Japanese timber drying .....

[TexasTimbers]

Den, I take this weekly e-newsletter from Japan for Sustainability. Mostly its a chance for large Japanese corporations to participate in programs that give them a pretty green face.
Every now and then I run across an intereting morsel though. I wsa using the search function to find articles on timber framing and stumbled across this one.

Do you think they are simply referring to A Solar Kiln or something of the like?

[Den Socling]

I don't know anything about the process but I believe its also mentioned in this note from Vietnam.

http://www.ven.org.vn/view_news.php?id=4542

[DuneCreature]

The Japanese have developed some VERY sophisticated drying technology. A square bizness sawyer friend of mine was describing a new drying rig the Japanese have allegedly developed that utilizes a massive hydraulic press inside a steam chamber/dryer that, get this, takes a round log and presses it into a big square log sized cant. …. Improves yield a bunch according to him. (I bet it does!!)

A least I don’t think he was pulling my tail. ……. Sometimes you have to watch those dang sawyer fellas. All that green sawdust starts pluggin' up important sensory orifices and organ openings and they start hearin’ and seein’ things that aren’t there. :D

I’d do some Googlin’ for wild rumor control purposes but my plate is too full at present.

Something about that process sounds like too much foolin’ around with Mother Nature to me.   

[TexasTimbers]

I think you might be gettin your leg tugged a little brutha

[Buzz-sawyer]

I think he is tugging it with a hydraulic ram.... ;)

[beenthere]

DuneCreature
Not likely that its 'exactly' like you mentioned (pressing logs into cants) but there are products from years ago, such as compreg and impreg, that were formed from wood under high pressure. Molds of pressed wood were used in the auto industry for years and used to press body parts to form fenders, hoods, etc. Wasn't really wood after being pressed like that. Suspect a pressed cant wouldn't be much like 'wood' either.    Wood is strong in compression, and the economics to get a square log from a round one probably isn't lookin too good. But Lowes might be able to get a good price for it. 
Also there was considerable interest in the possibility of press-drying wood with steam injection involved. The product was sometimes busted up (like exploded) and made for some very interesting wood, mostly just panelling-type products for looks.
So, there may bits and parts of this that the Japanese are doing, either on a small commercial scale or experimental work.

[jimF]

There have been research in past years of growing "square" log by restraining them and turning round logs into square logs by a process similar to what DuneCreature mentioned.  I don't remember what the quality of the resulting lumber was like.  But you need to remember that wood is actually a natural plastic and with heat can be deformed some what.  The "press drying" is more for dimensional lumber than appearance grade lumber.  The increase pressure by a hot platten increases the transfer of heat, decreasing drying time, and relieves some of the drying stresses - not all.

[TexasTimbers]

I got a reply this morning from Kazuko Fatakuchi at Japan for Sustainability.

He says that " ...EDS Labratory in Gunma Prefecture is providing technical assistance to the Tokyo branch of the United Nations Industrial Organization ..."   and that he forwarded my message to UNIDO in Tokyo "... so that they may be able to provide you with contact information to EDS Labratory ...."
I'm really getting my hopes up here. I bet they are gonna send a private jet to pick me up and give a tour.

He also says not to get my hopes up. "We will also look into the matter. We can't guarantee that we can find relevant information,
but when we will be able to do so we will certainly let you know...." :D :D

Hey JimBuis maybe next time you head Northwest roughly 100km you could pop in and reconnoiter the joint. Seriously maybe they would give you the tour if you just showed up. I don't know how much you travel there but it's fairly close to you. Just a couple of trains away  ;)

[KnotBB]

Came across this,

"Thermowood" article in "Logging and Sawmilling" (Dec-Jan 06)  talks about a process being developed by Finland that, " Using extreem heat-reaching as high as 230 degrees Celsius- in combination with moisture in a highly controlled kiln enviroment for up to 48 hours, the wood's molecular structure is realigned and moisture content is reduced to less than 8%...
(and for flooring)
You can take green wood and the drying is done in 32 hours...."

The process is billed as an alternative to CCA treating  for above ground applications and enviormentally friendly.  The kilns are called Eco-driers.  They are installing some in Ontario, Canada. 

[Den Socling]

Here's a funny one. A lot of people have been calling us about drying those end cut slabs for flooring. A few weeks ago, we dried some black walnut in 24 hours. I'm not mentioning any names but somebody here agreed to dry more black walnut. He got it yesterday and I set the kiln for the same 24 hour schedule. We checked it awile ago and it wasn't dry. Then 'somebody' called the guy who sent the black walnut and he says 'oh! we sent you white oak'.  Ha ha  ;D We tried to dry fresh cut white oak in 24 hours.  :D  :D