MC's and all that jazz!

[County4x4]

Do you have access to another meter to compare readings - that does sound kind of high if it's been drying for a while? Or maybe try new batteries to see if there's a difference?

 

Andy

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Spotted a local competitor delivering 2 dumpy bags in their cabstar today; certainly not a cubic metre load (small bags) but that's what they're selling them for at £55, soaking wet too, must have been cut this week! F's me right off - you spend the time and bother getting the logs nice and dry and Mr & Mrs Smith & Jones buy 0.6-0.8m3 dripping because it's £5 less (not cheaper obviously).

[Michael C]

You boys keep piling out the wet stuff, as soon as a customer see's someone else's stove that is being fed properly dry wood then they will switch suppliers, to me !!!. I have processed hardwood at 24% inside, no way thats going out till next winter. My soft is averaging around 15% at present, some is a bit higher but most is 8-11%.

 

Almost everyone round me is selling 'seasoned' at 25% plus, some are over 40%. The only option apparant to some customers is kiln dried.

 

A

 

And somebody will probably complain that your super dry softwood lasts no time in the fire!

[Crazy Cutter]

I do agree DTC just we need to keep trying our best and try to educate if thats possible? I now tell customers the benefits of softwood each time i deliver and how there will be a lack of hardwood in a few years they do get it but it just seems to be in-grained that softwood is bad!

 

Just had a knock on the door guy wanted to order some for february he was just getting ready for the hard winter! Thats more like it there is hope.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

And somebody will probably complain that your super dry softwood lasts no time in the fire!

 

Yep, had that one aswell. Although it was hardwood she was refering to, a Lady last year said "how do you get it so dry?" to which I answered "log it, split, air it and keep it properly". She replied "is this your trick, so that it hardly lasts on the fire and so you sell more?" I replied "have you got a hosepipe?" :001_rolleyes:

[Mortimer Firewood]

Yep, had that one aswell. Although it was hardwood she was refering to, a Lady last year said "how do you get it so dry?" to which I answered "log it, split, air it and keep it properly". She replied "is this your trick, so that it hardly lasts on the fire and so you sell more?" I replied "have you got a hosepipe?" :001_rolleyes:

 

There is always one customer that's impossible to please.

[marlon]

Had a customer last week phone up to ask if i had any wetter wood as the 2 year old ash was burning perfectly but was burning to fast...."Have you got any wood that will last longer?" I jokingly suggested that i have some oak that was still growing 4 weeks ago...."yes please may i order some of that" so i delivered the oak and i received a call today saying how lovely the oak is and can i have 2 more bags of that please!!! You just can't win!!!

[gensetsteve]

I had some 12" ash cord I cut it into 2ft lengths 2 years previous to last winter just in case I needed it for my house. When it came time to log it was 38% in the middle. Proves it needs splitting to open up the heart wood. The fastest wood I have experienced for seasoning is beech which depending on when its cut can take a couple of months to dry in the summer. Once the ambient temperature drops below 14 deg the seasoning really slows up.

[Alycidon]

And somebody will probably complain that your super dry softwood lasts no time in the fire!

 

Thats actually very true !!. Burns lovely, lots of heat but soon needs a refill.

 

Only way out of that is to suggest they mix it with some wetter stuff. Ideal MC is 14-15%.

 

A

[Crazy Cutter]

Do you have access to another meter to compare readings - that does sound kind of high if it's been drying for a while? Or maybe try new batteries to see if there's a difference?

 

Andy

 

Have checked meter its a morso one all seems fine, reading 30% on my finger as the book says so my wood must just be wet!

 

Came across some squirrel killed beech this week lovely wood, under 20% and no brash to clear when felled. Is ring barking the way to go, fell when you need it and seasoned? Just i've not had much success killing trees in that way.