Airdrying Green Lumber


Coop

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I know there was a recent thread about stacking lumber, but mine is green and isn't going in my attic. I am having several large walnut logs milled on Monday. Plan is to use cinder blocks to keep them up off of the concrete slab. I will use 2 x 6's on top of the blocks and use a 3/4" x 1" sticker on top of the 2x's and then sticker every layer of slabs after that. Then cover the sides w/ black landscape fabric w/ the top covered w/ corrugated roofing for the top w/ more cinder blocks on top of the metal. On some videos I've seen where metal banding was used to hold the slabs flat and others, the banding wasn't used. Anyone have opinions or experience on this?

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Do you use the metal banding straps around the boards?

I painted the ends w/ latex paint within 24 hours of cutting the trees.

I also plan on using different color spray paint on the ends of each log to spray a pyramid in case I want book matched boards later.

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My father in- law has had maple stickered since 2005, is this lumber still good to use? My plan would be to make a bed for my daughter out of some lumber her grandpa had, who is now passed. Since it has not been in a controlled environment do I need to bring the wood indoors to acclimate to the house?? My shop tho is not heated where I will be taking it out to mill down?

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My father in- law has had maple stickered since 2005, is this lumber still good to use? My plan would be to make a bed for my daughter out of some lumber her grandpa had, who is now passed. Since it has not been in a controlled environment do I need to bring the wood indoors to acclimate to the house?? My shop tho is not heated where I will be taking it out to mill down?

   Air dried for 9 years?  Sure it's usable, I've worked air dried cherry that's close to 20 years drying!   Take it to your shop, and mill it, then let it sit for a week or two, then check it for straightness, and re-mill if needed.  Once cut rough to part sizes, I'd let it aclimate in the house for a few days, then do your construction.

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To Keggers and RPCV and others that have dried their own lumber, I was thinking about stacking the lumber in the order it was cut and stickering as mentioned originally. Also thinking of using angle iron and threaded rod as clamps to try to prevent twisting and bowing. We cut most of these logs today and the walnut is fantastic. Will post pics tomorrow from work. I have several 2.5" x 24" x 9' slabs with some neat grain and don't want to screw up this process.

I currently have some cherry that has been drying for about 2 years and am losing some thickness due to cupping.

Just trying to prevent that from happening again.

RPCV, it is outside on a concrete slap(parking lot).

We're expecting heavy rain on Wed. So will just cover it with plastic tarps until I can get the metal roofing material in place.

Can you tell I'm stoked?

Sorry for the dissertation!

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Can you tell I'm stoked?

Sorry for the dissertation!

 

Don't be sorry, sawing your own lumber is one of the most incredible parts of woodworking! (in my admittedly biased opinion) Looking forward to the pictures!

 

I don't generally use straps or clamps, just about 50 or so pounds of weights.  If the wood is going to cup, it will cup once the tension is released from the clamps (usually).  

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You would think I'm a proud daddy again (God forbid).

Started w/ this

post-14556-0-32176300-1415116143_thumb.j

Ready to bring it back to Texas

post-14556-0-23458800-1415116192_thumb.j

Bringing it down to size

post-14556-0-40127800-1415116244_thumb.j

One of the milled pieces.

post-14556-0-29228400-1415116290_thumb.j

Now I'm the one doing the slobbering and drooling :wub:

 

What's worse than watching glue dry? Waiting a year or two for lumber to dry :unsure:

 

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I don't use banding. I do put lots of evenly spaced concrete blocks on the top. I'm not sure what you can do to prevent ALL cupping and twisting. I put my better boards further down in the stack and my not so good boards near the top. The weight of the stack and the added concrete blocks will keep most of your lumber flat.

 

Good looking walnut!

 

If you don't want to wait a year or so - you could let it air dry for three or four months and then find someone with a dry kiln that would dry it for you. Just a thought.

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