Milling oak

[Big J]

Drying time I find is around 8 weeks for 2" oak.

 

It takes a bit of time playing around kilning wood. Wastage isn't too bad but then the stuff I make I don't have to worry about the odd crack or 5

 

Impressive stuff Rob! I haven't any issues getting 1.5 inch Oak dry (and thicker boards of other species) but the 2 inch stuff has required 11-12 weeks, not 8.

 

That said, I keep changing my mind about drying methods, and am going to try heat vent for the next one!

[agg221]

Hi, I have milled/had milled quite a lot of wide oak for canal boats - 2" for hull planks and 3" for bottoms now you can't get elm easily. To be honest, I've found you can get away with a lot. When through-and-through sawing the ones nearest the centre are most stable, and I do split clean up the centre as soon as the throat will reach, as I don't want a boxed heart, and I paint the end with cheap oil-based gloss to slow down differential drying. I then just stack in the shade with good thick sticks - say 1in for 3ft boards to let air through, cover the top not the sides and leave to dry.

 

I don't find a bit of windblown rain matters, and I find oak resistant enough to rot that any mould is surface only. However, sapwood is strictly sacrificial and I don't mill between end of April and start of Sept to avoid surface checking, which is controllable but too much effort!

 

HTH

 

Alec

[ashman]

Cheers Alec.

 

I am looking into doing some milling in the next week or so, will have to see how i get on.

 

Rob.

[agg221]

Hi Rob,

 

Your other question was about green vs. dead. I've usually used dead - standing or otherwise. They seem to dry out so slowly that a 3ft butt with the bark still on is still wringing wet after 10yrs lying! As such, it doesn't seem to make much difference, just pick the nicest looking one.

 

Alec

[ashman]

Hi.

Yes i will certainly be using dead as thats all that i have available now, all the green stuff has been cleared for this year, but i have a few dead ones still standing and a few on the deck i have already dropped.

 

Rob.

[TrollSpiel]

ditto everyone else...

 

slow I found is the key with oak.. the first 3" slabs I cut (55cm <--> ) warped more than the starship enterprise in the kiln - but then I'm not scared by a little joinery, so I didn't mind. I think it's a temperamental wood to dry well.

 

I also found the 2" oak boards taking about 8 weeks so far to 16%.

 

best results i've had so far are with yew, cherry, cedar...

 

I can wholly recommend milling and furniture making.

 

BTW, Rob, ive got some 8ft 120cm wide, 2" (and a few 3") chestnut slabs to kiln dry, how long? - butt had been sitting for a few years.

[Rob D]

I suppose in theory in a kiln they would still be the same as thinner slabs so 8 weeks ish for 2" but does depend on your kiln.

 

As said above it doesn't really seem to matter if the butts been down a few years as it'll still be wet!