Air drying black walnut
8/14/18
I have recently moved some 5/4 black walnut into the shop in preparation for an upcoming project. The material has been air drying under cover and stickered at the clients house since December. It’s currently sitting at about 15% MC.
The shop runs about 80-85 degrees this time of year; no AC. As I’m in the Southeast I run a big dehumidifier to keep it around 50% relative humidity inside.
I’m comfortable using the material between 10%-12%. Yeah, 7 would be better, but we’re not getting there. Does anyone have a guess as to how long that last 5% MC change will take? Still stickered.
Side note: other air dried material (cypress and heart pine) that’s been in the shop for a while is sitting at 9%.
8/14/18 #2: Air drying black walnut ...
Do you have an attic in your house or business? It can be used and will get to a lower MC...just not too much lumber at one time in the attic.
8/15/18 #4: Air drying black walnut ...
No attic, just the shop environment. How low does the ambient RH have to be to facilitate drying?
8/16/18 #5: Air drying black walnut ...
Does anyone have a guess about the timeline to go from 15%MC to 10%MC at 80°F 50%RH?
2 months?
6 months?
8/16/18 #6: Air drying black walnut ...
I would expect the shell (outer 25%) would reach 9.3% MC in a few weeks, but the core would likely not get under 10.5% MC efforts many months. In other words, at 80 F and 50%RH, there is not much gradient and moisture movement.