# Aging wood?



## buzzy (Jan 9, 2020)

How do you all age wood. By time cut or by cracks in wood showing it’s dry. Just  cut chucks from a hickory tree cut down 6-7 months ago an still looks green. Want to use but don’t think it’s dry enough. All thought are appreciated.


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## 73saint (Jan 9, 2020)

I take two pieces and pop them together.  The sound will tell you.  Hollow and sharp, and it’s ready.  Dull and dense, it’s not.

6-7 months sounds about perfect.  When I cut my pecan,  I leave it under my camp (open air, covered) for about 6 months before I even split it.


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## bill ace 350 (Jan 9, 2020)

Make sure it gets plenty of airflow.  Occasional rain won't hurt in seasoning wood, but I stack mine in racks built in my garage after it has been outside for at least a year. I'm talking firewood though.


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## mike243 (Jan 9, 2020)

I have cut a hickory down and cooked whole hog with it, its all about airflow imo, open pit feeding embers is a little different than a sealed smoker. sounds like its ready to use.


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## texomakid (Jan 9, 2020)

I agree 6 months cut and stored with good ventilations should be good.


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## kmmamm (Jan 9, 2020)

Curing time is variable and directly related to humidity level, air flow, species and size the pieces.  Perhaps the most important factor is airflow.  In this part of the country, a good rule of thumb for dense grain hardwood is to allow at least 7-12 months in a well ventilated stack.


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## archeryrob (Jan 12, 2020)

73saint said:


> I take two pieces and pop them together.  The sound will tell you.  Hollow and sharp, and it’s ready.  Dull and dense, it’s not.



I agree, if you can't tell from my screen name I used to make a lot of bows. I would bounce the bow stave on the concrete floor on it's tip. By the sound I knew if I could bend it or had to sit it by the wood stove more.


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## Chasdev (Jan 21, 2020)

Easy, go to Amazon and buy a moisture meter, you can get a functional unit for around $30.
You want around 20% moisture, but 25 is ok.
I found out the hard way a few years ago that most guys selling "seasoned" cooking wood are full of crap or just flat out lying, or don't know a thing about the subject.
I bought (in three different batches, from different vendors) "seasoned " oak splits and after fighting temp control in my offset stickburner read about measuring the true moisture content and found out that ALL of the wood I bought was wet as hell, barely half way seasoned.
My rule now is to measure several splits before I hand over the cash.


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