Went to a small Saw Mill out in the country today hoping to find stock for the bed I want to build.
I have bought kiln dried lumber from the small Saw Mill before but no luck finding Dry 3 in. thick stock I was wanting~ but he did have a slue of green thick lumber and showed me some nice 3 in. X 6 1/2 X 12 ft Red Oak for $ 11.00 ea. I bought 2 of them. Dam they were heavy all I could handle.
They had been cut 3 weeks ago and were stacked outside in the weather. When I got them home I cut a 90 in. long chunk out of each one. Snapped a line down the middle and ripped them on my bandsaw ending up with 4 – 3 X 3 x 90 in. post.
I use spray can of primer and coated both ends on each hoping to keep the ends from checking. I stood them up on their ends just almost straight vertical in my shop.
I thought I would try drying them the way I had dried some wood staves for Bows.
Let them normalize in the shop then standing them in a drying box to dry.The box is about 12 X 12 with a hardware cloth bottom above a light bulb the top of the box has vent holes so air will travel through it.
Like I said I have only did this with split out staves and not green sawn lumber.
Think I have a chance? I want to use them for a Pencil Post bed.
Ron
Who Ever Has The Biggest Pile Of Tools When You Die Wins
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I think you are asking for surface checking, The light bulb will give off too much heat. I would just stack them in the garage for a month or so. Where do you live, is it cold there yet? You need some heat, about 80F for now would be helpful. Remember the surfaces you just cut are really green yet and will try to shrink alot. With it being 3X3 the core will resist the surface shrinking more than bow staves would.
I planed on leaving them till they Normalize ( air dry till they stop the rapid moisture drop) before they go in the box.Who Ever Has The Biggest Pile Of Tools When You Die Wins
It would be good to air dry them first. I don't know where you live. In most areas in the states now it is getting cool and not much drying may occur. When you do put the wood in your box, sheild the wood from direct exposure to the light bulbs and put a fan in it to circulate the air and get uniform drying.
If you need a little heat could you stand them in the house? This seems like an ideal temp. for what you are doing.
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