New member, curing new hickory

[Steven Allen]

New to the forum, like to say hello to everyone. I have a hickory tree that is fresh cut down, about 20” dia @ bottom and about 20’ long, nice and straight. What is the curing process before and after I send it to the saw mill to cut it up, thinking of cutting it into 4/4 and some 8/4, will be air dried and used for some flat wood projects and some used on turning projects, I also have the stump, is it usable for bowl blanks or other turning projects

Thanks Steve

[Gary Breckenridge]

:cool:he first thing is to get the ends coated; use wax or oil based paint. Consider your final products before ordering the cuts for 4/4 and 8/8. Have a flat base to stack the wood. Sticker the wood every foot. Keep it out of the sun and the rain. Wait one year per inch of thickness. I like to have wood in my shop for at least a week before I make that first cut. Send me 50 bd. ft. :cool:

[Steven Allen]

thanks Gary for tip on coating the ends, is it better to cut into boards when its still wet or let the log dry a little before cutting

[Jim Becker]

Steven, welcome to SMC!

The log isn't going to "dry" to any appreciable extent, so get it milled as soon as practical. And do coat the ends of the logs "now"...much easier to do than on individual boards ;) ...

You'll also want to prepare the area you will use for drying the lumber. It needs to be flat and have good exposure to moving air. (wind....) The stack should be at least 8" off the ground (I suggest putting down landscape fabric to keep down weeds). Your stickers should be dry and of a species that is not high in tanins. Cover the top of your stack after adding weight to insure that there is no standing water, ice and/or snow directly on the wood. Do not enclose the sides...air movement is absolutely necessary.

I suggest you invest in a moisture meter so you can test every once in awhile to see where things are in the process. Your 4/4 will typically take at least a year to dry in ideal conditions; the 8/4 about two, but only a moisture meter will confirm when the wood is ready to use. (Typically about 10% MC, but that varies depending on your geography)

[Richard M. Wolfe]

Steven,

Hickory is a species that likes to "walk around corners" when it dries. It's very prone to warping and twisting in the stack. Stick the fresh-cut lumber closer than some others - every 16-18". When finished put plenty of weight on the pile, allowing for adequate air circulation, of course.