Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 16 to 30 of 50
  1. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Warragul Vic
    Posts
    1,093

    Default

    I think that will work for the oak stack.
    You dont need 1 m long stickers as long at they extend to edges of the stacked boards you're drying,.
    Surviving the stresses of the first summer will be the first test. End coating is vital

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Millmerran,QLD
    Age
    73
    Posts
    11,095

    Default

    TS

    The ends of the log dry more quickly than the middle, which is why they are sealed to slow the process. Another technique is to use wider stickers at the ends or just use two stickers together. I do this as well as sealing. The thicker the boards the thinner the stickers should be. The aim is to equalise the drying so the outside does not dry significantly faster than the middle. Easier said than done. I have never dried a true oak, but if it is problematical, as others have said, take all precautions possible.

    Not all your timber will be absolutely quartersawn, but grain up to 45degs is classified as quartersawn: Just not quite so stable. With quartersawn timber the grain will be more prominent on the edges than the face of the boards as it is the medullary rays that give the characteristic oak look.

    Nice log.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  4. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    3,567

    Default

    Thanks for the double end sticker tip.
    The oak log has been sealed with three coats of paint.

    I have also purchased 4 good size plane logs about 2.7 cubes. I plan to get them quarter sawn as well. The best stuff I will take the non quarter sawn will go the school kids.

    I then plan to make a pile 2.5 meter long x 1 meter wide by 1.25 meters tall. That will fit into my drying space. With the option to put more on top.

  5. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    27,756

    Default

    Another aspect of sticker use is to always place a sticker (or has been said, preferably two) very close or or at the very ends of the boards, This means stacking the longest boards at the bottom of the stack - if they are too narrow, place a couple side by side,. This helps minimise the chances of the "free" ends moving.

  6. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Millmerran,QLD
    Age
    73
    Posts
    11,095

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    Another aspect of sticker use is to always place a sticker (or has been said, preferably two) very close or or at the very ends of the boards, This means stacking the longest boards at the bottom of the stack - if they are too narrow, place a couple side by side,. This helps minimise the chances of the "free" ends moving.
    Thanks Bob

    I forgot to emphasise that. The end stickers should be flush with the end of the boards otherwise there is no point in having a wider sticker. Just looking back at the pix posted, it would be better to reorganise the stickers to the ends of the boards. The best drying stacks are a completely rectangular, symmetrical shape. When a commercial enterprise is cutting hundreds of boards this is more easily achievable than in our hobby type situations.

    Building a stack.jpgBuilding a stack 2.jpg

    You can see the double stickers in this next shot placed right at the ends of the boards. Also note my solution to weight on the top. Not exactly a tonne, but the best I could do in practical terms.

    Building a stack 3.jpg

    This stack was (and still is) out in the open and there are some improvements that could have been made. More protection from direct sunlight would have been the main one.

    There is more information in this thread:

    Bandsawing a Spotted Gum

    This is another thread on timber drying that may be more pertinent to TS's situation as it was inside a building (shipping container.)

    More thoughts on drying timber

    By the way, three coats of sealant on the ends of the boards is excellent. Sometimes I have extended the sealant 20mm, say, over the ends onto the flat surfaces too. However, that is just something I have tried and I don't really know if it has helped as I have no way of comparing.

    As I re-read that old thread I am prompted to mention that you should include sample boards if possible. These is so you can retrieve a board to test for moisture content without dismantling the stack. It will be a short piece on the outer edge possibly spanning just a single pair of stickers.

    In saying that, remember that a stack such as yours does not dry completely uniformly (differences from top to bottom with heat and drainage through the stack).

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  7. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    3,567

    Default

    It is not clear from the photos but the elm is only the bottom four in the stack and those are all stickered on the very ends and every 400mm.

    The stuff on top is all dry and just added for weight.

    As for sealing the elm I need to do that asap.

    Question : Since the oak will be indoors and on a concreat slab. How high do I need to put the bottom of the pack of the ground? Do I need to put it on blocks if so how high?

  8. #22
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Warragul Vic
    Posts
    1,093

    Default

    TS, There is no need to leave stickers/ spacers sticking out from the sides of the pack. They are a hazard when walking around the stack in confined space especially and serve no purpose.

    The stack shown above looks by Bob looks good. If he wanted to reduce direct sun exposure he could apply some shade cloth over it to reduce direct sunlight and also reduce wind speed through the stack which accelerates drying (and surface checking).

    E

  9. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    bilpin
    Posts
    3,551

    Default

    As the OP was relating to Oak, it is important to make stacks suitable. The methods used for drying Eucs. doesn't always suit Oak. Boards should be placed hard against each other in each layer, this prevents initial rapid drying through the stack. It also helps keep the boards straight as this is the period in the drying process when tensions are released in the boards and bowing can occur. The boards will gradually shrink away from each other during the seasoning process which will allow more air to pass vertically through the stack as drying continues.
    10mm is a very thin sticker. This may or may not be a problem - If there is sufficient draft, no problem. If the stack is in relatively still air, the boards in the centre may become mouldy and there is no way of telling without pulling the pack apart and that is a problem.
    Normally I now use a 20mm sticker for most timber. For Oak I drop back to 13mm and have found that to work quite well in our climate and makes a happy medium between too rapid drying during warmer months and too smaller air space during the cooler months allowing mould to form.
    As with most hardwoods, case drying can be a real problem in warm, windy weather and this is the reason I prefer to lay the boards hard side by side.
    There is nothing worse than walking through the stacks during a hot north westerly listening to the snap crackle and pops.

  10. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    3,567

    Default

    the stack is only temp I will re stack once the oak and plane comes and then I plan to make a perfect 2.5 meter long x 1 meter wide by 1.25 meters high stack that is why the 1 meter sticks.

  11. #25
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    bilpin
    Posts
    3,551

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by thumbsucker View Post
    the stack is only temp I will re stack once the oak and plane comes and then I plan to make a perfect 2.5 meter long x 1 meter wide by 1.25 meters high stack that is why the 1 meter sticks.
    Plane will require a thicker sticker than 10mm. Mould stain is a real issue with this stuff.

  12. #26
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Warragul Vic
    Posts
    1,093

    Default

    Well I was invited to the sawing of this Oak log at Nilma (nearby) …. I arrived twice but missed Thumbsucker & the mill operator.

    But I did see the log first hand, twice, at 50% cut and 70 % cut stage, with all the milled timber taken away. A Lucas Mill it seems was used.

    I wont post pics or say more as I'd rather Thumbsucker do that . But I can tell you all this is te finest oak wood I have ever seen. Solid and with excellent rays on quarter-sawn faces. And the white painted end-sealer worked well from what I saw.

    BUT it was a hot day 30-32 C for this time of year, and I think they were thirsty for a beer break. If this timber comes up for sale it will make me wish I was 30 yrs younger and a "real" woodworker. Hope it dries well now for the lucky woodworker that will use it in 5 yrs or so.

    Euge


  13. #27
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    3,567

    Default

    Today I got up at 4am so I could get to Warragul by 7am to meet my sawmiller. Its now 7:30 pm and I am buggered and we only got 80% through the oak log. Tomorrow I will go back and we will finish milling the oak and and then the 4 Plane logs still need to be done.

    We milled the oak into larger boards, mostly a bunch of 100 x 250, then a bunch at 70 x 250 and a few odd sizes. We also milled out three slabs at 60mm thick. Once it dries and warps and I flatten I expect it will come down to a more reasonable 45mm. The slabs are 2700 x 1400 x 60mm. They were a female dog to move manually.

    Tomorrow we will mill the remaining stock at 50mm.

    All went well we only struck a small cluster of small nails in two boards. It left the black blue stain in the wood.

    Eugene dropped in twice but we missed him both times. Once we were having a beer at the pup and the second time we had packed up for the day.

    The oak has amazing figure and colour. It is interesting watch it change colour when it is freshly sawn its very brown, then it fades and the colour goes beige before it starts to darken again going sepia in tone.

    It was interesting to see the Lucas mill in action. It took a while to set it up and lining up the rails and getting everything level and inline. But once it was done the process of actually cutting the logs went fast enough.

    For a modest investment of $1750 I will end up with 2 cubes of English Oak and 2 cubes of plane. So I am happy with that.

    The stuff that was milled today was brought back to my place and just stacked in the driveway. I will move the boards into the sun room at the rear of the house over the period of a week.

    I have to shower eat and sleep will update with more tomorrow.

    Here are some photos:

    IMG_0134.jpg IMG_0136.jpgIMG_0137.jpgIMG_0138.jpgIMG_0139.jpgIMG_0140.jpgIMG_0143.jpgIMG_0145.jpgIMG_0146.jpgIMG_0148.jpgIMG_0149.jpgIMG_0151.jpgIMG_0155.jpg IMG_0156.jpgIMG_0157.jpgIMG_0158.jpgIMG_0161.jpgIMG_0164.jpgIMG_0165.jpgIMG_0166.jpg IMG_0167.jpgIMG_0168.jpg
    Attached Images Attached Images

  14. #28
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    3,567

    Default

    Yesterday I went back to finish the milling the weather was bad so we spent the day in wind and rain.


    We did quick work finishing the oak log cutting the remainder into 60mm boards. I opted for 60mm because can always resaw a board in half to get two book matched 20 to 30mm thick boards. Also 60mm gives me allot flexibility for legs.


    We managed to get a fair amount of 60 x ~250mm Quarter sawn Plane Tree boards. The grain is spectacular.


    Unfortunately one of the plane logs was riddle with rot. Most was cut into firewood with a few pieces being cut into bearers for stacking.


    In the end we ended up with two loads of timber.


    Now the process of moving the boards from the driveway to the back of the house for stacking. I will post photos. The plan is to put down six bearers and then put down a layer of 100mm thick oak, then the next level will be the slabs and then stacking everything on top. with the shorter / narrower odds and ends placed nearer to the top of the stack.

    I was thinking that the best of the slabs will be left whole for a trestle table I am designing but the other two will be cut up into seats for some Windsor chairs and benches.




    IMG_0169.jpgIMG_0170.jpgIMG_0171.jpgIMG_0172.jpgIMG_0174.jpgIMG_0179.jpgIMG_0180.jpgIMG_0181.jpgIMG_0185.jpg IMG_0186.jpg

  15. #29
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    3,567

    Default

    I am buggered but I have to plod on.

    This morning I started sorting and stickering the Plane boards.

    I opted to put them in the sun room at the rear if the house. It is not as hot as the metal shed, it has windows with screens so I can get good airflow. And frankly I have no other place to put them.

    I tried to apply as much as the advice as I could do. I still need to reseal the ends of the boards better. I will use PVA I have used it in the past and will and found applied thickly over multiple coats it works well.

    The oak is still in the driveway but I am finished for the day after moving the plane boards.

    Photo 5 are the bearers that I put down for the oak. I carried one oak board but at 2700 x 250 x 60mm it is bloody heavy. No need to mention the 100mm thick boards and the three slabs.
    It's really a two plus man job. I may have to pay some people to help me. Since I am newish to the area I have no friends in the area that I can ask for help.

    I am now sitting down and enjoying a few well deserved glasses of homebrew an easy drinking American Wheat Beer. Great clarity, nice head with a touch of hop bitterness.

    IMG_0187.jpg IMG_0188.jpgIMG_0189.jpgIMG_0190.jpg IMG_0192.jpg IMG_0193.jpg IMG_0194.jpg IMG_0195.jpg IMG_0196.jpg

  16. #30
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Warragul Vic
    Posts
    1,093

    Default

    What a great story and finish (well almost) .. the beer is a good finish I bet after a hard 2 days of milling, stacking and unstacking. Well done. At least you have some beautiful wood to show for it all and quarter sawing is the best way to go . You did well.
    I guess when they are dried they will be finished (by my standards) and when made into something by others. I look forward to hearing the ongoing story and seeing you again on my return. The IWCS President wants to see my pile when I return so I better do some tidying and cutting too.

    Sorry I could not help. If I was younger, fitter and less committed right now before going to Canberra, I would.

    best regards, Euge

Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. KD VicAsh Cubic Meter Price
    By thumbsucker in forum TIMBER
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 24th June 2016, 09:26 AM
  2. Replies: 5
    Last Post: 9th July 2015, 09:48 PM
  3. Celery Top Pine Planks, rough sawn, half a cubic meter
    By robyn2839 in forum WOODWORK - GENERAL
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 15th October 2010, 08:28 AM
  4. Maths: Converting Cubic Meter into (1000 L x 120 W x 25 H) boards
    By thumbsucker in forum WOODWORK - GENERAL
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: 19th May 2007, 02:38 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •