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How do you store your KD lumber?

Started by WV Sawmiller, March 09, 2016, 07:23:58 PM

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WV Sawmiller

   I have built a fairly decent pole barn lumber storage shed and have located a Kiln in the area I can use when I need to do so. A furniture maker customer of mine even has a certain % of it reserved for him on a permanent basis.

   I have a little excess and salvaged lumber off my property and sell a few slabs to local woodworkers. I have thought about sending some of my better items to the kiln but my concern is how long before they are likely to reabsorb moisture if I just put them back in the shed. I don't have any climate control storage nor plans to build one. The lumber is just a small side line to my portable sawing service.

   For those of you who dry your lumber and do not market it quickly how do you store it to keep it from just picking up more moisture?
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

bkaimwood

Good topic, it has it's problems for sure...first thought was, if your regular furniture maker has x amount on reserve, he should be storing his reserved lumber at his place!! :)...BUT, if he's an exceptional customer, I get it...
Heated, humidification controlled, is the only way to go... Of course, this costs a small fortune in itself. Is it worth the return?...I have a regular customer who often tags stuff as his, he wants it, and wants to buy it... But doesn't pay for it upon reservation... So I sit on it, space is at a premium, and costs big bucks... So now I only reserve stuff that's paid for in full.... Everyone's situation is different... What's yours? More details... Does the premium in storing " reserved " stock justify climate control in it? For one guy?
bk

WV Sawmiller

BK,

   My furniture maker customer stores his own lumber. He has a contract with the Kiln owners/operators to dry so many bf on a constant basis. I assume he pays for that space whether he has lumber in it on not. None of my business. I might could slide some of my stuff in there if the general public part of the kiln was tied up.

   I do not store any for anyone at this time and doubt I ever do. Because we are a little remote out here I might hold something for a customer a day or two for him to come look at it but no more than that.

    My thoughts were that I might be able to better market some items for faster turn over if I could advertise as KD. One concern I have is people may damage wood they bought from me by drying it too fast such as mantels exposed to high heat. I advise them but cannot control what happens once it leaves my site. I just don't my reputation to suffer due to what happens to the lumber I have sold.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

WDH

I store lumber in several rooms in the old house where I grew up.  I run a large dehumidifier to keep the humidity below 30%.  You need an enclosed space with a dehumidifier to keep the wood stable. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

Buy an old trailer...insulated.  Heat it 25 F above the outside morning low to get 30% RH and that is 6% MC.  In fact, paint it black and the sun will do the heating.  Use a small fan to stir the air.  Of course, you can do the same thing with a storage room...25 F above the outside morning low.  See DRYING HARDWOOD LUMBER For more info, Storage Chapter.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

longtime lurker

Timber wrap, guess you guys would call it lumber wrap or something. It still needs some care with storage to prevent condensation issues in the pack but if you can keep it to a reasonable temperature range that's manageable.
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

Note that if you store lumber in a tight container or wrap. No moisture can enter or leave, so the MC will remain constant forever.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

WV Sawmiller

   Thanks guys and especially your input Doc. Based on this info and the small quantities I am dealing with as a manual operation I can see I am going to forego taking anything to the kiln for a while. If business grows to the point I rethink this the trailer option is the most appealing option.

   Keep up the good work and stay safe out there.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

longtime lurker

Quote from: GeneWengert-WoodDoc on March 10, 2016, 06:39:54 AM
Note that if you store lumber in a tight container or wrap. No moisture can enter or leave, so the MC will remain constant forever.

What you have to be careful of with wrap is not to store it in direct sunlight. Otherwise what happens is you can create a micro climate in the pack where it soaks in heat through the day and forms a mini- kiln. The timber releases moisture which then condenses on the inside of thevwrap at night. The overall  MC doesn't shift much, but you've now got warm wet wood on the outside of your pack and mould and fungal issues can arise.

Its easy enough to prevent - keep it out of the sun and it wont soak up that much heat but its for this reasob that a lot of the better wraps are somewhat  porous to allow the timber to breathe just a little. Most wraps are also white to help reflect heat.

I learnt this lesson the hard way!
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

Furniture wood (based on OP) here in North America is dried to 6%-8% MC, so the risk of damage from sun as posted above is not possible, as what little water is released will be quickly absorbed by the dry wood.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

YellowHammer

In our garages.  Solid concrete floor, relatively constant temperature, easy access for a forklift.  It used to hold vehicles, but the wood is more valuable. ;D  In order to maintain climate control, I plumbed in a vent from our HVAC system.  Its raining outside tonight, but the wood is protected, dry and comfortable.

Plenty of room leftover here, who need to park in the garage anyway?
 

This ones about full, but it will cycle out pretty fast

 

YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

xlogger

YH, what can't you get your forklift in the house :D. Maybe a large French door.
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

YellowHammer

Quote from: xlogger on March 11, 2016, 06:10:21 AM
YH, what can't you get your forklift in the house :D. Maybe a large French door.
Good idea, I just need some longer forks, enough to get to the dining room, we never use that room anyway. 
When I first read the post "Where do you store your KD lumber?" my first response was "Everywhere"
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

WDH

Parking cars in garages is over-rated anyway  :D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Dave Shepard

Unless your garage is heated and you live in the glaciated North. ;)
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

samandothers

YH
You need some of those garage lifts for cars.  Place the wood on them and raise them up.  you can park under them. ;D

WDH

If you are snowed in eaves-deep for 6 months, you don't need a car!  You need a dogsled  :D. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

DR_Buck

I have two insulated sea containers.  There were refers so they came insulated.  I keep a programmable dehumidifier in each one that keeps my lumber at about 6% year round.   They have been in service for 6 or 7 years now and I have had no problems.   

The only thing that is an issue is stacking the lumber.   They are not tall enough to stand the boards up and when I stack piles, it just happens that I need something from the bottom of the stack and I end up moving a lot of wood.    I built a shelf on one side of one of the containers and that helps some.

EDIT :::       I had some photos in my gallery.    8)


Here is the 1st container.









Here is the 2nd container.






Been there, done that.   Never got caught [/b]
Retired and not doing much anymore and still not getting caught

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