Replies

1. 
   PheasantHunter | May 27, 2008 05:52am | #1

   Fine Woodworking on Wood and How to Dry It, by Taunton Press was very useful to me.  Since buying it I have dried several thousand board feet of hardwood lumber.  Keep in mind that it is 41 articles from Fine Woodworking magazine, not an original book.  This site has lots of experts on drying lumber that can answer most questions.

2. 
   chamfer | May 27, 2008 04:12pm | #2

   Several books covering various aspects of wood technology, air and kiln drying are available, in PDF format, through the Forest Products Laboratory web-site:

   http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/

   Click on the "Publications" link in the left column, and scroll down the page. You will find links to the _Wood Handbook_, _Drying Hardwood Lumber_ and _Dry-Kiln Operator's Manual_ - just to name a few.

   Do a search for "air drying" and you will find their _Air Drying of Lumber_, (very useful) among many others.

   Don McConnell
   Eureka Springs, AR

1. 
   DHAM | May 27, 2008 04:46pm | #3

   I second the recommendation on Drying Hardwood Lumber. It covers all aspects of drying hardwood lumber, and there is a good section on air drying which is the way that I do it.

1. 
   Woodworking101 | May 27, 2008 07:57pm | #4

   Thanks for the recommendations, I've just requested the Wood and How to Dry It book from my local library and downloaded the .pdf from the forestry website. Now I need to get reading. Thanks again!

3. 
   JohnDMcleod | May 27, 2008 09:47pm | #5

   Above all, if you are drying southern pine, make sure you treat it properly for insects/borers. I can't speak to other woods but I am losing a lot of good pine because I did not know to treat the stack.