Dehumidification for slabs

[Engineer]

I had a friend call me last night, asking if I knew of a place that could plane and dry some rough-sawn pine slabs for countertops.  The slabs are 14' long, 26" wide and 3-1/2" thick.  The log they were cut from, had been sitting for a couple of years, and was recently milled.  The planing is no problem, there are places around here with wide-belt sanders and some big planers.  I didn't suggest he could set up a router sled and plane them himself, I don't think he wants to go down that road.  The drying however, its a different story.  I suggested that he set up a tent with 6-mil plastic, like a mini-greenhouse, in his garage.  Put the slabs in it, put a small computer fan or desk fan for air circulation at one end, and a small dehumidifier at the other.  It won't heat up the wood but it will dry it out.

Was this bad advice?  I know if I wanted to dry wood quickly, this would be one of two methods I would use.  The other would be a solar kiln, but it's November and he doesn't want to wait that long for good solar weather, or build an actual kiln.  There is one place nearby that will kiln-dry the slabs in a conventional kiln, for $250, and plane them for $120.  Total for all three. 

[Den Socling]

I really have to wonder why somebody would want to fool with pine.

[Bruno of NH]

Pine slabs are the in thing right now
Customers love them around my area

[Den Socling]

But a pine slab may be pretty today but what would a pine counter top look like in 10 years? You might need to pack your bags someday!  ;)

[JustinW_NZ]

But a pine slab may be pretty today but what would a pine counter top look like in 10 years? You might need to pack your bags someday!  ;)

yes, I agree...

Cheers
Justin

[xlogger]

So when you was a young man did you over look a pretty girl wondering what she might look like in years to come :D. I got a 30" pine in this week to slab up myself. If it sells that's great if not well not the first time things didn't work out.

[Bruno of NH]

In the NewEngland area a lot of pine in very old houses floors, beams , siding , trim and case work good looking stuff.
To each his own I guess
Bruno

[Den Socling]

I guess old growth with more rings would be more durable. When I think of pine, I think of the soft stuff I see around here.

[rjwoelk]

So when you was a young man did you over look a pretty girl wondering what she might look like in years to come :D. I got a 30" pine in this week to slab up myself. If it sells that's great if not well not the first time things didn't work out.

:D but then there are some that just get better looking with age.

[Don P]

That's a magnolia   ;D
I have eaten in plenty of restaurants that have pine tables. It acquires a well worn look that is fine. My wife can distress oak and maple, density is relative, cast iron wins. In our first little duplex I tore the kitchen out and put in tile countertops. Our next door neighbor knew she could give us a half dozen wine glasses every year because we lost them to that hard tile at about that rate. I've not been a real fan of tile or stone since.

It should work, he may need to add some heat as it finishes.

[kelLOGg]

Before I built my kiln, I "made" one with a tarp and a humidifier and air-dried hickory under it; I provided no ventilation. It turned out so well that I floored my office with the hickory about 8 years ago. Go for it.
Bob

[Den Socling]

The dehumidifier served the purpose of air movement. It lowered humidly around the coils and wetter air moved in to equalize water molecules with the drier air.

[Ianab]

Before I built my kiln, I "made" one with a tarp and a humidifier and air-dried hickory under it; I provided no ventilation. It turned out so well that I floored my office with the hickory about 8 years ago. Go for it.
Bob

That works on a small scale, especially if the wood is already air dried, and you just want to get rid of that last ~5% of moisture.

You have a source of heat (the DH unit gets warm), air flow from it's fan, and you don't need ventilation because the moisture is removed via the drain or bucket of the D/H.  So all the elements that you need to dry wood are present.

If your wood is air dried already, it's hard to mess it up with further drying, and the conditions inside your tent are really just like a warm dry room in a house anyway.

It doesn't have some of the extra bonuses of a real kiln, like killing bugs and setting pitch. But you can dry wood this way just fine.

[GAB]

So when you was a young man did you over look a pretty girl wondering what she might look like in years to come :D. I got a 30" pine in this week to slab up myself. If it sells that's great if not well not the first time things didn't work out.

:D but then there are some that just get better looking with age.

Question: When was the last time you had your vision checked?
Gerald