RULE OF THUMB FOR DRYING SPALTED MAPLE?????

Back40x2 · February 25, 2005, 02:45:34 PM

HEY EVERYONE,

JUST LOOKING FOR SOME INSIGHT ON THE DRYING OF THIS STUFF, WITHOUT IT CHECKING ALL TO @#$% AIR DYING IS WORKING GREAT, BUT AS WE ALL KNOW IT JUST TAKES TOO LONG >:( >:(

ANY INPUT WOOD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED ;) ;) ;)

THANKS IN ADVANCE
BACK40

kilndry · February 25, 2005, 03:34:49 PM

Where are you in Maine? (Has nothing to do with the question, I know).

Belfast here.

Ianab · February 25, 2005, 03:41:55 PM

Build yourself a solar kiln ???

Might not be much faster in winter, but will work good in the summer months, and you will actually get kiln dried wood out of it.

Ian

Back40x2 · February 25, 2005, 04:39:16 PM

Kilndry,

I am in Stetson. Right between Bangor and Newport. About 40 mins from you right down Rte.7 What do you have for a mill? I have the Timberking 1600. What kind of sawing do you do???

Ianab,

I have a Solar kiln, 10 x 14 solar collector Single layer right now, debating making two. I have it faced SSE at a 48 degree angle. Average temp this time of year is about 90, and getting better with the days getting longer. I have a propane heater I put on from 7-10am to bring it up to temp, then I shut it down for the rest of the day and let the sun do its magic ;D. It works great 8) 8) 8) I just took a load of Cherry and Butternut out after 10days, for a floor I am making ;) It went in a 18% and came out ranging between 8-6%. I still have a problem with spalted maple checking thou! ??? Especially where the dead wood meets the live wood.

Thanks

Ianab · February 25, 2005, 05:20:08 PM

QuoteEspecially where the dead wood meets the live wood.

Ahh... I understand better now.
The spalted wood probably has different drying properties to the non spalted stuff I guess.

Slow is probably better :

Ian

Ironwood · February 26, 2005, 06:59:58 AM

Ianab,

It is a real trade off. Dry it fast to get the white white and lose a lot of spault or dry it slow and darken the white. My experience is air dry then kiln and take your loses it is part or that "spaulted game" we play and in my opinion justifies the price for the real good stuff as it is a crap shoot. Good luck Reid

Don_Lewis · February 26, 2005, 09:10:00 AM

The best result is usually when drying 4/4 at 5% per day when green and lots of air flow and keep the temperature low, under 100F. Otherwise you will lose color. If you keep the temperature low but don't maintain the drying rate, you will probably lose a lot of the value. I would be very skeptical about using a solar kiln in Maine in the winter for this valuable wood.

Back40x2 · February 26, 2005, 05:38:44 PM

Don,

why would you skeptical about a solar kiln in maine during winter ??? ???

This dries my other lumber just fine in about 10days. everything I put into the kiln is airdried to about 18%, then right to the kiln. I just put another load of cherry in today, that should be ready in about 8-10days for its only about 600bf.

Don_Lewis · February 27, 2005, 07:59:11 AM

Only in doing this. If it is done too slowly, you can lose value by darkening it. Since you don't want high temperatures for this, a solar kiln will work in that regard. Everyone who does this kind of product, and we have one of the world leaders in it in Maine, pretty much is fanatically careful to maintain the right conditions all the time.