Drying time?
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Drying Wood at Home
by Eric Meier
Allowing lumber to passively sit at a given humidity level in order to obtain a desired EMC (air-drying) may be the simplest and least expensive method of seasoning wood, but it is also the very slowest. Drying times can vary significantly depending upon wood species, initial moisture level, lumber thickness, density, ambient conditions, and processing techniques.
Drying times and kilns
The traditional rule-of-thumb for air-drying lumber is to allow one year of drying time per inch of wood thickness; this adage obviously only takes a few of the aforementioned variables into account, but it’s at least a rough starting point in understanding the time investment required in order to properly air-dry lumber.
In situations where green wood is to be processed into usable boards, (especially in the case of thicker lumber), a kiln is frequently used to control the drying process. While there are various types of kilns used to dry lumber, the basic premise is usually the same: a large insulated chamber or room is used to balance and control humidity, temperature, and airflow to safely and efficiently bring wood down to an acceptable moisture content.
There is quite a bit more information in the article which you can find at the link at the top of the post, it's a very interesting read and informative.
Sent using mental telepathy.
Drying Wood at Home
by Eric Meier
Allowing lumber to passively sit at a given humidity level in order to obtain a desired EMC (air-drying) may be the simplest and least expensive method of seasoning wood, but it is also the very slowest. Drying times can vary significantly depending upon wood species, initial moisture level, lumber thickness, density, ambient conditions, and processing techniques.
Drying times and kilns
The traditional rule-of-thumb for air-drying lumber is to allow one year of drying time per inch of wood thickness; this adage obviously only takes a few of the aforementioned variables into account, but it’s at least a rough starting point in understanding the time investment required in order to properly air-dry lumber.
In situations where green wood is to be processed into usable boards, (especially in the case of thicker lumber), a kiln is frequently used to control the drying process. While there are various types of kilns used to dry lumber, the basic premise is usually the same: a large insulated chamber or room is used to balance and control humidity, temperature, and airflow to safely and efficiently bring wood down to an acceptable moisture content.
There is quite a bit more information in the article which you can find at the link at the top of the post, it's a very interesting read and informative.
Sent using mental telepathy.
It depends where you live.
Here in Australia we have long hot summers and it takes one summer per inch. If the timber is milled at the beginning of summer, by fall of the following year it will be nearly as dry as if the timber was milled at the beginning of fall the pervious year.
Czech_Made
ArboristSite Operative
A guy I know used house attic to dry wood, he said it was like a kiln, only free.
Well I popped my cherry today after work on a small 48" × 20" bitternut hickory log, saw kinda bogged down due to not clearing chips fast enough, i had to hold it back, it wanted to run forward pretty hard....Do they make a full skip ripping chain and would you guys recommend it?
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Venomvpr900
ArboristSite Operative
Well I popped my cherry today after work on a small 48" × 20" bitternut hickory log, saw kinda bogged down due to not clearing chips fast enough, i had to hold it back, it wanted to run forward pretty hard....Do they make a full skip ripping chain and would you guys recommend it?
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Are you running ripping chain on it now? That saw should be able to handle full comp chain it the teeth are filled and rakers set. I run full comp .404 filled at 10 degrees on my 075 and have never had an issue. Nice looking wood by the way
I agree - post as large a magnification photpfully side on to a cutter as you can and we'll give you a diagnosis of any chain issues
Yes its a full comp NIB ripping blade .404 / .063, maybe the chips were not clearing because the wood was so wet? Thanks for looking View attachment 499923
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Hello TedOH,
Thanks for the photo and here is is back again with some marks on it.
Now compare your cutter with Will Mallofs (Top) and mine (bottom)
Your cutter has a gullet that needs some clearing out as shown by the blue marks.
Note how I clear mine out right to the bottom of the gullet - this helps clear sawdust.
I would try that first and don't do anything else.
On such a big saw, short bar combo you could also look at running lower rakers (high raker angle).
You current raker angle looks like it is ~6º but with your combo you could easily go to 7.5º but don't do it all in one go.
Try swiping the rakers 3 times - try the saw - repeat until you get to where you are comfortable.
The next one is subtle but the shape of the top of the rakers (This is not the raker angle) also contributes to cutting speed since the shape determines the degree to which the raker penetrates into the wood - yes it does penetrate even if it is only a little. Will Malloff's cutter has a narrow width raker so he doesn't have to do much to the shape. My rakers are much wider so I angle the tops. Yours looks like it's somewhere in between in terms of width, so you could also try doing this.
I'm a bit confused in that you say the saw wants to "run forward" but that it also "bogs down" so you had to hold it back.
These two action seem contradictory, saw wanting to run forward is good and a sign the side plate filing angle is right
It's completely normal for the saw to drop a couple of thousand RPM in the cut under load especially milling.
Anyway try those things above and see what that does.
Thanks for the photo and here is is back again with some marks on it.
Now compare your cutter with Will Mallofs (Top) and mine (bottom)
Your cutter has a gullet that needs some clearing out as shown by the blue marks.
Note how I clear mine out right to the bottom of the gullet - this helps clear sawdust.
I would try that first and don't do anything else.
On such a big saw, short bar combo you could also look at running lower rakers (high raker angle).
You current raker angle looks like it is ~6º but with your combo you could easily go to 7.5º but don't do it all in one go.
Try swiping the rakers 3 times - try the saw - repeat until you get to where you are comfortable.
The next one is subtle but the shape of the top of the rakers (This is not the raker angle) also contributes to cutting speed since the shape determines the degree to which the raker penetrates into the wood - yes it does penetrate even if it is only a little. Will Malloff's cutter has a narrow width raker so he doesn't have to do much to the shape. My rakers are much wider so I angle the tops. Yours looks like it's somewhere in between in terms of width, so you could also try doing this.
I'm a bit confused in that you say the saw wants to "run forward" but that it also "bogs down" so you had to hold it back.
These two action seem contradictory, saw wanting to run forward is good and a sign the side plate filing angle is right
It's completely normal for the saw to drop a couple of thousand RPM in the cut under load especially milling.
Anyway try those things above and see what that does.
Please refer to the Carlton Filing Specifications. Note the recommended side plate angle and depth gauge height. Basically reiterating what others have said but it couldn't hurt.
Manufactures settings are established
a) as a one size fits all - it would be too difficult and confusing for the average Joe to specify different settings for bar length, hardness, saw power, etc
b) to minimize kickback - a non-issue for Alaskan mills where the bar is held by the mill at both ends
Manufactures settings are just a starting point for CSM'ing and operators should try to understand how chains work and then vary things from there. The Carlton raker setting tool (File-O-Plate) is one of the better ones but like most raker setting gauges, it too is on the conservative side.
To optimise cutting speed and get the saw to self feed the side and top plate angles and raker depths (and shapes) need to be optimised. When buckling this is less of an issue because saw loads are not as high or as long , but when CSMing loads are constantly high for long periods, so every little advantage is worth scavenging. It makes milling easier and takes load off the powerhead,
a) as a one size fits all - it would be too difficult and confusing for the average Joe to specify different settings for bar length, hardness, saw power, etc
b) to minimize kickback - a non-issue for Alaskan mills where the bar is held by the mill at both ends
Manufactures settings are just a starting point for CSM'ing and operators should try to understand how chains work and then vary things from there. The Carlton raker setting tool (File-O-Plate) is one of the better ones but like most raker setting gauges, it too is on the conservative side.
To optimise cutting speed and get the saw to self feed the side and top plate angles and raker depths (and shapes) need to be optimised. When buckling this is less of an issue because saw loads are not as high or as long , but when CSMing loads are constantly high for long periods, so every little advantage is worth scavenging. It makes milling easier and takes load off the powerhead,
Well.....I guess I mean the saw blade is biting into the wood so aggressively that its "pulling" the saw down the log / cutting too quickly, resulting in sawdust not being cleared quick enough and the saw bogs down, so...I have to actually hold the saw back so the chain can clear the chips properly, I don't need to push on the mill handle at all, I actually hold it back a bit.
I will try to round out the gullets as you suggested and see if that helps....thanks again....
I can't see how it can keep pulling the saw into the log and at the same time bogging down.
Sorry to be pedantic here, Do you mean it pulled the saw into the log quickly AND THEN it bogged down?
If the chain is set up correctly for the hardness, cut width and saw power, the saw should constantly keep pull itself into the log and there should be no pushing if the log is held on slightly slope - this is called a self feeding saw.
You want this every time if you can get it.
In practice it's impossible to maintain self feeding over the long term,.
Even milling just one log results in variable width cuts - if the chain is set up to self feed on the wide cuts it will be way too grabby on the marrow ones, if the chain is setup for self feeding on the narrow cuts some pushing will be needed for the wider ones.
Yes, sorry I should have mentioned it takes about 2 or 3 seconds to bog down.
Going to mill a slightly narrower log tomorrow, will see how it goes...
Ah. I begin to understand. Milling makes obvious the inefficiency in the chain. What about the slight beak forming in the one picture? Is that just the way the picture looks or is this intentionally done?
If you are referring to the cutter in post #9 the it looks like it has been done with a grinder.
There is nothing wrong with this or the resulting angle but I would make the beak a little longer and clear out the gullet so it looks like the images in post #10
So I ran the blade today as is, it cut fine, better than on the larger log, not sure why, maybe because this log was smaller, maybe because it was maple? After the 4th or last cut I could tell it needed sharpening, I did round out the gullet quite a bit, took about 20 heavy pressured strokes with the file, still not like your pictures, I'd have to take off more material than I'd like so we will see how this works on the next log, when that will be I don't know, but the blade will be ready...Hard to get a pic of the teeth, I put the smaller bar on after milling and cut a standing dead ash for firewood.....
Thanks for posting the pics as they are quire diagnostic.
In the photos below there is nowhere near enough hook.
On this one the side plate is near vertical but needs to follow the blue line
If you are using a grinder you need to drive the grinder in a lot further or if you are using a file a lot more needs to be removed especially given the size of the saw you have
This one is even worse because it has a NEGATIVE hook or what is called backslope.
This will tend to push the chain away from the wood and cut poorly or maybe not even at all.
A cutter like this will hammer the tie straps into the bar rails causing excessive wear,
In the photos below there is nowhere near enough hook.
On this one the side plate is near vertical but needs to follow the blue line
If you are using a grinder you need to drive the grinder in a lot further or if you are using a file a lot more needs to be removed especially given the size of the saw you have
This one is even worse because it has a NEGATIVE hook or what is called backslope.
This will tend to push the chain away from the wood and cut poorly or maybe not even at all.
A cutter like this will hammer the tie straps into the bar rails causing excessive wear,
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