Firewood - water content

[Stephen Blair]

i love conifers. big takedowns look good but are hard work and everyone prices them to get them up here. let them have them i say. Couple of connys a day keep the bank manager away.

[woodrascal]

 

I have a moisture meter so that I am not bullshiting the customer and guessing, if I say my logs are seasoned to 18%, I can guarantee they are and the customer will get maximum calorific value out of each and every log.

 

You're spot on there Dean.

 

Like it or not, a lot of firewood customers are at last realising that the term 'seasoned' doesn't mean a great deal - it's the moisture content that they're interested in.

[Stephen Blair]

You're spot on there Dean.

 

Like it or not, a lot of firewood customers are at last realising that the term 'seasoned' doesn't mean a great deal - it's the moisture content that they're interested in.

 

i have had 3 email in the last month regarding logs and chip. 2 household.1 university. all asked for moisure content. and if they only cost between 20-50pounds most will end up buying one i think.

[carver]

i have had 3 email in the last month regarding logs and chip. 2 household.1 university. all asked for moisure content. and if they only cost between 20-50pounds most will end up buying one i think.

 

I bought one on the net for about £19, but it does tend to vary a bit with temperature or maybe I just don't like the readings. It only reads up to 40pc but hey, that's all we need.

[cordwood]

Maplin's sell moisture meter's for £20, they do the job and are fairly well made, in as much as i haven't broken mine yet.

[woodrascal]

Maplin's sell moisture meter's for £20, they do the job and are fairly well made, in as much as i haven't broken mine yet.

 

My Maplins one lasted for 5 weeks.

 

Having said that they replaced it for a new one without quibble. Apparently they'd recently sold 4 and mine was the only one that had failed.

 

Incidently they look like a re-badged version of one that's been recommended on this forum that costs over £40.

[ChrisSaunders]

For the non-technical the following ode has useful advice, and lots of charm too:

 

BEECH WOOD FIRES ARE BRIGHT AND CLEAR IF THE LOGS ARE KEPT A YEAR.

CHESTNUT IS ONLY GOOD THEY SAY, IF FOR LONG TIS LAID AWAY.

BUT ASH WOOD NEW OR ASH WOOD OLD IS FIT FOR A QUEEN WITH A CROWN OF GOLD.

 

BIRCH AND FIR LOGS BURN TOO FAST, BLAZE UP BRIGHT AND DO NOT LAST.

IT IS BY THE IRISH SAID, HAWTHORN BAKES THE SWEETEST BREAD.

 

ELM WOOD BURNS LIKE CHURCHYARD MOULD EVEN THE VERY FLAMES ARE COLD;

BUT ASH WOOD GREEN AND ASH WODD BROWN IS FIT FOR A QUEEN WITH A GOLDEN CROWN.

 

POPLAR GIVES A BITTER SMOKE, FILLS YOUR EYES AND MAKES YOU CHOKE

APPLE WOOD WILL SCENT YOUR ROOM WITH AN INCENSE-LIKE PERFUME.

 

OAK LOGS IF DRY AND OLD WILL KEEP AWAY THE WINTER COLD.

BUT ASH WOOD WET OR ASH WOOD DRY, A KING SHALL WARM HIS SLIPPERS BY.

 

HOLLY LOGS WILL BURN LIKE WAX, YOU SHOULD BURN THEM GREEN.

ELM LOGS LIKE SMOULERING FLAX; NO FLAMES WILL BE SEEN.

 

PEAR LOGS AND APPLE LOGS, THEY WILL SCENT YOUR ROOM

CHERRY LOGS ACROSS THE DOGS SMELL LIKE FLOWERS IN FULL BLOOM

 

BUT ASH LOGS ALL SMOOTH AND PALE, BURN THEM GREEN OR OLD

BUY UP ALL THAT COME YOUR WAY, THEY’RE WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD.

[woodrascal]

For the non-technical the following ode has useful advice, and lots of charm too:

 

Oh dear, not this again....

[firewoodman]

Oh dear, not this again....

 

 

for the non technical and nieve

[sylvestris stew]

I've read heaps of studies on firewood from FC , Canada and the US

 

They all say the same , all wood burns well as long as its dry [low moisture%]

 

the length of time to get to that Moisture% varies

 

and

 

wet wood is crap

 

 

I think people are trying to complicate a subject which is basicaly quite simple, with a couple of simple rules, follow them and there will be very little problems.