Drying Frozen Stick Question.

Skulli · #1 10-29-2006, 09:28 PM

Recently we had a horrible ice storm in Indiana that led to many living trees and large limbs growing brittle, heavy, and breaking into pieces (on cars & houses mostly!)

This made me wonder: I have a large supply of silver maple drying out in a shed this winter. The only thing they will be exposed to is the freezing and sub-freezing temperatures.

So if they are "drying", technically they must be full of "moisture." Can this moisture freeze inside the wood, even if it probably is sap, and crack or destroy my wood?

If this is a really STOOPID question

, I apologize in advance, but this is an entirely new hobby to me. So far I LOVE it, but there's a lot I still don't know!

Thanx!

brian bailey · #2 10-29-2006, 10:45 PM

Generally speaking, the moisture in a live tree doesn't freeze solid until it gets below -25* F. more or less.

The moisture in a downed tree or limb will freeze solid once the temp. goes below 32* F.

I've never had a sawlog pop open or crack due to being frozen, so I wouldn't worry to much about it.

The moisture in a frozen piece of wood will evaporate through the process of sublimation, the piece of wood will gradually get drier over a period of time and could possibly crack.

Skulli · #3 10-29-2006, 11:56 PM

Thanx Brian!

So, at the risk of looking very dumb here, am I to understand that even at below 32 degree temps, once the moisture in my maple has frozen, through "sublimation," it will still, neveretheless, evaporate over the cold months?

Thanks again,
Jim

brian bailey · #4 10-30-2006, 07:41 AM

Yes, but very slowly.

Sublimation is a natural process where a solid (ice) will evaporate as a gas (water vapor) without going through the liquid state.

Another thing to consider, once the outside air temp. goes below 50* F. the air drying process pretty much comes to a halt but not completely.
There isn't enough heat energy in the air to break the water molecules free from their chemical bonds and be carried away by the air flowing around the wood.

I would be more concerned with having a piece of wood that contains the pith.

Round wood that contains the pith will almost, but not always, develop a radial crack.

Silver maple has a weak cellular structure which could work for or against you depending on your ulitmate goal.

Lynn O. Doughty · #5 10-30-2006, 08:07 AM

Anyone who splits wood for heat knows that a real cold, frosty morning is great for popping the logs apart. Must be something to their being frozen to have that happen.

brian bailey · #6 10-30-2006, 09:49 AM

Hey Lynn,

Are those chunks splitting on their own or are you using mechanical advantage to cause the fracture

?

Lynn O. Doughty · #7 10-30-2006, 10:50 AM

Some mornings I'm in such a foul mood because I have to split more wood that the stuff just falls apart on it's on and stacks itself!

Skulli · #8 10-30-2006, 04:05 PM

Aaaaah, MAGIC wood!

Tom H · #9 10-30-2006, 05:02 PM

Hee Hee Hee! Tom H

AlArchie · #10 10-31-2006, 07:56 AM

I can't answer for those firewood logs "popping apart" on their own, but I have spent many a day hunting in sub zero weather. sitting on post listening for game, when it's
-20F, and heading down. Also have spent a few nights camped out when the temps are in that range, it's so quiet you can hear your breath crackle and I've heard the trees "popping" all around. The colder it gets the more they crack. I have no idea what the result to the timber is, but they definitely do a lot of noisy complaining!

Al