Thread: Kiln drying red gum

Your question needs more info. How thick is the material, what is the width, type of kiln drying. Has the timber been air dried.
Yes it can be dried but it takes longer to dry.

I air dried 120 X 40 planks. I laid them out on a rack and bolted the lot down. Even then, some planks came out twisted. I started drying at the end of summer and stored it at the south side of the shed for 2 years. In that time I turned it a few times, made sure the ends were sealed etc but it still crunched pine spacers. The first lot I did worked great, the second lot 40% turned to shavings. So I guess its a bit of a gamble, one at my age I wont try again.

[QUOTE=rrobor;1322108]I air dried 120 X 40 planks. I laid them out on a rack and bolted the lot down. Even then, some planks came out twisted. I started drying at the end of summer and stored it at the south side of the shed for 2 years. In that time I turned it a few times, made sure the ends were sealed etc but it still crunched pine spacers. The first lot I did worked great, the second lot 40% turned to shavings. So I guess its a bit of a gamble, one at my age I wont try again.

[/He who has not tried has failed]
You could try again but this time placeing old timer on top to create weight use redgum stickers at 400 spacers and no more than 100mm from the ends.
We are never to old

Would have agreed with you if the wood was qulity, it looked OK wet, but when dry had a lot of insect damage etc.
A friend who was brought up on the river stated that redgum needed flooded once every 10 to 15 years to stay healthy and that did not happen so most of the river red gums were sick.
This means the wood quality along the Victoria border is poor and will be for years, Sure there may be a good log or two but chances are the average guy wont get that.
I used threaded half inch rod with a bar top and bottom at about 40 cm gaps, tightned the nuts once a week and it still twisted, Wood that wants to twist has the ability to sink large washers into pine.

ok cheers guys it will be minimum of about 50mm and max of about 150mm i m not sure what the length and width will be i was just after a general idea cheers guy