non dried mantle / beam

j_d · October 14, 2015, 08:56:12 PM

Greetings,
I want to saw a large mantle piece, maybe 6x6x60? My understanding is that these pieces don't kiln that well in a dehumidification set up. I am debating either just sawing it and putting it up and letting the expected checks / warp happen or possibly let it air dry for a bit and then use linseed oil or something similar just to slow the drying process and shine it up. What would be the worst to happen? Explosions, devastation on a massive scale? Just wondering. Didn't folks used to just use timber as is prior to kiln availability?
Thanks,
Josh

WDH · October 14, 2015, 09:13:49 PM

It will dry too fast in a heated and cooled space being 6" thick. That will lead to a lot of bad problems, like splits, checks, bow, twist and warp. For best results, you have to let it dry slow. There is no instant pudding

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bkaimwood · October 15, 2015, 06:53:12 AM

Most people are looking for dry mantles, which are indigenous to most regions, due to the length it takes to dry them. An issue discussed here at least once before, is having mantles cut, and dried, and ready for sale...problem is, everyone that calls wants a different size than the 50 you have cut...so you could resaw them to customer specs...with all these complications being said, many people install them green, "seal" all sides but the back to slow down drying, and create a desired look, and resaw it a few years later to straighten it, unacceptable dimensional drying warp occurs. The way it is mounted can sometimes help minimize these effects...

GeneWengert-WoodDoc · October 16, 2015, 09:55:29 PM

Because one side of a mantel is not exposed in many cases, you can cut a deep groove in this face so that most cracks will show up there. Further, you could cut out most of the inside of the mantel from this hidden side, so it would dry quickly without so much wood plus checking and warp would be less likely.