Air Drying Hickory and White Oak

[Frank_B]

Okay - I understand 'cupped' is the correct term that should have been used instead of 'warped' - my own warped understanding got in the way of clearly communicating the problem...

Here's the covered stack...  It sits so the prevailing southern wind goes through the stack sideways.


Here's a shot of the cupping...


I'll be ripping before planing.  And thanks again for all the sage advice and wisdom.

[Tom]

Other than the number of stickers, I think your stack looks pretty good.   

[Frank_B]

Well, several months have passed, and the wood is still stacked outside the kitchen window.  Only had one thunderstorm so far this spring that caused any problems.  The tarp stayed on the stack, but the wind broke the meager framing that supported the tarp.  At any rate, the wood continues to air dry.  The cupping didn't get any worse, and there's no mold or mildew visible.  The only difference from the pictures posted earlier is additional stickers - I tore the stack down and added supports every 18" or so and restacked the wood with stickers immediately above the supports.

At any rate, I have a couple of questions...  First, my son-in-law bought me a moisture meter from Harbor Freight so I could check the moisture contect of the wood.  It is called a Cen-Tech, takes a 9V battery and, well, that's about all I know about moisture meters.  Can anyone tell me if this meter can accurately tell what the moisture content is?  And please don't mention I asked to my son-in-law.  He's a great kid, loves my daughter dearly, and I love him like my own - I just want to know if this meter is a legitimate tool, and can it be trusted to be accurate? 

And the second question:  Following the directions that came with the meter, the white oak is showing 13 - 14%.  If I take the wood to a kiln operator, what should I expect to hear?  Because the wood has been stacked and covered for several months, and is dried to a point, should that have any impact on the money I should be prepared to pay for taking the wood to 6%?

Thanks,
Frank

[Bob Smalser]

Air drying stacks:

http://www.woodenboat-ubb.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=009419

The wood is Pacific MNadrone from a record-sized tree....one of the most difficult to dry straight.

[brdmkr]

I don't dry wood for others (yet!), but I would think you should get a break on the drying.  In fact, I read an earlier post where one of the members charges for the amount of time your wood stays in the kiln.  Because much of the moisture has been removed, you should require less time in the kiln.  Not really sure how kiln operators in your area charge, but I'd explain the current moisture content and ask if there is a price break.  When I get kilns set up (maybe months, maybe years), I intend to charge for the time in the kiln. 

[raycon]

  You could weigh a couple of boards every other day for a week or 3 and see if there losing any more weight. If they're still losing water there not at EMC (E=Equilibrium) .  Would not hurt to get the boards off to the kiln if there below 20%.  I'd expect the cost to be 1/3 of what it would of been to go from green to 6%. 
For the meter go to the kiln operators place and try it out on his kiln stickers and  against his meter. I'm sure he'd get a kick out of  checking its accuracy. 
 


 

[Den Socling]

First the meter: I wouldn't expect it to be very accurate but the readings sound very accurate. Maybe it works! 

Now for the wood: lot's of companies predry to reduce drying cost and, if they have crappy kilns, to reduce degrade. I would think that, if you delivered that pack stickered and banded, somebody would add it to their charge. And it wouldn't be the drying charge for green wood.

[Frank_B]

Thanks for the suggestion to take the meter to the kiln - he's just down the road a piece.  I'll take it by his place tomorrow and see if it reads the same as his.

As far as banding and delivering the stack intact - man - do I wish I could do that!   My heavy equipment is a Sears 18 horse, 42 inch cut lawn mower with a little wagon.  I'm dreading taking the stack down and loading it onto the trailer - I may have to cut some of the length off so it doesn't drag on the road 

At any rate, I'm hoping we're close to working with the wood, and can finish getting it dried for not a lot of cash.  The local kiln operator told me .30/bft last summer, and I saw him at a home show a few weeks back - he still wants .30/bft.  There's roughly 375 bft between the hickory and white oak, so that would be about $112.50 to get it dried.

Thanks,
Frank

[woodbeard]

Is there any reason the wood for the trailer decking really needs to be kiln dried? I would think that air dried would be fine for this application. Many people even use it green. Just a thought. 

[Frank_B]

Is there any reason the wood for the trailer decking really needs to be kiln dried? I would think that air dried would be fine for this application. Many people even use it green. Just a thought.

Fortunately, cooler heads and time to think has prevailed...  trailer decking is no longer on the table.  There are two projects for the wood currently being discussed.  First, are small tables modeled after work my Dad did before he passed away.  Having something like he put together made from lumber that came from our woods would be nice for my kids.  Second, my wife - soon to be 1st time grandmother - thinks I should be building a couple of toy boxes for the fresh crop of kids that will be coming our way.  I learned a long time ago not to argue with that woman! 

Besides, after coddling this wood for nearly a year, it seemed downright silly to bolt it to a trailer bed...

[woodbeard]

Ya, thats partly why I use it green for stuff like that- so I don't get too attached to it.