Replies

1. 
   TampaTom | Mar 04, 2008 05:18am | #1

   Oh, sycamore is gorgeous wood! Just slab it out and dry it like normal. It machines nicely and can have very showy figure.

   Tom Iovino

   Tom's Workbench

   http://tomsworkbench.com

1. 
   andyfew322 | Mar 04, 2008 06:24am | #2

   I've never made my own wood, my neighbor can mill it, just how long does it typically take to dry it? 

   hmmmm, your post perplexs me

1. 
   PheasantHunter | Mar 04, 2008 06:41am | #3

   The rule of thumb for air drying is 1 year per 1" of thickness.  However, as mentioned on my other posts, this is just a rule of thumb.  It is best if stickered outside until it is down to 20%, then you can bring it in to finish drying.  I have only dried a few thousand board feet.  There are plenty of experts on the forum who have dried 10 of thousands of board feet.  If the boxes you are making are thin lumber you can speed the process by having the log milled to the required thickness plus a 1/4 to 3/8 for milling.  The wood is dry when it has reached equalibum in your shop (not losing moisture (or weight).

   Good Luck.  Be careful though milling lumber can be additive. LOL

2. 
   jhounshell | Mar 04, 2008 06:55am | #4

   Yep, if you want to do it fast, mill it thin first.

   I've never tried this, but I have a friend that swears you can microwave wood to dry it sooner. Don't blame me if you set your house on fire. He does a lot of turning, and after he turns the wood, he puts it in the microwave for short bursts, maybe 45 seconds or so, lets it cool off, then does it again. He swears by it, but he is one of those weird left-handed artsy types. Probably smokes a lot of pot.

   I'd test it out before I tried it. But it is an idea.

3. 
   flairwoodworks | Mar 04, 2008 07:17am | #5

   Sycamore is an excellent choice for boxmaking.  It is also known as lacewood, which describes a particular grain pattern, similar to quartersawn oak with many ends of pores showing.

   Green wood generally takes 1 year per inch of thickness.  It is best dried outside in a drafty environment which is sheltered from the rain.  When it has dried all it will outside, you may bring it inside and let it dry the rest of the way.  This way, the drying process is gradual and it puts the least amount of stress on the wood.  Sycamore is known for it's tendency to move (cup, twist, bow, etc) when drying.

   Kiln drying in a giant oven speeds up the process, but also puts the wood under more stress.  A dehumidification kiln speeds the process, but takes longer than a standard kiln.  It also puts less stress on the wood.  Microwaving is very effective for bowls.  As long as you nuke it for short periods of time and let it cool off completely before nuking it again, no cracking should occur.  The amount of warpage will depend on what part of the tree the bowl came from.  I have not tried to dry lumber in the microwave or conventional oven.

   Putting a green piece of wood next to the boiler would certainly cause some checking on the end-grain and possibly on the surface as well.  If you try this, cut the board oversize.

   Be careful when working with sycamore.  From what I have heard, the dust can cause severe allergic reactions.

   Chris @ flairwoodworks

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

4. 
   JeffHeath | Mar 04, 2008 01:18pm | #6

   Andy

   To add a little to what's already been said, Sycamore is more attractive, and alot more stable, when Quartersawn by a sawyer who knows what he's doing.  Some extremely figured boards can be removed from a log that otherwise would like some very boring white wood, that moves quite a bit in service.

   As stated, when working with wood where the intended finished purpose is inside a house, the wood has to be dried properly first.  If you try to dry it too fast, the wood will be ruined, and your results will follow.

   A competent sawyer should be able to hook you up with a kiln operator in your area capable of drying the wood properly in less than 6 weeks, on the long end.  Your cost should be in the neighborhood of 25 cents to 50 cents per board feet, depending on whether or not you have a full load for the kiln.

   Jeff

5. 
   RMillard | Mar 04, 2008 01:18pm | #7

   I don't know the first thing about drying lumber, but I have heard that sycamore is a difficult wood to dry, as it tend to check badly. This checking has been evident with the lumber I have purchased. There has also been a large amount of what I call shakes, that is internal defects in the form of random hairline fractures. I believe these are from the stress of the drying.  I would also advise against cutting the lumber too close to the final thickness; even the quarter sawn stock I have used, showed considerable distortion as it came from the kiln, second only to Australian oak ( the most unstable wood I have ever used). Sycamore must have a very high moisture content as a standing tree. Maybe this is why they are nearly always found by a creek or river 

   Having said all this, when quarter sawn, sycamore is impressive, and once dry it is stable. It will make a beautiful box.

   Rob Millard

   http://www.americanfederalperiod.com

6. 
   blewcrowe | Mar 04, 2008 05:30pm | #8

   Sycamore is beautiful, especially the qs version.