Air dried ash: workable moisture content?

[Dan Forman]

I recently picked up about 200 bf of 8/4 air dried ash, mostly 2" x 4" x 10', for a new workbench. I cut off about a 3 foot chunk from one stick and got a moisture reading of 14% from the newly cut end grain. What would be a good MC to hit before stating to build?

Local weather tends to be fairly cool and damp until about the middle of June, then it turns into desert for most of the rest of the summer, until well into September or into October, when the sun disappears for another 6 months or so.

Shop (basement) humidity right now is about 50%, about high as it will go, will decrease to about 35% during summer and winter, goes up in spring and fall. The wood is currently in my garage, stickered off the floor but not between layers, with floor covered by plastic sheet. I'm thinking I'll have to fully sticker it, and let it bake over the summer - it gets pretty hot in there during the day. I don't really have a good place to stack it outside, but could run a fan in the garage to blow through the pile during the day. Any other ideas?

Dan

[Rob Woodman]

Dan,
Yes you will have to sticker the whole pile, and a flow of air will assist in the drying out. The English Ash for these was air dried to around 12% as an average of several samples then the timber was stored in the clients house for six weeks prior to making the doors. (Final M.C. was less than 10% IIRC)
Check the ambient M.C of your shop by testing a piece of timber that has been sitting around for a while, this should give you a target M.C.
HTH Rob.
http://www.getwoodworking.com/sites/5/images/member_albums/5394/ash_wardrobe_right_of_chimney.jpg

[Curt Harms]

Gorgeous cabinetry, Rob. I think your approach is right. 14% is high. Sticker each layer and a fan is probably not a bad idea. When I bring stock like that home, I usually get a couple % drop pretty quickly, then it depends on the season. I store my wood in the basement and it'll run 10% during out humid summers and 6% during the winter when the windows are closed and heat is on. Kiln dried stock will do the same thing after it's been out of the kiln for a while.

[Dan Forman]

Thanks.

Rob---Beautiful work!

Dan

[Neil Brooks]

Rob-

Wow.

[Bill Davis]

With a basement RH of 35-50% you should expect a 7-9 EMC for wood there. I'd agree definately with full stickering and a fan and regularly checking the woods MC and if you have room store it in your basement shop to equalize to where you're going to be using the bench. The effects of the woods MC may not be too much of a problem depending on the bench design. Wood does machine and glue better when dryer to an extent.
Sounds like a good start on a bench. Good luck and have many years of using it.


Air dried ash: workable moisture content?
I recently picked up about 200 bf of 8/4 air dried ash, mostly 2" x 4" x 10', for a new workbench. I cut off about a 3 foot chunk from one stick and got a moisture reading of 14% from the newly cut end grain. What would be a good MC to hit before stating to build?

Shop (basement) humidity right now is about 50%, about high as it will go, will decrease to about 35% during summer and winter, goes up in spring and fall. The wood is currently in my garage, stickered off the floor but not between layers, with floor covered by plastic sheet. I'm thinking I'll have to fully sticker it, and let it bake over the summer - it gets pretty hot in there during the day. I don't really have a good place to stack it outside, but could run a fan in the garage to blow through the pile during the day. Any other ideas?

Dan

With a basement RH of 35-50% you should expect a 7-9 EMC for wood there. I'd agree definately with full stickering and a fan and regularly checking the woods MC and even if you have room store it in your basement shop to equalize to where you're going to be using the bench. The effects of the woods MC may not be too much of a problem depending on the bench design. Wood does machine and glue better when dryer to an extent.
Sounds like a good start on a bench. Good luck and have many years of using it.

[Rob Woodman]

Glad to help Dan.
Thanks for the nice comments too guys. So just for that...:D

http://www.getwoodworking.com/sites/5/images/member_albums/5394/ash_wardrobe_left_of_chimney.jpg
The other side of the chimney breast, handles are turned from Walnut branches so some have streaks of sapwood for contrast.
Rob.