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Air dried Cherry

Started by SlowJoeCrow, April 07, 2017, 08:01:37 AM

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SlowJoeCrow

On January 28 I milled up a small whack of 5/4 cherry (about 700 bf) and stickered it in the upper level of an older run down bank barn that my FIL owns.  This being the first larger stack of lumber that I have milled myself, I was very curious to see how quickly it would dry down.  The roof is good, but the siding is in bad shape, so there is plenty of air circulation in the building, I figured it would be ideal for drying.  Well I checked a few boards on the outside of the stack yesterday and to my pleasant surprise, everything I checked was under 20%, mostly around 12-15%.  I was very happy to see that considering it's been less than four months and mostly winter here in Ohio.  I expected it would take longer.  Just thought I would share.

Den Socling

From my experience, cherry dries like maple - fast and easy.

YellowHammer

Quote from: Den Socling on April 07, 2017, 08:12:23 AM
From my experience, cherry dries like maple - fast and easy.
And completely without sticker stain. 
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

petefrom bearswamp

In such a short time period I'll bet MC in the center of the stack and boards is a lot higher.
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

WDH

Cherry air dries fast here, usually within about 90 days. 
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

SlowJoeCrow

Quote from: petefrom bearswamp on April 08, 2017, 07:32:34 AM
In such a short time period I'll bet MC in the center of the stack and boards is a lot higher.

That's what I was wondering about as well - the middle.

woodworker9

I have had very good luck with re-stacking all my stacks, moving the perimeter boards of a stack in, and the interior boards to the outside.  I also flip the stack top for bottom.  This has always resulted in very good quality air dried lumber for me with maple and cherry.  I've been doing it this way for about 17 years with favorable results.

I know it's a lot of extra handling work, but worth it to me for the quality it yields......which is all I really care about.  I've never been afraid of hard work and heavy lifting.  Probably not a practical plan if you're drying 50Mbf of lumber, though.... :)
03' LT40HD25 Kohler hydraulic w/ accuset
MS 441, MS 290, New Holland L185

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