Drying Roundwood stacks before processing

[SbTVF]

That's a 25K investment although I expect once you have built up to that level of stock held it gets forgotten about providing you keep stock held at that level.
Drying in this manner is certainly to be applauded and can be sustained for the long term.
 
How long do your breathable covers last and what width do you generally buy?

Yes very much so, the money is set aside for it and just keeps rolling round into it for the most part. Apart from out of log season when I'm cutting away and having more deliveres but very little sold of course.

There's thousands set aside in bags too and 100 IBC'S but it's the only way to keep up with the rush come autumn.

The first one we bought is on the left stack. It's 2 years old and doesn't look a day older than the newest that arrived last week. I'm expecting 5 years at least from them.

I've only been able to get hold of 4m wide stuff. All our roundwood is in 3m lengths anyway. Don't think extra overhang would be beneficial in the least.

[arboriculturist]

4 minutes ago, SbTVF said:

Yes very much so, the money is set aside for it and just keeps rolling round into it for the most part. Apart from out of log season when I'm cutting away and having more deliveres but very little sold of course.

There's thousands set aside in bags too and 100 IBC'S but it's the only way to keep up with the rush come autumn.

The first one we bought is on the left stack. It's 2 years old and doesn't look a day older than the newest that arrived last week. I'm expecting 5 years at least from them. 

I've only been able to get hold of 4m wide stuff. All our roundwood is in 3m lengths anyway. Don't think extra overhang would be beneficial in the least.

The first one we bought is on the left stack. It's 2 years old and doesn't look a day older than the newest that arrived last week. I'm expecting 5 years at least from them. "

Do you mean it will take 5 years to get the MC down to your required level?  Given the ongoing rise in timber prices I am looking at forward planning to try to negate this where possible and increasing our stack drying seems a way forward. We pay around £25 for IBC's delivered, so another 500 of these equates to 12.5 K.  This is when stack drying starts to look more and more attractive.

 

Thanks for all your advice, much appreciated.

 

 

[SbTVF]

 

 

 

Do you mean it will take 5 years to get the MC down to your required level?  Given the ongoing rise in timber prices I am looking at forward planning to try to negate this where possible and increasing our stack drying seems a way forward. We pay around £25 for IBC's delivered, so another 500 of these equates to 12.5 K.  This is when stack drying starts to look more and more attractive.

 

Thanks for all your advice, much appreciated.

 

 

 

No, at least 5 years use out of them if not much longer.

 

I'd definitely be storing far more if I could. You have to take it when it's offered too so you stay in the loop. We tend to have a load in almost every fortnight if we have the space.

 

IBC'S are half the price here too. I hate them though. I spend far more time moving them and fixing them than I do filling them in sure.

 

 

[arboriculturist]

5 years use from that sheeting is a pleasant surprise.  Surely with the system you have in place air drying you are approaching putting the  forced drying on a back burner. Perhaps just crate them up for the final 2-3 months. What are your views on this strategy? ?

[SbTVF]

5 years use from that sheeting is a pleasant surprise.  Surely with the system you have in place air drying you are approaching putting the  forced drying on a back burner. Perhaps just crate them up for the final 2-3 months. What are your views on this strategy? [emoji57]

If I could store enough in sheds to get me past Christmas I'd consider it but my brother keeps putting sheep and other things in there!! When we get a specific sheep shed put up it might be a different story though.

If it's about 20% when it goes in the kiln it only takes 2-3 days instead of 7! That's a huge increase in output. Customers are so so fussy in this area I wouldn't want to risk our logs not being sub 15%.

[carpenter1]

How is everyone getting on with their covers, I am considering getting some.

Where is best to buy from and what 

[carpenter1]

On 04/03/2019 at 19:36, arboriculturist said:

5 years use from that sheeting is a pleasant surprise.  Surely with the system you have in place air drying you are approaching putting the  forced drying on a back burner. Perhaps just crate them up for the final 2-3 months. What are your views on this strategy? ?

 

On 04/03/2019 at 19:14, SbTVF said:

 

 

 

 

 

No, at least 5 years use out of them if not much longer.

 

I'd definitely be storing far more if I could. You have to take it when it's offered too so you stay in the loop. We tend to have a load in almost every fortnight if we have the space.

 

IBC'S are half the price here too. I hate them though. I spend far more time moving them and fixing them than I do filling them in sure.

 

 

How are you finding the covers lasting?

Where is best to buy them?