CSM newbie question

[BrettL]

Hello. I've read the posts here and learned a lot. Can I mill green logs? If so, should I coat the entire board with something or would that be counterproductive? If this is pheasable, I'd really appreciate any tips and tricks for stacking and storage while drying and other inforMarion. Thank you.

 

[paragonbuilder]

I'm no expert. But I believe it's best to seal the end grain, sticker the stacks with the same species, and weight it to minimize twisting.
Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can enlighten us further.
@junkman, @quietfly

 

[Iron.and.bark]

Hello. I've read the posts here and learned a lot. Can I mill green logs? If so, should I coat the entire board with something or would that be counterproductive? If this is pheasable, I'd really appreciate any tips and tricks for stacking and storage while drying and other inforMarion. Thank you.

I really need to start a csm FAQ for here.

Milling green is fine.

Only seal ends of the timber as fundamentally what happens when timber splits is the end grain dries out disproportionately faster than the rest of the piece. You seal ends to reduce moisture loss from the end grain, so hopefully dries even with rest off piece.

Sticker, have never been to concerned with what timber the stickers are made out of. Even been using chip board when it is available. Certain species may stain and require particular stickers, but not something I have experienced.

Make sure that your stickers line up, they should all be above each other with the slab in between. Depending on piece size, I like 1 sticker for each 2-3 feet of slab.

 

[junkman]

I have better luck milling doug fir right away after it is fell,once it drys it gets pretty hard ,cedar is more forgiving being softer,it can be milled years later ,i have never painted the ends ,but i cut my boards a little longer than i need to trim the ends.i just use the wayned edges i cut off for the stickers,do not store in direct sunlight the boards will warp

 

[Jimmy in NC]

Milling early is your friend. Ideally seal the ends ASAP after the log is cut and should have to mess with it again. Think of commercial cutting, logs do not sit and wait for them to dry. Logs leave the woods, get graded, and head to the de-barker and then to the carriage deck.

Stickers should be real simple, I like to use grade/forming stakes from your favorite supply house/Lowes/Home Depot, etc. Also look at the "junk wood" cart while there. This is a simple thing. Only thing I avoid is treated wood for stickers.

As for drying, try to find a place with little direct light and I find a piece of two of roofing tin over the pile makes a nice self supporting cover. Remember to stack them where air can freely move and ideally not a good spot for rodents to try to setup residence.

 

[Wolverine]

This is the stuff for end grain only. Proper flat foundation and the sticker/stack is the way.

 

[quietfly]

Milling early is your friend. Ideally seal the ends ASAP after the log is cut and should have to mess with it again. Think of commercial cutting, logs do not sit and wait for them to dry. Logs leave the woods, get graded, and head to the de-barker and then to the carriage deck.

Stickers should be real simple, I like to use grade/forming stakes from your favorite supply house/Lowes/Home Depot, etc. Also look at the "junk wood" cart while there. This is a simple thing. Only thing I avoid is treated wood for stickers.

As for drying, try to find a place with little direct light and I find a piece of two of roofing tin over the pile makes a nice self supporting cover. Remember to stack them where air can freely move and ideally not a good spot for rodents to try to setup residence.

This.

 

[quietfly]

all things been equal Airflow is king.
Providing the wood a clear path of air and it pretty much goes on it's own.

 

[mdavlee]

I have had good luck drying some on their edge leaned on a wall in a stack. They warped less than stacked with cover

 

[junkman]

Make sure boards are not covered in sawdust when stacking ,they will start to mold from it .

 

[paragonbuilder]

I have had good luck drying some on their edge leaned on a wall in a stack. They warped less than stacked with cover

Can you paint me a picture Mike?

 

[mdavlee]

Lean them up on a wall on an edge down like a door is laying there.

 

[paragonbuilder]

Lean them up on a wall on an edge down like a door is laying there.

Like this


Do you sticker and stack rows on top of each other?

 

[mdavlee]

Yes. No stickers. Takes longer to dry though

 

[junkman]

I left a 3 inch thick cedar slab on sawhorses ,when the sun hit it it cupped bad ,i got lucky and flipped it over and it straitened back out ,I have heard of guys leaving warped boards in the lawn overnight ,and something about the morning dew and the sun straitens them out .

 

[paragonbuilder]

I left a 3 inch thick cedar slab on sawhorses ,when the sun hit it it cupped bad ,i got lucky and flipped it over and it straitened back out ,I have heard of guys leaving warped boards in the lawn overnight ,and something about the morning dew and the sun straitens them out .

That is cool! Do you have to put cup up or down? Or does it matter?

 

[junkman]

That is cool! Do you have to put cup up or down? Or does it matter?

It cupped up when it sat in the sun so i turned cup down and it went the other way ,I think if do a search on fine homebuildings site there may be an article on straitening bent trim ,i get emails from them it was in an old email .
This search has some talk about it .
http://forums.finewoodworking.com/f...general-discussion/straightening-bowed-boards

 

[Iron.and.bark]

I left a 3 inch thick cedar slab on sawhorses ,when the sun hit it it cupped bad ,i got lucky and flipped it over and it straitened back out ,I have heard of guys leaving warped boards in the lawn overnight ,and something about the morning dew and the sun straitens them out .

Also used concrete to do this with aswell.

 

[huskytime]

I had a local guy tell me he had success using PVC pipe for stickers, any thoughts?

 

[Wolverine]

How do you stop it from rolling?