air drying hardwood lumber in missoula, montana

http://www.permies.com

I've heard that hardwood lumber needs to be kiln dried. So when Mark Vander Meer told me he air dries everything, I whipped out the camera. Mark shows off stacks of maple and birch that have been air dried.

The dried maple shows a false weight with wedges.

Mark tries to sell the wood as a complete log.

You can see a little checking (cracking), but it is only on the ends.

This wood is all urban harvested.

Mark reports that furniture makers and wood carvers prefer air dried wood.

Mark's operation is all about sustainable forestry. You can learn more about mark at http://www.vanwild.com/

On location in the great city of missoula, montana. Mark's shop is near the train tracks and you can hear the trains in the background.

Visit the woodland care forum at permies: http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/25.0

Discussion about air drying lumber vs. kiln drying: http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/4782_0/woodland-care/air-drying-vs...

paul wheaton permaculture

Music provided by Jimmy Pardo!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• lumber
• wood
• dry
• kiln
• air
• missoula
• montana
• permaculture
• green
• eco
• organic
• forest
• woodland

[localcrew]

Air-dried lumber is suitable for some things but not all things. Any application where you'll have lumber indoors and side-to-side will amplify the effects of shrinkage. Like hardwood floors. Even in other applications there's one area of kiln-drying that can't be duplicated by air-drying: Killing borer beetle larvae. If you don't kiln-dry your lumber then don't be surprised if you start seeing piles of sawdust underneath your cabinets and fine furniture. Solar kilns are nice.

[kenfo0]

I find it bizarre you work in the wood industry but don't have a wood-based skill (carpentry or some wood-working art?). Perhaps not as odd as it first strikes me...

[McCartanTransport]

So if I understand this right, this lumber is exposed to rain, snow and all the other elements and dries just fine?

[tribalwind]

nice one paul,

this is how i dry all the urban trees i mill ,

i use almost all of it myself, it efinately is nicer to work with than kilned wood..especially for woodturning...

some species or trees will twist,some cup and some crack(which i like to enhance rather than try hiding) more than other . much can be due to that individual trees location and life.wind-shake and other external stresses for one thing...it is imperative that you seal the endgrain immediately with wax to slow the drying.

[tiroler537]

Thats what i would call Premium hard wood ,and great for making fine furniture