Replies

1. 
   SCFrankland | Jun 04, 2003 04:00am | #1

   I saw most of my lumber in either 4/4 or 8/4.  The amount depends on what the yield  will be and what I have planned for the lumber.  For your bed posts I would saw enough lumber at a strong 8/4 for the posts and then what ever size you need for the rest(6/4, 4/4, etc).

   Scott C. Frankland

2. 
   GHR | Jun 04, 2003 04:21am | #2

   How long do you want to wait to build the bed?

   If you are air drying the wood, thick wood will take longer to dry.

   If you kiln dry it yourself, you will need to take care of two different drying schedules.

   I would make all the wood the same thickness. You can always resaw 8/4 to 4/4 after drying or glue up 4/4 to 8/4.

1. 
   JOSEPH2238 | Jun 04, 2003 03:09pm | #3

   Guys,

   Thanks for the input.  I like the idea of milling 4/4 and 8/4.    When I stack for air drying should I put the 8/8 on the bottom or top of the stack?  Does it matter? I will be air drying all summer.  If the wife stops buying landscaping I plan on building a dehumidifier powered kiln in the basement this summer.   If she insists on more plantings then it will have to go to a local kiln in the fall.  I want to start building the bed 1/04. 

   How long can I leave the left over wood sticker stacked?  Can I use construction grade pine 1X1 for stickers or will it stain?  Can I use stickers from the same wet logs for stickers?

   I have 7 logs that are 10' x 16" dia.

   Joe Phillips

   Plastics pay the bills, Woodworking keeps me sane!

   Edited 6/4/2003 8:12:52 AM ET by Joe the Plastics Man

1. 
   SCFrankland | Jun 04, 2003 03:41pm | #4

   I usually stack 8/4 on the bottom and the 4/4 on the top to give some extra weight on the 8/4 lumber to help prevent twisting.  You should us a wood of a similar variety for stickering as there will be less sticker staining and all your stickers should be laid out in such a manor that all the stickers line up vertically.  The general rule for air drying is 1 year per inch, so 4/4 would take a year and 8/4 would take 2 years.  I have mine stacked out side in a shaded area under my deck.  I have my lumber weighted down to keep it from bowing and twisting to much and covered in such a way that the weather stays off it but the air can still circulate through the pile..Scott C. Frankland

3. 
   JohnWW | Jun 05, 2003 01:15am | #5

   Joe,

   Why saw the stock thinner and then glue it back together to get it 4 inches thick?  Why not just get it cut to around 5x5 and dry it that way?   No matter how careful the glue up, the glue seams and grain mismatches in the posts will be visible.  For turning or planing the grain reversals in glued up stock make it harder to avoid tear out.  I've seen a couple of pencil post beds made with solid 4x4 cherry posts where the posts were straight and crack free so it can be done.

   The logs you have will yield a lot of valuable cabinet wood if they're handled properly, or a lot of nice kindling if they are mishandled.  If the trees are already down, the end grain should have been immediately sealed to prevent end checking, it will start within hours.  Cherry once down deteriorates rapidly get it milled and stickered as soon as possible. 

   Since you were considering it anyway for the Fall, have the wood kiln dried as soon as it is milled, you'll probably get a lot more usable timber out of the pile compared to home drying it. 

   Don't use scraps of the cherry for stickers the added moisture will probably cause staining.  If you are planning to dry the wood yourself you should do some reading on the subject, there is a fair amount to know.

   John W.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 6/4/2003 6:32:35 PM ET by JohnW

1. 
   bvww | Jun 05, 2003 03:24am | #6

   I milleed some oak to full 12/4 one time then had it dried biggest waist of really nice red oak i'v ever done, the tension was so bad it would come of the saw like a cork screw, the guy had dried it way way too fast and just ruined the entire pile I've never milled anything thicker than 6/4 after that and that gets air dried for a year before it goes to the kiln, also dont know if its a good idea but it works for me: I use 3/4" pvc for stickers with a T on one end to keep them from rolling  no problem /w stain yet

4. 
   fdampier5 | Jun 05, 2003 03:43am | #7

   The real reason not to saw the wood to 16/4 (or 4x4) and try to dry it is the probablitythat the heart center will chack.. what happens is the wood on the outside dries and tries to shrink while the inside is still wet and swollen..  the result is an ugly nasty split or check.. 

     If you saw the outside to have your 16/4 wood,  you will not wind up with a square timber.. it will dry unevan..

         thus plan on reswaing and if you're gonna have glue lines (and you will)  at least you can book match the pieces so all of the grain runs similar.. mark each piece with chalk as it comes off the mill..

     I use store bought 1x1's all of the time drying my cherry.. be carefull they typically aren't a lot dryer than the wood you'rs sawing..  Use your moisture meter..