12 March 2005, 06:09
ClarkDrying Northcoasthardwoods Claro Walnut ?
ebay aution I wonI got 4 heavy pieces of wood 2 days after I paid.
That's fast service, but the endgrains are sealed with a wax and the side grains are sealed with a petrolium based product [by the odor] and these need allot of drying.
Anyone dry this species before?
I have done Alaskan Yellow Cedar 2x6s, and it took 2 years for the weight to stablize.
12 March 2005, 06:19
Glen71Most walnut needs at least 2 years to air dry, and 3 is better.
12 March 2005, 07:47
CustomstoxClark,
I have dried English Walnut from Chico before. The guy I bought it from said birds were landing in it the week before (fresh cut). It took 3 years in Eastern Washington where it is very dry. I can only imagine you will be at least 4. Weight it and write the weights and dates on the stock.
12 March 2005, 10:13
kaboomClark,
what ever you do, don't remove the wax from the end grain or try to force the drying process. The old rule of thumb is to expect it to take 1 year per inch of thickness but a lot depends on temp and humidity.
13 March 2005, 06:48
ClarkI read Hoadley's "Understanding Wood".
http://www.taunton.com/store/pages/070490.aspI understand how the relative humidity maps on to the equilibrium moisture content in a "S" shaped tranform. And the content is linear with expansions radial, tangential, and longitudanal, each with thier own coeffiecients.
If the tangential and radial coefficients are not the same [only seems to be in boxwood] then the wood can crack on the ends if it drys too fast. It may check anyway.
So I will weigh, mark, and wait, weigh, mark, and wait.