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Thread: milling and drying an old walnut beam

  1. #1

    milling and drying an old walnut beam

    I recently cleaned up and milled a 150 year old 12" x 12" x 6' walnut beam into two 4" x 12" x 6' puncheons, plus the box heart slab. I decided to cut the beam into only two slabs in order to keep my design options open. I build furniture. Though I'm not usually a big fan of walnut, the wood is beautiful. My intention is to use it after only air drying, if possible.
    The beam before milling was significantly cracked on one side from one end to the other. Most of this crack was milled out with the box heart. There is very shallow (less than one inch) radial cracking on the beam ends. What would have been the interior sides of the puncheons feel damp to the touch. I've sticker and stacked the wood in my basement shop. I don't have a moisture meter. Should I seal the ends, or shorten and seal the ends? I know it would be best to rough out some smaller pieces now to facilitate drying but I'm not really ready to do that. I've had the timber for over 35 years and am not in a hurry. Any thoughts, advice, or ideas? Thanks, Bill

  2. #2
    What do you mean by 150 years old, is it from a tree that was cut down 35 years ago when the tree was 150 or was the beam cut from a tree 150 years ago? Where has it been stored for 35 years, dampness to the touch could just be from blade lubrication on the mill. Fist thing I would do is buy, or borrow, a moisture meter just get an idea of where you're at. If your basement is climate controlled then the wood will dry more, there's no point in sealing the ends at this point, and I wouldn't recommend cutting and sealing either since by now it should be done checking, unless it turns out to be higher than 20% mc (which I would find hard to believe). This comes from my limited experience with mesquite that was cut down 30 years ago, it was very dry and super hard and I had to run a lot of water on the blade (but I still have not put a moisture meter to it sorry I'm not much help there, I could just tell it was 'dry' on the mill).

  3. #3
    Thanks, Jordan. It’s an old beam taken from a Missouri cabin built in the 1830s. I guess it’s been a beam for almost 200 years, not 150. I have stored it indoors for the 35 years since I salvaged it. It’s now in a climate controlled space for the first time. Your right, of course, about the moisture meter. Thanks again, Bill

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Wayland, MA
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    Seems likely that if it hasn't air dried in 150-200 years it's not going to. Or none of us will live long enough to tell. It is surely equilibrated with its environment by now.

  5. #5
    Bill, bring it back and I'd be glad to check it. Being that old, I didn't even think of that being a question when we milled it. If it has been stored outside, it should be in equilibrium and around 12%. In your home the EMC will be lower so it will continue to dry, even if 200 years old.

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