Drying and Kilns

[mikefunaro]

Hi all,

I'm about to purchase a used 660 magnum and an alaskan mill. It's time for some milling.

That said, do most people here have access to a kiln or do you simply let your wood air dry? Has anyone had success making a solar kiln? Is it worth just trying to find a local kiln and befriending its owner? If wood is allowed to air dry, will it ever get to the point that you can really make interior furniture out of it? How long does this take?

MGF

 

[slabmaster]

You don't need a kiln to dry milled wood.They just do it faster,not always better.Wood will only get so dry outside,so you will have to bring in to the shop for a couple of weeks to acclimate before you use it.

 

[woodshop]

...That said, do most people here have access to a kiln or do you simply let your wood air dry? Has anyone had success making a solar kiln? Is it worth just trying to find a local kiln and befriending its owner? If wood is allowed to air dry, will it ever get to the point that you can really make interior furniture out of it? How long does this take?...

Mike most of us here air dry our wood outside, which will dry it down to about 20% MC (moisture content). Yes we can "really make interior furniture" out of it, but as was noted the wood must be further dried down to about 10%MC inside the house or woodshop for a few weeks or it will be unstable as you work with it since wood shrinks and moves as it loses moisture. As for how long it takes to dry, that depends on many factors like what kind of wood, how thick it was milled and how/where it is stickered for drying. In general 4/4 or 5/4 thick woods like pine and poplar dry to 20% for me in about 3 spring/summer/fall months, and denser hardwoods like oak, cherry and walnut take from 6 to 9 months to do the same. Here are a few pics of air drying milled lumber. Do a search on drying or stickered and you will have to week through lots of posts, but there is much info on this subject here.