Day: February 19, 2013

Preparing the Drying area

Alright! Now that the log is ready, I need to get started on a place to stack and dry. It needs to be straight and flat. If it is not straight, your fresh lumber wont be straight. I just happen to have a cement slab and cinder blocks I can use. I laid the cinder blocks with a 8 inch gap between them and made it 32 inches long. 2 1/2 cinder blocks in each of 6 rows.

Pecan Drying base
Pecan Drying base

The big deal here is, your lumber will be as flat as your drying area. The rule of thumb for air drying lumber is 1 year time for every inch of thickness. So you also need to choose a spot that can be occupied for at least a year, most likely longer. It will also need to be protected from the weather in your area.

Next Step, Getting it milled….

Picking up and Prepairing the Log

For a while, I have been wanting to make something by starting at the log. Preparing it and getting it milled. Then stacking, sticking, and drying. Then thinking of what to build and doing it.

We recently came across a Pecan log for free off Craig’s list. It was quite a nice log, about 27 inches wide and 68 inches long. We went to pick it up and quickly discovered how heavy a log that size is. We called a friend, used a floor jack, a couple 2×4’s, several straps and a second truck. We finally got it on the trailer! Sweet success:

Next up, Sealing the ends. This should be done as soon after falling the tree as possible. The folks I got it from say it was cut down in May 2012, it now Feburary 2013. I used Anchor Seal, kind of pricey at $19 a quart but everything I read said this stuff is the bomb.

I put on 2 coats, it goes on white but drys clear and has a waxy feeling to it. I was also told oil based paint will work. What ever you use, put it on before you go to the mill. It would be a real PIA to coat every piece of milled lumber.

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