How long to wait till milling new lumber

[Bart Goldberg]

This is actually a stealth gloat. I found a new lumber supplier in my area that I went to visit yesterday for the first time. This place has only one price for all the lumber they sell $2.00/bf. And here is the real kicker - the lumber is all kiln dried to 6% moisture and flat as a pancake.
I couldn't believe the quality. I didn't need to go through piles, every board was a thing of beauty. Just took a half dozen from the top of the Oak pile. All rough sawn, but they will provide S2S for an additional .80/bf. I passed on the service - I'll plane it myself.

So, here's the question - how long should I keep the boards in my shop before starting to mill them?

Thanks
Bart

[Todd Burch]

As long as it takes for them to reach EMC (equilibrium moisture content).

Or, in laymans terms, a couple weeks! But, unless they are still warm from being in the kiln, they've probably already climatized at the lumber yard. Todd.

[jim mckee]

You can use it now. People think they need to aclimate wood to their shop, that isn't true.
I think this is an Old timers hold over from years past.
jim

[Jim Becker]

You can use it now. People think they need to aclimate wood to their shop, that isn't true.
I think this is an Old timers hold over from years past.
jim
The only caveat to this is that if you are buying material that has different MC from other material in the project--stuff that you may have had for awhile, it's a good idea to wait for them to equalize. This is to help normalize wood movement across the entire project...a very desirable thing. But if the entire project is being made from the same buy, generally no problem as Jim says.

[Bob Smalser]

- the lumber is all kiln dried to 6% moisture and flat as a pancake.

Thanks
Bart

Test it in the oven or with a meter. Doesn't sound right.

The only stock kilned all the way to 6% is flooring and some other specialty woods.

[Alan Turner]

BArt,
I am in your neck of the woods from time to time. Can you share this new new yard's contact information with us?

[Boyd Gathwright]

.... From my limited degree of knowledge on the subject I would tend to agree with Bob. This situation just seems too perfect :(.

Boyd

.

Test it in the oven or with a meter. Doesn't sound right.

The only stock kilned all the way to 6% is flooring and some other specialty woods.

[larry merlau]

BArt,
I am in your neck of the woods from time to time. Can you share this new new yard's contact information with us?

you are just trying to get the chickens in the hen house arent you alan :D fowl play i think// save some for bart

[Michael Gabbay]

Bart -

I buy all my lumber rough sawn. I'm not sure the MC but it's probably under 10%. To be on the safe side I store it in my basement shop for at least 2 weeks prior to milling. I'm very conservative because I go so far as mill 4 sides to a rough dimension and then let it sit for a few days before I do final milling. I always check the pieces to make sure they are still flat prior to final planing.

Mike

[Jason Simon]

I'm willing to bet it is East Coast Log. You can find exact contact info on Woodfinder and search within 75 miles of Westfield, NJ.

The only caveat to this supplier is that his inventory in not consistent. I would advise you to call before you go to ask about what is in stock.

I got the maple for this bench from him. Turned out to be highly figured :D

http://home.comcast.net/~cibulasimon/wsb/media/267154/site1068.jpg

(oh, I NEVER miss an opportunity to post pics of my bench... :rolleyes:

[Jack Hogoboom]

I'd like the name too if you don't mind sharing.... :)

[John Harris]

Ditto on the contact info...curious minds need to know!


There seems to be a few guys in the Philly area. Any other hot spots for good basic woods and good exotic woods?

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Nice gloat!! I don't wait to start cutting stock.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

As others have said, if I buy from all the same lot, I don't wait to start cutting. Normally I have run some it through my planer before I get it all unloaded :)

[Jason Simon]

All-

Here is the contact information for East Coast Log

East Coast Log
Contact: Art Weeks
Address: 50 County Road 639
Warren Glen/ Bloomsbury Rd
Bloomsbury, NJ 08804
Phone: 908-995-2902


and his written description from Woodfinder:

East Coast Log sells hardwoods at $2/bf(roughsawn), regardless of species or width.

LUMBER IN STOCK: Apple, Ash, Basswood, Butternut, Red Cedar, Cherry, Hickory, Black Locust, Honey Locust, Soft Maple, Spalted Red Maple, Mulberry, Black Oak, Pin Oak, Red Oak, Quartersawn Red Oak, White Oak, Quartersawn White Oak, Pawlonia, White Pine, Tulip Poplar, Sassafras, Black Walnut, English Walnut, Willow

We also have a good supply of cherry burl, willow burl, black oak burl, honey locust burl, and occasionally, white cedar burl and elm burl.

ANTIQUE WOOD: Old Oak, Spalted Maple

Green Wood custom sawn to order


This is 99% likely to be the place. I've bought lumber from him, and as I said, it turned out to have nice figure, and now resides in my shop as my workbench.

His stock can be inconsistent, although a phone call will confirm he has what you might need in stock. Close to I-78 Exit 4 (or 7...), weekend hours, but call ahead to confirm.

[jim mckee]

The shop could have an average annual humidity that's different than the final destination of the work.
In the kiln operators handbook their is a table that show what EMC wood will achieve at a given annual average humidity.
That's why it's important to know the mc. of lumber pre-use.

A time when I would sticker lumber in it's final environment before use is wood flooring, as long as climate control is on. It's allot of work but a small amount of shrink or swell would be shown over and over.

My home was probably built from non kiln dried lumber (1890) the owner owned a saw mill (our road, one of the oldest in the Co. didn't get elec. till 1957.)
jim

[James Carmichael]

Sheez, you east coast Yankees get the good stuff :mad:

Only thing I can get that cheap down here is ash, either shorts or common.

[lou sansone]

very nice bench.... have you confirmed that the wood is really kiln dried?

thanks for the source
lou

[Jason Simon]

Thanks-

I did not check the MC of the maple, but he said it was KD, and I had no reason not to beleive him...