Anyone else having trouble air drying pine this summer?

WoodenHead · July 30, 2013, 12:43:38 PM

Last year I had no problem air drying pine. The humidity was very low for extended periods of time. This summer though, it just doesn't seem to want to dry. Instead I have excessive mold (see pictures below) of all kinds (white, green, and black). Is there anything that can be done to salvage these boards? I'm accumulating about 1000 bdft of it (and rising).

grweldon · July 30, 2013, 02:45:45 PM

That's what my pine boards looked like LAST summer! Haven't sawn any this summer. I know that doesn't help any, but I'm hoping to find some wisdom in this thread. I suppose the answer is going to be "airflow" :laugh:

Chuck White · July 30, 2013, 02:54:33 PM

This is definately a bad year for air drying Pine!

I haven't sawn any Pine for quite a while now, due to the humidity.

I have a few customers who want their Pine sawed this year, and I advise them to wait for cooler weather, around September or October!

Probably the best advise I can give is to saw it and sticker it immediately and get it under cover with good ventilation, a fan if necessary.

Otherwise saw it and nail it as soon as it comes off the mill. That's what I did myself just a few weeks ago.

Kingcha · July 30, 2013, 03:43:46 PM

Its been fine in Northern Michigan, but then its not hot or humid here.

I have a great place to air dry as well. Located under a power line that almost always has wind traveling down the corridor.

Matt

POSTON WIDEHEAD · July 30, 2013, 04:52:21 PM

I fight this every year in S.C. but this has been the worst.
This year, I did not saw and stock but rather saw per order.

I only saw and stock in the winter months now and by spring, my stock has sold out.
I had a customer order 400 boards 3 weeks ago. I just told him to give me 4 days and pick them up.

He did and he got mold free lumber and he was ready to use his boards for siding when he picked them up.

This method works for me. I've had it fighting mold.

customsawyer · July 30, 2013, 05:23:17 PM

I most everybody is having troubles this year. This is why I only cut per order. I would rather throw away logs than throw away all of the work cutting and stacking.

Peter Drouin · July 30, 2013, 06:13:37 PM

Yes it has been bad . I had some r oak that was cut last march in the mill building and it has a little stain on it

And the pine is not well. :D I do cut a little ahead and have lost some, maybe 200'But I will save it for some things I have to do here

WoodenHead · July 30, 2013, 06:36:21 PM

I been trying to convince people that cut to order is the way to go, but they are just not buying it. I have more demand for lumber than I can handle right now. However, the two stipulations are: "I want it dry" and "I want it now". I offer them the option of kiln dried, but no one wants to pay for that.

So, at the moment I've stopped sawing. I have a few sizable orders to fill for T&G and thick pine flooring to keep me busy. And I've made it a priority to build another drying shed with more air flow. Air flow in the present location has been good up until this summer, but the new shed will be better.

I have about 5000 bdft of pine logs in the yard. The grubs are likely to get it though. Can't seem to win this year. :'(

Peter Drouin · July 30, 2013, 06:40:14 PM

If they don;t want it dry they always want it now :D

red · July 30, 2013, 06:41:45 PM

maybe cut and stack ten inch cants

WoodenHead · July 30, 2013, 06:51:25 PM

That's not a bad idea red. I actually tried that last year and they split because they dried too fast (on the outsides). :D It just might work this year. Anyone have good suggestions for preventing splitting otherwise?

Quote from: Peter Drouin on July 30, 2013, 06:40:14 PM
If they don;t want it dry they always want it now :D

How right you are! :D

Peter Drouin · July 30, 2013, 06:59:50 PM

The cants will always split because of the pith in the middle will pull when drying

red · July 30, 2013, 07:14:11 PM

just easy to keep cants instead of logs . . the idea came from Tom

WoodenHead · July 30, 2013, 08:52:40 PM

Has anyone tried to make "distressed flooring" from the moldy lumber?

hackberry jake · July 30, 2013, 09:07:55 PM

I sawed pine for the first time over the weekend and you boys are making me nervous... :-\

POSTON WIDEHEAD · July 30, 2013, 09:12:53 PM

In another post when we were talking about stickers.....I replied that my stickers are 1 1/4".
Then someone :

laughed and ask me was I stickering with 2 x 4"s. :D

Well I'm here to tell you....in this high humidity and hot weather, using a larger sticker is not a bad idea.
You have got to get more air flow on your Pine boards. As the weather changes, you better change with it.

hackberry jake · July 30, 2013, 09:21:46 PM

He doesn't always sticker pine boards, but when he does, he makes them 1 1/4" :D

POSTON WIDEHEAD · July 30, 2013, 09:24:53 PM

Quote from: hackberry jake on July 30, 2013, 09:21:46 PM
He doesn't always sticker pine boards, but when he does, he makes them 1 1/4" :D

Stay thirsty my friend.

Larry · July 30, 2013, 09:30:13 PM

Quote from: hackberry jake on July 30, 2013, 09:07:55 PM
I sawed pine for the first time over the weekend and you boys are making me nervous... :-\

Put a big fan on your stack. If you don't have one I got an extra ya can borrow.

hackberry jake · July 30, 2013, 09:32:51 PM

I stack all my lumber in an old abandoned chicken house. There isn't any power down there that I know of. As long as it doesn's affect the strength I don't really care

redprospector · July 30, 2013, 09:33:34 PM

I charge extra for the "Blue Pine". :D
After all, you can only produce it certain times of the year, and the conditions have to be right or no "Blue Pine".
When life throw's lemons at you, make lemonade. 8)

Andy

POSTON WIDEHEAD · July 30, 2013, 09:35:40 PM

Quote from: hackberry jake on July 30, 2013, 09:32:51 PM
I stack all my lumber in an old abandoned chicken house. There isn't any power down there that I know of. As long as it doesn's affect the strength I don't really care

Get a POWERBOX to run that fan. :D

WDH · July 30, 2013, 09:39:20 PM

I have sawn a good bit of pine this summer, and I did OK because I use a fan blowing through the stack for at least the first 30 days. The fan runs 24/7. There was some mold and mildew, but it was not too bad. The cheap box fans from Walmart work OK, the bigger fans from Lowes that can swivel are better, but they are pricier.

Saw, sticker right away, 4' stack width, put fan blowing directly between the layers (you might need two fans if you have long lengths), walk away, leave fans running constantly. If you don't have a fan, you can borrow one from Larry :D.

Hackberry,

POWERBOX and FAN. If it works for the most Interesting Man in the World, it can work for you too ;D.

hackberry jake · July 30, 2013, 09:42:45 PM

Quote from: WDH on July 30, 2013, 09:39:20 PM
Hackberry,

POWERBOX and FAN. If it works for the most Interesting Man in the World, it can work for you too ;D.

I don't know... He looks a little moldy to me materhead