Carl Olsen Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 I got my 4/4 spanish cedar this weekend, put it in the shop, the smell is overwhelming. Is there a way to make it "smell less" I think I will squeeze it between planks or wrap at this point. It smell really strong. Suggestion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 The smell will diminish with time and become more subtle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johncbrownmd Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 mine is coming tomorrow - my new puppy has a tendency to pee in my shop - I guess he gets concrete confused with the great outdoors - maybe the cedar will help. At least I got him to doo outside; nothing would overcome that small - guess its the puppy food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 My dealer got a shipment in a few months ago, and for about three or four weeks that's all you could smell...the stuff just hit you in the face. Now it's back to normal-smelling woodiness. If it really bothers you that much you could hit it with some shellac. I hear bug spit and cigars go well together...like a nice cognac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 5, 2013 Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 I like the smell but it does dissipate as the board oxidizes . It you put the planks outside on sawhorses in the sun I bet it would be the quickest way to get it down to a level you can stand. The fresh sawdust is also going to have the full odor so sweep, vacuum, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRBaker Posted November 5, 2013 Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 I like the smell but it does dissipate as the board oxidizes . It you put the planks outside on sawhorses in the sun I bet it would be the quickest way to get it down to a level you can stand. The fresh sawdust is also going to have the full odor so sweep, vacuum, etc. You will also notice that when you make fresh sawdust, you will actually taste the Spanish Cedar. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-astragal Posted November 5, 2013 Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 We built 30 8' doors from Spanish cedar. Our shop was unbearable. That stuff makes super light and fine dust that gets everywhere. I'm glad to have them delivered. I just bid a 17000 sqft house with over 100 more though. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Olsen Posted November 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 We built 30 8' doors from Spanish cedar. Our shop was unbearable. That stuff makes super light and fine dust that gets everywhere. I'm glad to have them delivered. I just bid a 17000 sqft house with over 100 more though. Steve Ah now I feel much better ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenaissanceWW Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 You may have gotten some especially resinour Cedar but it will diminish over time. Very few dealers have the kilns dialed in specifically to dry Spanish Cedar. In order to set the sap properly and prevent weeping it needs to be dried hotter than other species. Of course in order to do this properly you need to take more time to very slowly raise the temperature to acceptable levels and then even more slowly drop the temperature off that peak. Some kilns don't get hot enough, but mostly it is a matter of the lumber yard not want to wait the extra time, nor dedicated the entire kiln to a single species especially when volumes of Spanish Cedar on hand rarely will fill a kiln. If the smell is really bad, mill up some Alaskan Yellow Cedar and it will overpower the Spanish tenfold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 I have some Cedrela Odorata (AKA Spanish Cedar - confusing as it is neither Spanish nor Cedar) in my shop waiting to be milled for a guitar I have in mind. When it arrived a couple of years back even in rough sawn form it was pleasantly pungent (to me at least) but the odour diminished after a month or so. I keep going back to it and scratching it with my thumbnail just to make sure the smell is still there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 26, 2013 Report Share Posted November 26, 2013 I moved a couple of planks I had left over the other day. They were stuck together, one of them was covered in weeping sap spots, but only on one side. Smell was faint but still there,kinda spicy to me. I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Olsen Posted November 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2013 It's back to a reasonable smell now That still the only thing you smell in the shop, but not strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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