I thought I got a great deal on some rough sawn cherry. The boards were not prisitne but I was paying about $2 bdft. Reality sets in. Many of the boards are split or checked.
1) Is there such a thing as too dry lumber?
2) If I stay away from the splits is the rest of the board usable?
3) If I had a split that did not go thru can I stop it from spreading?
I would like to salvage as much as possible but do not want to build something wrong.
Humble Newbie
Replies
Your wood is probably not too dry. A moisture meter will determine the moisture content of the wood. For furniture the normal range is 6-8%.
Assuming the wood is within this moisture range the wood is usable. Rip down the split if you can use the narrower boards, or cut the split ends off. The rest of the wood will be fine.
It will not be likely that the wood will continue to split if it is dry. It is also unlikely to expect to repair the split. Just cut it out and use the rest of the board.
It will be best to let the wood acclimate to the moisture content of your shop for a few days before you cut it into furniture parts. Stacking and stickering the wood is the proper way to let it acclimate in my opinion.
Hope this helps.
Bruce
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