Going thin

[MJR]

I had a request to mill some thin (1/16”) cedar sheets for a closet. In the past I have played on the mill and did some thin sheets without issue. My silly question is, “how do I dry the sheets?” Thanks for any ideas.

 

[dustytools]

Im not sure if I would be doing the right thing or not but I believe that I would install them and let them dry in place. If battens were used they would cover up any shrinkage. 1/16 seems too thin for my liking. I would try and talk them into atleast 1/4". Good luck.

 

[redprospector]

I used to make my business cards from 1/8" pieces I had milled.
The only way I had any success drying these thin pieces was to dry the log before it was milled.

Andy

 

[timberwolf]

Made some 1/8 inch cedar planking for a canoe, no drying trouble, cedar is white ceder here is quite forgiving and stable, it air dried in a week with verry little cracking. Quarter sawn pieces cup much less than flat sawn boards out near the edge of the log. But at 1/16 of an inch thick warpage is kind of a non issue, you must be glueing it like veneer? Most closet lining stuff is closer to 1/4 inch or 5/16, why so thin? The kerf and planing is going to blow away far more wood than the end product. Also not easy to plane down to 1/16 of an inch without drum sanding. 1/8 of an inch is no problem though.

 

[MJR]

The guy has a wood master unit. I don’t think he will have any issues finishing the “boards”. I agree 1/16” is very thin. I think everyone reading this would prefer thicker (that is why we mill), but this is his project. I am trying figure out what to do with the paper coming of the mill. From what I have read, it is a bad to let cedar logs dry to long. I also have no experience with cedar. Thank you for the input.

 

[dustytools]

Cedar has been the most forgiving wood in terms of drying that I have milled.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I think i'd saw the log into thicker lumber in the first place, air dry it and then put the boards back on the mill and resaw them. I've done some resawing on my mill, and it does a good job...

Rob

 

[carvinmark]

OMG that is thin, I want to know how this turns out, good luck.

 

[woodshop]

I think i'd saw the log into thicker lumber in the first place, air dry it and then put the boards back on the mill and resaw them. I've done some resawing on my mill, and it does a good job...

Rob

This is what came to my mind as I was reading down the posts also. Slice it thicker, then after that has dried, resaw down to 1/16. Trying to mill wet lumber that thin would be difficult and tedious I would think. That said though, I have never tried it.

 

[Gene DiNardo]

I would Mill @ 1", stack,sticker, weight then wait a few weeks and
resaw on the band saw.
With cedar, this time of year a few weeks should get rid of most of the free
water.
a typical 14" bandsaw with a riser block should have no trouble slicing 10-11"
veneers @ 1/8th ".
If indeed veneering I wouldnt go thicker than 1/8"
If using as closet lining in verticle paneling, I would not go thinner than
5/16ths. preferably 3/4".
Good luck, Gene

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I can saw it to 1/16" with my mill, (assumeing the logs aren't high tension logs) it's just too hard to deal with drying it that thin. I'd much rather resaw it "after" the bulk of the moisture and "tension" is out of it!

Rob

 

[MJR]

Thanks for the ideas. I am getting ready to leave for the weekend to work on my cabin. I will attempt this project next week after work. I will post the pictures (good and bad). Have a good weekend all.