Customer order

[1crowfarm]

I got a call last night with a potential customer wanting to buy about 30 1x12x16' Poplar boards. I told him that I didnt have anything air dried like that and he told me he would be interested in buying them green if I would cut them. He plans on using them right away for a floor in his barn.
My question is if I cut him 1x12" boards with heart wood in them how badly would they cup being that wide ? Would I be better off to encouage him to buy smaller width boards  ?
Thanks guys Iam just getting started in this custom sawing business and I dont want unhappy customers right off the bat  so any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated

[red oaks lumber]

i don't see a problem, he is going to install them right away so there is less chance of cupping nailed down than sitting in a pile air drying. maybe run your concern past him and see what he thinks another option cut 1x6 .the added time for install will be small

[Cedarman]

After drying, there will be 1" gaps between the 11" boards.

[submarinesailor]

After drying, there will be 1" gaps between the 11" boards.

Mine are about 1/2" using 10" boards.  Make sure you tell him about the gaps.

Bruce

[beenthere]

And I think as a new business, I'd be some concerned about what to do with all the remaining volume in boards after sawing the 1 x 12's. Stock pile them on drying sticks and keep the extra inventory?
One would think the customer could make good use of those extra 1' pieces and selling them would be worth any effort/success.

[slider]

crowfarm,I just cut an order of 12 in popular for a customer.I stacked and stickered it under a shelter for about 2 months.When he picked it up it was light as a feather.Bear in mind i,m in south georgia and we have had a very mild and dry winter here .Some cupping on the top layer but the rest came out fine.Some times after drying I will throw them back on the mill and run the edges .With a narrow board  you don,t have to bother with it,just takes more time to install.good luck  al

[redbeard]

I have lost a few sales by giving to much advice especially when they haven't even asked for any. I try not to get involved too much in what they are using lumber for. If they call and have list I will either have it or can cut there order. Just saying.

[paul case]

Those 1x12's will leave you with quite a pile of side lumber. If i was selling them and the customer didn't want the extra side lumber the 1x12's would be a little more expensive. like 1/2 the cost of the side lumber more expensive if I didn't have it sold to someone else. PC

[Magicman]

As Red said above,  I also try not to get too involved with what the customer will do with his lumber, because giving advise can be a double edged sword.  If you see the obvious and know better, then speaking up may be appropriate, but I try to keep my mouth shut about lumber usage.

[1crowfarm]

Thanks guys for the advice. I dont plan on getting to involved with to much advice to the customers next thing you know I would be there pounding nails    I will call the customer tomorrow and advise him about the shrinkage and also try to sell him the side boards but if he doesnt want them it wont hurt me much as I still need to finish the building over the mill

[Cedarman]

I like to know how the lumber will be used.  Sometimes I suggest western red cedar will work much better than Eastern, especially where big beams and long lengths are concerned.  I will suggest gluing 2  6" rather than using 1 12", but final say is with the customer.  Sometimes I lose sales, but the customer should be happier and that is my goal to make the customer happy that they are getting what they need.   I never tell them how to glue or what is the best finish.  My job is to provide the best widths, thickness, lengths, dryness, planing if needed, sanding if needed, quality required at the most economical price, shipping prices that best fit the order, and anything else that will help the customer get the biggest bang for the buck, but still give me the profit I want.  Final say is the customers say though.

[1crowfarm]

Hello I'am going to attemp to take a few pictures today or tomorrow when I fire up the Iron mule to go to the woods to haul in a load of logs for that order of 1x12x16' boards  wish me luck

[Magicman]

Take a picture of da mule also.   

[Kansas]

I have gone the other way in giving advice. I figure, better to lose a customer than not make sure they understand the pitfalls of green lumber, and for that point, kiln dried. I figure my reputation is everything. I figure if I don't make a sale, that is better than having a pithed off customer telling everyone how we treated him. And I have lost a few sales, although I think I picked up more over the years than I lost But then I kind of take the long term view. There isn't that much advice to really give anyway. Warnings about powder post beetle in ash. How much green lumber can be expected to shrink. Let kiln dried lumber sit for a bit in the climate it will be in and acclimate itself. How to use a big piece of green lumber for a mantle, and the potential pitfalls. That is about it. I can give advice if they drag in a junk log to have cut up, but they never listen. Actually, when you warn someone about what might go wrong with green lumber, etc.. that seems to make them more determined to use it. Only thing I never give advice on is stains, sealers, finishes, etc.

[1crowfarm]

Take a picture of da mule also.   

I will have to ask my wife pretty please  but Iam sure she will show me how to download the pictures

[petefrombearswamp]

I agree with Kansas.
I only saw on my site so only have a few customers but they have been thoroughly schooled on the various problems that can occur.
A select few keep coming back every year.

[Full Circle]

If used immediately, and nailed down tight, isn't the risk of the boards splitting as it shrinks a lot higher, too?  I don't have experience with poplar, but I know we considered this when installing pine siding (board and batten) that was pretty green.

[SPIKER]

If used immediately, and nailed down tight, isn't the risk of the boards splitting as it shrinks a lot higher, too?  I don't have experience with poplar, but I know we considered this when installing pine siding (board and batten) that was pretty green.

Usually when nailing down green you dont nail the edges you nail the center of the board and let the edges float until after the board has dried otherwise yet they will split and bad..

Mark

[5quarter]

   spiker got it right. I would add to gap your boards and screw your battens down while putting the screw between the boards. cupping will be nearly nil. Those should be all the fasteners you need. Quarter saw your battens if you want avoid cupping with them.

[Cedarman]

The boards are for a floor, so battens wouldn't be used.   Looks like he will have a leaky floor.  For hay , that wouldn't be all that bad.  I sure wouldn't want to walk across it in high heels.