Drying stack press? Is it feasible?

[wd]

Greetings ya'll,
Been hanging around for awhile, just absorbing all the information, great site.  Thanks to all the members.  I have only been sawing for a couple months now and have several stacks of hardwood air drying.  I read a recent discussion on the weights to place on top of the stacks during drying.  Has anyone tried or seen a press, similar to a bearing press, where you create a reaction frame and some hydraulic jacks to apply pressure to your drying stack?  Would appreciate any comments, don't worry have thick skin, so let them rip.  Thanks

[Brad_S.]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum!  8)

Whether a press such as you describe would be feasible would depend on the scope of one's operation, I suppose. If all you are seeking to dry is about a thousand feet, it may be perfectly feasible, but when you start talking more than that, I would think the cost and construction of the frames may not make economic sense. Just my 2¢ though.

[Dave Shepard]

An alternative to a press would be to use nylon ratchet straps, they can generate a lot of force. You could make up some I-beam sleepers with eyes for the straps.


Dave

[brdmkr]

There was some discussion in an earlier thread that prompted me to abandon the rachet strap idea.  The concern was that as the lumber dried, the straps would become loose and let things move.  I suppose it would be fine if you checked it often.  I can't remember if that concern was from experience or just from theorizin' :P.  So, it may not even be an issue.

I have thought about using all-thread to rig up a clamp, but it would have the same issues as the rachet strap.

Currently, I am thinking of a pulley system to lift a platform with concrete on it.  The platform could be raised to stack the wood and then lowered to provide weight.  I suspect this idea would work much better in a kiln or dedicated drying shed.  I further suspect that I will never get around to trying it :D

[fencerowphil (Phil L.)]

Hey WD!

WELCOME!

The two simplest ways to provide pressure are dead weight,
which requires a fork lift, tractor or skidsteer with forks.   Next,
would probably be the straps with hefty cross pieces with a little
camber to them to provide some even pressure.

The neat thing about nylon straps is their elasticity.    Cranked
really tight a nylon strap will stretch enough to make up for the
shrinkage created by weeks of drying.  In other words, surely a
fella can remember to tighten some straps at least every week
or two.  In effect, a strap set-up lets the weight of the entire stack
pull on itself.  One warning, however:   UV radiation.   Straps can
last a long time, if wrapped in black poly.  In full sunlight, however,
they die pretty quickly. (Voice of experience on that one.)  Even four
strands of poly baling twine can put quite a squeeze on something - and
it is cheap, also.   A loop of that at each sticker location could do the job!

If I had my choice and the machinery,  I would go with precast
concrete plates which could be used repeatedly.   I just don't have
the lifting capacity right now.   Also have too many lumber stacks to use
a fixed location lift set-up, etc.

Except in difficult woods,   you only need enough weight to simulate
five or six layers of wood.    Unless you have top notch hardwood sticks
you can even crush them with high pressure, too.

Phil L.

[Part_Timer]

I thought about using painted unistrut and all-thread.  That way all you have to do is go out once a week and spin the nuts with a ratchet. 

[Don_Lewis]

I had a couple of customers use water bed mattresses. The put them on top of the lumber and then filled them. Since water beds pretty much have gone the way of leisure suits, you can find them pretty inexpensively.

[Burlkraft]

I'm not supposed ta be wearin' my leisure suit  ???  ???  ???  :D  :D  :D

[DanG]

Welcome to the forum, wd!  Where are you and what sort of mill do ya got? ;D

Gravity is your best friend in holding down a stack of lumber.  It works 24/7 and requires no adjustment.  Just about anything with some weight to it will do.  If ya have lifting equipment, use big stuff.  If not, use little stuff.  Concrete blocks, buckets of dirt, slabs, and more lumber are a few things that come to mind. ;)

[wd]

Thanks for the greetings and responses.  I do need to fill out the profile.  Well for some background, I have  only been sawing a couple of months.  My brother and I purchased a TimberKing 1220 for lumber needs around the farm and projects.  Really been enjoying it, except for packing some of the boards my brother cut for a couple of tables, 2 1/4'' x 16''x10' hickory.  So far we have cut wo,hickory,apple,hemlock,sugar maple.  Actually, we cut a little over 400 bf of sugar maple today, mostly 6/4 and a bunch of stickers. 
We were thinking about cutting some lumber to sell during the next few months while work is slow.  So I have another question.  Would it be better to just cut a variety of sizes first or try to find someone who has a need for particular sizes and species?  There is a pretty decent variety of trees, ash,hickory,locust, wo, ro, sugar, poplar.  The timber is fairly mature so some of it needs cut as well the gyps moths have hurt some.  Oh, were located in Garrett County Maryland, as far west as you can go in the state.
Thanks again and Happy New Year to all.