Wood Drying

[Farrell]

Hi Ron. The 1920 report has some interesting stuff, but it is for large commercial operations and didn't seem to help me too much. I found a bunch of stuff on-line also, but not much that is real specific. I think in the end it is going to be a bunch of trial and error. I stacked most of my spruce in my garage and brought 8 boards into my shop, which I keep right at about 43% RH. In one day, I started to notice small checking on the ends and a few on the sides of the boards - obviously drying too fast just sitting in my shop. I moved in out to the garage. I figure I can put some plastic over the stack if it seems to need it to slow down the drying.

I cut enough spruce for my first panel and ribs. I cut it about 5/8" (15 mm) thick - hopefully thick enough so that if it cups a bit I will have enough to plane it flat. I stickered and stacked it in my hot box. Again, worrying that it is too dry in my shop, I found that when I close the doors on my hot box (which seals fairly well), the RH in the hot box (heat not turned on) shoots up from 43% to about 70% in only ten minutes - the water evaporating from the wood will make for a high humidity environment, and thus slow the drying process down to a manageable (and hopefully non-destructive) rate. I think I'm on a good course here. I will be able to regulate the humidity in the hot box by just opening it a little as needed. Got my fingers crossed (big time).

Anyone wanting to see pictures of cutting properly quarter sawn panel pieces from poorly quarter sawn boards and stacking and drying, let me know. I've got six relatively low resolution shots. (No laughing allowed!)

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@cox.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2003 8:03 PM
Subject: Re: Wood Drying


> 
> >So, I need to dry some lumber. I've never done that.--------------
> >Anyone with any experience with drying wood? Any suggestions for reference 
> >material? Thanks for any help.
> >
> >Terry Farrell
> 
> Remember http://naca.larc.nasa.gov/reports/1920/naca-report-65/ ? Or how 
> about the encyclopedia of wood (wood book) on-line?
> 
> Ron N
> 
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