We have acquired a goodly quantity of Silky Oak word (Grevillia Robusta) from India. I am salvaging the full-dimension 2×4 hardwood from crated pallets that were made in Bangalore, India, to ship large granite stones, pillars and roof beams for the temple we are building on Kauai. It appears that the lumber was cut for the job from fresh timbers without drying. They have “air-dried” for over a year now, but when I cut into a board, the inside is obviously damp. There is also a coat of paint/stain on the outside that the workers put on to protect the wood. this is probably slowing down the drying process. I had hoped to use soome of the boards, from which I can get 2 by 3 inch piece, for workbench tops. My question is how to proceed, having discovered the wood is so wet. Go ahead and mill the wood and glue up the tops and plan on resurfacing after they shrink as they dray? Another options, more conservatively: rip the stock into 8/4, surfaced to remove the paint, and put it up to air dry for a few months. Any advice would be appreciated.
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There have been quite a number of small scale drying kilns published in FWW over the years, from a fairly sophisticated one that used a dehumidifier and light bulbs for heat, to one that was just barely a step up from air drying, basically a plastic tent with a fan to keep the air moving. Plus of couple of solar powered kilns.
KM,
THis wood is native to me and is fairly soft and springy - probably not suitable for benchtops, but known as 'lacewood' when quarter sawn - highly prominent medullary rays and a highly prized cabinet timber. Makes good 'soft jaws' as it distorts around objects then springs back.
CAUTION:
The sap of this tree/sawdust is known for causing respiratory inflammation, breathing difficulty and skin reaction. Beware of this when you work with it.
Cheers,
eddie
Eddie, I'll second your opinion. Grevillea is a little on the soft side for bench tops. Also, it has a very high T/R ratio; 2.85 : 1, so it's a risky wood to work with (from the standpoint of distortion) unless it is first thoroughly seasoned. It air dries well, but has a tendency to honeycomb, if improperly kiln dried...And as you mention, it contains some extractives (quinones) that can cause poison ivy like symptoms for people who have an allergic reaction to it.
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