤣
That was a good demonstration Mike.
I use a lot of standing dead red oak for firewood. Need to split and let dry out. Also watch for ants!!!
great job
Would you agree the standing dead definitely dries faster once split and stacked?
Hello, i gave a few red oak here in Sardis City, Alabama that ill be cutting down soon. Do you think those kinda trees would make for lumber?
For bonfire wood I go through the woods with a pipe and a chainsaw. I find pieces that are about 6" on the ground with no bark. I hit it with the pipe for feel and sound. If it's hard and crisp and there is a ring to it I cut it up. A lot of the time I can't tell the species with no bark, but I have cut and split wood most of my life and that stuff (whatever species) burns like crazy. I've been tempted to burn it in my fireplace and never have. After seeing this video I am going to try it inside.
G'day Mike, I can't speak for the wood in your country the experts talk about bound water trapped in the inner cells especially in more dense woods which can only be released by exposing it . I've found the same thing down under unless the dead standing tree is hollow then it's usually good to go .
Good discussion.
Nice demonstration. Have a great day.
I never cared @bout the moisture level to much. My question was it split and would it burn. I used to cut down trees, usually oak, split it up and stack it in the wood pile. Then when it got cold and I needed my fireplace I would fill my wood Rick. It would hold about a couple of days of wood. It was an old wagon wheel rim that .I had welded to a flat base. When I lit a fire I would keep it going, continuously, depending on the outside temperature. If it would burn it was dry enough. However,a lot of times steam came out the end of the logs. Idid not care because slightly wet wood burned slower, so I did not have to lug in as much wood. If it had been drier, nor refill the Rick as often. Any creosote I the chimney I would clean out the next spring. What I wanted was warmth.
Have you considered a smallish trailer for hauling rounds.
Great video Mike. I'm curious as to what moisture content would be in the same tree species of it was alive and kicking.
I live in N.C. and cut down a live willow oak. I used the same moisture meter as Mike. I checked the moisture the next day on top of the stump and it was 35%.
there are a lot of variables with that question. If you cut with the sap up in summer it will be a whole lot higher than if you cut in the dead of winter with the sap down. Also standing dead that died with sap up is different than standing dead that died with sap down.
I love your channel and watch them all, but I can't get over Mike how you measure and mark-up the logs before you chainsaw them. Lol
Mike, are you cutting your wood shorter than you use to? seems shorter to me. Maybe i'm looking at it wrong. Thanks I really enjoy your channel.
That messed me up too. His helmet cam has a different aspect ratio, so when he splices in that footage the cuts look eight inches long, but when it moves to a different camera they look normal again at I am guessing fourteen to sixteen inches long. Wish that helmet cam could be set to the same ratio as the other cams.
@@markpashia7067 I think he still cuts them to 16”. If you look close while he is cutting sometimes you can see his marks.
@@waltermattson5566 Yeah, I wasn't sure what he had always used. I was commenting mostly on the opitcal illusion of the helmat cam being different aspect ratio and getting squished in the editing. That confused me for a while until I figured it out.
Good morning Mike Great video very interesting topic , learned something today ,. Hunter , have a day .
I always check my wood with a moister meter, and so far it has been between 17% and 12%
Great video you could hear it when you hit the stump piece I guessed 35%
Just purchased a sthil 291 from my local Rural King today
Excellent video. Thank you for sharing your experience. I know you’re not an expert but, damn, you are the closest I know. Honesty goes a long way.
Would love to see more of your bloopers at the end of your videos.🤣
Gas prices are so high here in Ca. that I just started burning wood. I tried 3 spots and got burned twice. Pun intended. Now I cut my own for the winter and the hot sun seems to dry it fast. Just cut oak and black maple today. more pine and eucalyptus come.
Hallo morgans your new video right after work that rocks the day
Hi Mike I noticed you don't measure the length of the rounds before you use the chainsaw. Do you not care about exact lengths anymore?
Look really close and you will see little white marks on the timber, looks like he's cutting around 16 inches to 18 inches.
Indiana wood is typically split and stacked under cover for two years before burning, especially those with catalytic converters on their wood stoves. Do not expect standing dead wood to be ready to burn!!
Like Mike Says ,The Moisture Meter Is The Tell All For Checking Firewood ,I Used To Think, It Might Be Dry ,It Could Be Dry ,Best $30 Tool You Can Buy If You Burn Wood !!!