QS sycamore drying and stickers.

[Dave Shepard]

I have three large sycamore logs that I'm going to quarter at some point this summer. Air drying is probably my only option. I'm looking for sticker suggestions. I don't have any now, so I want to make sure I get something that won't stain the lumber. Thanks.

[doc henderson]

It tends to have spiral grain and will try to twist.  mill it thicker than you want for final dimension.  stickers closer together (like 16 inches), and lots of weight, and or banding that can be tightened as it dries and shrinks.  dry stickers are best and a light-colored wood.  sycamore would be fine but may twist, maple would work or even poplar/cottonwood.  If you can mill the stickers and let them dry that is good.  @YellowHammer has a video on how to make stickers with less wood contact, using his dado set, table saw and a power feed.

save, saw, sweep, stack, sticker, secure, and dry one log at a time - Page 2 (forestryforum.com)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcrfH66gBI4

[YellowHammer]

What Doc said

Sycamore will sticker stain when air drying if it's not in the right spot.  

[tule peak timber]

All the above, plus we roll sticker stain prone woods every two weeks until things start drying out a bit. Restacking with the stickers moved over a little each time we roll the lift over. A lot of the stain depends on the time of year the logs were cut, and usually we just do it anyway from experience. Sycamore out here is mostly urban timber, so we don't get a choice on how much or when.