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The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Drying and Processing => Topic started by: xlogger on April 05, 2015, 07:39:44 AM

Title: drying slabs
Post by: xlogger on April 05, 2015, 07:39:44 AM
I getting into cutting more live edge slabs lately. As of now I've not started on a kiln and just air drying them. At what point can I take them off stickers and stand them up for people to see them. I know that they will not be dried enough but some go faster than they are dry. Mostly cedar, maple, oak, ash and cherry for now.
Title: Re: drying slabs
Post by: Seaman on April 05, 2015, 08:19:27 PM
XL,   EVERYTHING I have stood up before dry kiln , for a long period ( weeks) has cupped a little.  I do not have a lot of experience tho, some on here can add more I am sure.

FRank
Title: Re: drying slabs
Post by: WDH on April 06, 2015, 07:59:02 AM
It would be best if they were below 30% moisture content. 
Title: Re: drying slabs
Post by: Ga_Boy on April 06, 2015, 02:43:09 PM
General rule of thumb for air drying thick material is 1 year per inch of thickness.  Use as much weight as you can to keep it flat. 

Reminder: moisture meters are not accurate above the 25-30% moisture content range.  This means you will have to have a sample for each species that you are drying and will need to weigh each sample and use the weight to calculate moisture content.  The formula for this process is in the USDA books.



Title: Re: drying slabs
Post by: beenthere on April 06, 2015, 03:44:40 PM
Forumla is (Wet weight - dry weight) / dry weight = MC % / 100

So the difference in weights divided by the dry weight times 100 equals the moisture content.
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