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View Full Version : Air drying wood round 2......



Carl Beckett
03-18-2012, 6:27 PM
Or maybe I have lost my mind.

But some time ago I picked up a truckload of wood from a guy that was milling in his back yard (some Beech, some oak, some Elm). It was 'ok' at best (turned out to have a lot of spalted stuff). But I was able to make some half decent stuff out of including this one (and a matching dresser):
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Also got some smaller boxes, medicine cabinet, and a very nice Roubo workbench.

So given it takes bit of time to dry I went for another batch. But switched millers this time and am pretty pleased. This is the lot of Cherry. (A smaller bit of quarter sawn white oak we threw in at the last minute.) About 25% 8/4, 25% 6/4, and the rest 4/4. The guy did a great job - far superior to what I got last time. Top shelf in fact.

So now I get to see if I can get this to dry as nicely as the last batch. I do have some concerns over mold, and the usual bugs. Also thinking this Cherry is prone to splitting (painted the ends of most of the logs before milling, but a few still to do. Here is the stack:

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And here is what about half of it looks like in the pickup (way too much weight for my truck):

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A couple shots of the 6/4 stuff:

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And these 8/4 pieces are pretty nice:

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Honestly - I have no idea what I am going to do with it all. First get it dried into usable lumber. Then... who knows. The price was at $1 per board foot, with a very generous measurement. Even if I just sell a bunch off a year from now I will do ok.

Or maybe I have lost my mind - its like a sickness chasing around after all this wood.

:D

Rod Sheridan
03-18-2012, 7:41 PM
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Nice wood Carl, and I'm not going to comment on it being a sickness as you can see what's in my backyard............Rod.

Neil Brooks
03-18-2012, 7:44 PM
You may -- technically -- suck, but that chest of drawers, and lumber score .... definitely doesn't :)

Carl Beckett
03-18-2012, 8:53 PM
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Nice wood Carl, and I'm not going to comment on it being a sickness as you can see what's in my backyard............Rod.

Nice Rod. I saw your other posts and do the same ( some misc stuff that came down in a storm last year). But then I got this batch and am wondering why I bother..... But still have this compulsion to scavenge every log on the side of the road.... Yep, a sickness

Danny Hamsley
03-18-2012, 10:15 PM
Carl,

That was a very fine deal (on your part)! Wow! That is some great looking wood. I have air dried tens of thousands of BF. Use good stickers and sticker at every 2 feet or less, make sure the stack is protected from the weather, make sure there is good air flow all around the stack, and you will be good to go and we will see a picture of another awesome project in the not too distant future!

James White
03-18-2012, 11:23 PM
I don't know how you scored cherry for $1 BF. I have my own sawmill and would gladly pay $1bf for cherry. I it is hard to come by nice cherry logs around here. What state are you in? Please don't say bliss. As that is already evident.

Nice chest of drawers!

James

Cody Colston
03-19-2012, 4:42 AM
That's a great score and beautiful lumber. I, too, have a mill but I'd buy all the $1 per bf Cherry like yours that I could afford...if I could find Cherry for $1 /bf.

There are plenty of publications and web sites on how to stack and sticker lumber for air drying so I won't repeat what you probably already know. What I will suggest is that you treat the lumber with Timbor or one of the other borate products as you sticker it. If it doesn't already have any bugs inside, Timbor will prevent infestation. PPB's can be a problem if left untreated and that lumber is too nice to risk having it ruined.

Danny Hamsley
03-19-2012, 6:47 AM
I, too, have my own sawmill, and I have cut some cherry. I am like the other two mill owners, though, I would jump all over that lumber for $1/BF!

Carl Beckett
03-19-2012, 9:07 AM
Timbor will prevent infestation. PPB's can be a problem if left untreated and that lumber is too nice to risk having it ruined.

Thanks Cody. Worthy of protecting (the last few batches I didnt bother - but then again they werent near as nice of wood so will do it this time around)

Carl Beckett
03-22-2012, 9:34 PM
Hi guys

I am in Massachusetts. This wood is milled in CT.

There is more where that came from so PM me if you are interested. I may take a modest amount more, but another thousand board foot or so avail

James White
03-23-2012, 8:29 AM
Hi Carl,

I am very interested in some of that cherry. Where in CT ? Was it a guy named Bob?

James