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This Ash is a pain (literally)

Started by Glenn1, March 14, 2017, 08:53:48 PM

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Glenn1

I have been having problems drying 9/4 Ash.  It is the only thick wood that has been giving me problems so I am looking for suggestions.  I air dry the boards until they are in the low 20% MC and then put them in the Nyle Kiln.  I usually start at a dry bulb of 110 and a wet bulb at 90.  When the MC is in the upper teens, I go full blast with the dry bulb at 120 and the wet bulb at 75.  The cracks happen in both the face of the board as well as the side of the board.  This has happened twice with Ash so I am stumped.  The "dang" ash even had the nerve to put a long chard into my palm.  Had to see a surgeon and have it removed (I won't post that picture).





Vacutherm IDry, Nyle 53 Kiln, New Holland Skid Steer, Kaufman Gooseneck Trailer, Whitney 32A Planer

Darrel

It's hard for me to tell from the pics, but is the cracking happening near the pith. It looks to me like it might be.  I air dried 8/4 ash down to about 14-16% once and it cracked like that near the pith. I'd say within 3 inches. In my way of thinking, I'd rather it crack than warp the whole board.
1992 LT40HD

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Glenn1

No, we made sure it avoid the pith.  The cracks happened on quite a few boards and all the boards were from 1 large butt log.
Vacutherm IDry, Nyle 53 Kiln, New Holland Skid Steer, Kaufman Gooseneck Trailer, Whitney 32A Planer

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

This defect develops at high MC because the wood is air drying too,fast.  It can be made worse if the kiln starts too dry.  I suspect in your area the outside average humidity is 65%, which is about 12% EMC.  In all cases start the kiln 1 or 2 % EMC drier.  You are starting below 8% EMC.

Butt lo'gs often have Bacterial infections that weaken the wood.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

Glenn1

Quote from: GeneWengert-WoodDoc on March 15, 2017, 06:49:36 AM
This defect develops at high MC because the wood is air drying too,fast.  It can be made worse if the kiln starts too dry.  I suspect in your area the outside average humidity is 65%, which is about 12% EMC.  In all cases start the kiln 1 or 2 % EMC drier.  You are starting below 8% EMC.

Butt lo'gs often have Bacterial infections that weaken the wood.

When you say to start the EMC 1%-2% drier, are you saying that I should be
starting the EMC around 10%?

Thank you
Vacutherm IDry, Nyle 53 Kiln, New Holland Skid Steer, Kaufman Gooseneck Trailer, Whitney 32A Planer

123maxbars

I had great luck at drying 8/4 ash. here was my process.

I sawed the boards at 9/4 then air dried outside for 18 months. I waited until the slabs were under 20% MC then I took them to the kiln. They came out with little defects and I got a good return$.  That advice was given to me by Danny (WDH).
My main money maker is 8/4 slabs and I have had very good luck when I air dry them to under 20% before going into the kiln. That has been my experience. 
Sawyer/Woodworker/Timber Harvester
Woodmizer LT70 Super Wide, Nyle L53 and 200 kiln, too many other machines to list.
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Den Socling

That's a shame and also hard to believe. Ash around here starts with a low MC around 42%.

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

Assuming you have 65% average RH, which is 12% EMC, then start at 10% EMC.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

Glenn1

I was totally taken by surprise today.  I started to cut into the boards to trim away some defects and the wood was wet inside.  I took a shortcut on this load and did not do the microwave drying method.  What a mistake.  I've been using a Lignomat meter with the accessory hammer to get to the middle of the 9/4 boards.  The hammer meter was giving me a reading of 6.0 MC so I felt good about taking them out of the kiln.   When I used just the meter today after cutting the boards open, the reading was 30%MC!   No wonder why I had so many defects.  The wood was no where near ready to go into the kiln.

I called Lignomat and they walked me thru some tests.  Testing just the meter checked out ok.  I rarely use only the meter because the prongs are so short.  Then we checked the cable and it also checked out fine.  The hammer was the problem.  Where the meter was showing 30%, the meter with hammer attachment was showing 5.8%.  Lignomat said that they would repair the hammer if I sent it back to them in Portland Oregon.  It is going Fedex tomorrow.

Lesson learned.  Don't rely on just the meter.  Use the microwave method every time and you won't have surprises.
Vacutherm IDry, Nyle 53 Kiln, New Holland Skid Steer, Kaufman Gooseneck Trailer, Whitney 32A Planer

Hewer of Wood

I don't do a lot of drying, but I've found ash to be one of the easier woods to dry. Is it possible those pieces pictured are white oak. They kind of have that look to them. That would explain the checking. It's a much more difficult wood to dry.
1997 Timber Harvester 1967 Pettibone Super 8 and too much sawdust. Joshua 9:21

xlogger

Good you found that Glenn. I dry mostly live edge slabs and wonder what the best way to do an oven test with them without cutting into a slab?
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

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