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Air drying Cherry

Started by oakiemac, July 31, 2003, 03:08:16 PM

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oakiemac

I just sawed up about 500 bd ft of Black Cherry. The owner didn't want the logs or wood, just wanted rid of 'em. Well my first question is that I've noticed that the wood turns darker when exposed to direct sunlight-does this effect the price? Should I air dry it so that it is covered to keep sun off? Also any recommendations on how to market this wood?  What is the current price for rough sawn green Cherry? Thanks for the help.
Mobile Demension sawmill, Bobcat 873 loader, 3 dry kilns and a long "to do" list.

Buzz-sawyer

QuoteI just sawed up about 500 bd ft of Black Cherry. The owner didn't want the logs or wood, just wanted rid of 'em. Well my first question is that I've noticed that the wood turns darker when exposed to direct sunlight-does this effect the price? Should I air dry it so that it is covered to keep sun off? Also any recommendations on how to market this wood?  What is the current price for rough sawn green Cherry? Thanks for the help.
Yea ya better put something over that green wood and all green lumber you air dry.....it prevents the woods from drying unevenly among other things....I would look to local wood workers they are the fiends for cherry...maybe cabinet shops....though they probably want kiln dried....hard to say on your local price maybe for better stuff 1-2 bucks?
Don
    HEAR THAT BLADE SING!

solidwoods

American or Black Cherry?
GET IT OUT OF THE SUN!
The dark color can go so deep the color is ruined.
Stack it with 3/4 -1" stickers med -low breeze, put it on the bottom of a stack or weight it down.
Watch it for mold.
And, Cherry can be a little valuable, treat/sell it that way.
JIM
Ret. US Army
Kasco II B Band mill
Woodworking since 83
I mill & kiln dry lumber, build custom furniture, artworks, flooring, etc.
If you mill, you'll be interested in some of my work in one way or another.
We ship from our showroom.
N. Central TN.

woodhaven

Cherry darkens with age even in your house. Thats one of the beautys of it.
Richard

ohsoloco

I've never worked with any cherry that doesn't lighten back up after running it through the planer, but you still don't want direct sunlight.  Even with finish on it, cherry will darken with age...I like to use clear poly on it and watch it turn blood red over the years  :)

oakiemac

Thanks all,

I've stickered and stacked it and placed 4x8 sheet metal over it all. The wood is very pretty. Any ideas on how long air drying takes? I also might take it to a kiln once I have enough.
Mobile Demension sawmill, Bobcat 873 loader, 3 dry kilns and a long "to do" list.

ohsoloco

Rule of thumb is one year for every inch of thickness...then I'd sticker it in the shop for a few weeks before working with it.  You should be fine as far as moisture, just make sure there's no bugs in the stuff or I'd kiln dry it.  I guess a moisture meter would be your best bet, but I'm still putting off buying one of those things myself  ::)

lumberlady

any ideas as to where i can find one of those moisture meters? would like to learn more about them before buying one, like which one is the best and what a person looks for when buying one.. :)
aiming to please all the lumber needs

Den Socling

There's two types of moisture meters. Wagner and Delmhorst are major manufacturers. Wagner is associated with the type that measures from the surface. Delmhorst is the "pin type".

Wagners calculate MC from capacitance in the area of wood directly below a plate on the bottom of the meter. Delmhorst calculates MC from resistance between the pins when the pins are driven into a piece of wood. They both work well as long as you realize the limitations.

Good meters have compensation for varience between species.

solidwoods

If 4/4 Black Cherry sees the Sun for about a year, it will darken the wood to the core.  Yep no kidding. The vibrant pink will now be brown/grey. Makes good firewood though.
JIM
Ret. US Army
Kasco II B Band mill
Woodworking since 83
I mill & kiln dry lumber, build custom furniture, artworks, flooring, etc.
If you mill, you'll be interested in some of my work in one way or another.
We ship from our showroom.
N. Central TN.

solidwoods

One year to dry per inch general rule refers to the wood comming to an EMC for its annual average environment. Stickering for a year will bring the wood to about 15%mc, bring it indoors (climate control) and you will need about another year for the wood to come to EMC of the area it is in.  If you woodwork 15%mc lumber you will have problems with glue, glued joints, and the last bit of lumber shrinkage (a little different rate per type of slice)  will show up as mismatched jointery.
I use a Delmhorst (I don't have the mod # its in the shop),  one of the smaller models with 2 pins built in (don't use those, case is fragile)  and get the attachable pin slide hammer that goes with it.  Take lot's of sample readings.

You can put your 15% in a kiln or kiln like contitions (attic, old van, container) and do pretty good for drying as far as degrade goes.

JIM
Ret. US Army
Kasco II B Band mill
Woodworking since 83
I mill & kiln dry lumber, build custom furniture, artworks, flooring, etc.
If you mill, you'll be interested in some of my work in one way or another.
We ship from our showroom.
N. Central TN.

Den Socling

Jim,

You probably have a Delmhorst J-2000. They're pretty good. We sometimes use them with our vac kilns. I have an OEM agreement with Delmhorst so I have a price list. The J-2000 is listed at $265. They have something called a J-lite for $135. I'll see what that is. $135 is cheap if it works anything like the J-2000.
Den

Left_Coast_Rich

Oakiemac,
I know of a wood shop that takes their finished cherry wood  out into the summer sun for a couple of hours to darken it before glue up.  they say that the customer like it better with a little bit of color.  I must say it looks great. :o Turns red in about 2 hours then is sealed and the color change slows way down.  The shop owner doesn't have to stain the wood and the customer get a look at the true color.  Rich
I know more today than yesterday less than tomorrow.

4x4American

so what are the best moisture meters now?
Boy, back in my day..

Cazzhrdwd

I've had Delmhorst for 15 years now, the old R 2000. This spring I finally traded for a J 2000. Their customer service is great.
96 Woodmizer LT40Super  Woodmizer 5 head moulder

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