….but also on horrible sinners like moi.
Kind fate has sent me woodfairy number 4 with a message that he is moving from his large joinery premises to an even larger abode, as he is integrating with an engineering and building business formerly run by his father-in-law. The many, many “offcuts” (read: large plank-leftovers) of cherry, black walnut, oak, iroko, maple, etcetera lying around his current premises are mine for the taking; free, gratis.
Oh happy day!
Of course, I have no more room indoors to store this fantastic windfall. The woodstore is chocka. The new arrivals will all have to reside outside on some form of ground and with some kind of cover. But what is best?
I am thinking: durable wood stickers on the concrete driveway, with hardwood stickers between the planks and a weighted plywood sheet with plastic “tarpaulin” over the top. There is also room on the garden (soil and pebbles).
I would be grateful for any advice about the best configuration, ventilation, whether the sides of the pile should also be covered and so forth. In time, I will find an indoor store to secrete most of it, where it will dry to a moisture content fit to make furniture. I am hoping to keep it at 15 – 16% outdoors so it will dry to 10 – 11% in a reasonable time once brought indoors. Also, it should not suffer damage at 16%….?
***
Lastly, as there will be far too much timber for me to ever use up (many, many cubic feet; 1 to 3 inch thick planks from 2 to 10 inches wide and 3 to 10 feet long), this post is also an offer to any hobbyist (no businessmen, I’m afraid) in Britain to come and have some too, if you can arrange the transport and collect. Whilst some of these planks have a knot, cut-out, section of sapwood or other reason for not being used up by my benefactor, they all have usuable amounts of timber for fine furniture.
Whatever I and my woodworking pals cannot manage to take will eventually end up being burnt in the large furnace that heats the place, as the “smaller” offcuts do now. That would be a waste, really………
Lataxe
Replies
I am always the kind soul willing to help out a desparate wood worker. Where dost thou reside?
D,
I infest the village of Galgate, just south of Lancaster. Here is where as much of this wood as I can pile up will reside.
Tomorrow I go to view The Heap and begin a preliminary sort and take-away. I will let you know what there is going spare.
Is NW England a resonable journey for you? Are you a mere hobbyist too?
Lataxe
I have fond memories of your part of the world. I had many visits to Macclesfield when we were collaborating with ICI before they sold off their pharmaceutical business. The only problem was trying to understand my limo driver who's accent was almost as bad as my Glaswegian colleague. Since I live in Ann Arbor Michigan I would have trouble moving much of the wood through my carry-on luggage. Thanks for the offer, anyway.
Latex.. Geee.. That is a trip!http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Lancaster,+United+Kingdom&sa=X&oi=map&ct=titleI tried Google maps for driving instructions and got this message...We could not calculate driving directions between Chicago and Galgate, Lancaster, Lancashire, UK.
Edited 11/2/2007 5:13 am by WillGeorge
If it has all been stored indoors in heated or conditioned space I'd really look hard to find similar environmental conditions. I never like moving wood that has been dried and stored indoors to the outdoors. To me it's like messing with the alignment of the planets.
Ted,
Today I have been rtionalising the woodstore and bribing the ladywife to allow heaps of timber to be stored under beds and atop wardrobes. Nevertheless, there is likely to be so much much timber that some will end up outside in a large pile or three.
Hopefully in time I can discover other local fairies willing to donate indoor storage facility in exchange for a piece of furniture......
Lataxe
Taxe dear friend,
Personally if I were faced with the same situation I would lay a heavy plastic tarp or two on the ground - this will help to keep moisture from the ground getting into the bottom of the stack.
I would try to keep the stack at least 4 inches (not sure how many mm that is) off of the ground, more if possible.
Probably no need to sticker the wood since it is relatively dry already.
I would recommend against covering the pile with a tarp when finished. Preferable to use large sheets of tin or roofing material with plenty of overhang to keep rain and sun off the stack, but allow for air movement.
Good luck,
Lee
Lee,
I would sticker it.
Reason being is that you're taking dries wood and placing it outside where it's going to absorb moisture where Lataxe lives. If it were in an extremely dry climate then you might not need to sticker it.
My thinking here is that when in doubt, stick it.
Lataxe: A while back FWW had a series of videos about local mills and I remember one that placed some sort of netting around the stacks that would let air circulate but keep rain/snow out. Also some very good ideas about stacking sawn lumber outside.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Lee and Bob,
I will look up the FWW articles and see if there is any pertinent advice. Meanwhile, thank you for your suggestions. If the stuff is likely to be outside for only a short time, I may well forego the stickering.
However, winter approaches and NW England can be wet. Just in case, I have made a number of stickers from this and that (thus freeing up a few cubic inches in the woodstore). :-)
Lataxe
Lataxe,
Here in the states there are storage rental spaces available that are weather protected. Might that be an option for you?
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Store kilned wood outdoors and it will absorb moisture to reach equilibrium with its environment. To minimize the resulting moisture differentials that cause warping, you'll have to stack and sticker it just like you would if it were fresh off the mill. Covering it won't stop that, it's about humidity, not rain. Just add an overhanging permeable cover to the top of the stack to protect it from the sun and leave the sides open for the air flow that inhibits mold. By permeable I mean roofing felt or scrap boards....no plastic or tin that condenses moisture.
I'd mill up half-inch stickers from a durable heartwood like cedar or Doug Fir to inhibit mold and rot. Much damage is done to otherwise well-prepared wood by using sapwood stickers.
Here's how:
http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=499
View Image
Edited 11/1/2007 9:12 pm by BobSmalser
Squire, I smelleth a RAT in the woodpile.
The sun shines on the righteous....
And I got a BIG pile of reaction wood?
Oh happy day!
Gee the first time I saw my wife aann she had hed her dads tool for gifts!
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