Milling question

[andrethegiant70]

Hey, Folks!!

I've had lots of fun lately (productive even) with some milling I've been doing. Been using a big old Mac 550 and working on making some beams and lumber out of some fairly fresh Ponderosa. I've had lots of little nigglers to work out with the saw and my cheapie setup, but I've been slow and careful and have gotten some great lumber out of it. Here's the big "however."

HOWEVER, we're in Monsoon season here in Arizona and my lumber is getting moldy! All that work and my nice lumber is getting black just from humidity!! You millers out there, how do you keep the same from happening to your hard won products??

 

[thompson1600]

I keep it up off the ground with cinder blocks, then sticker between each row, put a cover over the top to keep it out of direct sunlight and most rain. Don't completely cover the pile (sides and all), only put a "roof" over the top. I mill my stuff to use for furniture and if I want 3/4" stock, I mill it about 1 to 1 1/4" thick so I can take off any discoloration on the outside, and to take into account the inevitable twist, cupping, etc that will happen.

Tom

 

[Bill G]

Tom,

I assume if you are using it for furniture you are running it through a kiln. What type are you using. We had a Nyle here for awhile but it is now gone. It was about a 4000 bd ft unit and could not keep up with demand.

Bill

 

[thompson1600]

Actually I don't use a kiln. I cut it, mill it and let it sit in the stack for a year or two. Then I move it into a heated shop and let it sit in a stickered pile again to acclimate to the shop.

Pro's and con's to a kiln. It is quicker, but if you don't know what your doing (like me) you can really screw up good wood by drying it too quick and stress fracturing the wood. I have more time than money, so I just let it sit and wait to use it. The first few years it was hard to wait, but now, I have more wood getting done drying than I can use, so it is finally paying dividends.

Tom

 

[Bill G]

Tom,

What is the MC when you use it ?

Bill

 

[thompson1600]

I don't have a moisture meter to tell you exactly. Moisture content in furniture making is a cause for debate. Some want exact moisture content in the wood before they will work on it. Others, like myself want it acclimated to the conditions it will be used in. Wood will only air dry to the moisture content of the area it's in. Which is fine with me, that way it doesn't cause movement when I use it. If I get kiln dried wood that is below or above the moisture content of the area I will use it in, then the wood still has to sit and acclimate or it will expand/contract after I build the piece of furniture. Basically it's just a "feel" for when the wood is ready to be used and the moisture content of the wood equals the space the furniture will occupy, or as a close to equal as possible. After a while you get used to "feeling" how the wood will react when put together.

Tom

 

[oakman]

tom, i agree with ya on the kiln thing. i don't use one either. i air dry for 1 year, then move it in to my wood heated shop. i use a mini ligno digital meter. air flow through the stack is the key. around here in MI it will air dry to about 12-13 percent. then a couple months in the shop in the winter will take it to 6 or 7 which is fine for furniture or cabinetry. kiln drying must be done carefully, or as you say the wood will be stressed. i had a solar kiln for awhile. it did work and sped up the process some, but to me the extra work loading and monitoring the thing wasn't worth it. i, too, have got more time than money, so now i mill my boards, bring 'em home, stack and sticker, and forget 'em till next year.

 

[andrethegiant70]

Dang. I was hoping to build somethin'. Anyone ever try just spraying the wood down with a little bleach and water to keep the mold off? It's just for rough-cut fencing.... however, I do know as a ex-painter that you've GOTTA get the mold off before you apply ANY kind of finish.

 

[Gumneck]

I have a beam under roof in an open barn that I cut down late spring(sugar pine), milled to 7x7 beam, and I sprayed it with bleach a couple of months ago. The mold has come back but I expect it will come off easy as the first time.