Some seasoning results

[gensetsteve]

I am not one for being to scientific but thought this may interest some people thinking of using a kiln. The kindling was cut from the same plank 2 weeks ago. The 19% stuff was left in the bag on a shelf in a wind swept barn. The 31% has sat in my dry office and left on the wood burner when lit for 8 hrs. Now it strikes me the 31% stuff has had alot of energy around it while the barn was free. also surprising as the wood was 39% two weeks ago.

[Sharkbait]

Wow, I wasn't expecting that! You would have thought that the wood on the stove would have been much much lower.

[StephF]

I believe it is most important to site timber storage areas where the wind has maximum impact, old farm buildings here not designed to be that drafty, so has been a problem for us! I try and store timber in most windy sites and find it makes all the diffference.

Saw a kiln go on ebay last night that used no direct heat, seemed a dehumidifier provided enough and removed moisture successfully, got us thinking....

[Dave Martin]

Thats exactly the case with my dutch barn. Ibc crates stacked three high with the wind constantly blowing through it I can have logs below 20% in two months easy. Which is why I think what alot of what is written here about seasoning is total pooh

[gensetsteve]

I expected the results to be the other way round. I even put a new battery in the meter and checked several times. I am guessing a dehumidifier would be a bit ineffective verses the power used. I am thinking container vented either end with 4ft fan and shutable louvres. like the ones they use in broiler farms for supplimentary cooling on hot days. They are fitted with big fan small motor. when logs are green, on still days fan on, even if the air is damp outside it cant be worse than 40% when the wind blows no fans required. As the logs get below 25% if its damp out shut down the louvres and fan.

Edited November 6, 2012 by gensetsteve

[Flyguy]

As a research scientist by profession I sometimes deal with unexpected results. And while the unexpected does occasionally happen (and is very exciting when it does), the burden of proof required is higher if you want to contradict a long standing dogma.

 

Given this, I'm sure you agree that difference between a heated dry room v. a cold draughty barn (especially given the recent low temps and the misty damp weather we had a couple of weeks ago) is very surprising.

 

Is it at all possible the two samples could have been mixed up by accident at some point ?

 

If you are confident that these initial results are correct can they be repeated ? This would be both on multiple sticks in that bag [known as technical replicates] and whole new bags split now and stored in office / barn repeated from scratch [experimental replicates]?

 

Do you have controls of known wet and known dry wood you can use to confirm that the moisture meter is giving sensible readings ?

 

 

 

Please dont get me wrong - I'm not trying to be antagonistic ! Just trying to be scientifically thorough so that we can shed some light on the mystery.

 

Cheers,

 

 

FG

[Steve Bullman]

Fair post

[Dave Martin]

As a research scientist by profession I sometimes deal with unexpected results. And while the unexpected does occasionally happen (and is very exciting when it does), the burden of proof required is higher if you want to contradict a long standing dogma.

 

Given this, I'm sure you agree that difference between a heated dry room v. a cold draughty barn (especially given the recent low temps and the misty damp weather we had a couple of weeks ago) is very surprising.

 

Is it at all possible the two samples could have been mixed up by accident at some point ?

 

If you are confident that these initial results are correct can they be repeated ? This would be both on multiple sticks in that bag [known as technical replicates] and whole new bags split now and stored in office / barn repeated from scratch [experimental replicates]?

 

Do you have controls of known wet and known dry wood you can use to confirm that the moisture meter is giving sensible readings ?

 

 

 

Please dont get me wrong - I'm not trying to be antagonistic ! Just trying to be scientifically thorough so that we can shed some light on the mystery.

 

Cheers,

 

 

FG

 

I have already carried out a pretty detailed experiment. This is the before and after picture of me standing in my barn for two months with the wind blowing across my face.

[Treewarrior]

Brilliant!

[Joy Yeomans]

Thats exactly the case with my dutch barn. Ibc crates stacked three high with the wind constantly blowing through it I can have logs below 20% in two months easy. Which is why I think what alot of what is written here about seasoning is total pooh

 

exactly right

 

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