Thread: Storing timber

John

I generally like to dry wood outdoors; if it's really green (wet), it can uncomfortably raise your indoor humidity, promoting mold, etc.

Your wood will only dry as flat as your first layer. As an example, from some cherry I air dried: I first layed down a row of concrete blocks with their long sides facing each other, maybe two feet apart, and tried to get them fairly level with one another; next, I placed two pairs of nailed-together construction grade 2x6s on edge along the row of blocks and got their top edges parallel. On top of those I laid 2x4s crossways, again on edge, about 18-24" apart; the 2x4s should be at least as long as your wides board's width. I took some care to sight along the 2x4s to make sure their top edges were in line and parallel, shimming either them or the 2x6s as necessary. Then you're ready for your first layer of lumber; each layer has equal thickness stickers placed pretty much directly over the 2x4s, starting no more than a few inches in from each end. Weighing down your top boards will help.

You should choose a location with some air movement but protected from prolonged direct sunlight; you can shade the pile if necessary.

All this is a pain, but you'll be rewarded with straight stock when it's finally dry.

Originally Posted by Johncs

Are there any recommendations for storing this stuff properly? How many boards should I have between spacers?

The spacers are known as "stickers" and they should be alternated between layers of boards. The normal recommendation is a sticker per 300mm.

Originally Posted by Frank Drew

John

I generally like to dry wood outdoors; if it's really green (wet), it can uncomfortably raise your indoor humidity, promoting mold, etc.
<snip>
All this is a pain, but you'll be rewarded with straight stock when it's finally dry.

Er, time for Geography. WA is Western Australia, Greenmount is metropolitan Perth, and it's the height of winter here (think "it's like southwest California."). If I stack the stuff outside, it won't dry until December. And I do mean wet from rain, not green. Being pine, it soaks up water like a sponge. Fortunately, some's dry so I can use that now.

It seems I need to restack it, I thought I might.

Thanks Frank and Exador.

Hi John

If you've got enough spacers put down spacers between each layer of boards. It is a good idea to let all the boards dry out so that you don't get any mould staining the surface. What size boards did you get? Make sure you get plenty of airflow around the stack. Is your garage fully enclosed?

I have 120x35x2100 lengths of Wespine arrised nonstructural
700x190x900 lengths of DAR arrised (perhaps not the best choice, he thinks)
These were stored outside at Ross Auctions in Maylands. The plastic wrap didn't keep the rain out, but a lot of the wood is dry.

Additionally I have some "chipboard" (melamine), 450x12x3600, and random lengths of WA blackbutt flooring, all dry.

The garage is a late 1960s construction, enclosed, concrete floor, AC sheeting walls and roof, with ventilation around the roofline and doors.

It would probably be a good idea to open the garage up during fine days at the moment and keep it closed while it is wet.

So what kind of things are you going to start making?

Originally Posted by Marginata

I
.

So what kind of things are you going to start making?

Basic beginner stuff to start with. I intend to enrol in a course at TAFE (Cannington, Sevenoaks High, http://swantafe.wa.edu.au/Courses/Do...es_T3_2008.pdf p8). I had a virtual peek at your place. Maybe, but not yet.

atm I'm sorting out the toolkit based on recommendations from Popular Woodworking (they've published a book) - I've seen an article on the www by a chap who reckons the lists published by magazines are pretty useless and gave his, more expensive, recommendations.

Furniture in the short term; I'm not particularly interested in turning, marquetry etc. When I can make reasonable joints, do straight mitres, tight dovetails and such, maybe then get some better timber.

There's some furniture to repair, loose mitres around doors in the house to fix (looks to me like an unhandy handyman has worked there), some kind of rack for my timber, a router table for the router I don't have yet if I'm up to it. A table with a sore leg. I'll be asking for more advice, no doubt.

just curious what is a pallet of pine worth?

Originally Posted by blue^ray

just curious what is a pallet of pine worth?

Dunno.

Cost depends on where it's bought;
120 X 35 STD NON-STRUCTURAL PINE 1891754 120 X 35 90/2.10 189.000 .794 $110

70 X 19 UTE DAR ARISSED EDGE PINE 2003869 70 X 19 250/.90 225.000 .299
$33

Arissed has rounded corners, not good for butting edge to edge.

At Bunnings, I guess it would cost a little more, and I don't think they'd be beating the prices.