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mixing species in kiln

Started by xlogger, December 17, 2017, 05:39:14 AM

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xlogger

I cut a fair amount of live edge slabs here and sometimes take the pith cuts out and resaw back into thick quartersawn lumber. I was thinking in the future maybe going ahead and cutting out 4 or 5 thinner boards out of the slab logs for quartersawn boards and putting on different pallet for drying. But I would have several different species on the pallet for kiln drying later when they air dry down. Would it hurt to dry this all down to around 7-8% together or how has anyone handled this, without unloading the kiln in stages?
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

WDH

If they are the same thickness and ingoing M%, I mix them.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

YellowHammer

I do it also, but generally have separate working partial pallets for different wood.  I will just add it to the incomplete pallet until it fills up, especially stuff I can't mill in large enough quantities at a single session to get a full pallet.  Once reasonably air dried, I mix palleted species in the kiln based on general type.
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

Some species can be mixed at high MCs.  You will see mixed species in the basic kiln schedules in Drying Hardwood Lumber, tables 7.11 to 7.21.

At low MCs, such as after air drying, any species and thicknesses can be mixed safely.  Make sure they are at the same MC (within 5% MC) going into the kiln.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

moodnacreek

Wouldn't  black walnut stain white woods ?

scsmith42

Quote from: moodnacreek on December 20, 2017, 07:20:21 PM
Wouldn't  black walnut stain white woods ?

Never been an issue for me.

Early on I learned some hard (and expensive) lessons about mixing species in the same DH kiln run from green.  Now in the solar kiln, no problem.  In the Nyle though -  no go.

Once everything is below 15% I routinely mix species and thicknesses, but try to keep the drying rates in synch.  As an example, I won't finish off 15% 4/4 pine in with 15% 8/4 oak - even if both were air dried.
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

YellowHammer

Quote from: scsmith42 on December 20, 2017, 11:08:23 PM
Quote from: moodnacreek on December 20, 2017, 07:20:21 PM
Wouldn't  black walnut stain white woods ?

Never been an issue for me.

Early on I learned some hard (and expensive) lessons about mixing species in the same DH kiln run from green.  Now in the solar kiln, no problem.  In the Nyle though -  no go.

Once everything is below 15% I routinely mix species and thicknesses, but try to keep the drying rates in synch.  As an example, I won't finish off 15% 4/4 pine in with 15% 8/4 oak - even if both were air dried.

I agree, I don't mix green species or thickness unless it's something very similar and forgiving such as poplar and basswood.  Too risky for me.   
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

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