Project:Drying Timber

ProjectInfoBox Drying Timber
Status:	ongoing
Release Date:	started in 2016, first products in 2018
Initiator:	Lukas
Team:	Luzian, Patrick; kind contributions from Airlag, Narquadah & Jaggi2
Materials Used:	various kinds of wood; wood glue, paraffin, clear lacquer
Tools Used:	chainsaw, pocket chainsaw, hacksaw, drawknife
Approx. Cost:	mostly time & space

Before actively looking for sources of unprocessed timber or rough-cut boards for woodturning blanks or projects like a "river table", I want to experiment with drying and storage techniques to see which works best. Drying too fast will cause the wood to crack while incomplete drying allows fungi to grow.

Here you'll find my experiences! Different woods are tested as they probably won't behave alike.

• some photos
• 

  apple logs in late 2016

• 

  apple discs in late 2016

• 

  the pine log in late 2016

• 

  cherry, ash, maple and another log in late 2017

Progress/Results

Species	(Early) Photo	Approx. Dimensions	Source	Treatment	Storage	Outcome	Use	Notes
yew		two logs	Airlag	none	Lukas' workbench since 2019-2-6; garage approx. 5 years before that	shorter log: single straight crack down the middle (bark to center)	Würfelturm (2023)
pine		log	forest (left over by workers a few weeks before <???>)	bark mostly gone already, no further treatment	uninsulated attic since 2016-9-25	not too great	(poor) chop block, then firewood (2017-5)	first "attempt" without any effort, no big surprise...
beech		log	sawn from fallen tree <???>	one side splintered, no special treatment	uninsulated attic since <???>	surprisingly okay, no continuous splits	mallet head (2020)
apple		three logs approx. ø 8 × 45 cm	orchard	cut into pieces for various approaches: 1.5 cm discs with and without bark untreated log log with cut faces painted over log with bark removed and cut faces painted over	garage (logs) or basement/attic (discs) since 2016-10-3 Lukas' workbench since <???>		captive ring baby rattles (2019 & 2024) also planned: more woodturning
cherry		small piece	gardener at the JKI Dossenheim (2016-12)	cut faces painted after two months outside double coat of clear lacquer too late - already had several cracks	uninsulated attic since 2017-2-20 Lukas' workbench since 2017-12-17 at least
maple		small piece	gardener at the JKI Dossenheim (2016-12)	cut faces painted after two months outside double coat of clear lacquer too late - already had several cracks	uninsulated attic since 2017-2-20 Lukas' workbench since 2017-12-17 at least
beech		small log	sawn from fallen tree (2017-2-5)	cut faces painted after two weeks outside double coat of clear lacquer already too late!	uninsulated attic since 2017-2-20 Lukas' workbench since 2017-12-17 at least			"marbled" with some kind of fungus (spalting)
Robinia		large log	sawn from fallen tree 2017-10-21	(top) cut face painted when brought to the Space double coat of wood glue and water mixture left standing upright	garage since 2017-10-21 Lukas' workbench since 2017-10-31	nice overall, some cracks (could have started before treatment)	wedding cake stand (2018-4)
apple		small log	uncle's firewood pile 2018-10-7 (cut approx. 6 months earlier)	cut faces sealed 2018-10-8 paraffin (dripped from burning candles)	balcony until <???>, then Lukas' workbench
ash		small log	uncle's firewood pile 2018-10-7 (cut approx. 6 months earlier)	cut faces sealed 2018-10-8 paraffin (microwaved candle stumps and drops from burning candles)	balcony until <???>, then Lukas' workbench
beech		small log	uncle's firewood pile 2018-10-7 (cut approx. 6 months earlier)	cut faces sealed 2018-10-8 paraffin (microwaved candle stumps and drops from burning candles)	balcony until <???>, then Lukas' workbench
ash		large log with "handle" branch	roadside (left over by workers a few days before 2018-3-3)	cut faces covered when brought to the Space paraffin (melted with heat gun right on the wood)	put under Lukas' workbench immediately (2018-3-3)		planned: axe/hammer handles
unknown - maybe apple?		small log	spring cutting in gardens 2019-1-29	cut faces covered with two coats of wood glue 2019-2-4	stored on balcony at first Lukas' workbench since 2019-2-28
unknown - willow, linden, poplar, ash, alder or sycamore??		two thick logs: ø 37 × 20 cm ø 34 × 27 cm	Narquadah (cut around 2018-10)	cut faces covered with wood glue 2019-2-13	put under Lukas' workbench immediately; removed upon discovery of boring beetles 2019-2-27; brought back in 2020-3-21	probably failed due to insect infestation - waited too long after felling	planned: bowl turning
zwetschge (yup, that's the English name)		nearly an entire tree: ø 14 × 100 cm ø 12 × 55 cm ø 10 × 30 cm ø 8 × 80/55/35 cm ø 6 × 55/35 cm ø 5 × 60 cm	grandma's garden 2019-2-18	cut faces covered with tree wound sealant (silicone or wood glue-based by the smell of it?) on the same day the fungizide part of the sealant is not necessary, but this is what we had at hand the largest log was also stripped of its bark smallest piece (wedge) sealed with paraffin instead	carport "attic" little wedge brought inside immediately		planned: at least some furniture & knife scales
pear		two medium branches: ø 7 × 45 cm ø 5 × 40 cm	grandma's garden 2019-2-18	cut faces covered with tree wound sealant (silicone or wood glue-based by the smell of it?) on the same day the fungizide part of the sealant is not necessary, but this is what we had at hand	carport "attic"		planned: ornamental woodturning
tree of heaven (Götterbaum)		leftover pieces from log splitting	Micha/scrap bin 2019-5-29	split 2019-5-28, no further treatment	Lukas' workbench after splitting		mallet handle also planned: carving or woodturning
wild cherry		two logs: not measured yet	garden 2019-10-26	faces sealed with wood glue 2019-10-27 & 2019-10-28 (3x over existing small checks); smaller log stripped of its bark	balcony since 2019-10-27; Lukas' workbench since 2020-3-21	stripped log soon became cracked, the one with intact bark "survived" the balcony period well	planned: furniture
cherry		old branch from long-dead tree	garden 2020-3-28	rotten portion chopped off with a hatchet, split in half; sawn into boards after about a month	outside	superficial splits had already formed - should have been cut into boards even earlier	boards
cherry		curved young log	garden 2019-2-2	faces sealed with wood glue; curved section sawn in half lengthwise 2020-3	Lukas' workbench since 2019-2-28	cut into straight and curved section 2020-2-20 - seemed rather nice already	tapered rolling pin for Patrick (2020) key holder for climbing enthusiasts (2023)

Further Ideas

• get/make a moisture meter
• there is an Instructable on kiln drying at home, but it seems to require lots of space and electricity
• try cheaper and ecologically safer options than clear lacquer for painting cut faces
  • wood glue and water mixture ✔
  • paraffin (candle wax) ✔
• wood discs can reportedly be placed in a bucket of sawdust to dry, be treated with "wood hardener" or weighed down in a stack and rotated every few weeks
  • not tried yet, but as they are really hard to dry it's best to not cut the timber into discs when still fresh!
• thin-walled bowls turned out of "green", non-dried wood can supposedly by dried in triple paper bags without checking (cracking) ^[1]
  • completely different approach, could allow to skip the drying step for some projects?

• write down some of this "theory" part more nicely
  • drying speed with grain, role of bark, importance to cover faces
  • start with long pieces - gives you room to cut off cracked ends