Lumber Grading, Quality, and Small Mills
Here's an extended discussion of the public policy issues involved in lumber grading, and construction using un-graded lumber, as seen from the point of view of the small sawmill operator. May 18, 2010

Developing Software to Calculate Wood Kiln Schedules
The wood drying process is complex, and involves many inter-related variables. So creating software to determine drying schedules is a challenge. June 13, 2014

Managing Mold while Drying Cookies with Pentacryl
In a specialized air-drying situation, a woodworker puzzles over how to deal with surface fungus growth. April 20, 2011

Has Buried Metal Ever Ruined Your Day?
Bicycle sprockets, unexploded ordinance ... you never know what you're going to find in a tree. Here are the tales of buried metal contributed by Woodweb members competing to win a metal detector. The contest is over, but the stories (like spikes in a tree) last forever. April 15, 2013

Controlling Drying Conditions and Monitoring Progress
Here's a lively, sometimes contentious, and very informative thread about how to ensure quality control when drying lumber in a variety of different kiln types with different control systems and instrumentation. July 16, 2012

Electronic RH sensors
Can electronic relative humidity sensors stand up to the elements in dry kilns? May 2, 2001

Glued-Down Wide Pine Flooring
A long discussion of installation methods for wide board floors. August 21, 2006

Wood and Water
An excerpt from Gene Wengert's book, "Drying Oak Lumber." May 31, 2001


Wood Drying Conditions and Musical Instrument Sound Quality
Instrument makers, musicians, and sawing and drying pros discuss whether kiln-dried or air-dried wood affect the way a musical instrument sounds. February 14, 2010

Is Kiln Drying to 7% Worth It?
Why kiln dry wood to 7% moisture content when it will gain moisture in storage? Here's an informative thread about proper drying targets and storage based on the intended end use of the lumber. December 31, 2013

Dehumidifier Kiln Advice
Detailed conversation about building, equipping, and operating a dehumidifier kiln to dry lumber. September 10, 2007

Lubricating band mill blades
Options for lubricating your blades, including environmentally-friendly ones. April 17, 2002

Humidity Control, Warping, and Case-Hardening
Maintaining the right drying conditions is a tricky problem, and improper control can lead to defects in the lumber. January 2, 2012

Home-Built Dehumidification Kilns
Here's a long discussion of small, inexpensive dehumidifier kiln design, including a consideration of the fire risks involved. September 17, 2012

Self Air-Drying Versus Kiln-Drying
Carefully air-drying wood yourself may be preferable to trusting the load to a less-than-perfect kiln-drying operation. January 18, 2011

Electric Moisture Meters
A guide for using portable electric moisture meters on lumber. May 3, 2001

Air-Dried Oak for Furniture
In theory, kiln-drying is better; but people have successfully made furniture from air-dried hardwood. April 20, 2011

End Joint Splitting in Table Glue-Ups
Here's a long troubleshooting discussion about splits that form at the end joints between boards in a round table top. August 29, 2014

Troubleshooting Mold on Oak in the Drying Kiln
A question about a mold problem leads to a discussion about process control and kiln conditions. June 13, 2014

Dry lumber kiln -- buying your first
Business and technical considerations when getting started in kiln drying. March 19, 2001

Home DH for drying lumber
Home dehumidifiers versus bought kilns for drying wood. September 2, 2002

Calculating moisture content
Using a hygrometer and calculator to determine the MC of kiln samples. September 2, 2002

Cutting crotch wood
Details on the right equipment and techniques to get the job done. March 4, 2002

Sawing and Hewing Timbers in the Bush
For a project in Africa, advice about working timbers for framing. November 25, 2008

Ripping and Re-Gluing to Limit Cupping
The Wood Doc weighs in on the old-timer technique of ripping and re-gluing boards in order to lessen moisture-related cupping. February 19, 2008

Ambient Humidity and Wood Moisture Content
A problem of wood warping in a dry basement storage area leads to a discussion of temperature, relative humidity, and wood moisture. July 10, 2007

Air-Drying Versus Kiln-Drying for High-Value Wood
Done right, kiln-drying gives you better control over quality. June 9, 2007

Converting A Shipping Container to a Drying Kiln
Design, construction, and operation info from folks who've done it. February 26, 2005

Evaluating a Down Oregon White Oak
Sawyers advise a colleague on how to assess the quality of lumber he's likely to get from a White Oak that has been on the ground for two years. July 10, 2007

Accuracy and Tolerances in Humidity Measurement in a Drying Kiln
Super precision is rarely critical in wood drying, but reasonable accuracy is helpful. Here's a discussion of RH measuring precision, and its importance for maintaining proper real-world kiln conditions. July 29, 2012

Choosing a Moisture Meter
A well-informed discussion comparing the cost and characteristics of various pin and pinless moisture meters. October 11, 2012

Bowing in Pine Staves After Planing
Here's a good explanation of why lumber may move after being planed — and why that is not easy to correct. January 20, 2010

Mixed-Species Loads and Moisture Equalization
Kiln-drying Spruce and Fir together creates difficulty, because they dry at radically different rates and because there is moisture transfer between boards. June 13, 2014

Drying Oak Lumber: Step 7, Storage
The Wood Doctor discusses how to protect dried lumber from damage during storage. August 27, 2012

Moisture Meter Accuracy
Moisture meters aren't perfectly accurate, and wood moisture content can also vary within a piece. October 25, 2006

Drying and Sawing Tips for Gun Stocks
Advice on how to dry and saw walnut for use as gun stock blanks. August 21, 2006

Longitudinal Versus Tangential Stress
A discussion of how to evaluate and troubleshoot drying stress in kiln-dried lumber. June 13, 2014

Double-Checking Moisture Content
You can check your moisture meter by drying wood samples and weighing them, but the method has its own uncertainties and imprecisions. August 29, 2006

Solar Drying Kiln Q&A
Basic questions and answers on vent sizing and temperature conditions in a solar kiln. January 18, 2011

Monitoring Progress in a Dehumidifier Kiln
Collecting and measuring the removed water is not a reliable way to gauge drying progress, especially when drying mixed thicknesses of wood. June 4, 2012

Wet Pockets in Kiln-Dried Wood
Bacterial infections can cause streaks of 30% moisture content in wood that is mostly at 7% MC. March 4, 2009

The Dimensional Effects of Wood Moisture
Understanding how moisture interacts with wood can help you avoid problems from moisture-related wood movement. September 13, 2012

Sawing Hickory for Flooring
Quartersawn may be most stable, but flatsawn is prettiest. February 15, 2009

Board-Foot Lumber Measurement Confusion
A woodworker tries to figure out how to make sure he's ordering and getting the amount of wood he actually needs. January 20, 2010

Dead Standing Douglas Fir: Is It Dry Already?
A discussion about the useability of wood from dead standing tree logs without further drying, and a little bit of kiln-related history. April 27, 2007

Red oak drying problems
Troubleshooting a problem of varying moisture contents in loads of kiln-dried red oak. March 20, 2001

Hawaii Solar Kiln Show and Tell
A forum member from Hawaii shows his backyard solar drying kiln and gets some advice on improving it. May 27, 2014

Dehumidification drying of thin stock
Simple drying methods for small, thin stock. (Sawing and Drying Forum) March 23, 2003

Humidity, Moisture Content, and Lumber Storage
Lumber moisture content equilibrates to ambient relative humidity. Here are details. December 9, 2010

Selecting a Good Moisture Meter
More money buys a better instrument, but your choice depends on your needs. December 14, 2009

Shrinkage of Pressure-Treated Lumber
It's delivered sopping wet, with moisture forced in under pressure. So how much does it shrink? Experts clarify the situation. July 12, 2005

Air-Drying and Kiln-Drying Methods for Wide Plank Flooring
A discussion of the most cost-effective and quality-conscious way to dry wide planks for use as flooring. September 6, 2010

Checking in Oak
A discussion of kiln conditions and other factors that can cause Oak to check while drying. October 29, 2008

Moisture Testing Variability
A discussion of factors that could account for a discrepancy between a supplier's wood moisture content readings and the customer's. October 12, 2008

Elevated Moisture Readings after Planing
Wood that is not uniformly dry will read higher after planing; and the results vary between pin meters and pinless models. June 4, 2012

Running a Solar Kiln
Advice from old hands on operating a solar kiln. August 22, 2005

Running a Bandsaw Mill on a Three-Phase Converter
Lessons of experience on converting power sources for a bandmill. January 13, 2006

Drying Oregon Madrone
Pacific Madrone is prone to drying movement, but that can make it interesting to woodworkers. May 13, 2009

Dehumidifiers and Lumber Storage
A dehumidifier in the storage room will keep lumber at the proper moisture content, and will do no harm. December 6, 2012

Time to Air-Dry Thick Lumber
Many variables affect drying time. Here's a discussion about the typical drying-time window. November 16, 2011

Reconciling Contradictory Moisture Readings
A pin-type moisture meter and a pinless moisture meter disagree during a quality-control check. What's going on? June 16, 2014

Drying Koa
Insight on the ins and outs of drying Koa wood in Hawaii. April 20, 2011

Checking Moisture and Achieving MC Targets
Higher moisture near the core has a lumber dryer doubting his moisture meter, but drying conditions are the more likely concern. September 6, 2010

Air-Drying Wood in a Grain Bin
A discussion of air-drying sheds light on issues relating to target moisture content. July 28, 2008

Monitoring Moisture Content During Kiln Drying
At the critical early stages when wood moisture content is high, moisture meters are not accurate. Here are tips on keeping track of moisture throughout the drying process. May 17, 2011

Drying Half Logs for Benches
Unfortunately, large logs crack as they dry. It's unavoidable. March 16, 2015

Humidity Control in a Kiln
A kiln operator gets advice on airflow and humidity settings. April 27, 2007

Dehumidifier Kiln "Hanging Up"
Dehumidifier kilns sometimes stall as moisture content readings get closer to the target. An extra shot of heat can help a lot. July 3, 2008

Selecting a Moisture Meter
A discussion of desirable attributes for a moisture meter used for kiln-drying quality control. June 30, 2007

Measuring Air Velocity in a Kiln
Airflow is usually measured exiting the kiln. Here are some details on good practice. June 13, 2014

Solar kiln instruments
Advice on controls for monitoring a solar kiln. October 2, 2001

Drying Apple Wood
Advice on how to saw and dry a big old Apple tree trunk. May 10, 2007

Choosing and maintaining bandmill blades
Selecting and sharpening blades for a beginner. March 21, 2002

Keeping sawblades cool
What to use and how to do it safely. October 24, 2001

How Fast Does Kiln-Dried Oak Regain Moisture?
Advice on how to measure the increase in moisture content of wood stored in a covered shed after kiln-drying. June 13, 2014

Moisture Variations in Dried Lumber
"Wet pockets" in kiln-dried lumber, or occasional wet pieces of wood in a load of dried lumber, are an unacceptable defect.June 13, 2014

Drying Time for 6/4 Red Oak
Here's a quick technical look at the factors affecting kiln drying 6/4 Red Oak, including kiln type and initial moisture content. Air drying may be more cost-effective. July 16, 2012

Drying Bowl and Platter Blanks
Rough-turn the pieces before drying for better results. August 30, 2005

Determining MC by weight
Tools and techniques for measuring moisture content by weighing lumber cuttings. January 4, 2001

Lumber Storage After Kiln Drying
Advice on storing kiln-dried wood in the proper humidity conditions. November 14, 2009

Should I Season Timbers Before Framing a Barn?
Timber-framing works well with green or partially dried timbers, but you should allow for some drying-related movement after construction. May 9, 2007

Lumber weight as a drying signpost
Calculating weight and moisture loss in a dehumidifcation kiln. July 24, 2001

Moisture Meter Quality and Price
What makes a good moisture meter? March 3, 2006

Air-Drying Cuban Mahogany
This stable wood may dry fast indoors, but kiln-drying would also eliminate pests. September 14, 2006

Motor Vehicles Paperwork for a Portable Bandmill
Info on bill-of-sale, title, registration, and insurance technicalities for bandsaw mill trailers. December 9, 2010

Drying Walnut Boards
Tips on handling, and how to dimension for best value. February 26, 2005

Adjusting Moisture Meter Readings for Hot Lumber
Moisture meters aren't accurate when used on hot wood fresh from the drying kiln. You have to allow for that. June 13, 2014

Drying Time for Black Walnut
Dry slowly to prevent checking, and test with a moisture meter. February 26, 2005

Registering a Sawmill for Highway Use
sawmilllers share experiences from different states. June 22, 2005

Log End Sealant Cost and Alternatives
Brand name log sealers are costly. Are cheap alternatives effective? October 1, 2009

Moisture Content for Furniture Making
Lumber in the kiln is ready when its moisture content is the same that it will see in service. August 21, 2006

Sawing and Drying Cedar
Cedar is forgiving because of its natural rot resistance. Here's some advice on handling it. May 13, 2013

Re-Sawing or Re-Wetting Partially Dried Wood
Either would be a mistake. January 14, 2009

Wood Doc's Video about Wood Moisture
Here's Dr. Gene Wengert's video presentation about wood moisture content and wood behavior. August 16, 2012

Re-Drying A Few Wet Pieces to Speed Production
One way to dry loads of lumber more quickly is to separate out the few still-wet pieces for a second pass through the kiln. June 13, 2014

Air-Dried Wood for Furniture
As this example demonstrates, when a people tell you your air-dried lumber won't make a sweet (and sweet-smelling) piece of furniture, sometimes it's because they want to take your wood away for free. January 11, 2007

Micro-Scale De-Humidifier Wood Drying
How to cobble together a miniature dehumidifier wood-drying kiln. September 17, 2008

Drying Oak Lumber: Step 3A, Measuring Moisture Content
The only reliable method of measuring high MCs is to use the oven-drying method. August 16, 2012

Wet Pockets in Infected Wood
Bacterial infections cause wet pockets to remain in kiln-dried wood. Bad smells and other characteristic symptoms are described here. July 28, 2006

Moisture Meters: Correcting for Temperature
Understanding the effect of cold temperatures and freezing on moisture meter readings. October 1, 2009

Control Issues in a Dehumidifier Kiln
If you run the kiln too hot, a safety cutoff may shut down your compressor, interfering with the drying process. April 27, 2007

Wood Moisture Content and Equalization
Understanding how to evaluate wood moisture content when conditions have created a moisture gradient within the wood. April 11, 2008

Moisture Meter for Logs
Advice on moisture meters capable of reading deep into logs. December 14, 2009

Pin and pinless moisture meters
The pros and cons of pinless and pin-type moisture meters. March 20, 2001

Measuring Moisture: Cross-Grain or Along the Grain?
Different moisture meters are calibrated for different testing orientations. July 29, 2014

Using a moisture meter
How and where to use a moisture meter. November 14, 2001

Moisture-Meter Accuracy for Veneer
Moisture meters will read a single leaf of wood veneer differently than a thick stack of it. January 11, 2007

Moisture Meters and Frozen Wood
The science of using a moisture meter on freezing-cold wood. May 27, 2014

Black locust uses
The best uses of black locust, then and now. January 4, 2001

Where to Get Free Logs
Start-up sawmiller gets advice on working with sources of free sawlogs. October 4, 2007

Powderpost Beetle Infestation
A load of lumber bought at an auction turns out to have tiny beetle holes in it. Now what? October 19, 2013

Quartersawing on a Wood-Mizer
A discussion of the best techniques for quartering logs on a bandmill, with photos of the operation in progress. January 16, 2002

Mixing Borate to Control Post Beetles
Advice on obtaining and mixing borate pest-control formulas. January 8, 2010

Building a Small Drying Kiln
A long discussion of the considerations involved in building and operating a small backyard or garage kiln. August 8, 2008

Power Comparison Between Electric and Gasoline-Powered Bandmills
Electric motors have more torque at the same horsepower rating. Here's a discussion of the reasons. March 14, 2006

Do I Have White or Red Oak?
Woodweb wood detectives take on another case. April 30, 2009

Gasoline Versus Electric Motors for Powering a Sawmill
Sawmillers discuss a mill's power needs and the differences between gasoline and electric motors. August 29, 2006

Uses for Mulberry Wood
Mulberry is nice for turnings, knick-knacks, and furniture. April 18, 2009

How Long Can a Log Sit Before Sawing?
How old is too old to be worth sawing, for down logs or standing dead trees? February 4, 2011

Is Cedar an Insect Repellent?
Including Cedar in a stack of sawn wood will not keep bugs away, the Wood Doctor explains. July 11, 2013

Utilizing Municipal Trees -- Ideas from Across the Country
How municipal tree removals are being utilized for traditional wood products. May 26, 2002

Process Controls Versus Schedule Controls in Commercial Kiln-Drying Operations
Here's a technically informative, if somewhat contentious, debate about different approaches to computerized kiln control, and the role of human operators in the kiln-drying process. June 13, 2014

Sawmill recovery rate
Does one sawmill's recovery rate make it a better choice over another mill? (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) February 18, 2003

Rounding Issues with Woodweb's Lumber Calculators
The rules are the rules. Rounding of board-foot estimates is handled differently in the hardwood and softwood lumber markets. December 12, 2008

Bandsaw Mill Choices
Sawmill owners tell what they like about their equipment. August 29, 2006

Kiln Control Technology and Drying Parameters
This mostly hypothetical discussion develops into a back-and-forth about whether wood stress should be used as a determining factor in kiln control systems. June 13, 2014

Organizing Logs and Flitches for Bandmill Operation
Here's a long thread on bandmill workflow: stacking and laying out logs and flitches for loading, edging, sawing, and off-loading efficiently. June 18, 2010

A Butt Log Identification Puzzle
Are these logs American Beechnut, Red Elm, Butternut, or what? In this long and detailed thread, sawmillers discuss the characteristics that could be clues. November 16, 2011

Whether to Thaw Frozen Wood Before Kiln-Drying
Here's a long and intense theoretical argument about whether frozen wood can be safely dried without thawing it first. June 13, 2014

Drying lumber - selecting the best method
Is a solar kiln the best choice for this startup sawmill? December 17, 2003

Log Volume
Charts for International 1/4-inch and Scribner log volume. May 4, 2001

Value of Logs from Tree Services
Logs from tree-removal services can be interesting, but they're not worth paying a lot for. Here's a long discussion on the ins and outs of dealing with tree services. April 27, 2007

Home-Built Portable Chainsaw Mill
Here's an illustrated step-by-step description of building a chainsaw sawmill. December 11, 2009

Winter Sawing, Blade Breakage, and Lubricant Choices
A long and detailed thread on blade cleaning and lubricating fluid, sawmill characteristics, and blade durability during cold weather. August 31, 2009

Vacuum, Dehumidification, and Microwaves — in One Kiln?
Here's a long, highly speculative, but informative discussion of the concept of using microwaves, vacuum, and dehumidification for drying wood in a prototype kiln. April 20, 2011

Turbulent Air Flow as a Factor in Kiln-Drying Operational Control
The Wood Doctor explains why controlling humidity and temperature, not managing airflow turbulence, is the way to maintain optimum drying conditions in the kiln. June 13, 2014

Brainstorming About Vacuum Kilns
Inquiring minds discuss why vacuum kilns are so expensive, how they work, and the possibilities of building your own — or even improving on the concept. July 30, 2007

Bandsaw manufacturer resharpening service
Is bandmill blade sharpening a job for the shop, or should you send 'em out? September 19, 2001

Portable bandmill vs. circular mill
Comparing the efficiency and production capabilities of both types. December 17, 2002

Business Basics for a Timber Sale
Sawmill pros and foresters advise a landowner on how to approach structuring a deal to cut and mill standing timber. July 30, 2007

Radio frequency -- vs. super steam vacuum
A discussion of these two kilns for drying large timbers. February 19, 2002

Analyzing Wood Species, Grain, and Sawing Methods
Here's a long and complex (but very informative) thread that starts off with a wood identification problem, moves into a discussion of wood pore structure, and then takes off on an interesting tangent about quartersawing, flatsawing, and other methods for piecing out a log. March 22, 2013

Finding the Value in "Low Grade" Wood
A long and insightful discussion, with photos, about how to use (and sell) wood that is officially graded low. June 18, 2009

Splitting big logs
Advice from sawyers on what to do with logs that are too big for your mill. September 19, 2001

When to Change Band-Mill Blades
Long, thoughtful thread on cost-effective ways to manage the timing of blade changes and blade re-sharpenings. August 8, 2008

Crowns on Band Wheels
Why do crowns exist, and do they improve band tracking? January 29, 2004

Sawing & drying framing timbers
Tips for producing timbers for timber-frame construction. September 19, 2001

Quartering a huge oak
Methods for quartering a log too large to fit on the mill. May 9, 2001

Choosing a Bandsaw Blade
Experimenting over time is the way to find the blade that works best on your mill for the kind of sawing that you do. (Also, fish responsibly.) February 2, 2012

Bandmill horsepower
Will a higher horsepower diesel engine speed production? January 1, 2003

Cutting and drying beveled siding
Producing beveled siding from green lumber, with special attention to the drying process. June 24, 2001

Reality Check for Urban Wood Sawmilling Idea
What a cool idea — invest in some equipment, saw up "free" logs, and make a tidy profit. If it were only that easy. December 11, 2007

Alternative lumber drying techniques
Are freeze drying and RFV practical methods for drying lumber? April 25, 2001

Using Light Equipment to Try Out Sawmilling
A poster thinking about whether to try milling some logs with a small chainsaw and shop bandsaw gets feedback from the pros. October 1, 2010

Preventing Tire Damage from Blade Breakage
Here's a discussion about how to spot breaking blades before they snap and damage tires on the mill, along with some controversy about lubrication, sawdust buildup, and the relative advantages of steel wheels versus rubber tires. June 18, 2010

Processing Trees to Lumber -- for the Hobbyist and Small Business
Two experts share their secrets of success for small-scale milling operations. January 19, 2002

Cupping and Bowing in Resawn Stock
Furnituremakers discuss drying issues such as casehardening that can cause lumber to move when ripped or re-sawn. April 18, 2015

Is It Practical to Store Logs for Long Periods?
Most logs will deteriorate quickly if not cut and dried. Here's a long debate on the practicality of pond storage and other proposed ways around the dilemma. April 19, 2006

Timber Framing: Dry or Green?
Thoughts and opinions on whether to frame with dry lumber or green, and whether to let felled logs dry before sawing. October 1, 2009

Advice for a Sawmilling Beginner
Here's a truckload of good advice for the man who just bought his first bandsaw mill. May 14, 2006

Calculating the weight of lumber
Formulas, detailed instructions and species-specific charts from Professor Gene Wengert. May 3, 2001

Lumber Thickness and Sawing Tolerances
Here's a thoughtful discussion of the risks and benefits of trying to rough-saw to fine tolerances in order to get more board feet per log for a given finish lumber thickness. February 14, 2010

Chainsaw and bandmills
A comparison of chainsaw mills and bandmills for small-scale production. March 28, 2001

Grading lumber for an addition
Must home-milled lumber for use in a home addition be graded? June 24, 2001

Sawing utility poles
Is it safe and practical? Advice from those who've done it. August 25, 2003

Tips for Shipping and Selling Lumber Nationwide
This discussion about the factors that affect shipping rates takes an interesting detour into sales psychology. February 4, 2011

A Small Kiln for Final Drying
A woodworker needs to get his already kiln-dried stock down to lower moisture content to match indoor end-use conditions. Here's detailed advice for equipment choice and drying methods for a small-batch wood-shop drying chamber. May 9, 2007

Shopping for Portable Sawmills
Portable sawmill owners and would-be owners discuss equipment preferences, operating characteristics, and why they even bother in the first place. November 13, 2005

Sawing and Drying: Does the Season of the Year Matter?
Here's a long thread that separates the science from the rumor around the question: "What's the best time of year to cut trees and dry lumber?" May 15, 2012

Troubleshooting a Chainsaw Mill Motor
Chainsaw's getting cranky when it's running hot — what's up with that? Find out here — this forum knows chainsaw motors. April 20, 2011

Chainsaw Sawmilling for Old Guys
Here's a great discussion on the capabilities of chainsaw mills, from the point of view of some dudes who have gotten smarter over time. February 27, 2013

Troubleshooting vacuum kiln problems
An extensive discussion on vacuum pumps and vaporization of organic compounds in wood. February 28, 2001

Rotating Logs to Avoid Sawing Through the Bark
Sawmillers discuss ways to handle wood to avoid sawing through the bark, and other issues relating to bark and blade dulling. November 12, 2008

Vacuum kiln drying
How do vacuum kilns work and how effective are they? (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) January 21, 2003

Equations for Quantifying Heat Transfer, Evaporation, and Air Cooling in a Lumber Kiln
A set of equations that enable the user to predict the rate of drying, along with a discussion of the physics of kiln-drying. Good info here for the technically advanced and educated reader. June 13, 2014

Certifying Sustainable Forest Management
Rewarding Good Deeds in the Woodlot September 1, 2001

What Does "Old Growth" Mean
The sawing and drying forum discusses what "old growth" means when used to describe lumber, and what qualities "old growth" wood may or may not have. May 14, 2006

How to Limit Cracking when Drying Wood Discs
A discussion of principles and techniques for drying cross-cut log slices with limited cracking. July 16, 2009

What is heart pine?
History and how heart pine is defined today. October 30, 2003

Buried Metal Stories
Forum members swap stories of finding metal in the heart of a sawlog — and even in plywood. October 17, 2012

Power Saving Effect of an Inverter on a Resaw
Here's an interesting discussion of the power savings you can get by using an inverter to start a large electric motor, and of the possible complications involved in doing so. November 5, 2013

Power Feed Versus Manually-Operated Mill
Guess which one's easier to operate? Here's a discussion with some pictures of power-feed rigs. April 30, 2009

Carpenter Bee Facts
Details about the lifestyle and habits of the carpenter bee, and advice on how to get rid of them. October 4, 2007

Base and Shelter Ideas for a Bandsaw Mill
Descriptions, pictures, and advice about setting up a bandsaw mill. May 21, 2009

Sawing for Grade, or Sawing for Character?
A discussion comparing "grade sawing" and "flitch sawing" (one aims for highest grade lumber, the other for character). April 27, 2007

Log Handling Solutions
Loading and turning monster logs can really knock a small bandmill around. Here are tips on some subtle forms of log persuasion. February 12, 2007

Troubleshooting a Bandmill Electrical Fault
A bandmill operator gets help with diagnosing electrical system troubles. October 20, 2005

Designing a Space-Frame Sawmill Frame
Discussion with pictures of custom sawmill steel fabrication methods. October 1, 2009

Outdoor Wood Furnace Pros and Cons
A long discussion of wood-burning furnaces. May 18, 2010

Swing-Blade Mills Versus Bandsaw Mills
An extended discussion of the capabilities of both portable sawmill types, and some info on how to extend the swing-blade mill to handle super-sized logs. June 27, 2006

Advantages of vacuum drying
What does this leading-edge technology have to offer? April 9, 2003

Troubleshooting Cracked Band Saw Blades
Advice on what causes bandmill blades to crack, how to prevent it, and whether it can be repaired. January 25, 2010

Warp in Drying
Causes and cures for warpage when drying lumber. May 4, 2001

Small tractor for logging
Is an old Ford tractor suitable for working in the woods? June 24, 2001

Log-Hauling Equipment Choices
Sawmill operators talk about the rigs they use to move logs from off site. October 3, 2007

Maintenance and Care for a Timberking 1220
Timberking bandmill owners share tips on maintenance, care and use. March 26, 2009

Felling trees correctly
Suggested techniques for safe chainsawing. December 17, 2002

Chainsaw Choice
Choosing a chainsaw to use in an Alaskan sawmill. January 4, 2001

Another Wood Identification Conundrum
Another unknown wood gets a close look from the Woodweb detective crew. Could it be Paulownia? January 18, 2012

How To Spalt Wood
Like making a world-class cheese, spalting wood intentionally is more art than science, and you may waste some raw material learning how. Here's an extended and detailed discussion. May 28, 2008

Kiln Drying Large Timbers
An extended discussion of the technical issues involved in drying big beams for various uses. July 28, 2006

Building a Hydraulic Swingmill
Sawmillers talk over the fine points and choices involved in building a hydraulic swingmill. March 13, 2009

Achieving Sterilization with a Solar Kiln in a Humid Climate
A woodworker struggles to get his lumber pile hot enough to kill beetles. April 15, 2012

Swing blade woes
What are the drawbacks to this type of mill? April 29, 2003

Swing Blade Safety
How dangerous is a swing blade sawmill? Operators kick the topic around. June 30, 2007

Lumber: Quantity or Quality?
The debate over speed or grade when sawing for profit. January 29, 2004

Fine Points of Steaming Walnut
Details on equipment and procedures for steaming Walnut to change the color. November 12, 2008

Drying Slabs in Tropical Conditions
Advice on drying uncommon lumber species in the jungles of Ecuador. August 15, 2011

Sawing Utility Poles
Information on the wood species and treatment chemicals found in utility poles. May 11, 2005

Hiring a timber consultant
When selling your woodlot, who should you enlist for help with all the choices you'll need to make? August 12, 2001

Low-Budget Log Handling
Sawmillers discuss winches, trailers, and other sophisticated and economically optimal implements of log manipulation. April 10, 2007

When the Customer Wants to "Help" You Saw
Long, spirited exchange on the tricky situations created when you let a sawmilling customer help with the work. December 12, 2008

Vacuum Kilns: Energy Use and Drying Times
A discussion of the performance you can expect in the real world from a vacuum wood-drying kiln. June 13, 2014

Good Felling Practices
This article from Sawmill & Woodlot Magazine tells you how to take 'em down safely. September 22, 2001

Calculating board feet
The board footage debate rages on--Professor Wengert and others offer up methods of calculation. June 24, 2001

Building your own bandmill (maybe)
Advice is offered on building your own or buying factory-built. January 21, 2002

Troubleshooting Drying Stress
Some general instruction about the causes of drying stress for the owner of a dehumidifier kiln. April 2, 2013

Log scale and overrun
Different types of scales, formulas and methods of figuring overrun. January 28, 2002

Blue-Stained Pine Pros and Cons
Controversy simmers over whether blue stain is is a special value, a visual defect, or a mold liability risk. September 17, 2008

Sawmill Truck Show and Tell
Photos and descriptions of sawmill log and service trucks and loading systems, with the stories behind them. September 5, 2011

Solar Electric for Kiln Fans
Kiln builders kick around ideas for an all-solar kiln using passive solar heat and photovoltaic panel-powered fans for air movement. January 28, 2014

Blue Stain in Red Oak
A discussion of staining, drying odor, and related problems in a large oak tree blown down by wind. December 12, 2008

Cherry Log: Quartersaw or Flatsaw?
Appearance would argue for flatsawn, stability for quartersawn — but it's more complicated than that. October 1, 2010

Setting Pitch in Douglas Fir
Temperature and time for setting pitch. February 28, 2004

Mini-Scragg Mill Productivity
A long, detailed discussion of what a small scragg mill can produce under various conditions, and whether it can make money for the owner. July 3, 2008

Controlling Powderpost Beetles in Stored Lumber
Heat plus good hygeine are the standard recommendations, but this discussion also considers some alternative notions. November 14, 2009

Making Your Own Wood Shakes or Shingles
what's the difference, how long they will last, and more. September 17, 2008

Sawmilling, Work, Love, and Money
Here's some thoughtful discussion about work, the love of work, and the value of money, set off by a posting from a guy who misses his sawmill. January 25, 2010

Home-Built Dehumidifying Kilns
Practical issues and concerns with building a drying kiln that uses an off-the-shelf dehumidifier or a salvaged commercial air conditioner instead of air venting. July 13, 2006

Confusing Lumber Term: "Sap and Better?"
Experts and wood buyers and sellers discuss the meaning of some obscure lumber grading terms — such as "Sap/BTR" for white-wood Maple. April 20, 2011

Chain Saw Tooth Modifications for Ripping
Detailed, specialized advice on chain selection and tooth grinding and sharpening for chainsaws used to rip logs into rough thicknesses. April 20, 2011

Obtaining and Handling Logs
Sawmill operators discuss ways to get free logs from contractors clearing land, and ways of loading and transporting the logs. August 31, 2005

Exploring Alternative Kiln Technologies
Sawmillers try out, wonder about, and report on the Green Dri desiccant-based drying kiln from Japan. June 8, 2011

Borate-Treating Freshly Sawn Wood
Ideas, thoughts, and tips for using borax and borate solutions to make green lumber bug-resistant. June 12, 2006

Old Timber Mystery: Creosote, or What?
The Woodweb detectives discuss old growth Heart Pine, younger Longleaf Pine, the hazard of creosote, and related topics. August 18, 2009

Why Insulate a Solar Kiln?
A long discussion delving into the mechanics of how a solar kiln creates proper conditions for drying wood. January 28, 2014

Bandsaw Comparisons
Thoughts on choosing a bandsaw mill, with some asides about related equipment such as debarkers and edgers. October 26, 2011

Value-Added Processing -- for the Sawmill
How to make sawing, drying and other processing operations profitable. March 22, 2001

Troubleshooting a Wandering Blade Problem
A portable band-saw mill owner gets help figuring out what makes his blade "dive" into cuts. June 22, 2005

From Log to Furniture
A newcomer has logs and wants to make some furniture. The sawmill forum has advice for him. January 14, 2013

Tree Harvesting on Swampy Land
Here is an argumentative, but also informative, thread about whether and how to extract useful wood from a plot of ground that is impassably wet during summer. June 14, 2014

Vacuum Kiln Principles
Vacuum kilns cause evaporation at low temperatures, but they still require heat — and that heat is tricky to supply because of the vacuum. Here's an explanation. July 29, 2011

Converting a Bandmill to Narrower Blades
A sawmiller trying to put a previously owned Mighty Mite bandmill back into service gets advice on dealing with blade tracking issues. January 19, 2012

Solar kiln glazing
Best material choices for a double layer of glaze. April 9, 2003

Drying Ash Flooring
Kiln-drying is essential to kill bugs and achieve the proper low moisture content for stability in service. May 11, 2005

One-man swing milling
Running a one-man swing mill operation, loading and unloading mills and more. March 4, 2002

What's a Chainsaw Mill Good For?
Chainsaw mills have their particular strengths. Here's a long discussion on how to get good use out of one. March 31, 2008

Sawing Techniques for Cherry
Pros explain how to go about getting the best lumber from some nice cherry logs. July 28, 2006

Honeycombing and Fresh Checking in a Newly Turned Newel Post
A woodworker's report of a honeycombing and checking problem leads to a good discussion of wood drying defects and how they manifest themselves. March 3, 2009

Steam Conditioning Versus Mist Conditioning in Wood-Drying Kilns
Both are effective, and each has different quirks to consider. June 13, 2014

Power for an Electric Bandmill
Information on the power requirements of electric bandsaw mill motors. April 19, 2006

Lumber Insurance
Can a sawyer be held liable for the structural integrity of his wood? February 28, 2004

Solar kilns - putting it all together
Compiling and analyzing information on the efficient design and construction of a solar kiln. November 22, 2003

Whether to Spray Wood During Kiln Warm-Up
Is it wise to spray wood with water or steam while the kiln is warming up? June 13, 2014

Portable Mill Types -- Chain-Saw Versus Band-Saw
Pros and cons of the options for slabbing and milling. February 26, 2005

Harvesting Urban Lumber
For some, turning urban and suburban trees into useable lumber can be a successful niche business. July 30, 2007

Three-Phase Power from a Generator
Sawmill operators discuss the technical issues posed by running power-hungry three-phase electric equipment off a generator, as compared with the costs of getting utility power to the site. August 30, 2007

Making Furniture from Air-Dried Oak?
A beginner asks about drying wood for use in rustic furniture. April 20, 2011

Pre-Surfacing Lumber Before Drying
Planed green lumber dries with significantly less checking. March 3, 2006

Carbide-Toothed Chainsaw Blades for Milling
Carbide blades will cut through embedded metal or even rock, but they're not cheap. August 30, 2007

Home-made house materials
Advice on sawing out the lumber to build your own house. February 28, 2001

Drying cedar slabs -- and stepping up sawmill production
Effective drying and basic sawing with a scragg mill. September 2, 2002

Harvesting, Sawing, and Marketing Coconut Tree Lumber
How can a Dominican Republic plantation owner make good use of 300,000 coconut trees that have reached the end of their useful life? March 28, 2012

Felling trees near power lines
Recommendations on how to do it, and whether to do it at all. May 14, 2002

Defining "Value Added"
When it comes to wood and lumber products and by-products, what is the term "value added" all about? April 18, 2009

Small Scale Timber Management
A balanced discussion of low-impact sustainable horse logging versus one-time heavy harvesting. April 18, 2009

Gang-Resawing Thin Strips with a Frame Saw
The "frame saw" allows rapid high-volume production re-sawing. October 12, 2007

Tales of Lightning Strikes on Trees
Woodweb members tell their stories of lightning strikes. February 15, 2015

Moisture content oven tests
Microwave ovens versus drying ovens for MC testing. October 30, 2002

Acid Condensation Issues with Drying Kilns
This discussion of drying Oak for iron-and-wood furniture purposes takes an interesting detour into a discussion of acidic conditions in wood and kilns. October 15, 2010

Milling large logs
Techniques for sizing down logs too large for the mill. December 22, 2002

Band Saw Blade Life in Hardwood
Thoughts on sharpening, lubrication, alignment, blade quality, and other factors that affect how long a bandmill blade will stay sharp in heavy use. February 24, 2008

De-Nailing Salvaged Antique Floor Joists
There's no magic bullet for pulling hard old cut nails from antique hardwood floor joists — but there are lots of techniques. February 14, 2010

Troubleshooting a Slipping Drive on a Bandmill
Motor's running but the blade's not moving — what's wrong with this picture? Take a tour through the drive train and find out ... April 20, 2011

Changing Wood-Mizer from gas to electric
Process and parts involved in converting an engine. February 19, 2002

Sawdust-Fueled Boilers
Practical considerations around burning sawmill sawdust for heat. October 4, 2007

Bandmill Blade Sharpening Schedule
Dull blades are bad for many reasons, so it's best to sharpen routinely before any sign of difficulty. Here are estimates of how frequently blades need sharpening, and of how many spare blades to keep on hand in order to keep the mill working. October 26, 2011

Aging yellow cedar
Attaining the look of naturally aged yellow cedar. September 2, 2002

Urban Tree: Wasted Opportunity?
A photo of an Elm tree about to be chipped on the National Mall in D.C. sets off a discussion of the value (subjective and market) of urban trees and yard trees. May 11, 2011

Eradicating an Insect Infestation
A load of insect-infested reclaimed wood may have contaminated a whole operation. What to do? April 20, 2011

Pricing for Kiln Drying
Sawmillers share numbers on kiln-drying service charges. November 14, 2009

Maximizing Lumber from a Log
Can quartersawing produce as much usable lumber as one company claims? January 29, 2004

Heat Sources for a Dehumidifying Kiln
A discussion of the safety and practicality of various ways to heat air for a dehumidification kiln. November 14, 2009

Rough lumber dimensions
Understanding basic lumber dimensions and how to calculate board footage. April 20, 2001

Wide Throat Bandsaw Mill Ideas
Thoughts on the technical challenges of building a mill capable of producing up to five-foot slabs. November 3, 2010

Temperature, Humidity, and Drying
Some generic head-scratching over relative humidity and the heat required to dry wood under various conditions. April 10, 2007

20-foot span for saw shed
What approach should be used for strength and reliability? April 2, 2002

Sawmill Log-Dog Hydraulics
Sawmiller working on a self-built bandmill gets advice on hydraulics for his log dogs. November 25, 2008

Swing blade vs band mill
Is one better suited to cutting large cants? August 13, 2002

Rough-Sawn Thickness Versus Finished Thickness
or how to minimize thickness loss when they plane their rough lumber smooth. October 14, 2006

-What is a Board Foot?
Explanation and glossary of lumber terms by Professor Eugene Wengert. May 2, 2001

Fan Speed for Solar Kilns
Advice on maintaining appropriate air flow over the stack in a solar drying kiln. March 26, 2013

Spreading Sawdust on Trails, Fields, or Woods
Sawmill operators discuss when and where it might be okay to spread sawdust around. March 9, 2010

Best sawmill for exotic hardwoods
Bandmills vs. swing mills for a new operation. September 2, 2002

Air-Drying Big Timbers Over Long Time
If you plan to air-dry posts and beams for a period of years, here's advice on stickering, sawing over-size, end-sealing, et cetera. October 26, 2011

Stacking and Stickering Advice for Air-Drying Maple
A thorough discussion of the basics of stacking sawn lumber for air-drying. February 14, 2010

Drying burly slabs
Keeping oak slabs from cracking. January 16, 2002

Troubleshooting a Diving Cut on a Swing Blade Sawmill
Swing-blade owners run through the usual suspects trying to find the source of a hard-to-explain blade-diving problem. February 12, 2007

Problems with Bio-Diesel
Switching to bio-diesel fuel for log-handling equipment is not always trouble-free, according to some. December 28, 2006

Checking Concerns with Massive Wood Posts
A custom home project calls for 15-inch-wide solid timber posts. Here's a discussion of the inevitable checking that will occur, and how to minimize it. November 13, 2005

Edging boards
The most efficient methods. December 17, 2002

Quality Expectations for Bandsaw-Milled Lumber
Sawmillers chime in on whether wavy cuts and thin ends are acceptable in walnut boards. June 28, 2006

Value of Lumber from Diseased Orange Trees
An interesting story of a sawmiller considering whether to make the effort to harvest trees from an orange grove. Some parts may be usable. January 25, 2010

Practical Ways to Reduce Drying Costs
Five tactics to consider for cutting the cost of drying a load of wood. June 13, 2014

Essential sawmill equipment
Determining the equipment necessary to operate a part-time, stationary sawmilling business. January 4, 2001

Home-built band blade sharpener
Plans and pictures. February 18, 2003

Drive Train Protection for a Sawmill
Pros debate the ins and outs of a slip clutch versus a shear pin to protect the power train of a sawmill driven by a tractor's power takeoff. January 27, 2007

Building a bandmill from scratch
Advice and examples concerning home-built mills. (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) January 21, 2003

Drying with Moderate Heat
Here's info on how various types of wood will respond to conditions in a home-built drying room that doesn't get much warmer than 120°F. There's a useful lecture here on how case-hardening occurs. May 16, 2008

Thickness of Rough Lumber
Identifying and sawing for specific dimensions. May 19, 2004

Vacuum Kilns - Pros and Cons
Testimony from operators who have used vacuum kilns. May 11, 2005

Using a Corn Drier as a Kiln
Lumber drying is a controlled process, that an agricultural corn dryer probably cannot accomplish correctly. February 15, 2009

Steaming Walnut for Color
A description of Walnut steaming methods. June 13, 2014

A Brief History of Portable Sawmills
September 10, 2001

Swing Mill Modifications for Making Double Cuts
Swing mill owners discuss ways to modify the equipment for more flexibility of use. August 8, 2008

Mobile Wood-Burning Kiln
Is a wood-fired, movable lumber drying kiln feasible? Here are some ideas. July 13, 2006

Automatic vents for solar kiln
Can vents be left open at night or must they be controlled? (Sawing and Drying Forum) April 29, 2003

Thick Slabbing Versus Edging
Sawyers debate the decision: saw and edge for grade, or start by slabbing to create a square cant? Many factors enter into the choice. August 21, 2006

Burl Wood in the American Sycamore?
A discussion of sycamores, burls, and sawing techniques. April 27, 2007

Certified construction lumber
Laws governing the lumber used in building. December 17, 2002

Lumber Choices for Fence Posts and Rails
A discussion comparing various wood species with pressure treated lumber for use in building fences. March 28, 2012

Troubleshooting a Honda Engine
A bandsaw owner asks for help with getting his motor running right. April 30, 2009

Spalting Tips and Tricks
A question about how to get rid of a bad batch of spalted Maple leads to a nice discussion of different ways to spalt wood, with photos. April 15, 2012

Another Wood Identification Mystery
The Woodweb detective team works on another wood identification case (probably Maple, this time). March 28, 2010

"Intermediate Conditioning" in the Drying Kiln
Is it a good idea to add moisture to a kiln for a period during the middle of the drying cycle, in order to relieve casehardening stress? June 13, 2014

Conditioning: Relieving those stresses
Try these solutions to a stress-free wood inventory. November 29, 2002

Cutting and Drying a Walnut Stump
Tips and tricks for sawing stumps for lumber. January 14, 2009

Cupping, Bowing KD VG WR Cedar?
More fun with wood moisture: Figuring out why some supposedly kiln-dried cedar boards cupped and bowed after being resawn and planed. January 26, 2008

Surfacing Thin Walnut Boards
What's an efficient way to re-saw and plane (or sand) quarter-inch thick boards? Pros share tips and techniques for reliably achieving a smooth surface. June 20, 2005

Wet and Dry Streaks in Air-Dried Slab Walnut
Sawmillers troubleshoot moisture and color variations in big slabs of partially-dried Walnut. December 6, 2009

Straightening Thin Dowels
A woodworker struggles with a crooked dowel problem in a mass production setting. October 1, 2010

Milling Big Logs and Root Balls
This is a very basic discussion of investing in a chainsaw mill for cutting large butt logs, but it has some nice photos in it.March 13, 2014

Drying Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a fussy wood to air-dry or kiln-dry. Here are some clues about its character. October 14, 2006

Black Powder Log Splitting
You can split large-diameter short logs with black powder. But is it worth the risk, or should you stick with a chain saw and wedges instead? July 13, 2006

Summer and Winter Air Drying of Lumber
How fast can lumber dry in winter, as compared to summer? January 28, 2014

Moisture and Wood Movement In Kiln-Dried Versus Air-Dried Lumber
In principle, wood's response to moisture changes is the same, no matter how the wood was dried. In practice, there may be a slight difference. July 23, 2014

Relating Lumber Grade Selection to End Use
Which grade you should buy depends on what you're making. If you're willing to trim, cut, and select, a lower grade may serve your needs well. February 19, 2013

Durability of Eastern Red Cedar
Short answer: it's the heartwood that is rot-resistant. But you'll learn more than that from this discussion. April 11, 2008

Portable Sawmill Height Issues
Sawmillers discuss the height of portable rigs as it relates to shelter construction concerns. October 15, 2010

Air-Drying and Kiln-Drying 8/4 Oak
Experts and kiln owners discuss the proper drying schedule and the best equipment for drying thick Red Oak boards. August 13, 2014

Slabbing and Drying Big Logs
Preventing cracks in Monterey cypress. April 18, 2004

Shopping for a Starter Bandmill
Advice on taking that first step down the road to sawdust addiction. October 4, 2011

Finding woodlot property lines
Techniques for determining where your property lines lie when they're obscured by brush. September 19, 2001

Regaining MC in overdry wood
Is machinability lost when lumber has been overdried, then had moisture put back in? May 17, 2003

Using Outdoor Cold for Drying Dehumidification
Unlike a powered dehumidifier, a cold kiln wall dumps heat to the outdoors, and so expends energy just as venting does. Here's a long discussion of alternatives to heat for kiln drying, and why they're mostly not practical. April 10, 2007

Is it Worth Kiln-Drying Firewood?
Considering the cost of kiln construction and energy inputs versus the value of extra-dry firewood, it's hard to see how the dollars make sense. January 27, 2008

Dealing with Insects in Furniture
Advice on heat-treating a Persimmon hutch that is being attacked by beetles. February 14, 2010

Air-drying oak
Can a suitable MC for cabinet construction be reached? February 6, 2002

Poplar Siding
Advice on using locally sawn Poplar as siding for a house addition. February 14, 2010

Bandsaw Mill Components
Advice on bearings, blade guides, tires, and more, for someone considering building a bandmill. March 26, 2009

Value of Antique Douglas Fir Beams
Taking a look at some reclaimed timbers, and trying to estimate their worth. March 28, 2010

Sawing Posts and Beams for a Timber Frame House
Advice for a beginner about sawing and using large timbers. January 17, 2011

Green barn siding
Making board and batten siding from freshly sawn lumber. June 19, 2003

Electric vs gas mill
Which is simpler and cheaper to run? (Sawing and Drying Forum) April 29, 2003

Distinguishing White Oak from Red
Methods for discerning different oak types. May 19, 2004

Ash, Pine, Bugs, and Borates
More info on the insects that may infest hardwoods and softwoods, and on the use of borate-based controls. December 6, 2009

When a Customer Won't Pick Up His Product
Advice on how to handle a buyer who does not come back to take possession of his goods. March 11, 2009

Structural Insulated Panels for Kiln Construction?
The foam and skins used in some "SIP" panels may not tolerate the high temperatures in a wood drying kiln. May 13, 2009

Sizing Up a Kiln
This question about how to assess the worth of a used kiln leads to a discussion of kiln technology in general, including the different requirements for drying softwoods and hardwoods. October 17, 2012

Temperature and Humidity Measurement Accuracy and Drying Kiln Control
Instruments have limited accuracy. So to fine-tune a kiln's performance, you have to monitor the drying progress by weighing wood samples. July 29, 2012

Lumber Choices for Trailer Decking
White Oak is the top choice for decking a truck or trailer, but other woods get some votes in this thread. March 4, 2009

Sawmill horsepower assessment
Figuring the horsepower and speed needed to run a circular mill. April 20, 2001

Troubleshooting Wavy Cuts in Large Logs
A newcomer to sawmilling gets help tuning his bandsaw mill up to cut straight in big hardwood logs. September 17, 2008

Thick Dried Cherry
Thoughts on drying a large chunk of Cherry in order to make a custom clock, including a brief discussion of alcohol drying methods. March 26, 2013

Drying wood in a tent
Recommendations on how to use the sun's rays and a plastic tent to dry lumber. November 7, 2001

"Safe Drying Rate" and a Dehumidifier Kiln
A discussion of how to apply "safe drying rate" calibrations with a home-built dehumidifying kiln. January 27, 2007

Marketing Spalted Pecan
Beautifully figured spalted Pecan wood is a valuable material, but the niche market is a little tricky to sell in. May 9, 2007

Logging Equipment
Essential equipment for a small-scale logging operation. April 25, 2001

Drying Oak Lumber: Step 4A, Air Drying
Flat, solid support, maintaining an optimal air flow, and protecting the pile from re-wetting by rain are the keys to quality results when air-drying sawn lumber. August 27, 2012

Recovering Lumber from Tree-Service Oak Logs
A woodworker has a tree-service friend who is looking at some fine old oak trees that need to come down. Here, sawmillers discuss the market and the milling choices for that nice wood. July 28, 2006

Troubleshooting Blade Breakage on a Bandmill
Here's a good discussion of the various factors that could cause bandsaw mill blades to break prematurely. June 4, 2012

Storing and Handling Large Volumes of Sawn Lumber
Advice on how to stack and store 20,000 board feet of roughsawn lumber. September 6, 2010

Bandmill Blade Breakage at the Weld
A discussion of bandmill blades, welding, and what might cause blades to frequently break at the weld. August 29, 2006

Lubricating Sawmill Blades
Further discussion of soap-and-water or oil-based blade lubricants and lubricating devices. June 27, 2006

Sawing Walnut: Sapwood and Heartwood
Here's a discussion about the proportions of heartwood and sapwood in a Walnut log, drying methods, and the value of both for furniture, bowls, et cetera. May 15, 2012

Re-Drying Kiln Dried Lumber
An architectural woodwork mill gets advice on acclimating stock before machining it. December 9, 2010

Shop-Built Bandmill Blade Sharpeners
Sawmillers share ideas for blade-sharpening rigs. August 29, 2006

Blade Lubricant and Component and Blade Life
Soapy water, kerosene, or what? Keeping the blades clean and reducing friction is one thing, getting longer life out of your equipment is something else. February 8, 2008

Typical Lumber Thickness Variation
Rough sawing produces lumber of variable thickness that has to be planed to finish dimensions. But how much variation is normal — and what causes it? May 13, 2013

Wood Species Useful for Shingles
A discussion of the wood varieties that work for use as exterior shingles. November 25, 2008

Getting the Best Yield of Quartersawn Boards
If you rotate the log during the sawing process, you can get more quartersawn wood and less rift-sawn. March 13, 2007

Solar Kiln Designs Compared
Thoughts on roof angle, dimensions, and other considerations for solar drying kiln construction. January 8, 2010

Log trailers
Bought, homemade and home-improved varieties. October 9, 2002

Dehumidification Kiln Conditioning Without Steam
Techniques and equipment for producing a balanced environment inside your kiln. May 11, 2005

Sawing "Select" Graded Lumber from Tie Logs
A discussion of grading standards for "select" hardwood lumber, and whether it's a good buy as byproduct from sawing railroad ties. February 4, 2011

Causes of Shake
Bacteria is what causes shake in trees. September 24, 2003

Young Manufacturing's -- Co-Generation Alternative
The feasibility of wood waste reuse. December 17, 2001

Bandwheels and Blade Wear
A spirited discussion on blade life in bandsaw mills, including tips on sharpening schedules. June 28, 2005

A Walnut Tree on the Ground: How Long?
If a down tree sits in a wet area for a while, what are the chances of getting some decent lumber? December 6, 2012

Sawing Crotch and Knot Wood
Advice on sawing crotch and burl Walnut and Cherry. May 15, 2011

Straightening Cupped Slabs of Pine
Detailed information and advice on removing cup from wide boards. April 30, 2009

Making Raggle Boards
Suggestions on how to tool up for volume production of raggle sticks, and speculation about what a raggle stick is. March 9, 2010

Storing Wood in a Subtropical Climate
Thoughts on how to keep air-dried lumber sawn on site from decaying while stored for a season or two — in Nicaragua June 22, 2012

Sawmill Engine Life
Small motors last a few thousand hours on average, but careful maintenance can stretch their useful life. October 14, 2006

Preventing Insect Infestation in Lumber Production
Pesticides have limited usefulness and significant hazards. Good yard hygeine and application of heat are the more practical choices. February 14, 2006

Upgrading a Manual Bandmill for Powered Control
Advice on taking muscle power out of the equation for operating a bandmill. April 10, 2007

The Importance of Air Velocity in Drying
How air speed through the kiln affects lumber seasoning. July 20, 2002

Fine-Tuning Log Scale Estimates
Log scales are a tried and true standard for estimating board feet. But here's a discussion on improving the accuracy of specific estimates for particular jobs at the bandsaw mill. August 3, 2009

Dealing with Snow at the Sawmill
Sawmill operators describe how they cope with heavy snowfalls in the yard and in the woods. September 5, 2011

Advantages of Taper Sawing
Sawing parallel to the bark produces higher-quality boards. Here's an explanation, with some how-to tips. October 29, 2008

Cupping of newly cut lumber
Why would all the lumber in one kiln load cup toward the sapwood? January 16, 2002

Dr. Gene Wengert - Giving Free Advice Became a Habit
How Gene Wengert became the Wood Doctor, and how he helps woodworkers on and offline. July 16, 2002

Optimizing Fans in a Solar Kiln
Advice on housings and shrouds for kiln fans. December 31, 2013

Getting the Best out of Large Sycamore Logs
Advice on how to get good value from large-diameter Sycamore logs. December 6, 2009

Blade Considerations for an Under-Powered Bandmill
When working with large logs on a bandsaw mill with a relatively low-power motor, fewer teeth per inch and more lubrication might be help prevent overheating. April 18, 2015

Value of Walnut Sawlogs
What is a nice standing walnut tree worth as saw timber? That depends on many factors. January 11, 2007

Yield Loss in Ripped-One-Edge Lumber
A woodworker who has ordered a delivery of random length and width wood ripped on one edge and surfaced on two sides wants to know how much wood he can really expect to get. April 27, 2007

Is Vacuum Dried Wood Stronger?
With so many variables to control, it's hard to be sure whether any particular drying system gives better results in terms of wood properties. October 29, 2012

Blades for Sawing Old Timbers with Embedded Nails
There are no easy answers if you need a blade that will saw wood and also cut through nails. April 18, 2009

Pine Board Sheathing for Homes
Works fine in most cases — here's some useful advice about practicalities and codes. July 14, 2010

Birdpeck in Walnut
Woodpecker damage can be found deep inside some Walnut trees, and tends to concentrate within particular stands of trees or geographic areas. June 8, 2008

Sawing the Biggest Logs Your Mill Can Handle
Will that bandsaw mill really cut a 36-inch diameter log? If only it were that simple. In this thread, owners of various mills discuss the tips and techniques you need to manage monster logs in the real world. July 12, 2005

Cold Weather Bandmill Blade Lubrication
Advice and observations on blade lubricant and cooling fluids for sawing in way-below-freezing weather. June 30, 2007

Calculating airflow in a kiln
Quantifying airflow through lumber stacks. April 2, 2002

Over-Drying and Wood Quality
Kiln operators discuss what happens to lumber when you overshoot your moisture content target. February 14, 2006

Chainsaw-Driven Bandmills
Is a chainsaw motor a good choice for powering a bandsaw mill? September 10, 2007

Chainsaw Compression Release
Explanations of the purpose and value of a compression release valve on a chainsaw, and some advice on starting a stubborn saw with less pull-back on the rope. February 22, 2011

Why is Walnut Purple Sometimes?
The purple color of some Walnut boards is natural. Here's more background with comments and observations from woodworkers. February 16, 2014

Eastern Hemlock for Post and Beam Construction
Beetle kill is taking a toll on Eastern Hemlock. Is the wood worth harvesting for timber framing? December 8, 2012

Strap-Clamping Stacked Lumber for Air-Drying
A discussion of a proposal to keep stacked sycamore strapped tight with loading straps during air-drying. June 28, 2006

Drying rates for hardwood lumber -- How fast can you dry?
Facts and stats for time-sensitive drying that will produce quality lumber. November 29, 2002

Cracks in bandsaw blades
Causes of small cracks in blades, and the blue stains that appears on oak after sawing. October 15, 2001

Solar Kiln Collector Design
Keep it simple: as long as the wood is protected from direct sunlight, painting the kiln interior black works as well as more complicated heat-absorbing rigs. July 28, 2006

Log and Board Handling Equipment
Sawmillers discuss the equipment they use to move logs and lumber around the mill. July 15, 2012

Resawing on a Bandsaw Mill
It's tricky, but doable. May 14, 2006

How to quartersaw
Sawyers share details and pictures of their preferred methods. May 17, 2003

Vacuum kilns
Choosing between a vacuum and dehumidification kiln. July 24, 2001

Planing and Moulding for a Sawmill Operation
Is it worth the investment for a sawmill operator to step up to more advanced solid wood machining? January 17, 2011

Drying and Sawing Sycamore Logs for Beams
Advice on how to get useable large-dimension lumber out of Sycamore logs. January 8, 2010

Bandmill Blades for Metal-Infested Wood
Advice on where to find and buy blades for a bandsaw mill that can survive an encounter with nails, wire, et cetera in the log. December 31, 2013

Sawing a Black Walnut Root
The lower stump and root of a big walnut tree can yield beautiful figured wood, but the work is a huge hassle. January 27, 2008

Pitch Build-Up When Planing Air-Dried Pine
There's no way to stop Pine pitch from gumming up machinery, short of kiln-drying the lumber. (This thread has some interesting asides about using your own sawn wood for construction.) April 27, 2011

Troubleshooting Checking in African Mahogany
Woodworkers puzzle over unusual cracking in some African Mahogany rough-sawn stock. February 6, 2010

Dimensional Framing Lumber from Mixed Hardwoods
Thoughts on using local hardwood to produce framing lumber for outbuildings. October 4, 2011

End Checking in Beech Blocks
Drying cracks in imported Beech blocks may be the re-opening of existing cracks, related to changes in atmospheric relative humidity. November 27, 2007

Measuring Moisture Gradient at the End of Kiln-Drying
Core and shell moisture content can be important things to know in certain cases, but it's usually not vital information for running the kiln. June 13, 2014

Choosing a "Starter" Bandsaw Mill
Sawmillers share thoughts about entry-level bandsaw mills for occasional use that might hold their value for when the user decides to upgrade. February 14, 2006

White Ash, Emerald Borer, Quarantine, and De-Barking
Technical and legal isues relating to log transport, hygeine, and limiting the spread of damaging insect infestations. September 6, 2010

Converting a Bandmill from Gas to Electric
Advice on mounting an electric motor on a bandsaw mill. March 9, 2010

Twisty Trees are Trouble
Sawyer lore says the logs with the left-handed twist are best left to rot. April 20, 2011

Holding a Cant Down on the Bandmill
A bandmill owner gets help troubleshooting the situation when a cant seems to rise off the sawmill bed while sawing the last few boards. April 18, 2015

Borates for Protecting Oak Beams
Borate treatments can provide good protection against insects for softwood that is kept dry, but has limited usefulness on hardwood, especially if exposed to rain. January 14, 2008

Bulldozed Saw Logs
Trees that have been pushed over may have various kinds of damage near the butt — and pulling them out of the pile can be hazardous, too. June 22, 2012

Shrinkage Allowances for Sawing Southern Yellow Pine
What dimension should SYP be sawn to, in order to arrive at the desired thickness after drying and planing? November 14, 2009

Short blade life
Band mill blades that don't last, burnt tips and bad bearings. December 18, 2001

Chain-Saw Milling
For small-scale production on a budget, a furniture-maker reports good results from a chain-saw mill. October 15, 2010

Case Hardening Explained
A semi-technical discussion about how the wood drying process can create stresses between interior and surface wood layers — and about how to reduce or prevent that situation. January 19, 2012

Sawing and Drying Tips for Pecan
Orchard-grown pecan wood warps badly when drying. Here is advice on how to cut and dry pecan in order to minimize warping and improve quality. July 28, 2006

Hairline Cracks in Kiln-Drying Cherry
Checking in Cherry appears as a fine crack, and is the result of too-fast air-drying, not kiln-drying. April 15, 2012

Sap Content and the Seasons
Despite rumors to the contrary, live trees contain the same amount of sap, summer or winter. July 28, 2012

Properly Drying Oak for Use in a Porch Swing
Thoughts on air drying, kiln drying, and conditioning for oak intended to be used in outdoor versus indoor conditions. January 11, 2007

Air-Drying Silver Maple
Basic advice on stacking, stickering, and covering Maple for air drying in winter. October 17, 2012

Stickers and sticker shadow
A discussion on synthetic and traditional stickers, and an explanation of reverse sticker shadow. May 30, 2001

Quarter-sawing on a Swing-Blade Mill
Quarter-sawing problems, solutions, and ideas. August 31, 2009

Whether to Use Reclaimed Pickle-Vat Lumber for Stickers
An interesting discussion on the properties of old-growth lumber that has been used in a vat for brining pickles. June 13, 2014

Building a slab saw
Advice and images on creating a contraption for chopping bundles of kindling. January 16, 2002

True Dimensions of 4/4 Green Lumber
The terms "4/4" and "RWRL" take some explaining. Here's the voice of expertise and experience. October 8, 2005

Roughsawn Hemlock for Framing Lumber
Thoughts and advice on sawing up hemlock to use for house framing. October 20, 2005

Harvesting and Selling Eastern Red Cedar
A discussion of the potential market for Eastern Red Cedar logs, boards, or standing timber. April 24, 2014

Sawing Up Some High-Grade Cherry
Most sawyers advise flat-sawing nice Cherry for grade. March 31, 2008

Buying a Planer for Big Timbers
Heavy-duty planing capability requires a whole different class of machine. March 9, 2010

Hydraulics for a Bandsaw Mill
An operator posts photos and explanations for the hydraulic system in his custom-built mill. July 12, 2005

Stain Spots on Soft Maple after Kiln Drying
This particular problem was a chemical stain, but the thread also has an interesting discussion of beetle damage. June 13, 2014

Estimating board footage
Most accurate and most accepted methods of figuring BF for lumber. December 17, 2002

Finish Over Air-Dried Pine
Soft resin and volatile natural solvents in softwoods will interfere with finishes unless the wood is kiln-dried at a high enough temperature to "set the pitch."August 17, 2009

Store-bought and home-built log trailers
Suggestions on buying and building log trailers and loaders. (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) January 21, 2003

Slowing Down Wood Drying
Once wood starts to dry, it's hard to slow the process down without encountering staining or rot problems. December 6, 2009

Drying Lodgepole Pine in Colorado
Detailed advice on air-drying and kiln-drying lodgepole pine (some logged green and some killed by beetles). April 21, 2008

Idea: a Sawmill with No Frame?
Forumgoers kick around the concept of a "gantry" bandmill that would roll on wheels on a slab, instead of sliding on a steel frame. October 3, 2009

Modifying Chainsaw Mill Chain Length
Advice on lengthening, shortening, or patching chainsaw mill chains. June 9, 2007

Five Points for Efficient Sawmilling
Gene Wengert shares his expertise on sawing economically and profitably. January 29, 2004

Troubleshooting Wobble in a 48-Inch Sawmill Blade
Detailed discussion of the factors that can make a circular sawmill blade deform enough to start wobbling. August 30, 2007

Seasonal Moisture Content of Living Trees
Moisture content of living tree wood is constant throughout the year. May 31, 2010

Walnut End Checking in the Steamer
Troubleshooting a checking problem with Walnut related to conditions in a large steaming chamber. October 3, 2009

Propane Tank Log Hauler
Photos and descriptions of a small-log hauler built by adapting a propane-tank trailer. December 15, 2005

Heat Up Rate in Lumber Drying
Most wood-drying situations don't require careful control of the rate at which the load heats up. June 13, 2014

Rotating logs when sawing
Advantages and disadvantages of turning logs 180 degrees when sawing. January 4, 2001

Steaming, Drying, and Honeycomb in Walnut
Bacterial infection as well as steamer and kiln settings may have caused reported honeycombing at one end of thick Walnut boards. June 18, 2009

Sawing and Drying Sycamore
Sycamore is attractive and useful, but moves drastically while drying. Here's good advice on how to minimize movement and make the most of each board. June 27, 2006

Shopping for a Metal Detector
A conversation about finding a good metal detector. October 1, 2009

Bandmill Blade Tension and Blade Temperature
Bandsaw mil blades expand and contract with heating and cooling, which affects blade tension. Here is a discussion of how equipment should adjust to compensate. August 18, 2009

How to Prevent Drying Stress
A quick explanation from the Wood Doctor of what causes drying stress, and how to prevent or reduce it. August 15, 2011

Cleaning and Deodorizing Urine-Contaminated Wood
Advice on how to handle old lumber wood salvaged from storage, which appears to have been "soiled" by raccoons. 16, 2014

Fan Motor Switch Tripping Problem in a Dehumidifier Kiln
Troubleshooting a fan performance issue in a dehumidifier kiln. October 15, 2010

Milling lumber from logs
Here's the steps it takes to harvest, skid, and mill a log into lumber using my Norwood Lumbermate band saw mill. April 25, 2001

Air Drying Cherry Slabs
Basic advice for a beginner on drying slabs. January 17, 2011

Labor Time for Sawing Timbers
How much time to expect to take for sawing framing timbers on a bandmill. December 6, 2009

Air-Drying Time and the Need for Conditioning
If you air-dry lumber for long enough, it won't experience drying stress in the kiln; but you do risk lumber degrade. July 30, 2007

White Oak for Log Homes
Advice on sawing White Oak timbers for log-home construction. May 18, 2010

Fresh-Cut Pine for Rafters
In theory, green softwood should perform acceptably for barn rafters. In practice, on the other hand ... well, life is full of surprises. November 28, 2006

Slabbing with a Chainsaw
Advice on low-tech slabbing methods, to rescue a nice log from the burn pile. January 2, 2012

Tension Set and Lumber Conditioning
Advice on remediating curved lumber after resawing, with a discussion of why "tension set" occurs and how the effect can be reversed. October 19, 2013

Accuracy of Different Log Scales
How many chunks in a dang whack? That depends on how you measure it. (And if you're talking beer, we use hogsheads per hectare.) March 10, 2008

Checking and Splitting of a Large Poplar Plank
As predicted, this big piece of wood moved and split. But the owner ended up happy anyway. January 17, 2011

Quartersawing Sycamore for Fleck
Making the most out of a sycamore log. May 11, 2005

From Slab to Tabletop
How one craftsman took a big chunk of tree and turned it into furniture. January 27, 2007

Hard Maple for Baseball Bats
Info about sawing, drying, and grading maple bat billets. October 2, 2005

Boosting a Solar Kiln with Propane Heat
Thoughts on modifying a solar kiln with supplemental propane heat to kill bugs and set pitch. April 30, 2009

Home built bandsaw mill
Profusely illustrated piece on building your own bandmill. June 16, 2003

Quarter-Sawing Technique
What's the best way to quarter-saw a sycamore log? April 10, 2005

Washing Fresh-Cut Lumber
Washing excess sawdust off boards should be no problem. But why not used compressed air, or just a broom? November 28, 2006

Remove pith when sawing boards?
Removing inferior wood from sawlogs. June 24, 2001

Tax Advantages of Timber-Land Status
State and federal policies may help the landowner who manages his woods for timber. April 18, 2009

Value of Yard Tree Logs
Yard tree value is low because of the probability of hitting metal. But some sawyers still take them. December 12, 2008

Fine Points of End Coating
Advice on applying Anchorseal or roofing tar to log ends immediately after felling. October 19, 2013

Lumber Quality above the Butt Log
There's a lot of useable lumber left behind in short log ends that commercial sawmill's won't accept. But that higher-up wood can be tricky to work with. October 4, 2011

Chain Saw Bars: How Big is Too Big?
Considerations that affect the preferred size of a chain saw bar. October 1, 2009

Kiln insulation
A discussion of good insulations types for kilns and information on R values. February 7, 2001

Controlling Mildew in Air-Drying Lumber
Surface mildew in a stack of boards being air-dried should respond to some dehumidification in the space. April 15, 2012

Drying Juvenile SYP
A few thoughts on the challenges of high-volume drying of 2x4 lumber cut from very small trees. June 13, 2014

Sawmill Clutching, Starting, and Stopping
Sawmill owners discuss ways to idle their equipment to prolong blade life. February 17, 2012

Shipping Large Circular Saw Blades
Advice on packing large saw blades for shipment so they won't be deformed or damaged. June 28, 2010

Sawing to Prevent Tapered Logs
Making the proper cuts in the right order, to produce flat, quality lumber. May 11, 2005

Does a Tow-Behind Sawmill Need Vehicle Tags?
Just because you can tow it behind a truck, doesn't mean it's officially a "trailer." In some states at least, sawmill equipment on wheels is not a vehicle and it doesn't need a license plate. December 30, 2007

Pricing Lumber in a Down Market
A conversation about how to charge practical prices for lumber sawn from old, legacy trees. January 25, 2010

Hand-Powered Saws for Milling Logs
A discussion of pit saws and an idea for adapting a bandmill blade for a hand-powered frame saw. May 11, 2005

Mesquite Lore
Texas woodworkers share their knowledge of Mesquite wood. August 21, 2006

Allowing for Shrinkage when Sawing Framing Lumber
If you want the lumber in service to end up comparable to commercial kiln-dried softwood framing lumber, how much thicker and wider should you saw? November 28, 2006

Troubleshooting Bandmill Blade Breakage
What causes bandsaw mill blades to break after one or two sharpenings, and how to prevent it. March 29, 2006

Sawdust on stacked wood
Should sawdust be cleaned off before stacking and drying? October 15, 2001

Sawing Tapered Logs
Tips for getting high-value lumber with either portable or fixed equipment. April 10, 2005

Cutting angles
Cutting angles recommended by Forest Products Laboratory for hardwoods. May 9, 2001

Wood Choice for Paint Grade Historic Millwork
Woodworkers discuss the pros and cons of Spanish Cedar, Mahogany, Sapele, Black Locust, and recovered Heart Pine for a restoration and historic reproduction project. April 27, 2011

Lumber Stress in "Fence-Row" Trees
Cherry trees growing on a fence-line may have lumber stress (and interesting grain) March 14, 2005

Quarter-Sawing with a Swing Blade Mill
How to saw for vertical grain and figure using a swing-blade mill. May 27, 2014

Dealing with Variable Moisture Content in the Kiln Load
Mixed loads with varied moisture contents are an age-old problem with no easy solution. But here are some ways to approach the situation. June 13, 2014

Power Considerations for Electric Mills
Thoughts on powering an electric mill without affecting the neighbors' power supply or power quality. March 9, 2010

Buying Lumber at Auction
Tips on assessing the quality of air-dried hardwood up for sale at a small auction. October 3, 2009

Air-Drying Persimmon
Persimmon has value, but it moves a lot as it dries. April 30, 2006

Black Locust as a Utility Pole
Thoughts on whether to dry a Black Locust pole before burying the end, and related issues. March 28, 2010

Planning Your First Cut for Best Lumber Quality
A little forethought can help a sawyer get the best wood out of every log. April 10, 2007

Finding good help
How to find and keep reliable employees for your sawmill business. January 16, 2002

Logging arch
Designing and building your own. November 22, 2003

Sawing Slabs from Huge Down Tree Stumps
This particular big old dead Cottonwood stump may not be worth the effort. But here's some good advice on how to break a big, hard-to-manage log up and get good-sized slabs and burls out of it. June 19, 2012

Air-Drying and Kiln-Drying Thick Maple
Drying 12/4 hard Maple, a kiln operator walks a fine line between checking and staining. Here's more. July 29, 2011

Wood-Gas Generator Motors
Here's a little basic info about wood gasification for generating electricity. October 1, 2010

Judging bandsaw blade longevity
How to tell when blades are dull, and reasons they might dull quickly. August 12, 2001

Hand-Peeling and Hand-Hewing Logs
Hand tools and techniques for de-barking logs and squaring timbers. May 9, 2007

Saw Blade Hot Spots and Dishing
What's the right thing to do when a circular sawmill blade heats up in one spot and dishes out of shape? April 20, 2011

Estimating Sawmill Overrun
Understanding the difference between the board feet estimated in a log and the board feet actually produced. May 11, 2005

Air Drying, Moisture Content, and Useability
How long will air-drying take to get wood to a stable moisture equilibrium? And would kiln-drying be better? September 6, 2010

Arborvitae Lumber
A discussion of the likely lumber characteristics of a yard tree described as Arborvitae. May 18, 2010

Milling Valley Oak
Advice on getting some value out of a bodacious tree trunk from the hills outside San Francisco. January 17, 2011

Size effect on shrinkage
Are traditional shrinkage values applicable to drying large cants? May 9, 2001

Maintaining a TimberKing B20
Tips on care and feeding of a portable sawmill. November 27, 2007

Furniture from Air-Dried Red Oak
If "air drying" is understood to include drying to equilibrium in a conditioned indoor space, then the result can be useable wood. May 27, 2008

Eradicating Tree Stumps
Details on a variety of methods for getting rid of tree stumps after cutting down trees. June 14, 2014

Calculating board footage
Professor Gene Wengert explains it all. February 18, 2003

Sawing and Drying Diagonal Slices from Logs
Here's some advice on equipment and technique for creating oval-shaped slices through large logs, marketable for various decorative uses. September 6, 2010

Showing Off Some Curly Maple
A bandmill operator shares photos of a huge curly maple log, before and after sawing. December 15, 2005

Drying a Walnut Slab
This thread about how to slowly air-dry a Walnut slab has some beautiful photos of a Walnut slab table. August 16, 2012

Horse Skidding Advice
Thoughts on horse temperament and tips on harness, feed, training, and handling. May 18, 2010

Unusual Quilted Figure in Eastern Red Cedar
A sawmill owner shows off a one-in-a-million Cedar board with wavy, curly figure, and a photo of the log's unusual bark. November 16, 2011

Drying Thick Slabs
Thoughts on managing cracking in thick slabs during drying. December 6, 2009

Bandmill run by generator
Using a diesel generator to provide electric power to bandmill. January 16, 2002

Treating Burls With Pentacryl
Is pentracryl a proper treatment for burl wood, or are other sealers more suitable? January 6, 2005

Mortising fenceposts
A few methods for cutting holes in split rail fencing. July 29, 2003

Sawmill waste disposal
Producing power and other ideas for utilizing waste from a milling operation. January 21, 2002

Managing Maple Trees in a Mixed Woods
There's good advice here on managing a mixed hardwood stand for long-term value and forest health. June 14, 2014

Sweetgum Character
If you saw much Sweetgum, you'll find that the lumber has a strong personality. November 27, 2007

Forest management
A brief history of the sustainable forestry initiative in North America, from the European perspective. May 4, 2001

Log weight
Locating a chart and doing the calculations. September 2, 2002

Dollar Value of a Walnut Burl
Walnut burls are extremely rare, but that does not mean they're worth money: the proof is in the sawing.October 26, 2011

Band mills versus circular mills
Choosing the right sawmill for your unique operation. April 3, 2004

Dealing with Heavy Pitch
Antique heart pine and other pitch-heavy woods can clog blades up quickly. Here's some good advice on keeping blades clean. May 11, 2005

Drying Walnut Crotch Slabs
A light coat of sealant? Or a slow, careful spell in the kiln? February 26, 2005

Valuing Unusual Boards
Arriving at a price for a one-of-a-kind large piece of wood is a very subjective process. December 6, 2009

Bandmill Blade Roller Guide Settings
Maintain a downward pressure, or leave a slight clearance? October 28, 2008

Intentional Spalting
Can you treat logs with fungus and humidity to create spalting on purpose? Some say "yes," but it's more art than science. June 23, 2005

Slab Photo Essay
A tour through the nice slab collection of an urban tree salvage aficionado. April 30, 2009

Is storing cants feasible?
Can large cants be stored until an order for custom-cut lumber is received? February 19, 2002

Sycamore for a Post and Beam Frame?
Beautiful as the wood is, Sycamore's tendency to twist makes it a questionable choice for timber framing. December 28, 2006

Manufacturing Pellet-Stove Fuel
Thoughts and information on how to process sawdust into fuel pellets. March 14, 2006

Winching Big Logs
Thoughts on the selection and use of winch equipment for moving and loading large, heavy logs. May 11, 2005

Bug Control in Ash and Oak
Details about the heat conditions required to kill insects in a load of lumber being kiln-dried. March 28, 2012

Timber Mats for Construction Sitework
Information on heavy-timber mats used to support heavy excavation equipment on soft ground (a potential value-added product for sawmillers). November 28, 2006

Seasonal Sap Flow and Moisture Content in Trees
Debunking a few misconceptions about winter and summer tree sap behavior. December 31, 2012

Bandmill enclosures for all-weather milling
Ideas for a structure to house a bandsaw mill, with thoughts on heating and dust collection. February 13, 2001

Uses for Cottonwood
Cottonwood is a useful and versatile species. Here, pros discuss aspects of working with the wood. August 30, 2005

Drying Small Amounts of Wood in the Attic
Thoughts about the airflow and venting required to dry small amounts of wood in an attic. April 20, 2011

Holly Staining: Fungus or Pigment?
Holly stains if it's not dried quickly and properly. But what's the real cause? A scientist weighs in on samples collected by a sawyer. July 12, 2005

Sawing Cherry for Quality
Sawmillers advise on how to get the best quality lumber out of a Cherry saw-log. July 30, 2007

Wood Flooring Yield and Waste Factor
How much rough lumber should I order for milling into a given quantity of tongue and groove wood flooring? June 8, 2011

Sawmill Dust Collection
Descriptions, explanations, and pictures of dust collection systems for small sawmills. November 3, 2010

Recognizing Curly Wood
A practiced eye can spot interesting grain figure in a stump by looking at the bark. October 4, 2007

Paulownia Characteristics and Uses
A fast-growing, light and strong semi-tropical wood, Paulownia has enough value to be worth stealing. Here's an example growing on a bathroom windowsill. September 5, 2010

Leveling your mill
Instruments and methods for ensuring your sawmill is level when you set it up. November 18, 2002

Live Edge Fireplace Mantel Advice
Practical details for making a large-dimension rustic mantelpiece with a natural log edge. January 18, 2011

Kiln Tech Needs Pointers
12/14/2012

Why Saw Lumber Thinner?
Sawmillers discuss the economics and practicality of sawing 12/4 versus 4/4 lumber. January 13, 2006

Performance Issues with "Roasted Birch"
The process of heating wood to 300°F takes a toll in terms of strength, durability, and workability. December 9, 2008

Oak, Gum or Tupelo?
Another wood identification problem. January 29, 2009

Miniature Solar Kilns
Very small solar kilns are indeed practicable, if you only need to dry small pieces of wood. December 31, 2012

Assessing an Old Circle Sawmill
A discussion about getting a rusty old circle mill up and running again, including thoughts about safety and about restoring the old blade. . September 5, 2011

Selecting Fans for a Solar Kiln
Advice on picking fans that will move the right amount of air and not fail from overheating. February 8, 2008

Economics of Sawing Railroad Ties
Cost and quality of saw logs, your mill's production rate, and the market for byproduct lumber can all affect whether sawing ties will be profitable. June 8, 2011

Converting Board Feet to Metric Units
You do the math... March 26, 2010

Air-Dried Pine for Exterior Siding and Trim
A discussion of keeping pitch from gumming up the planer, and on priming knots in Pine to avoid bleeding. Nice photos in this thread. May 30, 2011

Casehardening, Checking, and Warping
Dry lumber that warps when resawn offers a lesson about casehardening and its effects. May 27, 2008

Log Moving Equipment Choices
All-terrain forklifts get good reviews in this thread. July 29, 2011

Bandmill Blade Sharpening on a Budget
Advice on setting up to sharpen and set bandmill blades, with a minimum investment of money (if not time). June 18, 2010

Blade Tracking Issues with Hard Hickory
Blade characteristics such as gullet depth, sharpness, and rake angle affect the performance of a bandmill blade in a very hard hardwood log. January 19, 2012

Drying Oak Lumber: Step 1, Assessing the Raw Material
The first step in drying Oak is to know the characteristics of the lumber you're planning to dry. July 29, 2012

Reconditioning of Collapsed/Washboard Timber
Collapse of sawn lumber during drying is a rare event. Steaming may help prevent the problem, and to some extent cure it. January 12, 2015

Seasons and Logging
The time of year when a tree is cut may affect drying time, and also can have other effects. April 18, 2009

Kiln-Drying Reclaimed Heart Pine
A few simple tips for a new kiln operator. October 2, 2005

How to Stack and Dry Large Beams
Advice on stacking, stickering, and banding large-dimension Oak timbers for air drying. January 18, 2012

Quartersawing, Rift Sawing, and Plain Sawing Explained
This authoritative explanation with photos and drawings will clear up the widespread confusion about the various ways of sawing logs for grain. May 27, 2014

Drying Mesquite with Denatured Alcohol
Denatured alcohol (DNA) drying techniques work best on porous wood, not so well on a low-porosity species like Mesquite. October 1, 2010

Moisture variance in red oak
Basic drying procedures and a discussion of bacteria in red oak. February 13, 2001

Value-Added Product Opportunities for Sawmill Operations
Forum technical advisor Steve Brakovitch kicks off a discussion of value-added products that sawmillers can produce using their lumber products or even their incidental waste. May 13, 2005

Producing Drying Defects on Purpose
A client requests surface checks in his kiln charge of white oak. Should the operator oblige? May 11, 2005

Bacterial Action in Wood
Temperature and the availability of oxygen help determine which sort of bacteria can thrive in wood, and therefore how the infected wood might smell. January 27, 2007

Lumber Conditioning Advice
Info on mixed loads, re-wetting dried lumber, and related topics. September 25, 2014

Entering the Cut
Bandmill operators discuss the problem of a brief "bump" in blade tracking as the blade first enters the log. Usually, blade tension is the issue. October 14, 2006

Sealing Log Ends
Thoughts about log-sealing products and application methods. September 15, 2006

White Pine Versus Yellow Poplar for Interior Paneling
A bandsaw mill owner gets advice on which wood species to use for interior wall and ceiling paneling. October 19, 2014

Firewood kiln
Methods and facilities used to dry firewood. November 26, 2001

Worm Holes and Lumber Grading
Bug holes aren't a lumber defect in everybody's eyes — it all depends on your market. Here's some info about how grading standards account for insect damage. December 9, 2010

Treating Air-Dried Wood with Pesticides
Surface-applied pesticides may be dangerous or even illegal, and will probably do no good. Instead, heat-treat wood to kill bugs. February 14, 2006

Sapwood and heartwood
Questions on sapwood and heartwood of pecan and hickory, and how-to instructions for quartersawing. April 4, 2001

Removing Turning Blank Pith
Techniques to prevent cracking from the pith. January 6, 2005

Pitch-coated bandsaw blades
Sawyers share their secrets for cleaning pitch from blades. October 15, 2001

Blade Lube for Cutting Pine
Sawmillers suggest Pine-Sol, dishwasher detergent, or diesel fuel. November 16, 2011

Promoting blue stain
How to promote this visual effect in a stack of red pine. March 21, 2002

Log Size and Portable Sawmill Choice
A bandsaw mill is more appropriate than a swing mill for logs less than 2 feet in thickness. Here is more info on purchasing the right equipment. April 11, 2008

Cant Hook Versus Peavey
Useful information on the relative merits and characteristics of these basic logging and sawmilling tools. May 11, 2005

Assessing the Value of a Yard Elm Tree
Advice on the character of American Elm wood, tips on drying, and cautions about metal in a yard tree. January 28, 2014

Shipping Bandmill Blades
A bandmill operator got some blades back from the resharpener with broken teeth. Were they damaged in shippping? August 31, 2005

Gnarly Maple Yields Awesome Figured Burls
A sawmiller and wood turner shows off a highly irregular Norway Maple log and the remarkable figure in the wood it produces. May 13, 2013

Managing Airflow in the Pre-Dryer
Advice on using temporary baffles to keep air flowing through the remaining stacks as some wood is removed. June 13, 2014

Paint for Solar Kiln Interiors
Details for painting the inside of a solar drying kiln, and some resources for kiln design. June 9, 2007

Sawing a Cherry Log for Value
Without a specific project in mind, a woodworker asks how to best saw a nice Cherry log in a way that leaves his options open. September 18, 2014

Kiln Humidity Monitoring: In-Flow or Out-Flow?
Standard practice is to monitor the characteristics of air before it enters the pile, but monitoring exiting air could work under some circumstances. July 29, 2012

Lowering Wood Moisture Content
A woodworker has some lumber at 12% moisture content that he wants to dry down to 9%. Here are some quick and cheap ways to accomplish that. October 19, 2013

Sawing and Drying Apple Stump Wood
Apple's hard to deal with — expect a lot of time and effort to yield only modest results. May 31, 2010

Fanless Solar Kiln?
Natural convection is not a practical way to power air flow through a drying kiln. August 1, 2011

Selling Wood Scrap
Figure out what wood-carvers and other craftsmen need, and you may be able to make money from sawmill off-cuts, odds and ends. May 13, 2005

Sawing Short Walnut Logs
Advice on getting good lumber yield from a batch of 5-foot and 6-foot logs cut from a nice, fat Walnut tree. February 12, 2007

Should Hardwood be Air-Dried Before Kiln-Drying?
A discussion on the best drying schedule for maple, white ash, black ash, beech, cherry, and birch. December 1, 2005

Red Cedar Grain Patterns
A craftsman gets advice on sawing techniques for achieving beautiful book-matched grain effects. June 22, 2005

Ambrosia Beetles in a Chainsaw Bear
Characteristic fungal growths turn out to be the telltale sign of Ambrosia beetle infestation of a chainsaw sculpture. June 14, 2014

Moisture Monitoring in Kiln Operations
A technical discussion of how to keep track of drying conditions in a kiln in real time. April 18, 2010

Splitting Large Cants
Sawmill operators discuss ways to cut a 12x12 cant down into 4x6 cants using different types of mill. July 28, 2006

Dump Cycle Kiln Drying
A discussion of the value of periodic high-volume venting during the kiln-drying process. July 13, 2006

Drying Split Logs
How you dry split smallwood could depend on your intended use for it — in furniture, for archery bows, or whatever. October 3, 2009

Solar kiln materials
Advice on types of materials for letting light into your solar kiln. June 24, 2001

Air Flow Meters for Kilns
A discussion on the state of technology for monitoring airflow inside a kiln during drying, and about whether the data is useful in any case.June 13, 2014

Promoting a new sawmill business
How to get the word out that you have a mill and you're sawing wood. January 16, 2002

End Checking and Sticker Placement
Placing stickers very close to the ends of the lumber stack can help limit end checking. This thread also offers additional tips on preventing checking. November 16, 2010

Drying Wood in a Shipping-Container Kiln
Insights on using a dehumidifier kiln built from a shipping container. December 11, 2007

Three sided house logs - with swing blade
How can these be milled? March 4, 2002

Electric Sawmill Options
Backyard sawmill operator who wants to operate quietly learns about electric chainsaw mills. September 17, 2008

Dehumidifier Kiln Chamber Size
A discussion of constructing the drying box to fit the dehumidifier capacity and the intended lumber dimensions and quantity to be dried. October 26, 2011

White Pine for Stick Framing
A few facts about the standards relating to the use of White Pine as house framing lumber. November 3, 2010

Cottonwood for Building
Cottonwood has drawbacks, but it can be used. Here's more information. August 18, 2009

Economics of End-Coating to Prevent Checking
If you look at the numbers, sealing log or board ends is worth the cost. June 13, 2014

Sawmilling as a Side Business
Advice on making money for a new member of the Sawing and Drying forum. August 12, 2014

Wood I.D. Puzzle
Another guessing game about wood species — this time, a hurricane-downed log from south Texas. April 18, 2009

Drying a Large Oak Timber for a Mantelpiece
Drying large timbers takes time however you do it. Here are some thoughts about practical approaches. November 16, 2011

Sawing Eastern Red Cedar
Tips on handling and sawing cedar logs to obtain marketable product. October 4, 2007

Stickering Wood in the Basement
Getting wood to dry in a cellar is problematic. July 18, 2008

Choosing an edger
What to consider when buying an edger for a primary processing operation. January 4, 2001

Planning Cuts with a Swingmill
Thoughts on making the first cut when using a swing-blade mill. July 7, 2011

Bug Holes in Air-Dried Maple
Advice on a lumber insect infestation. March 4, 2009

Recognizing a Big-Leaf Maple Burl
This big burl, received as a gift, is identified as the western species Big-Leaf Maple by woodworkers familiar with that wood. December 23, 2014

Best Dimension for Sawing Poplar
A sawmill operator with a load of Poplar logs to saw wonders what size boards would prove most popular. September 27, 2008

Powderpost beetles in hardwood beams
Is there any way to get rid of powderpost beetles riddling oak beams with holes? November 7, 2001

More Strange Tales from the Bandmill Zone
Another blade bites the dust, as the list of odd items encountered in logs continues to grow. January 13, 2006

Guide Alignment and Blade Breakage
Premature blade breakage could result from excess tension or misaligned drive wheels and guides. October 4, 2007

Pricing Walnut Logs
Fine points of getting a fair price for walnut on the stump. August 30, 2007

Yellow Streaks in Claro Walnut After Kiln-Drying
Bacterial infection inhibits drying in walnut, leading to visible discoloration that is revealed when the wood is planed. December 11, 2007

Powderpost Beetle Problems
Here's a good description of a log house infested with powderpost beetles. February 9, 2008

Port Orford Cedar — Milling Tips and Uses
Ideas on how to saw a nice Port Orford Cedar log, and for what to make with the wood. October 25, 2006

Installation Tips for Board and Batten Siding
Nail location is important. November 28, 2006

Stacking and Stickering Random Length Boards
Advice on stacking and (keeping track of) boards sawn from logs of different lengths at various times. November 16, 2011

Blade Maintenance for Bandsaw Mills
Pros discuss the selection, care and feeding of bandsaw mill blades. August 31, 2005

Sawing Long Timbers on a Bandmill
Logs that are too long for your bandmill can still be sawn, but it takes some extra handling. Here are some ways that sawyers get it done. April 10, 2007

Green Douglas Fir for Timber Framing
Advice on framing with fresh-cut Douglas Fir posts and beams. April 2, 2013

Getting a Consistent Chink Gap in Log Construction
A discussion of how to make a log cabin look reasonably regular. May 27, 2014

Cypress Mulch
Cypress mulch may come from locally grown trees, even in the north. But there is environmental controversy about harvesting the trees for mulch. October 25, 2006

Poison Ivy Remedies
Logs with poison ivy vines on them can really get you good. Here are some recommendations for prevention and treatment. December 12, 2008

Geothermal dehumidification kiln
Can water piped from below ground help with dehumidification? July 24, 2001

Fine Points of Bandmill Blade Tension
Blade characteristics, including steel type, gauge, and width, are factors in determining the best tension to apply to the blade in service. January 18, 2011

"Shop-Dried" Versus "Air-Dried" Lumber
A discussion of the quality and value of hardwoods that have been stacked and dried in a dry indoor area, but not in a kiln. March 26, 2013

Minimizing Drying Cracks in Large Timbers
Advice on how to limit cracking and checking in large-dimension timbers. November 14, 2009

Cutting 5-sided timber
Hewing a pentagon-shaped ridge beam on a Wood-Mizer. October 9, 2002

Black Locust Fence Post Advice
Here's what you need to know to prepare Black Locust logs for duty as highly durable fence posts. June 14, 2014

Drying Oak Lumber: Step 6C, Equalizing and Conditioning
Equalizing and conditioning result in consistent lumber with minimal drying stresses. But this step adds time and expense. August 27, 2012

Photos of Wide Hardwood Slabs
A little show-and-tell display of some big Walnut and Elm slabs, with some discussion of bandsaw mill capabilities. March 16, 2015

Is Pin Oak Useful?
Widely planted as a yard landscaping tree, Pin Oak has some drawbacks as a source of lumber. June 18, 2009

Sawing and drying mesquite
Dealing with many-trunked mesquite trees. February 6, 2002

Stain in Maple -- Prevention and Cure
An explanation of why maple wood stains, ways to slow the process down, and how to bleach stains out. July 28, 2006

Air Flow and Mold Problems
Troubleshooting an occurrence of mold in wood stacked for air-drying. March 26, 2013

Gang-Sawing Small Logs on a Bandsaw Mill
Talking about ways to make milling more efficient for small logs that are barely worth the effort. April 20, 2011

Troubleshooting Forklift Hydraulics
An old forklift seems to have a little internal bleeding. What's the remedy? January 31, 2012

Troubleshooting Low Humidity During Conditioning
A cold spot or air leak in the kiln can prevent the air from reaching the target humidity for conditioning. June 13, 2014

Spacing for a tree farm
Distance for planting walnuts and red oaks to be harvested. June 3, 2003

S4S Planing Equipment for a Small Shop
Shopping for a four-head moulder that's practical for dressing lumber in a small shop. October 4, 2011

Troubleshooting a Dehumidifier Kiln
A newly acquired (but secondhand) dehumidifier kiln has some performance issues, and the Sawing and Drying forum offers advice. March 26, 2013

Blade Choice for Resawing Reclaimed Lumber
Sawyers consider what kind of blade to use when there's a risk of hitting nails. May 27, 2008

Poor Man's Skidder
Examples of log-moving rigs creatively improvised on a modest budget. March 28, 2010

"Seasoned" Wood: What Does That Mean?
A brief discussion of wood drying vernacular, lightly salted with science and pan-blackened. April 24, 2014

Quartersawn, Rift Sawn, and Flatsawn — What's the Difference?
A photo example and discussion of grain direction in sawn lumber. February 4, 2011

Ways to Estimate or Calculate Board Feet
Rule of thumb gets you pretty close, and even methods involving careful measurement are susceptible to basic arithmetic errors. January 11, 2007

Lubing Blades When Sawing Utility Poles
Old utility poles can be rough on blades. Here, sawmillers discuss why, and suggest blade lubricating fluids. August 21, 2006

Resawing with a Bandsaw
Fewer teeth makes for a cleaner cut. Here's why. July 28, 2006

Advice for Ripping Large Logs
How the pros make longitudinal cuts in the field, in order to expedite getting their harvest to the mill. January 25, 2005

Steaming Before Kiln-Drying: Good Idea?
Steaming wood before the drying cycle may or may not be wise. But in any case, the idea is patented. June 13, 2014

Does Vacuum Kill Insects?
Nope, you need heat to kill bugs in wood (and don't call them bugs). March 4, 2009

Square foot vs board foot
Defining the difference. October 2, 2001

Visual Grading, Lumber Strength, and Liability
If a visually graded piece of lumber breaks at lower stresses than the grade specifies, can somebody get in trouble? January 27, 2008

Eastern Red Cedar for Outdoor Use
Thoughts on drying Eastern Red Cedar, and on the wood's value for decks or outdoor furniture. December 6, 2009

Drying Oak Lumber: Step 3B, Sample Boards
How to select sample boards for accurate measurement of moisture content and drying rate. August 16, 2012

Drying Spalted Alder
To halt the growth of spalting fungus, dry quickly and/or heat above 133°F. December 23, 2014

Sawing High-Growth-Stress Wood
Logs will bend in the mill if you don't turn them frequently. February 26, 2005

Diagnosing a Beetle Infestation
The Wood Doctor discusses the risk indicated by insect exit holes appearing in wood recently brought indoors. April 30, 2009

Lubricant for Severe Pitch Buildup
Tooth pitch and lubricant choice may be some help when sawing wood that contains unusual amounts of pitch. March 16, 2015

Home-built solar kiln
Fully illustrated details of a solar dry kiln. May 5, 2003

What Causes Burl Figure in Wood?
Nobody really knows why some trees form burls, but that doesn't stop us from speculating. December 28, 2006

Sassafras Siding
A look at some Sassafras used for house siding, with some tips on drying, handling, et cetera.May 15, 2011

Edger Causing Crook in Boards
Sawmill operators discuss what could cause an edger to send boards off track. June 28, 2010

Fabricating a Drive Wheel Axle
Metalworking advice for making bandsaw mill parts. May 13, 2009

Pitch Buildup on Drive Belts
Is pine pitch accumulating on the drive belts of a bandsaw mill a problem? And what can you do about it?February 27, 2013

What Thickness to Saw Walnut for Furniture
4/4 is a versatile and useful dimension to saw, and it's quicker and less problematic to dry than thicker wood. December 6, 2012

Wet Cottonwood with Wind Shake
Some comments about the dubious strength and quality of lumber from Cottonwood logs having noticeable wind shake. July 28, 2006

Chemical Sprays for Controlling Mold on Green Lumber
By and large, chemical treatments are ineffective for preventing mold or bluestain. Quick drying is your best bet. March 31, 2008

Troubleshooting a Slipping Drive Belt
Drive belt pulley slipping? Try belt dressing, and tighten it up. November 27, 2006

Roughening Cedar Boards
We know about planing rough lumber smooth. But how do you make smooth lumber rough? April 30, 2006

Protecting Your Woodlot Against Tree Poaching
Advice on boundary marking and legal measures to prevent unauthorized logging in your woods. June 15, 2014

Adding Supplemental Heat to a Solar Kiln
Extra heat for a solar kiln could help in some circumstances, but hurt in others. February 12, 2007

Bugs in Osage Orange
A bowmaker troubleshoots tiny bug holes in his stock of Osage Orange. January 8, 2010

Protecting Sunken Logs from Degrade after Recovery
Once you pull sunken logs from a river or lake, is there a way to preserve them for a time before sawing? February 14, 2010

Decay Concerns when Storing and Milling Sinker Cypress
Questions and answers about how long you can wait to mill and dry antique Cypress logs after pulling them up from underwater. April 24, 2014

Phytosanitary Standards for Lumber Export
A little information about heat-treating and labeling requirements for wood pallets and lumber destined for export overseas. July 26, 2010

Milling Stumps and Roots
Is it worth it? January 8, 2010

Blade sharpeners for band mills
Experiences with different brands of blade sharpeners are shared. January 3, 2001

Drying Capitol Christmas Tree Slabs
Despite several interesting suggestions, Woodweb fails to provide a secret formula for drying cross-sections of a pine tree trunk with no radial checking. Still a fun thread, though. August 16, 2012

Drying Fast-Growth Hybrid Poplar
Advice on how to address cupping of hybrid poplar during air-drying and kiln-drying. January 29, 2009

Cutting Logs with Burl
It takes years of experience to get the hang of predicting what sort of grain figure may be inside a log, and how to saw it for the best value product. June 30, 2007

Value of a Skid-Steer for Sawmilling
A skid-steer at a good price is a smart investment for a bandmill operator. April 10, 2007

Sharpening a circular sawmill blade
Hand sharpeners vs. automatic sharpeners--their pros and cons. July 3, 2001

DH Kiln Drying
References for DH kiln drying instruction

Timber Framing with Red Oak
The material needs to be kept dry. Here's info on that, and some other useful tips. November 3, 2010

Sawing Dawn Redwood
A discussion of the characteristics of lumber sawn from Dawn Redwood. March 28, 2010

Cleaning Rust of Bandmill Blades
Suggestions for getting light rust off some blades before sharpening. June 30, 2009

Shop-Drying Eucalyptus
Thoughts on how to dry and condition Eucalyptus for use in a table top. December 31, 2012

Sticker Thickness
Three quarters of an inch is the practical minimum. April 10, 2005

Conditioning Lumber to Relieve Drying Stress
Tips on steaming lumber at the end of the drying cycle to reduce stress. May 15, 2012

Drying Pressure Treated Lumber
Advice on the complications involved in kiln-drying preservative-treated lumber. April 2, 2013

Steaming Walnut
If you do it properly, steaming walnut brings color to the sapwood without destroying the figure in the heartwood. May 11, 2005

Gang-Ripped Lumber Yields
A discussion of the ways lumber is lost during ripping operations, and of what is a reasonable yield from the job. October 15, 2010

Color Variations Induced by Drying Wood
A discussion of how the kiln drying process can result in a variety of wood colors. June 13, 2014

Saw Technique for Harvesting Burls
Advice with interesting photo examples, on how to cut burls off a log to get the most useful raw material for bowl turning or art work. April 27, 2011

Cleaning Bandmill Blades
Tricks for getting the sap and pitch off bandsaw mill blades. March 3, 2006

Getting More Life from Bandmill Blades
A closer look at what wears blades out, and how you can keep them cutting better and longer. March 16, 2015

Whether or Not to Condition Lumber after Drying
It's not always necessary to condition a load of dried lumber at the end of the drying cycle — only sometimes. February 22, 2011

Planning for a Successful Timber Harvest
Plan carefully and balance your priorities as you decide who should harvest your saleable trees, and how. July 30, 2007

Large Volume Scragg Mill Operation
Things to keep in mind when starting up a large-scale sawmill operation. April 30, 2006

Is Dehumidifier Kiln Wastewater Safe?
Don't assume that it's safe to dump kiln water to the environment. There could be some contamination. March 10, 2008

Building a bandsaw sawmill
Recommendations on where to find parts and how to construct a mill from scratch.

Sawing frozen logs
Solutions for problems encountered when sawing frozen logs. February 7, 2001

Re-Drying Southern Yellow Pine
Lessons learned from drying untreated Southern Yellow Pine. July 7, 2011

Modifying a Bandmill for Resawing
Thoughts on how to set up a bandsaw mill for efficient resawing operations. June 30, 2007

A Small Solar Kiln
Report and photos of a small, just-finished solar kiln. November 8, 2007

Charging for Thin-Sawing Lumber
When sawing thinner than 4/4, adjust the board-foot rate accordingly — or just charge by the hour. August 30, 2007

Air Drying Thin Sawn Wood
Saw thin first, then air dry for fastest results. October 29, 2012

Sharpener and Setter Choices
Sawyers consider their options in blade sharpening equipment. July 10, 2007

Kiln Drainage
Wood in a kiln releases water in vapor form. But condensation may occur in the kiln, requiring attention to drainage. April 2, 2015

Carbide Blades on a Bandsaw Mill
Sawyers discuss whether it's worth the extra cost to use carbide blades. February 4, 2011

How to Notch When Felling Timber
A discussion of the pros and cons of different notching strategies used when cutting down trees. June 14, 2014

Troubleshooting Blade Wandering
Tooth set and tension are factors to look at when a blade wanders shortly after entering the log. October 25, 2006

Clear face in a log
Clear face, cat face and trim, defined. March 4, 2002

Drying Black Walnut
Thoughts on drying the lumber from some Black Walnut yard trees. December 6, 2009

Cupping in Wide Boards from Drying
A discussion of the processes that make boards cup during kiln-drying. February 27, 2013

Heating Old Wood to Kill Bugs
Thirty minutes at 130 degrees F should do it. September 27, 2008

Attic drying and over-drying
Can wood be over-dried in your attic? October 15, 2001

Dollar Value of Spalted Wood
Pricing varies widely for spalted lumber, based on subjective factors. January 18, 2011

Salvaging Downed Timber
The sooner you saw, the better, but some trees can still yield valuable wood after years on the ground. March 26, 2013

Characteristics of Honeylocust Wood
Thoughts on Honeylocust, a little-known but attractive and useful wood species. June 30, 2007

Quarter-Sawing Technique on a Large Mill
Sawmillers discuss how to go about quarter-sawing logs on a large mill. August 30, 2007

A Detached Solar Collector for a Lumber Drying Kiln
A discussion of whether to add a detached solar collector to an insulated drying shed, or to use a dehumidifier instead. January 28, 2014

Minimum Sticker Thickness
How thin can stickers be in order to maximize kiln capacity without creating drying problems? May 11, 2005

Making a Drying Kiln from an Insulated Truck Body
This conversation touches on the quantity of heat needed to dry a load of wood, the advantage of using a dehumidifier, and the possible issues with corrosion. April 18, 2015

Efficient cutting parallel to bark
When cutting for grade, what is the most material-efficient method? Illustrated. April 2, 2002

Board-Foot Scales Compared
Different log scaling systems predict different lumber output because they include different assumptions about waste. October 12, 2007

Controlling Overheating in a Dehumidifying Kiln
How to cool off a dehumidifier kiln that is overheating just from the compressor heat. March 4, 2009

Shipping Lumber Overseas
Advice on how to bulk ship sawn lumber overseas. June 15, 2009

Long-Term Storage of Air-Dried Lumber
Air-dried lumber left in drying stacks for long periods without kiln-drying is at high risk for insect damage and spoilage. June 18, 2010

Set First, Then Sharpen? Or the Other Way Round?
Sawmill operators discuss the order of steps for sharpening blades. April 20, 2011

Beetle Troubles
Tips on dealing with lyctid (powderpost) beetles and the less troublesome anobiid beetle. April 27, 2007

Sawmilling: Thickness guidelines
Differents customers want boards sawn to different thicknesses--what are the standards? August 12, 2001

Wax to Seal Turning Blocks
Thoughts on selecting and applying wax to preserve turning blocks during storage. February 8, 2008

Bandmilling short logs safely
Some ideas for cutting short logs on bandmills. March 21, 2002

Energy Cost of Vacuum Kilns
Estimates of the electricity and heating fuel consumption and cost for vacuum kiln operation. June 28, 2006

Onsite sawing prices
Further discussion of how people charge for onsite, rough sawmilling services. January 24, 2001

Strings on Bandsawn Lumber
A discussion of why bandmills sometimes produce a stringy cut in some wood. March 26, 2009

Moisture Content of Western Red Cedar
A stable wood that is typically serves exterior uses, Western Red Cedar is usually delivered at about 12% moisture content. But you can find it drier than that. July 28, 2006

Drying Willow in a Solar Kiln
Challenging scenario: a tricky wood to dry and a difficult kiln to control. February 14, 2010

Solar Kilns and Wood Sterilizing
Solar kilns don't get hot enough to sterilize wood (for that you should have an artificially heated supplemental chamber).July 7, 2011

Blue Stain in Pine
How big a concern is blue surface stain on softwood? June 12, 2006

Home-Made Band-Mill Blade Sharpeners
Thoughts on blade sharpening rigs and jigs and sharpening technique. May 13, 2009

Circular Mill Alignment
Advice on fine adjustments to a circular sawmill for accurate cutting performance. February 12, 2007

Removing Boards While Sawing a Log
A beginner asks: when running a bandsaw mill, is it better to remove boards one at a time or let them stack up? That depends, explain experienced sawyers. August 31, 2005

Power Venting a Kiln
A discussion of the ideal location for powered vents for a large drying kiln. May 14, 2006

Troubleshooting Wavy Lumber
A load of custom-sawn lumber has high and low spots. Pros weigh in on the likely causes. August 22, 2005

'Girdling' standing lumber, and why not
Cutting the cambium layer of a tree in order to dry wood while standing. January 4, 2001

Removing Urine Odor from Stored Lumber
Can the smell of rat urine be removed from stored rough lumber before milling it? Here are some suggested remedies. October 8, 2005

Troubleshooting Blade Diving on a Bandmill
A beginner gets help with a wandering blade problem on a borrowed bandsaw mill. October 19, 2013

Storing Maple in Partially Dried Condition
A woodworker gets advice on the feasibility of maintaining wood at 25% moisture content for use in drying operations. January 8, 2010

Using Air-Dried Lumber for Furniture
There are risks, but some say it can be done. April 19, 2006

Longevity of Clear Roofing for Kilns
Clear roofing panels vary widely in composition, quality, and durability. December 8, 2012

Troubleshooting Cracks in Kiln-Dried Live Oak
Experts attribute a cracking problem in 8/4 Live Oak slabs to drying the wood too fast at too low humidity. August 26, 2008

Limits of Air Drying
Even in the driest parts of the U.S., air-dried lumber typically won't get below about 10% moisture content. March 10, 2008

Eastern Red Cedar for Buried Posts
The heartwood of Eastern Red Cedar has better rot resistance than the sapwood has. January 18, 2011

Board Feet of Cedar in a Cord
Sawmillers talk rough equivalents: board feet, cords, and truckloads. December 6, 2009

Troubleshooting Wood Flooring Shrinkage
Moisture change is always the culprit when wood shrinks. Here, pros a case of gapped-out wood flooring. July 28, 2006

What Good Are Small Walnut Logs?
Sawmillers discuss what sort of useful product you can make out of 10-inch diameter Walnut logs. February 17, 2012

Charging for Stickers
Stickers, like anything else, have a value and a price. October 25, 2006

Resawing Old Beams With Nails
No bandmill blade is designed to cut metal, but experience says some will do better than others. July 12, 2005

Sawing Long Beams on a Bandmill
How do you make a 30-foot beam with a sawmill that will only saw 21 feet? March 16, 2015

Purchasing kiln-dried lumber
Getting the quality and MC level you need . January 16, 2002

Quantity of Sawmill By-Products
How much bark, chips, and sawdust do sawmill operations produce? That depends on many factors. August 30, 2005

Slabbing a Large Diameter Burl
Ideas include a modified chainsaw mill, or a two-person manual saw. January 25, 2005

When to Change Bandmill Blades
How can you tell when a bandsaw mill blade is getting dull? November 27, 2006

Baseball Bat Billets
Tips on sawing and drying rough stock for bat makers (a tough market to break into). June 18, 2010

Showing Off Sycamore
Sawing and drying pros show photos of sycamore (quartersawn, spalted, and clean-shaven). February 14, 2006

Re-Sawing Reclaimed Heart Pine
Thoughts on dealing with dirt, nails, and pitch when turning old Heart Pine timbers into nice lumber. July 28, 2006

Value of a Large Norfolk Pine
An interesting species to woodturners, this tree has an unusual history. August 29, 2006

Shopping for a Dehumidifying Kiln
If you consider getting a European-made dehumidifying kiln for use in the U.S., make sure it's compatible with U.S. power supply voltages. June 16, 2014

Value and Uses of Eastern Red Cedar
The sawing and drying forum kicks around the question of tailoring red cedar products to meet market demand. February 14, 2006

Sawing An Old Elm Tree
Tension wood from growth stress may call for a modified technique. April 10, 2005

Lumber measurement
Demystifying the rules and scales for measuring lumber. July 24, 2001

Solar Kiln at Work
Here's a look at a newly completed backyard solar wood drying kiln with its first load of lumber. March 28, 2012

Green Douglas Fir for Barn Framing
Green softwood lumber is fine for framing an outbuilding. August 29, 2006

Sawing for Stable 2x Lumber
Advice on selecting log dimension and cut patterns in order to get straight, stable 2x4 and 2x6 lumber from Southern Pine logs. November 16, 2011

NHLA lumber grading
Do rough mills need NHLA graders? May 30, 2001

Suitable Breeds for Horse Logging
Some horses are suited to skidding logs, and others are not. October 1, 2010

Understanding Drying Stress in Wood
A complaint about cupping in mahogany door stiles after machining leads to a discussion of what causes drying stress and related movement in kiln-dried wood. June 23, 2006

Re-Tipping Your Own Blades
Info on soldering new blade tips onto a swing-blade sawmill blade. December 30, 2007

Fans Size and Drying Kiln Dimensions
Considerations regarding fan capacity, kiln size, and lumber pile size in a dehumidfying kiln. January 25, 2010

Should I Wait Before Milling Walnut?
Walnut logs gain nothing from lying on the ground, and sometimes suffer from it. December 15, 2005

Heat Control in a Dehumidifier Kiln
Understanding how supplemental heating and the compressor's heating effect interact in a dehumidifier kiln. February 15, 2009

Adding Heat to a Solar Kiln in Winter
Supplemental heat is tricky, because there's a risk of over-drying and casehardening. May 13, 2009

Drying Logs for a Log House
Advice on tree selection and drying methods for producing the best quality logs for log home building. July 16, 2012

Vacuum Dried Red Oak
Achieving quality and color. May 19, 2004

Log Weight and Log-Moving Equipment
Practical advice on guessing the weight of logs, and tips on equipment choices for log handling. July 28, 2006

Stickering and Drying Large Timbers
Large-dimension timbers for framing should be handled correctly to minimize bowing and checking. June 23, 2005

Pros and Cons of Radio-Frequency Vacuum Drying
RF vacuum drying tends to be complicated, expensive, dangerous, and unreliable. February 15, 2015

Using a Green Timber as a Girder
Issues to be aware of when using green or partially-green softwood timbers as structural beams. November 28, 2006

Sawing Elm with Off-Center Pith
Off-center pith in a leaning tree is a sure sign of stressed wood, and the logs must be sawed with special care. May 11, 2005

Drying Cherry in the Basement
Even for a brief storage period, a basement is a dubious place for stacked, stickered wood. January 14, 2009

Assmbling an edger
These are the steps I took in assembling my Norwood Edgemate edger. April 25, 2001

Pin Oak: Drying, Checking, and Bacterial Odors
Pros answer basic questions about Pin Oak for a sawmill beginner. September 17, 2008

Sawdust uses
Various idaes for putting wood waste to use. March 20, 2001

Challenges of Drying Eucalyptus
Many ways have been tried to prevent Eucalyptus wood's tendency to warp and check, but none have proven to be highly successful. February 29, 2012

Green Color of Freshly Sawn Walnut
Freshly cut Walnut's green tinge disappears with time and exposure to air. February 17, 2014

Durability of Cedar Signs in Outdoor Exposures
Cedar should last 15 years in the weather — if the assembly details and finish are suitable. July 29, 2012

Maple Color and Drying Conditions
Maple can turn gray as it dries. If you want white wood, you have to carefully control the kiln conditions. July 30, 2007

Alternatives to Fumigating Furniture for Bugs
if you're careful. April 24, 2014

What's the Toughest Wood to Dry?
Wood Doctor Gene Wengert lists a few wood species that just love to stay wet. January 27, 2008

Tips for creating spalted maple
Creating spalted lumber by creating the correct conditions. January 4, 2001

Leather and Rubber Belts for Old Machinery
A little info about drive belt technology for olden-days equipment. May 18, 2010

What Can Spread a Lyctid Infestation?
Be cautious — Lyctid powder-post beetles are hard to get rid of, and can spread even on small chips or shavings. March 13, 2007

Drying Walnut Stumps
Slow air-drying of Walnut stumps and roots can yield some remarkable pieces. April 18, 2015

Blades for Re-Sawing
High-quality blades will pay for themselves in lumber yield, replacement cost, and labor time. January 14, 2009

Stickers for green lumber
Where do sawyers get their stickers? November 7, 2001

Digger Pine: Is it Useful?
Well ... maybe for firewood (outdoors). July 3, 2008

Growth Stress End Checking
Log characteristics can cause checks to open up, even when ends are coated and drying conditions are correct. February 19, 2006

Troubleshooting Wood Discoloration with High Pressure Steam Equalization
Advice on setup details to keep liquid water out of the situation when using high-pressure steam to condition wood in a kiln. June 13, 2014

Managing Fungus on Cedar
Advice on handling and cleaning a Cedar slab that wasn't properly dried and now harbors fungus. October 19, 2014

RPM calculation
Determining RPM of given size pulley. May 17, 2003

Bugs in Mesquite
Bug lore from Mesquite country. December 6, 2009

Drying Wood in the Attic
The attic is a handy place to dry small quantities of lumber. Here are some tips and cautions. September 10, 2007

Cause of Loose Knots in Pine
Looseness or tightness of a knot in Pine is a characteristic that is formed during tree growth, not a product of the kiln process. June 13, 2014

Oven-Drying Wood for Moisture Content Testing
Information on the correct methods for oven-drying wood samples to determine moisture content. September 27, 2008

Cants pulling away from line bar
Problems with cants that don't stay properly set up during milling. August 1, 2001

Glazing for a Solar Kiln
Clear glazing works much better than translucent white, a solar kiln owner discovers. December 15, 2005

Sinker Log Issues
A discussion of the sawing and drying characteristics of recovered sunk timber. May 11, 2005

Sawing wood for house-framing
The basics of sawing and drying lumber to by used in constructing a house. January 3, 2001

Tough Bandsaw Blades for Dirty Logs
No bandmill blade is really a match for rocks or gravel. But here is some advice on tough blades and cleaning and sawing methods for dirty logs. January 2, 2012

Stiffening a Large-Diameter Circular Sawmill Blade
Advice on tuning or adjusting a 60-inch sawmill blade. January 27, 2007

De-Barking Logs
Tips on getting the bark off logs. June 9, 2007

Bi-Metal Blades for Sawing Wood with Nails
You should always try to de-nail the logs or timbers before sawing, but for the occasional nail, careful sawing with a bi-metal blade may prolong blade life. April 10, 2007

Unusual Checking in Hard Maple
A case where every board sawn from a Maple log has checks through the middle. What's going on? February 17, 2012

Sawing and Drying Pecan Wood
Advice on handling a Pecan yard tree — including the story of hitting a couple of nails. December 12, 2008

Quartersawing, Labor, and Yield
This discussion of quartersawing with a bandmill makes some interesting points about the extra work involved and the variable quality and value of the resulting product. April 27, 2011

Unusual Bandmill Ideas
Sawmillers consider custom adaptations such as hydraulic drive or double-bladed sawmills. January 12, 2015

Quartersawing by the Board Foot
An appropriate board-foot rate for sawing services really depends on a lot of details. October 4, 2007

Drying Oak Lumber: Step 2, Stacking
Another chapter in the Wood Doctor's introduction to wood drying. August 16, 2012

Lumber Storage Area Advice
Warm and dry are the desired characteristics. Here are some tips. May 21, 2009

Mobile Saw for Breaking Down Logs
A sawmill set up to process small logs needs a mobile saw to break down occasional stands of larger trees. Sawmillers offer advice. October 29, 2012

Home Made Trailer and Crane
Fully illustrated description of a home-built log trailer and crane. March 2, 2003

Sawmillers Working with Tree Services
Small sawmill operators discuss the ins and outs of obtaining logs from tree services. August 31, 2005

Adapting a Greenhouse for a Solar Kiln
Thoughts on converting a polycarbonate-glazed greenhouse to use it as a wood drying kiln. April 18, 2009

Slow Drying at the End of Dehumidification Kiln Run
If drying slows or stalls at close to the target moisture content, a small amount of added heat is appropriate. December 8, 2012

Equipment to Saw 6-Foot Diameter Logs
A discussion of stock and custom bandsaw mills able to handle very large logs. October 26, 2011

Air-Drying Very Thin Boards
A discussion of how to sticker and dry 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch green wood. December 31, 2005

Movement in Slabs Cut from Crotch Wood
Advice on sawing and drying crotch wood, with a view to managing warping and splitting. January 28, 2014

Building a sawmill shed
Tips and designs for building a sawmill shed

Time to Kiln-Dry 12/4 White Ash
Estimates on the time required to dry a load of White Ash sawn three inches thick. March 28, 2010

Blade Choice and Hook Angle for Different Wood
Sawmillers offer advice on appropriate blades and sharpening specs for use with very hard wood. May 15, 2012

Drying Schedule for Red Oak
Advice for a kiln operator on drying rates and humidity and heat settings for drying Red Oak in a dehumidifier kiln. October 3, 2009

Using Oak Logs for a Wooden Bridge
Thoughts on converting site trees to a foot bridge for a landscaping project. January 17, 2011

Venting and Fans for a Solar Kiln
A quick expert explanation from the Wood Doctor of how and why vents and fans are used in a solar wood drying kiln. April 20, 2011

"Rustic" Lumber — What Is It?
What visual qualities define lumber as "rustic" is a matter of subjective perception and opinion. February 4, 2011

Converting Cubic Meters to Board Feet
The math isn't hard, but there are a few fine points. June 12, 2014

De-Nailing Barn Beams
Tips on dealing with the nails when sawing lumber out of old recovered timbers. August 21, 2006

Debarkers: why?
Why debarkers are an essential tool in primary processing. October 15, 2001

Winches for Loading Logs
Bandmill operators discuss winches and trailers for moving logs. December 15, 2005

Sawdust Insulation for a Wood Drying Kiln?
Theoretical cautions on the possible drawbacks, but a real-life success story. April 29, 2011

Automatic Water-Fill Dry-Wet Bulb RH Metering
Advice on the fine points of keeping a relative humidity monitoring setup supplied with water for the wet bulb. June 13, 2014

Sawing and Drying Red Gum
Advice on how to process Red Gum and comments about its marketability. January 2, 2012

Can Tree Limbs Provide Useful Lumber?
Growth stresses create movement issues with wood sawn from limbs, but it does have some uses. July 3, 2008

Sawdust Drag Chain Derailing Problem
Wear and tear can ruin the fit of a chain and sprocket, causing the chain to jump the track. May 10, 2007

Equipping a Swing-Blade or Bandsaw Mill with a Laser
Sawmillers discuss the practicality of adding a laser pointer to a sawmill as a cut location indicator. January 11, 2007

Stickering and Spacing
No need to space boards when air-drying small batches. February 26, 2005

Kiln Drying Color Change
Experts and sawyers discuss the various reasons wood from the same batch might end up with slightly different colors. September 6, 2010

Dealing with crooked logs
What is the best way to saw logs with sweep or crook? May 30, 2001

Sawing Bevel Siding
Sawmillers discuss how to produce clapboard siding. June 9, 2007

Controlling Pine Wilt Nematode
Advice on halting the spread of Pine wilt nematode (carried by long horn beetles). January 29, 2009

Strange Stories From the Sawmill -- Part 2
Interesting artifacts found embedded in sawlogs. September 9, 2004

Vacuum Kiln Pump Ideas
Thoughts on vacuum pump equipment for kiln drying. August 8, 2008

Lighting your sawmill
Providing good light for your work on dark days and late nights. February 19, 2002

Reducing warp during kiln drying
Weights? Restraints? What are the best methods for preventing warp in boards near the top of the drying stack? February 13, 2001

Kiln Drying in a Heat Wave
When conditions are wrong, a solar kiln can easily be too hot for good results. Here are tips on controlling drying conditions during hot weather. May 15, 2012

Definition of Primary Process
Locating the dividing line between primary and secondary processing of wood products. September 5, 2011

Sawing Old Down Logs
A sawmiller gets advice on whether to saw storm-downed trees that have been on the ground for several years. December 12, 2008

Smooth-tracking sawmill
Keeping the track rollers on your sawmill running with ease. July 3, 2001

Yellow discoloration in oak
Causes of yellow staining in kiln-dried oak are discussed. October 2, 2001

What Size Log is Worth Quartersawing?
Thoughts on the practicality of getting useful yield when quartersawing logs. October 3, 2009

Getting a Fair Price for Standing Timber
A few insights into the market for standing timber, logging services, and logs. April 20, 2011

Metal Detector Choices
Advice on shopping for metal detectors able to find metal in a sawlog — before your blade does. March 3, 2006

Tree Cross Section: Maple Saw-Log Coloration
A discussion of how Maple wood gets its color, and what the appearance means for the value of the lumber. April 18, 2009

Winter Operation of Solar Kilns
Solar drying kiln performance slows significantly in the winter. Here are tips on wintertime operation. July 15, 2012

Sawing Sweet Gum
Thoughts on how to cope with Sweet Gum's warping ways. January 8, 2010

Honeycomb and Checking with Mixed Kiln Loads
Advice on limiting honeycomb defects in Red Oak during kiln-drying operations. September 6, 2010

Blade Wear When Sawing Reclaimed Timbers
Crusty old barn beams wear blades out fast. Is there anything you can do about it? July 30, 2007

Chainsaw Bogging Down in Poplar
Is it a wood problem, or a chainsaw problem? February 3, 2011

Optimal Circle Saw Size
60-inch circular sawmill blades can be problematic to use, so many sawmillers prefer a smaller diameter blade. October 3, 2009

Power-Pole Re-Use Potential
Old treated utility poles may have some potential for salvage re-use, but they are trouble to deal with. April 18, 2009

Rotating Logs for Quarter-Sawing
Thoughts on rigging a swing-blade mill to spin logs after every few cuts, in order to produce a high yield of quarter-sawn lumber. October 3, 2009

Sizing Up Dehumidifier Kilns
Thoughts on the objective characteristics to consider when evaluating which dehumidifier kiln is right for you. April 11, 2008

De-Barking Strategies and Rigs
Debarking a whole log just to make your first square cuts is a lot of extra labor. Here, sawyers discuss effective ways to work around the de-barking problem. September 6, 2010

Visual Signs that a Blade Needs Tightening
Fluttering and wandering on the guide wheels could be indications that a saw blade needs increased tension. September 15, 2011

Turning Logs with a Winch
Here's how it's done. October 14, 2006

Books About Historic Lumbering and Sawing
Sawmill forum members recommend some interesting reading about the history of logging and sawmill operations in various regions of North America. April 18, 2015

Drying a Large Butcher Block
There are ways to dry a large one-piece block without checks developing. October 20, 2005

Blade Life when Sawing Old Utility Poles
A discussion of why treated power poles are death to bandmill blades. April 27, 2007

Setting Pitch in a Dehumidifier Kiln
DH kilns may not reach the temperatures required to set pitch in wood. Be careful of CO poisoning when supplying supplemental heat. December 11, 2007

Palletizing Lumber for Shipment by Truck
Advice on preparing lumber for pickup by semi truck. April 20, 2011

Electrical Grounding for Metal Buildings
Good grounding (and fire insurance) are prudent measures for a metal sawmill building. March 31, 2008

Virginia Pine Sawing and Use Characteristics
Also called "Jersey Pine" or "Spruce Pine," this tree yields useable lumber but is prone to rot, disease and insect damage. May 10, 2007

Characteristics and Usefulness of Sassafras
Beauty and versatility give this lesser-used wood some economic value. January 18, 2011

Stacked Pine Timbers and Bluestain
It's better to saw the woods into board and sticker and stack it as soon as possible. December 6, 2009

Burlwood Rocking Chair Examples
Check out two beautiful rockers — and the "before" picture of the sawn burls they were made from. May 31, 2010

Making the Most of Walnut Logs
Thick and thin, high grade and low grade, sawyers and woodworkers discuss how to squeeze the best value from walnut trees. July 28, 2006

Sawing Posts and Beams
How do you get good structural timbers from a log? August 26, 2008

Sycamore Drying Schedule
Advice on a drying schedule for Sycamore in a dehumidifier kiln. August 8, 2008

Solar Kiln Show and Tell
Photos and descriptions of small solar kilns. August 31, 2005

Quartersawing Patterns Illustrated
Here's a set of drawings from the Wood Doctor depicting various ways to saw for vertical grain. June 16, 2014

Uses for Sassafras
Sassafras has been called "poor man's oak" for its durability, strength and beauty. The markets for it are small ans specialized. April 20, 2011

Power Vent Systems on a Dehumidifier Kiln
Comments on the practicality of automatic powered vent louvers on a dehumidifier kiln. March 31, 2008

Troubleshooting a Bowed Bandmill Cut
Blade problems cause a bandsaw mill cut to curve downward. August 29, 2006

Dehumidifier Kiln Drying and Insects
Cooler temperatures in a DH kiln aren't a reliable way to kill all insects, but the dryness will get some of them. May 18, 2010

"Caramelizing" Issues when Drying Hard Maple
Here's a technical explanation of the chemical process that makes some wood turn brown during kiln-drying. December 12, 2008

Turning logs on a manual mill
Home-made remedies for tough-to-turn timber. January 16, 2001

"Moon Ring" Defect in Oak
Very rarely, some sapwood in a tree will fail to convert to heartwood, leaving the appearance of a light, bleached streak in the wood. March 13, 2009

Keeping lumber flat during drying
Advice from Professor Gene Wengert on drying lumber in order to produce flat, true boards. December 12, 2000

Blade Options for a Circle Mill
Considerations on choosing a circular sawmill blade. April 10, 2007

Will Sawmill Blade Lubricants Cause Trouble with Finishes?
but here's a tip on how to test substances for troublesome interactions with finishes. April 9, 2007

Attic Lumber Drying
Tips on drying small quantities of wood in a warm attic. January 28, 2014

Here's Lookin' at Red Cedar
Sawyers discuss red cedar grain oddities, oil characteristics, aroma, and such. August 31, 2005

Skidding Extra-Heavy Logs
A sawmiller needs to move some multi-ton oak logs using a farm tractor, and gets advice on how to manage it. November 13, 2005

Deodar Cedar -- What's It Good For?
A little information but few answers about an ornamental Cedar variety that sometimes finds its way to a sawmill. December 30, 2007

Preventing Termite Infestation in Pine
Basic info about controlling termites. December 31, 2013

Finding Concrete in a Tree
Tree surgeons sometimes repair rotted trees with concrete. "Well, imagine my surprise," said the sawmill man. January 27, 2007

Net measure vs. gross measure
If you're not careful, gross measure may mean shrinking profits. February 12, 2001

Have the Logs Been Down Too Long?
Very large logs may yield valuable lumber even after lying on the ground for years. July 26, 2010

Log Loading Winches for Small Trailers
Advice on getting logs onto a trailer. April 18, 2009

Hardness and Kiln-Drying Temperature
Higher drying temperatures affect the hardness and machinability of wood. December 12, 2008

Outdoor Furniture Made from Low-Grade Wood
"Pallet-grade" beech is worth a lot more made into a picnic table than it is sold as lumber. September 14, 2006

Bleaching Blue Stain
Advice on using bleach to clean lumber affected by blue stain. August 31, 2009

R-Value of Log Walls
Wood rates about R-1 per inch, but air-sealing is also an issue with log buildings. July 13, 2006

Bandmill ratings
Sawmillers share their opinions of various bandmills. April 4, 2001

Drying Walnut and Cherry in the Garage
A garage or attic is an okay place to air-dry small quantities of hardwood. January 2, 2012

Drying Schedule for 8/4 Walnut
Be careful when drying thick Walnut — drying too fast can damage the wood. January 14, 2013

Ambrosia Beetles Versus Powderpost Beetles
A little info on similar, but different, bugs that infest different types of wood. January 27, 2008

Drying Technique and Wood Hardness
Those in the know describe the effects of case-hardening (a drying defect) and how to diagnose it, as opposed to hardness that would affect machinability of wood. July 30, 2007

Silver Maple Board Quality
Sawyers who have cut up Silver Maple share their observations. January 27, 2007

Drying and Processing Mulberry
A slow-drying wood, Mulberry requires special handling. May 18, 2010

Characteristics and Value of Catalpa Wood
Catalpa makes beautiful furniture, as these examples show. February 3, 2011

Straight-Line Ripping on a Bandmill or Table Saw
Techiques for resawing crowned boards straight. November 28, 2006

De-Barking Logs Before Sawing
Simple thoughts on how and why to remove bark from logs before sawing (or not). November 3, 2010

Excessive Checking in 8/4 Honey Locust
Slower drying under moister conditions might have helped this load. August 31, 2005

Understanding and Preventing Bowing in Air-Dried Wood
A look at some of the factors that can introduce bow into stacked lumber during drying. October 1, 2009

Lumber Drying Costs
The price of kiln-drying services varies by location. Here, pros discuss the factors that contribute to the cost. August 23, 2005

Whether to Edge Before or After Kiln-Drying
Most lumber producers edge before kiln-drying, but there could be reasons to do it first — or not at all. October 26, 2011

Worm Holes in Mahogany
Worm holes aren't always considered as a defect in Mahogany, but they do leave you wondering whether the critters will come back. July 30, 2007

Checking for Drying Stress in Kiln-Dried Lumber
A kiln owner learns how to properly test his product for drying-induced stresses. June 30, 2007

Weighing Trailer-Loads of Sawdust
Ideas for gauging the weight of sawdust as you fill trailers or trucks. March 14, 2006

Slippery kiln-dried wood
What could make dried wood so slippery that it is difficult to machine? August 12, 2001

Sawing on Shares
When is it worth it to saw logs for a share of the boards? May 14, 2006

Heart pine, defined
Forum contributors define heart pine discuss differences between heartwood, sapwood and pith. August 12, 2001

Evaluating a Shed Full of Boards
Advice on a sensible cash offer for a load of Oak that has been in dry storage for 16 years. April 24, 2014

Sawing Curly Maple for Figure
What's the best way to get value from curly maple logs? Sawmillers debate the topic. June 28, 2005

Safe Treating to Prevent Powderpost Beetles
Borates are a practical alternative. Heavier-duty chemicals have drawbacks. December 8, 2012

Weight of Eastern Red Cedar
Information on calculating the weight of Cedar lumber. January 8, 2010

Dry-Bulb and Wet-Bulb Settings and Kiln Control
Tips on temperature and humidity control in kiln-drying operations. March 26, 2007

Drying Cedar Siding
Fresh cedar boards need only a quick air drying for exterior use. October 30, 2005

Catalpa: Uses and Vulnerabilities
Catalpa is a beautiful wood, rot-resistant and prized by some wood turners. Standing trees may have heart rot, however. April 24, 2013

Red Oak and Pin Oak for Flooring
Advice on the sawing characteristics of Red Oak and "Pin Oak" December 6, 2011

Drying Heavy Oak Timbers
Expect a lot of checks and cracks. October 2, 2005

What Did People Do Before There Was Kiln-Drying?
A historical discussion about lumber drying in the olden days. June 30, 2007

Minimizing Sticker Stain
An explanation of what causes sticker stain, and how it might be prevented. July 30, 2007

Finding bent bandmill blade teeth
Locating and fixing teeth that have been pushed "out of set." January 24, 2001

Drying Beech in a Dehumidifier Kiln
Beech needs an aggressive drying schedule, similar to Oak or hard Maple. January 25, 2013

Relative Humidity in the Wood Storage Area
Advice on what humidity level to maintain where rough lumber is stored, and how to accomplish that. September 23, 2008

Moisture Regain in Dried Lumber
Should lumber be end-painted after it's been dried? May 11, 2005

Drying Logs in a Vacuum Kiln
Heavy timbers dry rapidly in a vacuum kiln. October 26, 2013

Doyle scale basics
A primer for those unfamiliar with the Doyle scale. March 28, 2001

Interior kiln coating
Products to use as a sealer over OSB. October 9, 2002

Cedar and Log Scale Accuracy
Advice on estimating the amount of recoverable lumber in some Eastern Red Cedar logs. March 26, 2009

Composting Chips and Shavings
Compost shavings and chips before adding them to garden soil. Here's how. December 31, 2012

Protecting Fresh Wood from Bugs
Chemical means have drawbacks and are not very effective. So good drying and careful hygeine in the the yard are your best methods for keeping wood bug-free. April 20, 2011

Supplemental Heat for a Solar Kiln
Kiln owners suggest ways to "bump up" the heat at the end of a drying cycle. October 20, 2005

Uses for Black Gum Lumber
Sawyers discuss how to handle Black Gum wood, and what you can make with it. June 30, 2009

Sawing Norway Spruce for Lumber
Norway Spruce doesn't saw into the finest lumber going, but it's not trash either. February 22, 2011

Building with Green Water Oak
Building with timbers that have not been dried creates some degree of risk. September 27, 2008

Sawing and Drying Less Common Species
Sawyers give the Wood Doctor some feedback about lesser-used species such as Persimmon, Madrone, Boxelder, and Mulberry.September 5, 2011

Slabbing a Large Cherry Trunk
Advice on getting the best from a large Cherry tree growing in the courtyard of a home. December 31, 2012

Increasing chainsaw life
How to keep your chainsaw mill in healthy, working order. January 16, 2001

Safe Time for Tight Stacking
How long can you safely "dead stack" wood without air spaces before stickering the pile? February 27, 2013

De-Nailing Antique Pine
Advice on finding and removing the nails from reclaimed lumber before milling into flooring. April 27, 2007

Profit from Log Salvage?
Could a middleman make money diverting landfill-bound logs to sawmills? Unlikely, say the pros. January 13, 2006

Log Scale Versus Weight: Estimating Value
The board footage (and the grade quality) produced from a ton of logs can vary widely, based on several factors. October 4, 2011

Stacking and Drying Southern Yellow Pine
A sawyer gets advice on stacking and stickering Southern Yellow Pine, and on protecting it against insects. January 25, 2010

Bandmill Tuning Basics
A beginner gets the Rx for wavy cuts. June 12, 2006

Qualities of Different Cherry Species
Here's a nice note comparing "Prunus serotina" (Black Cherry) and "Prunus avium" (Sweet Cherry), with regard to the quality of lumber they may yield. June 4, 2012

Energy Cost for a Vacuum Kiln
An analysis of the energy bills involved in operating a vacuum kiln. July 13, 2006

Opening Cuts
Advice on figuring out where to take your first cut on a log. July 3, 2008

Cutting Stickers
Basic info on making stickers for your drying pile. November 28, 2014

Drying Split Catalpa Logs for Benches
Catalpa dries well and is fairly rot-resistant. January 23, 2012

Setting Pitch in Southern Yellow Pine
You have to heat the wood to 160°F to set all the sap. Otherwise it will ooze out, even through shellac or other sealers. February 9, 2008

Troubleshooting Bow in Kiln-Dried Cherry
A discussion of the causes and possible cures for bowing of lumber. November 14, 2009

Lightning-Struck Wood Puzzle
Observations and speculation about whether lightning weakens the wood of a tree it strikes. August 29, 2006

Finding a Use for Low-Grade Poplar
A sawmiller has buyers for his clear poplar, but needs an outlet for the knotty material that's left over. April 24, 2014

Facts about PEG (Polyethylene Glycol)
Polyethylene glycol, or PEG, is an interesting molecule with uses beyond woodworking. Here's some info on the varieties on the market. July 23, 2014

Tooth setter
Photos and descriptions of home-built tooth setters for band blades. March 5, 2003

Controlling Beetles in Fresh Logs
Beetles under the bark of a fresh log don't mean you can't saw the log and use the wood. November 12, 2008

Moisture content for exterior doors
Determining the appropriate MC for lumber that will be exposed to vastly different humidity levels. November 14, 2001

Optimal Size to Rough Cut for Flooring
Start with a uniform finish thickness, then add allowances for planing, drying shrinkage, and cupping. October 26, 2011

Resawing Tropical Hardwoods
Resawing dense hardwoods like Bubinga, Cocobolo and Swartzia requires special care. October 1, 2009

Spray To Dry ?
11/04/2012

Sawing Hollow Logs
Practical and metaphysical tips on getting useful value out of logs that include some emptiness. October 14, 2006

Metal Fatigue, Resharpening, and Bandsaw Blade Life
Considerations for extending the useful life of a bandsaw blade through multiple resharpenings. April 2, 2015

How Much Sawdust Will I Make?
Formulas and rules of thumb for estimating volume of sawdust generated in bandmill operations. September 5, 2011

Specific Gravity of Dawn Redwood
We're talking about a particular tree species here, but the comments on determining specific gravity apply to any wood sample. April 27, 2007

Sawdust Collection for Sawmills
You need a fan powerful enough to move sawdust and tough enough to withstand impacts from big chunks. August 30, 2007

Powder Post Beetle Infestation
Don't put those timbers in your house. January 29, 2009

Salvaging Wilt-Killed Red Oak
Burn the sawdust and bark, and kiln-dry the lumber. December 11, 2006

Y-Crotch Lumber Examples
Sawmillers show off a couple of nice slabs, and an example of a coffee table made from crotch wood. December 28, 2006

Getting Rid of Slabs
Slabs from sawmilling operations aren't worth much, but there is a small market for them. August 29, 2006

Recommendations for Fans for a Kiln
Advice on finding the right fan for the given kiln conditions (attic or greenhouse fans may not handle the required high temperatures). October 26, 2011

Can Bandsaw Mills Handle Wide Logs?
Most bandsaw mills are limited to 36-inch boards or less — and with wide cuts, waviness is a problem. December 15, 2005

Finishing an Outdoor Cedar Log Bench
Advice on a durable outdoor finish for a half-log bench. August 30, 2007

Sawing Your Own Framing Lumber
Proper grading is an issue, because knots may weaken the material for structural purposes. April 20, 2011

Breaking Down Big Logs
An interesting discussion with informative videos about cutting down enormous logs to a manageable size for sawing on a bandsaw mill. April 18, 2015

Tracking Boards for Bookmatching
Ways to keep track of bookmatched board pairs from sawing through drying and planing. April 19, 2006

Spalting Logs
A little more about how to encourage spalting in wood. March 14, 2006

Beech Lumber for Siding
Exterior siding exposure may not be the best use of Beech wood. June 4, 2012

Jury-Rigged Log Loaders
When logs are too big to lift: Sawmillers share ideas for self-built, economical rigs to load logs onto a trailer. June 20, 2005

"Boxing Out" Timbers from Logs
Advice on the best way to saw or hew frame-building timbers from logs. June 30, 2009

Turning and Drying Burls
Burls for bowl turning are best turned while green, and then dried. Here's a little detailed info. January 14, 2008

Sawing Live Oak
Hard as a rock, full of sticky gum, and it dries twisty ... what's not to love? April 21, 2008

Lumber Acid Content
A closer look at when lumber or bark might release tannic acid or acetic acid. April 17, 2009

Whether to Air-Dry Before Kiln-Drying
In almost all cases, better quality is obtained by kiln-drying from green. May 27, 2006

Solar Kiln Insulation^ and Vapor Barrier Materials
Closed-cell foam insulation and plastic vapor barriers are necessary to withstand a kiln interior's moisture load. August 21, 2006

Seasoning a Large Hardwood Slab
A premium slab is a treasure, but drying it properly requires patience — and nothing will stop it from moving as it dries. April 30, 2006

Bandmill Setup on a Slope
A small sawmill owner shows his portable mill set up on a gentle hillside slope. October 15, 2010

Using OSB for Stickers
Sawmill pros generally frown on using oriented strand board (OSB) for sticker material. January 17, 2011

Weighing Down Stacked Lumber
Weighing down the lumber stack with concrete can help the wood dry flatter. June 16, 2014

Small Charges in the Drying Kiln
Running the kiln partially loaded involves some tweaks and compromises. August 8, 2008

Solar Kiln Q&A
A few basic questions about solar drying kilns, answered. December 8, 2012

Air Drying Shed Design
A couple of basic tips, plus an example of a simple drying shed for rough sawn lumber. April 21, 2011

Making Stickers
Advice on sawing stickers for stacking lumber. April 18, 2010

Surface Checking in Walnut
To control surface checking in Walnut, you have to tweak the air-drying process. July 7, 2011

Sawing for Wood-Turners
Wood-turners, carvers, and other artists provide a market for figured wood in short lengths or chunks. December 6, 2011

Woodmizer Arm Adjustment
Fine-tuning the clamping arms for a Woodmizer bandmill. March 9, 2010

Another Case for the Wood Detectives
Woodweb's tree identification team is never afraid to tackle another gnarly log. January 29, 2009

Why You Should Saw Pine Fresh
period. April 27, 2007

Stored Lumber, Ambient Moisture, and Lumber Moisture Content Changes
Kiln-dried lumber stored in a non-conditioned space will equilibrate with the natural relative humidity conditions of the ambient air. April 21, 2011

Positioning an Edger and Sawmill
Situating your two-man sawmill setup for optimum efficiency. May 11, 2005

Difficulty with Drying Small Loads
Running a predryer with a quarter charge of green wood is tricky to manage and full of risks. April 24, 2014

Presurfacing Green Sawn Oak
Planing roughsawn Oak before kiln-drying has benefits that may make it worth the cost. October 26, 2011

Sawing Storm-Downed Walnut and Cherry
Advice on recovering high-quality lumber from Walnut and Cherry trees blown over in a storm. February 14, 2010

How to Eliminate Beetles in a Finished Slab
Heating in a kiln to 130 degrees Fahrenheit will destroy the finish, but it's the only sure, safe way to kill the bugs. June 18, 2010

Sticker Thickness and Sources
For good air circulation, stickers need to be at least 3/4 inches thick. Here are ideas on where to get them. October 25, 2006

Heat Treating Wood for Overseas Shipment
The rules for heat-treating lumber for shipment overseas are impracticable because of the likely damage to both the lumber and the treating kiln. January 12, 2015

Value of Red Cedar Oil
In large enough quantities, the extractive oils that drip out of Red Cedar and Juniper wood during milling have uses and commercial value. April 10, 2007

Forced Air Circulation in a Solar Kiln
An example of a fan-and-plastic-sheeting setup that forces air through the lumber stack. May 14, 2006

Collecting Sawdust from a Bandsaw Mill
Suggestions for corralling the dust from a bandsaw mill's traveling head. May 6, 2014

Home-Built Logging Trailer Ideas
Log trailer show and tell. April 20, 2011

Flattening the Bar on a Chainsaw Slabber
Troubleshooting a slabber that likes to crawl up or down in the cut. November 16, 2011

Air-Drying Hard Maple
Handle maple carefully and keep an eye on it, if you don't want sticker stain or lumber degrade. October 12, 2007

Raised Grain and Sawmill Blades
A discussion of how blade characteristics might relate to roughening of the lumber surface. July 16, 2009

Drying Hickory and Ash without Sticker Stain
Timing and handling both play a role. February 26, 2005

Uses for Hollow Oak Logs
Practical, humorous, and fanciful ideas for making use of White Oak hollow logs. October 1, 2010

Sawmill horsepower: What's enough?
Are thirteen horses sufficient for cutting hard maple? January 31, 2001

Hitting Steel in Big Logs
Sad stories of ruined bandsaw mill blades — what happens when you use your sawmill as a metal detector. December 15, 2005

Mold on Southern Pine
The wood doctor explains why Southern Pine supposedly dried to 18% moisture content would still support mold after being stacked inside a dried-in house under construction. January 25, 2013

Ring Shake in Hemlock
Hemlock makes good boards or framing lumber, but wood from trees exposed to grazing animals may be have structural flaws. July 12, 2005

Sawing an Oversize Log
Tips on getting the most out of a log that's just a little too big for your mill. August 14, 2007

Saw Blade Guide Pressure
Depending on the saw model, blade guides may not touch the blade, or may apply a constant light pressure to it. October 1, 2010

Adding Fans to a Dehumidifier Kiln
Is it worth it to exceed the design air circulation in a dehumidifier kiln? By the numbers, probably not. May 15, 2012

Touch-Up Bandmill Blade Sharpening Techniques
Blade hit a nail? Here are some tips for emergency sharpenings that can keep you sawing — at least for a little while. November 27, 2006

Green wood fencing
Potential problems and solutions when using green wood for fencing. January 16, 2002

Wormy Cherry Lumber
A furnituremaker gets help figuring out what kind of critter made holes in his nice Cherry boards (and hears that some people consider them an improvement). April 21, 2008

Allergic Reactions to Wood
Sawmiller show and tell about rashes and respiratory reactions to contact with various wood species. October 20, 2005

Troubleshooting Unexpected Honeycombing and Checks
A kiln operator seeks an explanation and some advice after a batch goes badly. January 12, 2015

Understanding the Sawmilling Term "Cant"
To a sawmill operator, what is a "cant"? Experts explain. September 17, 2008

Drying Holly
Holly wood is prized for its white color, but it stains easily during drying. October 1, 2010

Ring Deformation (Compression Wood)
An odd-looking ring pattern in a cross-cut log is explained as compression wood, certain to bend after sawing. April 20, 2011

Successful Sawmill Operation
A logger considers starting up a sawmill, and gets advice from experienced professionals. June 22, 2005

What's Included in a Timber Cruise
Fine points of what a forester may or may not count when inventorying a stand of timber. April 18, 2009

Mahogany Honeycombing Defect
Honeycombing that appears after planing is typically a drying defect — similar to end checking, but different. April 17, 2009

Cedar and Cypress Aromas
Different fragrant woods have different subjective aromas that make up part of their usefulness. June 15, 2014

Air-Drying Thick Maple
Four-inch-thick maple slabs are likely to degrade a lot during air-drying. Here are a few tips for better results. July 13, 2006

Dealing with Shake in Hemlock Saw Logs
Shake in a Hemlock log is a sign of bacterial damage, so sawing the log is probably a waste of time. November 14, 2009

Pecan Wood for Use as Ties
A little info (and some unanswered questions) about the usefulness of Pecan wood for railroad ties.June 14, 2014

"True honeycomb" defined
What is "true honeycomb" and what causes it? November 7, 2001

Kentucky Coffeetree Lumber Characteristics
Sawmillers share experiences with sawing and drying Coffeetree wood. March 9, 2010

Will Down Logs Dry in a Year?
No, and not in 20 years either. January 27, 2008

Using a Grapple on a Log Trailer
A grapple-equipped log trailer can be handy to have. August 30, 2007

Sawing Walnut for High-Quality 5/4 Lumber
Tips on working with a big Walnut log to get high-grade five-quarter lumber. May 18, 2010

Yield from Small Logs
Rough rules of thumb for estimating the expected yield from sawing small logs. March 14, 2006

Locating Scraps for Charcoal
Advice on finding sawmill offcuts and byproducts for use as feedstock for a charcoal kiln. October 3, 2009

De-barking Logs
Pros discuss ways to get the bark off logs without removing wood. June 22, 2005

Why We Saw the Pith out of Hardwoods
Pith in hardwood logs introduces defects into boards, so it is usually sawn out of the lumber. December 6, 2012

Rotating Sawlogs on the Mill
What's better, turning the log 90 degrees as you saw, or flipping it 180 degrees? January 8, 2010

"False Acacia" (a.k.a. Black Locust)
Black Locust is known in Europe as "False Acacia." Here's some info about the species and the lumber. October 15, 2010

Drying Lumber in the Attic
It's hot and dry up there — maybe too dry. But for small amounts, attic drying is feasible, though tricky. December 1, 2005

Whether to Run a Dehumidifier in a Solar Kiln
Solar kilns usually run too hot to be suitable for a dehumidification approach. Correct venting is the key. January 17, 2011

Peruvian Walnut Drying Defects
Peruvian Walnut shows wide variability, which can create drying and machining difficulties. June 13, 2014

Warping of Boards Cut from a Dead Standing Tree
Uneven drying stresses in standing dead wood may cause warping after the log is sawn. March 3, 2006

Chain Saw Sharpening Tips
Advice on chainsaw sharpening tools and techniques. January 25, 2010

Preventing Sticker Stain
Stickers should be kiln-dry, and quickly pre-drying boards on end can help. August 31, 2005

Drying to ISPM 15 Specs
Wood for foreign-bound pallets and crating needs to be heat-treated according to International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) criteria. There's a strict standard and a verification requirement, so it's not a casual undertaking. August 29, 2006

Walnut Steaming Difficulties
Steam that is too hot and "dry" will not have the desired effect. Here is some technical advice on operating the steamer successfully. December 12, 2008

Controlling Splits in Pecan
An explanation of various causes of splitting in lumber as it dries. November 14, 2009

Air Drying a Slab with a Severe Curve
Lumbermen report mixed results trying to dry stump sections with intense and unusual curvature. April 21, 2008

Drying Very Large Oak Timbers
Big timbers should dry very slowly, and even then, the wood may be damaged. May 3, 2011

Interpreting the Psychrometer
Accurate readings are important when using the psychrometer to calculate moisture content. April 15, 2012

Crafting a Tongue for a Horse-Drawn Mower
Advice on wood choice and fabrication methods for making old-fashioned wooden farm equipment components. December 31, 2012

Custom Cant Hook for Large Logs
For those extra-big logs, you need a little more leverage and a little more grab. Pros discuss the attributes of a cant hook that can. June 20, 2005

Whether to Saw Old Walnut Logs
Even if it has been down for years, a big walnut log can yield valuable wood. August 30, 2007

Value of Cedar
Info from 2012 on Cedar log prices at the sawmill. March 28, 2012

Fan Placement in a Solar Kiln
High or low? January 8, 2010

Drying 4" by 12" White Oak
Slow air-drying before kiln-drying will partially limit the cracking of large pieces of White Oak.

Side Bend or "Crook" and Sawing Methods
On wide boards, sawing too close to the pith can cause boards to bend sideways in drying. December 6, 2012

Will Ocean Shipping Damage Teak?
A sawmiller worries that a load of teak he has ordered from a South American supplier may suffer mold damage en route. The feedback indicates he should relax. December 1, 2005

Air Drying and Blue Stain in Southern Pine
Advice on stacking and drying SYP rough lumber prior to kiln-drying it and making mouldings out of it. May 13, 2013

Choosing a Log Scale
A sawmiller harvesting various tree species gets advice on which log scale will give him the most accurate estimates of his inventory. June 20, 2005

Sawing Sycamore
Quartersawing reveals the grain figure and enhances stability. March 29, 2006

Black Walnut Sapwood and Heartwood
A few striking examples of the color contrast between Walnut heartwood and sapwood. August 8, 2008

Tooth Setting and Sharpening
Can a bandmill blade's teeth lose their set without becoming dull? September 15, 2006

Drying Cherry with Complex Grain
Tips on how to dry some pieces of highly figured Cherry wood. April 27, 2007

Treating to Inhibit Blue Stain
December 6, 2009

Bandmill Blade Tension
Quick tips on blade choice and blade tension. August 18, 2009

Sawing Timbers for Timber Frame
Softwood and hardwood behave differently, but in either case "box-heart" sawing tends to minimize drying movement and checking. January 11, 2007

Lumber from Tree Branches
Branch wood is stressed and unstable, but in some odd situations there may be value in it. October 19, 2013

Cottonwood for Barn Siding
Advice on using Cottonwood for board and batten siding. June 18, 2010

Sawing Parallel to the Bark
When sawing tapered logs, the way you saw can affect the value of the boards you produce. September 17, 2008

Drying red oak
Is air drying, prior to kiln drying, a good idea? March 20, 2001

Wood Worms
White worms in reclaimed lumber intended for furniture. What to do? April 20, 2011

Harvesting White Pine in Summer
It must be sawn within days, and dried quickly, to maintain good quality. October 2, 2005

Lumber from a lake bottom??
Is it possible to dry logs which have spent 50 years underwater? January 31, 2001

Drying Eastern Red Cedar
Eastern Red Cedar dries readily with simple air drying, and behaves well when exposed to variations in ambient humidity. April 20, 2011

Blue-Green Streaks in Sawn Oak
A discussion of various factors that can cause discoloring streaks in sawn lumber. January 17, 2011

Properties of Tamarack
Tamarack dries nice and straight, but it's splintery and may have some shake. August 8, 2010

Whether to Quarter-Saw Honey Locust
Quarter-sawing honey locust is a lot of extra effort for a pretty marginal benefit. December 29, 2008

Is This Stack of Cherry Ruined?
A newbie mistake left this stack of Cherry wood soaked after a year in the stack. But there's a chance it could still be saved. October 26, 2007

Changing Circular Sawmill Blade Bits
Hard to do, hard to visualize, hard to explain in words ... still, this advice might help. February 22, 2011

Metal Detector Sensitivity and Power
You can see pretty deep into a log for some reasonable coin. May 18, 2010

Test for Honeycomb
A method for testing dried lumber to detect honeycomb, with advice on how to prevent the checking that leads to honeycomb. June 13, 2014

Drying Hickory with the Bark
Secrets of preserving the bark on Hickory during drying. April 18, 2010

Unusual Grain in White Ash
An example of "tiger stripe" in an Ash board. August 31, 2009

Moving Stickered Lumber
Advice on bundling stickered boards for truck transport. February 12, 2007

Dual Motors on a Chainsaw Mill
You can connect two motors of different horsepowers to one chainsaw bar, but operating the contraption is tricky. May 16, 2008

Drying Thick Oak Slabs
Advice on drying six-inch-thick crosscut slabs from a large oak stump. October 29, 2008

Rabbit Damage to Saplings
Recovery and prevention strategies for rabbit attacks. April 18, 2009

Unusual Bar Shape on an Old Chain Saw
Back in the day, some chain saws came with a bar that was interrupted in the middle, advantageous for limbing and for cutting stumps. June 15, 2014

Circular Sawmill Blade Sharpening
Opinions on the best equipment and techniques for sharpening circular saw blades. October 28, 2008

Managing Drying Stress and Cracking
Shrinkage cracking and stress cracking are tough to control. November 14, 2009

Controls and Venting for a Dehumidifier Kiln
Advice on controlling the conditions in a dehumidifier kiln. August 1, 2011

Tips for Sawing Hickory
Quick tips on getting good lumber from Hickory logs. November 8, 2007

Sawdust Removal for a Circular Mill
Drag chains or augers beat blowers. July 7, 2011

Drying Rates of Different Wood Varieties
Drying rates are complicated because they depend on wood density as well as other factors. October 19, 2013

Milling Norway Spruce
Ways to avoid known problems when sawing Norway spruce, a difficult wood to saw. December 31, 2012

Dark Core in Soft Maple
A kiln operator finds that his maple boards develop a light surface and dark core. Others weigh in with thoughts and advice. August 31, 2005

Conditioning lumber -- The final step in drying
Why conditioning is the last but crucial step in the drying process. December 12, 2000

Acid, Aluminum, Oak, and Kiln Durability
The acids in Oak can attack aluminum kiln components. Here's advice on managing the problem. July 15, 2012

Splitting Large Logs with Black Powder
Thoughts on using black powder or chain-saw jigs for splitting fat logs down to manageable saw-milling size. August 26, 2008

Quartersawing for Bows
Whether for archery, a chuck wagon, or a fiddle, bow-making starts with quarter-sawing. October 14, 2006

Disposal of sawdust
Who wants your sawdust and shavings? Here are some ideas, from gardeners to gerbils. February 13, 2001

Building with Green Lumber
A few thoughts on using freshly sawn lumber for construction framing. January 27, 2008

Drying hickory lumber
Avoiding sticker stain and bugs in hickory lumber. December 12, 2000

Maximum cant size
Formulas for determining the largest square cant that can be sawed from a log. August 1, 2001

Teak Color and Sunlight
Like some other hardwoods, Teak has an interesting response to sunlight. June 14, 2014

What Tree Species Will Hold Their Bark?
Some species will keep bark on when they're felled and sawn, but it also depends on the time of year. April 20, 2011

Solar Kiln Fans Question
An airflow management problem in a solar kiln. April 15, 2012

Drying Submerged Logs Recovered from a Lake
A discussion of the technical and legal issues relating to recovered "sinker" logs. September 6, 2010

Kiln wall material and insulation
What to use when you're building your own kiln. January 21, 2002

Cargo Container Dehumidifier Kiln
Where to put the dehumidifier in a cargo-container drying kiln? January 29, 2009

Pith Centering in Cabin "D" Logs
A sawyer wonders how best to avoid distortion as he produces wall logs for a cabin project. February 26, 2005

Gearing Up to Make Tongue and Groove Boards
What's the best way to equip yourself to machine T&G decking and planking (on a budget)? September 17, 2008

Troubleshooting a Wandering Bandsaw Blade
Bandsaw blades may wander for many different reasons. October 1, 2010

Dedicated Slabber Performance
A dedicated chain-saw slabber is slow and requires frequent sharpening, but produces nice slabs. October 15, 2010

Shipping Container for Dehumidifier Kiln: Big Enough?
Thoughts on converting a shipping container to a kiln. December 8, 2012

Residential Dehumidifiers for Kiln Drying
You need an industrial model to dry wood — the homeowner version is not built for it. November 8, 2007

Quartersawn and flatsawn: What's the difference?
Distinguishing between quartersawn and flatsawn lumber. January 16, 2001

Pretty Book Matches
Quartering a log before sawing it sometimes provides an opportunity to create attractive book matches. Here, a sawyer posts a few examples. October 30, 2005

Defining "Slab" and "Flitch"
For the record, here's what the terms mean to a sawmiller. July 30, 2007

Moisture Content of Freshly Sawn Wood
It's a lot. November 28, 2006

Sawing and Drying Persimmon
Persimmon is a tricky wood to dry. April 15, 2012

Lube for a Bandmill Blade in Freezing Weather
Window-washer fluid and diesel fuel are two options for bandsaw-mill blade lubrication when water would freeze. March 3, 2006

Are Small-Log Processing Systems Profitable?
Mill set-ups exist designed to handle small logs. But is it worth the trouble? December 1, 2005

Drying Rates and Settings in a Dehumidifier Kiln
How to understand your dehumidifier kiln's capacity and drying rate. December 6, 2012

Sawing Small Logs on a Shop Bandsaw
Ideas for jigs and rigs to adapt a small bandsaw for milling small logs. October 30, 2005

Sawing Ash with Emerald Ash Borer
There are restrictions on the transport of infested wood. Mill hygeine may be a good idea too. May 20, 2011

"Worm tunnels" or fungal growth?
Strange growths on freshly sawn lumber turn out to be "fungal hyphae," not a tunnel made by worms or insects.June 4, 2012

Sweet Gum to Frame a Workshop?
Construction may not be the best use for Sweet Gum: its beauty exceeds its durability. October 3, 2009

Shipping Green Lumber
Pros discuss the risks involved in shipping green lumber, including uneven drying and moisture damage. December 1, 2005

Lumber Handling in Sawmill Operations
Stacking and re-stacking lumber takes its toll on your time and your back. In this thread, sawmillers talk about smarter ways to handle lumber. October 20, 2005

Setting the pitch
The why and how of setting the pitch in heart pine. October 15, 2001

Understanding Ring Shake and Bacterial Action
The Wood Doctor explains the bacterial causes of ring shake. September 5, 2011

Orchard Stumps
Interesting comments on the qualities of orchard wood and stumps. July 10, 2007

Steaming of Walnut
Properly done, steaming adds an even dark tint to walnut. But the wrong technique gives unsatisfactory results. October 4, 2007

Eastern White Pine for Construction
Framing lumber, trim, and flooring can all be made from White Pine. January 8, 2010

Log Drying and Degrade
Don't wait to long to saw ... but don't be too quick to write off an old log either. faOctober 4, 2011

Operating Solar Kilns on a Rainy Day
On rainy days, close the vents and switch off the fans. March 16, 2015

Optimizing Airflow in a Solar Kiln
Ideal airflow in a kiln varies by wood species. Here are some rules of thumb. December 31, 2012

Warping, Moisture, and Wood Shape Memory
Will a piece of wood that was restrained to prevent warping during drying warp later, while in use? Only if the moisture in its environment varies. October 30, 2005

Warping after planing
Causes for the warping of boards after they are planed flat. June 13, 2001

Drying Softwoods
If the product is structural lumber rather than appearance-grade wood, just dry the stuff as fast as your equipment can. January 27, 2007

Milling Cypress for a Deck
Advice on how to process Cypress timber for use on an outdoor deck. July 30, 2009

Circular Sawmill Blade Tuning
Large circular sawmill blades are hammered to dish the blade when at rest; it flattens out when the mill is running. Here's more. April 30, 2009

Twisting lumber
What causes lumber to twist in a dehumidification kiln? March 20, 2001

Whether to Kiln-Dry Wood Before Turning
A woodworker is advised to kiln-dry Osage Orange wood (also referred to as "Hedge") before gluing up blanks for turning bowls. October 19, 2014

Water Damage to Glued Cherry
Glued-up wide Cherry boards got rained on. What's the best hope for salvage? January 18, 2011

Bandsaw Milling Short Logs
A vertical commercial bandsaw with a roller table works well. Here are several examples. October 8, 2005

Bandmill Tolerances
How close can you cut it? Plus or minus a sixteenth (or better) is reasonable. September 14, 2006

Tension in a Leaning Cedar
Advice on how to saw a cedar that is leaning over. April 18, 2009

Playing with hook angles
Experimenting with hook angles when sawing softwood. March 20, 2001

Kiln Drying with a Household Dehumidifier
Rigging up a homeowner-type dehumidifier to dry small amounts of wood may be cheaper to begin with, but has practical limitations. April 11, 2008

Quartersawing on a bandmill
Methods for quartersawing timber on bandsaw mill. June 24, 2001

Comparing Norway Maple to Hard Maple
Strictly speaking, Norway Maple is its own species, not classified as either Hard Maple or Soft Maple. However, it can occasionally yield some nice wood.February 17, 2012

Shop-Built Hand Crank Feed for a Sawmill
A sawyer shows and describes the hand crank he added to his manually operated mill. October 14, 2006

Salvaging Broken Bandsaw Blades
Busted blades can sometimes be mended; otherwise, the steel may be useful for making small tools or other purposes. February 9, 2008

Sawing Big Log Butts
Logs are denser at the butt end. Here are tips on avoiding problems. October 12, 2007

Retipping Sawmill Blades
An operator can do it in a pinch, but it's really a job for a specialist. August 31, 2005

Pink Stain in White Ash
Pink fungal staining is tough to bleach out, and may be allergenic. March 9, 2010

Suitability of Tulip Poplar for Timbers
Can a large Tulip Poplar tree yield large members suitable for structural use in a timber frame? March 28, 2010

Milling and Drying Cottonwood
Tips on how to handle cottonwood for good results. July 28, 2006

Bandsaw blade tilt
What is it and how can it be measured? December 17, 2002

Lumber Degrade Above or Below FSP
Is wood subject to degrade and defects above or below FSP?

Sawing a Cedar Log for Benches
You can wait to saw the log as long as you keep it dry. July 30, 2007

Mold on Green Lumber
Quick drying should contain most mold problems encountered on freshly-sawn green lumber arriving at the kiln. June 13, 2014

Sawing crotchwood
Obtaining the best figured wood. September 2, 2002

Lumber Grader Qualifications and Reimbursement
Notes on who can grade hardwood lumber, and how much they might charge to do it. August 29, 2006

Why Holly is Expensive Wood
Very tricky to saw and kiln dry, holly yields small amounts of useful wood — and that makes it a pricey variety. April 19, 2006

Using Green Stickers
Dry stickers are better, but green could be okay for stacking boards for barn siding. March 28, 2012

Home dehumidifier for drying lumber
Can a home dehumidifier be used to kiln dry lumber? January 31, 2001

Sheltering Your Sawmill
Ways to put your sawmill under a simple roof. December 30, 2007

Is There Walnut in Arkansas?
The answer depends on who you ask. January 11, 2007

Time and Temperature to Kill Bugs
Advice on heat treating for pest control. October 17, 2012

Drying Mixed Thicknesses of Lumber
Tips on how to air-dry and kiln-dry lumber of different sawn thicknesses. October 1, 2009

Blown Down Tree Lumber Possibilities
Uprooted tress may yield undamaged timber when snapped trees do not. June 15, 2014

45-Degree Rotation Sawing
A sawyer reports getting nice-looking, if narrow, flat-grain boards by turning the log 45 degrees before each successive cut. July 26, 2010

Charge for Resawing Timbers
Is there money is resawing recovered beams? September 15, 2006

Dipping Lumber Before Stickering
A brief description of dipping lumber in fungicide and insecticide for short-term dead stacking before stickering to air dry. March 28, 2012

Hot-Rodding a Sawmill Motor
You can increase the RPMs (and horsepower) of small engines with minor control adjustments, but that doesn't boost the important factor: torque. July 28, 2006

Bug Control: Pesticide, or a Salamander Heater?
Warnings: Pesticides will likely not penetrate lumber and kill a particular pest, and heating wood with fuel combustion exhaust can cause discoloration. January 28, 2014

Force Drying Pecan Slabs
Don't try high heat on Pecan — it can split badly even when slowly air-dried. February 3, 2011

Checking of Dry Lumber
Checking occurs when the wood is very wet. Checking that appears in lumber purchased as kiln-dried is a defect. December 8, 2012

Are Trees Damaged by a Nearby Fire?
A brush fire or bonfire can damage hardwoods pretty easily. Softwoods are less vulnerable. June 14, 2014

Head Saw Alignment
The band and carriage on a head saw may be set at an angle to allow gravity to work for you (but not too hard). November 26, 2008

Risk of Spreading the Emerald Ash Borer
Advice on the kind of hygeine that may help prevent the spread of emerald ash borer insects. April 27, 2007

Sawing Hard Maple
Advice on bandsaw blade characteristics for good performance in hard Maple. October 29, 2008

Value of a Walnut Root Ball
The base of a downed walnut tree could be in good condition and yield valuable wood. July 11, 2013

Moisture Content Percentage Explained
Experts explain why wood moisture content can be higher than 100 percent. February 15, 2009

Storing kiln-dried lumber
Controlling the humidity in the atmosphere around stored lumber. January 16, 2002

Identifying Old Pine Planks
The Woodweb crew checks out some photos of what is probably Southern Yellow Pine, and possibly Longleaf Pine. September 6, 2010

Solar and Dehumidifier Kiln in Winter
Thoughts on how to improve the poor performance of a solar drying kiln during winter. December 31, 2012

Mixing Frozen and Green Lumber in a Kiln
It's best to separate the loads. Here's some insight into why. December 9, 2010

Kiln venting
Are vents needed in a condenser kiln? March 20, 2001

Bandsaw mill blade speed
Solving a problem of quickly dulled band saw blades and insufficient horsepower. January 16, 2001

Sticker Stain in Hickory
Sticker stain is a warm-weather phenomenon. Here's advice about a suitable schedule for drying Hickory. May 27, 2014

Maple Stain in a Kiln Load
Some explanation about why soft maple would stain in the kiln when hard maple in the same load did not. June 13, 2014

Cherry in Timber Frames
Thoughts on sawing and using Cherry timbers in the kitchen to add interest to a timber-frame home. January 11, 2007

Uses and Value of Persimmon
A disussion of what persimmon wood is worth, and what it's good for. December 15, 2005

Properties of Yemeri Wood
Yemeri is a Central American tropical hardwood that is good for utility lumber. July 18, 2008

Characteristics of European Larch
Naturally durable with decay-resistant heartwood, Larch would make good decking or siding. April 21, 2011

Sawing Tamarack
Sawing technique and uses for Tamarack. April 18, 2009

Qualities and Uses for Sweet Gum
A small sawmiller sees his first load of Gum wood, and gets advice about its value and how to handle it. June 22, 2005

Iron Stains in Red Oak
Slabs from a yard tree with a lot of deeply embedded nails have some bad staining. Will bleach help? April 20, 2011

Troubleshooting a Dished Sawmill Blade
Heat build-up at the center of a circular blade can distort its shape. July 28, 2006

Suitable Wood Species for Stickers
Any type of wood works, but it's best if you dry stickers before use. May 20, 2011

Tracks for Kiln Loading Cart Wheels
Simple angle iron works for wheel tracks for small kilns. November 26, 2008

Identifying Pignut Hickory
Forum members identify Pignut Hickory by looking at photos of the leaves, stems, and bark. November 28, 2014

Drying Bowl Blanks
One woodturner reports success with an alcohol pre-soak method. January 13, 2006

Using a Shop Bandsaw to Mill Small Logs
Woodworker considers using an 18" electric bandsaw for milling small amounts of lumber, then gives up the idea as impractical. December 15, 2005

Cold Weather Sawmill Operation
Thoughts on tweaking the gas motor of a bandmill to help it perform better in sub-freezing weather.October 17, 2012

Drying Logs for Cabin Construction
Advice on drying logs for cabin building, including how long to expect air drying to take and how hot to heat logs to set the pitch. October 19, 2014

Estimating Blade Sharpness by Temperature
Blades heat up more as they get dull, but other factors can also have this effect. March 31, 2008

Slope of grain
How to process lumber to achieve a given slope of grain. March 28, 2001

Pie-Slicing a Log
Quick description and info about a German-made saw that slices logs radially. July 15, 2012

Constructing a Bandsaw Mill Frame
Video show and tell of the construction of a bandsaw mill. April 2, 2015

Drying Green Hemlock in a Basement
Nope. Bad idea. February 22, 2011

Unpleasant Odor in Silver Maple
A perfect description of rotten, stinky, bacterially infected wood. January 11, 2007

Testing for Case-Hardening and Drying Stress
Tips on detecting drying stress. October 29, 2008

Uses for Aspen
There's a local market for aspen, for various purposes. August 30, 2005

Kiln Baffle Material
Canvas or carpet works well for directing air through the wood stack in a kiln. January 14, 2009

Delay in Milling Southern Pine
If you have a supply of logs you can't saw up right away, what's the best way to handle them? January 12, 2015

Value of Salvaged Burnt Timber
Trees killed by wildland fire still produce good lumber beneath the charred portion. January 8, 2010

Treating Blue Stain on Log Cabin Logs
Advice on cleaning air-dried cabin logs to remove blue stain. October 19, 2014

Good and Bad Woods for Pressure-Treating
Here's a list of wood species that accept preservative treatments readily, and wood species that don't. July 11, 2013

Curved Tooth Face on a Bandmill Blade
Some bandmill owners prefer curved teeth, and sharpen the teeth themselves. August 31, 2005

Cutting Dry Walnut
Yes, that wood is hard. August 31, 2005

Bandmill wheels and blade speed
Do larger bandsaw wheels mean increased sawing speed? January 31, 2001

When to Seal Log Ends
If you delay too long before sealing, you may have to cut back the ends to fresh wood first. January 25, 2010

Controlling Bugs in Finished Furniture
Fumigation or spraying are ineffective and have drawbacks. Instead, here's a tip for heat-treating furniture. April 24, 2013

Variable Speed Fan Efficiency
People do drive their kiln fans above rated capacity sometimes, but it's an inefficient use of energy. June 13, 2014

Features of Quality Veneer-Grade Cants
A sawmiller learns the qualities that make a cant suitable for producing good sawn veneer. October 4, 2007

Boiling Wood
Boiling wood before drying has various effects on the outcome. May 23, 2011

Darkening Problem when Heating Ash to Kill Borers
Dry the wood first, then heat it, says the Wood Doctor. July 29, 2011

Pricing a Yard Tree Log
Swapping firewood for a sawlog straight up is a fair deal. April 18, 2010

A Simplified Procedure -- for Developing Grade Lumber From Hardwood Logs
A USDA report on maximizing grade lumber yield from factory logs. January 2, 2003

Defining Hardwood Veneer Log Quality Attributes
What makes a good veneer log? This expert resource takes the mystery out of industry veneer-log selection and grading criteria. December 19, 2006

Shrinkage of Wood Cylinders
Advice on drying wood cylinders with the cores drilled out. December 8, 2012

Sawing Hickory
... is not like a walk in the park. Here are tips that might make it a little easier. September 14, 2006

Buying Logs — Board Feet Per Ton
Ballpark numbers for estimating how many board feet you can saw from a ton of logs. July 3, 2008

Good Steaming Conditions for Walnut
Getting lots of hot, wet steam is the trick — but it's not easy to achieve. October 1, 2010

Drying Rounds
Advice on dealing with the inevitable cracking in a round slice of a log as it dries. May 21, 2009

Does Rougher Wood Dry Faster?
Surface conditions do not control the overall rate of drying. July 28, 2008

Eastern Red Cedar — How Dry?
Eastern Red Cedar is easy to air-dry. But if too dry, it's hard to work with. May 27, 2014

African Mahogany and Reaction Wood
African Mahogany seems to be prone to stress, causing the material to twist and warp when sawn. March 13, 2007

Redrying 4/4 Hard Maple
Tips for re-drying a load of wood that got wetted by rain, without incurring damage. December 31, 2013

Troubleshooting a "Wavy" Cut
Sawyers suggest reasons that a portable bandsaw blade might wander at the beginning of each cut. August 30, 2005

Preventing Drying Damage to Oak
Advice on controlling the drying conditions for Oak. December 6, 2009

Does Speed of Drying Affect Flooring Stability?
Will wood that is dried more slowly be more stable in service? Not necessarily. April 18, 2010

Marketing Small-Diameter Lodgepole Pine
Lodgepole pine produces good construction lumber, but small-diameter logs may not yield much value. December 30, 2007

Rust on Bandmill Rails
Lubricating the rails is part of routine maintenance, especially if the mill sees a lot of down time. Here's some detailed advice.September 5, 2011

Tips on Sawing Hickory
Tips on sawing techniques for some nice Hickory logs. December 30, 2007

Sawing Sweetgum
Sweetgum does not "gum up" blades, but it is prone to movement when sawn. March 13, 2007

De-Barking Maple Burls
Tips for improving the labor-intensive process of getting bark off a maple burl log. December 11, 2007

Drying Elm Wood
Advice on drying Elm wood. May 21, 2009

Using A Wood-Fired Boiler to Heat a Kiln
BTU output and controls are the important concerns. August 26, 2008

Ripping Chains for a Chainsaw Mill
Are they worth it? February 14, 2006

Sterilizing Lumber
Definition and methods of sterilizing lumber

Quartersawing, illustrated
Diagrams and instructions for quartersawing all sizes of logs. May 9, 2001

Preventing Blue Stain on Maple
Prompt drying is the best way to forestall blue stain formation on maple. August 29, 2006

Russian Olive Wood
Russian Olive is considered a weed tree with few useful lumber characteristics. January 25, 2010

Milling Hedge Apple
Hedge Apple (a.k.a. "Osage Orange" or "Horse Apple") is a valuable specialty wood. August 31, 2005

Most-marketable material thicknesses
Sawing lumber to thicknesses that are in demand among woodworkers. January 31, 2001

Heat Treating Logs On Site
Doubts on the feasibility of drying Southern Yellow Pine logs using temporary means at a building site. January 25, 2010

Drying Massive Slabs
Air-drying and kiln-drying 12/4 or 16/4 hardwood slabs is slow and difficult, and the results can be mediocre. February 29, 2012

Kiln-Drying Associations -- Contact Info
Here's address, website, and contact information on several regional kiln-drying industry associations. March 30, 2008

Green Color in Freshly Sawn Black Walnut
Freshly sawn Black Walnut sometimes shows a green tinge, which quickly fades. Here's more on Walnut's natural color behavior. October 14, 2008

Milling Timbers to Minimize Warp
Either "box the heart," or stay away from the pith altogether. March 16, 2015

Monster Curly and Wavy Cherry Boards
A sawmiller shows off some bodacious boards sawn from Cherry logs his dad got for free. April 20, 2011

Horsepower for a Circular Sawmill
You need enough power to maintain the RPMs that the blade is tuned for. November 26, 2008

Yellow Pine Pitch
Heating yellow pine will set the pitch. December 15, 2005

Manufacturing Sawdust
Basic information about grinding wood. October 20, 2013

Predicting Shrinkage in European Beech
How to anticipate the amount of moisture-related wood movement in European Beech. April 18, 2010

Drying Horticultural Maple
Specialty Maples used in landscaping dry like other Maple, but the wood tends to be twisty. June 16, 2014

Lumber Covering Materials
Advice on how to cover piles of sawn wood for air-drying. December 6, 2009

Powering a homemade bandmill
Choosing the right engine for a home-built bandmill. March 20, 2001

Temperature Versus Relative Humidity
Links to curves that plot the relationship. February 26, 2005

Circular Sawmills - and Their Efficient Operation
A primer from the USDA Forest Service. February 16, 2004

Ambrosia Maple
Beetles carry the fungus into semi-wet wood to create food for their offspring. December 11, 2007

Red Cedar Logs for Rustic Furniture
Handling and drying tips for Cedar logs. November 14, 2009

Hackberry Staining
Hackberry gets a green chemical stain if not sawn and put in a kiln without delay. February 12, 2007

Hemlock for Board and Batten Siding
Hemlock weathers to a nice gray, and holds up well as siding. October 14, 2008

Small Engine Muffler Alternatives
Nothing wrong with making your own muffler for that sawmill motor. September 14, 2006

Curly White Oak
Sawyers show off examples of figured white oak. December 1, 2005

Basic lumber grades
An overview of NHLA grades. October 15, 2001

Blade hammering
What is the purpose of hammering a blade for a circular mill? June 5, 2001

Tips on Sawing Birch
Advice on getting good lumber quality from Birch logs. January 14, 2009

Sawmill Throwing Blades Off
Advice for maintenance on a bandsaw that has started throwing the blade off. June 18, 2012

Size, Spacing, and Shape of Stickers
Advice on stickers for drying lumber. June 18, 2012

Drying Persimmon
Persimmon is an active wood that is tricky to air-dry. November 27, 2007

Understanding the Term "Dote"
"Dote" refers to a minor, localized form of wood decay. May 18, 2010

Old Growth Douglas Fir Slabbing
Here are some cool photos of slabs cut from a 375-year-old Douglas Fir. July 15, 2012

Remotely Readable Moisture Probes for Wood Drying
Probes you can read without going inside the drying kiln are not a lot of help with the most problematic drying-related defects. March 16, 2015

Washing Logs to Extend Blade Life
Some sawmillers pressure-wash or hose down logs before sawing. September 15, 2006

Formulas for estimating log yield
Formulas for calculating the board footage of lumber that can be obtained from logs. January 4, 2001

Can You Air-Dry Wood For Too Long?
If it's protected from bugs and water, wood can sit in storage indefinitely. August 12, 2014

Thinner Sticks in the Lumber Drying Pile
Reducing the thickness of spacer sticks in the lumber stack could reduce the drying effectiveness of the system and create quality issues. October 19, 2014

Greenwood Mantels
Sawn, sealed, and installed when green, a large-dimension timber mantel should perform well. October 25, 2006

Winter-time End Coating
Yes, it's important to end-coat fresh-cut logs quickly, even in the winter. June 12, 2006

Drying Loads with Mixed Moisture Content
It's a balancing act — you have to watch out for the drier wood causing the wetter wood to dry too fast and check. October 4, 2011

Drying Burled Wood
Thoughts on the proper way to dry freshly sawn burls. December 15, 2005

Causes for Wavy Bandmill Cuts
Two more reasons a bandsaw mill may start to make wavy cuts. December 15, 2005

Determining the weight of logs
Resources and methods for estimating the weight of green logs. January 16, 2001

Log Truck Volume
How much wood in a truck-load of logs, in board feet or cubic meters, roughly? October 3, 2009

Sawing Logs After Checking Occurs
Badly checked logs should be dried and sawn first, then end-trimmed as boards. December 1, 2005

Setting Pitch with a Solar Kiln
If the kiln doesn't get hot enough from sunshine alone, try some supplemental electric heat. July 10, 2007

Controlling Checking in a Walnut Mantel
A carefully located plunge cut in the hidden side of a large sawn member may restrict checking to that location. April 18, 2010

Tuning Up a Blade Sharpener
If a blade isn't quite cutting it, the problem may be your sharpening setup. January 27, 2007

Spraying Logs with Insecticide
Treating logs with bug spray before sawing is a bad idea, says the Wood Doc — ineffective as well as hazardous. October 30, 2005

Sawing Stone with a Bandmill
They say it can be done with a specialty blade and lots of coolant. June 9, 2012

Determining Wood EMC -- (Equilibrium Moisture Content)
How to calculate and establish EMC. From the Forest Products Laboratory. February 16, 2004

Time and Temperature Curve to Kill Bugs
Here's a little basic info on bug killing with heat in thicker pieces of wood in the kiln. June 22, 2012

Drying 6" X 8" Pine Beams
Estimates of the required drying time for large pine timbers. May 27, 2014

Solar Kilns in Humid Climates
Solar kilns work well even in humid climates, because heating damp air lowers its relative humidity. April 30, 2006

Splitting Wood - Green Versus Dry
Wood is stronger, and thus harder to split, after drying. April 11, 2008

Stickers for stacking
Does species matter when choosing stickers to use in your stacks of drying wood? July 24, 2001

Controlling Cant Checking
Cants check as they dry because of uneven shrinkage. It can be controlled, but not completely prevented. July 28, 2006

Pine Borers
Mug shot and description of the so-called "Blackhorned Pine Borer." April 20, 2011

110-Volt Fans for Use in Kilns
Advice on finding fans that will perform in a drying kiln. July 3, 2008

Freehand Sharpening for Chain-Mill Blades?
Replacing the sharpening attachment on a chainmill is much wiser than trying to sharpen chains freehand. August 30, 2007

Sealing Logs and Cut Boards
Basic advice on sealing log or board ends to prevent checking. November 28, 2014

Home-Built Re-Saw Rig
Photo and discussion of a re-sawing bandsaw setup. September 14, 2006

Drying small pieces of wood
Unusual methods for drying wood, including boiling. February 28, 2001

Sprinkling White Pine to Prevent Bluestain
Advice on staving off the onset of blue stain by keeping the logs wet. October 12, 2007

Reading a Log for Ray Fleck
If you understand what ray fleck is, you can tell which logs have it. January 14, 2009

Sawing 8/4 and 4/4 From the Same Log
Here's advice on how to saw a custom order for grade and dimension at the same time, without wasting wood. May 27, 2014

OSB for Stickers?
Some advise against using wood composite materials for stickers. January 8, 2010

Tulip (Yellow Poplar) Color Fade
A large slab of Tulip, freshly sawn, shows some striking and dramatic coloration. But what will happen over time? October 26, 2011

Wood-Mizer Custom Cutting Tally Sheet -- and Lumber Contract
September 9, 2004

Whether to Wax Walnut Ends Before Steaming
Advice on temporary outdoor storage of Walnut that you plan on steaming. October 29, 2008

Night-time Reconditioning in Solar Kiln Operation
The nightly humidity increase in a solar kiln is not harmful to the drying lumber, but helps to relieve stress. December 31, 2013

Is There Money in Sawing for Pallets?
Pallet wood is a low-end product, but it can still be a revenue source. December 15, 2005

Air-Drying Lumber for Sheds
Drying time is not critical for lumber intended for an exposed use like a utility shed. December 9, 2010

Sawing Barn Siding
Quick tips on how to saw board-and-batten siding and beveled lap siding. January 11, 2007

Solar Drying Basics (PDF)
Illustrated article from the West Virginia University Extension Serivce on solar drying and kilns, in PDF format. June 19, 2003

Honeycomb Caused by Stickers?
Do stickers cause honeycomb? Well, it could happen. December 6, 2011

Edging Boards at the Sawmill
Lightly edge your own lumber on the mill, then re-edge after drying — you'll produce more wood that way. January 27, 2007

Minimum Useful Size for Walnut Logs
Heartwood is the valuable part of a Walnut log for most buyers, so you need a decent-sized sawlog. January 2, 2012

Quality Drying of Softwood Lumber
A publication from the Forest Service in PDF format. August 22, 2003

Chargers For Lumber Grading
02/02/2013

Quality Drying of Hardwood Lumber
A publication from the Forest Service in PDF format. August 22, 2003

Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods - Temperate and Tropical
Authoritative kiln schedules for 500 different domestic and foreign wood species. August 2, 2008

Quarter sawing
Basic instructions for quarter sawing, and where to find out more. February 7, 2001

Forest Fire Tree Logs
Logs from a stand that has burned over have drawbacks, including smell and a risk of damage from standing degrade. July 15, 2012

Clickable Tree Species Map
Locate tree species by hardiness zone, state or province. December 18, 2002

Drying Beech
Beech is a tricky wood to dry: too fast and it checks, too slow and it stains. August 21, 2006

Pricing custom kiln drying services
How to determine what to charge when kiln drying lumber for others. January 3, 2001

Waiting to Saw Douglas Fir Logs
Doug fir logs may be all right if left sitting for a year before sawing. May 14, 2006

Drying Oak Lumber -- Ordering Information
Where to send your check or money order to receive a copy of this useful text. May 10, 2001

Drying in a Bag
A woodworker tries drying a fresh Holly log inside a paper lawn-waste bag. April 15, 2012

Drying Wood for Pen Blanks
Cutting the blanks before drying yields quick results. March 3, 2006

Stacking a Kiln: Tight or Spaced Out?
Lumber in a drying kiln should be close packed edge to edge. December 23, 2014

Planing Figured Maple
Advice on avoiding tear-out damage when planing curly maple. December 12, 2008

Tree identification guide
Recommended resources for identifying the trees in your region. February 28, 2001

Suitable Moisture Content for Dead Stacking
Advice on when air-dried lumber can be safely dead stacked. May 13, 2013

Forklift Loading Tip
How to load long stacks of boards into a narrow truck from the back, using a forklift. July 30, 2007

Figured Maple Slab
Nice photo of an impressive Maple slab sawn from a 48-inch-diameter log. April 30, 2009

A Checklist for Drying -- Small Amounts of Lumber
A publication from the Forest Service in PDF format. August 22, 2003

Solar Kiln Glass
Are different types of glass more or less suitable for solar kilns? May 11, 2005

Pallet Equipment
Basic info on pallet-making machinery. November 12, 2008

Selling Basswood to Carvers
Woodcarvers pay good money for Basswood in the right size and condition. February 3, 2011

Mixed Drying Loads
Mixing wood of different moisture contents in the same kiln load causes big problems, but mixing different lumber species at the same moisture content can be okay. May 15, 2012

Drying Hardwood Lumber
A publication from the Forest Products Laboratory. August 22, 2003

Dry Kiln Schedules -- for Commercial Woods
A publication from the Forest Service in PDF format. August 22, 2003

Removing Bark from Live Edge Planks
Advice on gently removing bark from a sawn plank edge. December 31, 2012

Winter Drying of Lumber in a Barn
A quick description of the factors affecting drying time of wood stacked in a barn for the winter. July 16, 2012

Woodlot purchase and profitability
Advice on purchasing land for timber. April 20, 2001

Borer holes in oak timbers
Which creepy-crawlies caused those holes in structural members of an oak timber-frame building? January 16, 2001

Kiln Charge Cooling
Cooling lumber arter drying is not a critical step. June 13, 2014

Cleaning Mold Off Logs
Advice on removing surface mold from logs. January 25, 2010

Carob Wood
This short thread is worth a glance just for the photo of sawn Carob logs. January 25, 2010

Effects of humidity swing
How does a swing in humidity affect drying time and MC gradient? February 28, 2001

Accuracy of Kiln Sample Moisture Content Measurements
Factors including temperature change can reduce the accuracy of MC readings, particularly at high moisture contents. April 30, 2006

Kiln Drying Gum
Sap Gum and Red Gum should be dried separately using different schedules. January 2, 2012

An Introduction to Wood Anatomy Characteristics Common to Softwoods & Hardwoods
Familiarize yourself with the basics of tree and wood anatomy. June 21, 2007

Understanding Log Scales and Log Rules
An authoritative description of log scales, log rules, and lumber content estimating as practiced in the field. November 24, 2006

Drying Quartersawn Versus Flatsawn
Different grain and ray orientations lead to differing drying rates. October 12, 2007

Winter Walnut Steaming
01/23/2013

Sawing River Logs
A few quick tips on handling and sawing sinker logs. March 28, 2012

FSC Certification Basics
Quick tips about the certification process for the Forest Stewardship Council. September 6, 2010

Weighting lumber stacks
How much weight is necessary for stacked lumber, ready to be air-dried? June 5, 2001

Mixed Species Stickers for Air Drying
It doesn't matter what species is used for stickers, but the stickers should be dry. January 17, 2011

Storing and Displaying Large Slabs
Vertical racks let one sawyer keep his slabs available for viewing. May 21, 2009

Understanding the Drying of Wood
Here's a handy resource on the hows and whys of drying lumber. June 21, 2007

Crosscut Saw Manual
Comprehensive manual for the care, maintenance, and sharpening of a crosscut saw, from our friends at the U.S.D.A. Forest Service. January 5, 2007

Bastogne Walnut
Beautiful crotch figure from an urban Walnut tree salvaged in California. December 6, 2011

Drying Eastern Hardwood Lumber
Authoritative how-to on cost-effective kiln-drying of hardwood lumber. November 24, 2007

Quartersawing Parallel to Pith
Saw parallel to pith when quartering logs for quartersawn boards. March 28, 2012

Kiln Drying Sawn Veneer
Thoughts on drying green-sawn veneers. March 13, 2009

Plain Sawing Illustrated
Here's a simple drawing showing how to flat-saw a log in case you want flat-grain boards for use in furniture. June 16, 2014

Surface Checks In 8/4 White Ash
10/23/2012

Lumber from Trees Killed by Oak Wilt
The lumber should be fine, but check for insect damage. March 30, 2008

Drying red and white oak -- together?
Can red and white oak be kiln-dried together? March 20, 2001

Southern Yellow Pine for Log Cabin
Southern Yellow Pine has grain issues that make it less suitable for log building. October 19, 2013

Sawing Palm Trees
Palm wood is probably more trouble than it's worth. July 13, 2006

Drying hackberry
Drying hackberry is easy, provided you move quickly. June 5, 2001

Poplar Lumber How Thick
10/16/2012

Strapping Units Before Kiln Drying
02/22/2013

Building Your Own Bandsaw Mill
Thoughts on the practicality of building your own bandmill, from those who have done it (or chosen not to). April 11, 2008

Surface Mold on Framing Lumber
If the wood will be dry in service, mold on the surface is strictly a cosmetic concern. Here's more info on washing and drying for the sake of appearances. April 20, 2011

How Much Heat is Enough to Kill Insects?
Information on the ranges of temperature and time required to kill bugs in wood. November 8, 2007

Stabilizing Wood with Polyethylene Glycol
Advice and explanations about using PEG to prevent shrinkage and cracking in heavy wood disks being dried for a specialty application. July 15, 2014

Constructing with poplar
Is poplar appropriate for building? February 6, 2002

Sawing and Drying Sweet Gum
Sweet Gum is a troublesome wood to work with because of its tendency to twist and move, but the effort can be worth it for some uses. February 14, 2010

Preventing Mold Formation on Freshly Sawn Pine
Surface dryness is the best answer to preventing mold from getting a foothold on sawn softwood. Here are tips on how to achieve it. April 18, 2010

Wood Choices for Barn Siding
What kind of trees make good board siding for a barn? April 24, 2014

- Wood species
Information on tree species and their uses. March 20, 2001

Humidity, Temperature, Wood Moisture Content, and Wood Movement
Basic technical information and an extended discussion of the way wood expands and contracts in response to changes in temperature and humidity. November 13, 2009

Processing trees to lumber -- for the hobbyist
A primer on sawing and drying lumber for projects at home. March 13, 2001

Adding value to old pallets
Examples of how woodworkers have recycled pallets and other old wood into new products. June 5, 2002

Static charge on wood
Troubleshooting and resolving static problems on freshly planed boards. October 9, 2002

Air-dried lumber
Is it air-dried cherry acceptable for furnituremaking? March 20, 2001

Sawing And Air Drying Ashe
12/03/2013

Comparing Anchor Seal
01/01/2014

Hardwood Plywood Grades
Here's a concise explanation of hardwood plywood grades and what they mean. March 26, 2009

Value added defined
Many definitions and interpretations are offered up. July 29, 2003

Economics of Sawmill Operations
This thread takes a close look at some hard numbers for logs and various sawn lumber products, and teaches some valuable lessons about how sawmills can make money, or lose money. September 6, 2010

Future of Sawmilling
Here's a long, conversational thread on the economics of sawmill operations and the big picture of the general economy. August 31, 2009

Sustainable forestry
How sustainable forestry relates to the woodworker and consumer demands. June 3, 2003

Should a Moulding Mill Bring Sawmill Operations In-House?
Here's a long, detailed, and authoritative examination of a moulding mill owner's proposal to invest in his own sawmill operation. April 20, 2011

Sawdust as fuel
Building a sawdust-fired boiler to heat kiln and shop. November 18, 2002

Loading and Moving Big Logs with Minimal Impact
This starts out as a conversation about block and tackle mechanical advantage, but develops into a detailed and useful discussion of ways to skid and load logs without tearing up the woods or lot. June 18, 2010

Stupid Woodworker Tricks
With a nod toward David Letterman, pros discuss their least-best moments. January 24, 2005

Portable sawing rates
Methods for charging, plus more on the business of sawmilling. January 21, 2002

Expanding portable sawmill business
A hard look at the pros and cons of expanding a business. October 9, 2002

American Chestnut Log Identification
The Woodweb detective team tries to determine if one of the group has found a large American Chestnut log in a firewood pile. March 9, 2010

Log Scales, Log Size, Kerf Thickness, Lumber Yield, and Profit
The estimated yield using one or another log scale may differ from the actual board footage of lumber sawn from a load of logs, for a variety of reasons. Here's a close look at how different scales, different logs, and different saws affect the yield, the price, and the profit. April 20, 2011

Recycled barn wood
Processing and marketing reclaimed lumber. September 23, 2003

The "Sustainable" Chain of Custody
How can a small shop get certification that its wood is sustainably produced, all the way back to the source? June 30, 2009

Framing Lumber for Planting Boxes
A discussion of treated wood, naturally rot-resistant lumber, outdoor exposures, and pests. April 14, 2010

Kiln drying for higher profit
Expanding a molding business to include kiln drying poplar. November 18, 2002

Economics of Sawing for the Tie and Pallet Market
Ties and pallets typically get sawn as byproducts when producing higher-grade lumber. But in a down market, it's tough to sell any part of the log at a profit. September 6, 2010

Moving Beyond Drying
A small drying operation wants to invest in planing, jointing, and ripping. March 18, 2005

What is value added?
Forum participants give technical and personal definitions. April 2, 2002

Starting a portable sawmilling business
Advice on making a living with a start-up sawmilling business. June 24, 2001

Lyme Disease as a Risk for Foresters and Loggers
Here's a long discussion about the risk of Lyme disease for people who work in the woods, and about precautions and treatment. June 14, 2014

Safe and Cost-Effective Tree Felling
The how and why of wedge cuts. February 26, 2005

Making Money with a Sawmill Business
Plan with a focus on high-margin production, and you might make money — not just wear out a saw. January 14, 2008

Setting up a milling business
How much land, what equipment is needed, and in what order, for a startup sawmill. April 24, 2002

Cutting Slabs
12/02/2013

Ripping hardwood straight
Why do ripped pieces come out banana-shaped? July 9, 2002

Price and Quality — Sawing Oak Boards for Dump Truck Beds
Sawing for a utility market like truck bed liners carries its own set of economic calculations. Here's a practical business discussion that delves into the pennies and the board feet. May 23, 2007

Beavers, Oak Trees, and Lumber
What can a landowner do with beaver-killed Oak trees? February 29, 2012

How much land for a living
How many forested acres are needed to supply enough timber to support you? June 3, 2003

Limbing practices
To prune or not to prune your future sawlogs. (Forestry Forum) March 23, 2003

Sawing Rates by Hour and Board Foot
Charging enough to make money with a portable bandmill. November 14, 2009

Winches for Skidding Logs
If you want the muscle to move logs, you should look at hydraulic winches, not electric. Read on for other skidding advice. July 3, 2008

Toxicity of Black Locust
The leaves, bark and wood of Black Locust are poisonous to both people and livestock. March 31, 2008

Cutting "shake" out of logs
What is shake, why does it occur, and how can it be removed? April 29, 2003

Pricing for Portable Sawmill Sawing Services
Whether pricing by the board foot or by the hour, make a good accounting of your costs before you set your rates. November 5, 2013

Red Alder Pros and Cons -- Pricing, Availability, Usefulness
Pros discuss the cost, availability, and characteristics of Red Alder solid stock and sheet goods. February 25, 2005

How to move logs
Creative and practical ways of loading, unloading and transporting logs. Illustrated. (Sawing and Drying Forum) March 23, 2003

Wide-Board Table Top with no Warping
Can it be done? Maybe. February 26, 2005

Start-up portable sawmill business
Advice on establishing a portable sawmill service. January 4, 2001

Straight line rip lumber
Is the added time and waste worth what customers will pay? September 23, 2003

Pricing for Kiln Drying Lumber
Here are pictures of a drying kiln building under construction, with commentary on how to charge for drying wood with a dehumidifier kiln. December 8, 2012

How to Charge for Custom Sawing
A discussion of realistic fees for sawing a customer's logs at their location with a portable mill. January 14, 2008

Figuring Sawing Prices
Sawmill operators share views on how to charge for their product or service. December 12, 2008

Waste wood into profit
Sawyers turn wood otherwise destined for the landfill into a business. June 5, 2002

Pros and Cons of Sawing Your Own
A solo cabinetmaker wonders if he should mill his own lumber on the side. March 14, 2005

Starting a Sawmill Business to Supply Stakes
The sawing and drying forum takes a hard critical look at a business proposition. April 20, 2011

Managing a Neglected Old Stand of Red Pine
A sixty-year-old red pine plantation is now crowded and unhealthy. What to do? June 14, 2014

Pricing and Legalities for Portable Sawmilling
What should you charge, and should you let the customer help? February 26, 2005

"China Cedar" -- What Is It?
"China Cedar" is a separate species grown in the Far East. However, Cedar logs from America do get sent to China and come back to North America as lumber, complicating the picture. December 30, 2007

Cabin Wood Species
12/17/2013

Cost of Sawmilling: Renting Versus Owning
A lumber consumer who's renting a mill to make his own wood wonders which side his bread is buttered on. April 24, 2014

Hardwood Lumber Tallies
Are you being shorted on a lumber delivery? The answer could depend on the fine points of board-foot calculations. April 19, 2015

Shavings for Sale
The always resourceful sawyer crowd discusses the packaging and marketing of wood chips. February 9, 2005

10,000-Year-Old Mystery Wood
Sawmillers try to guess the species of wood recovered after thousands of years buried in the mud. November 13, 2005

Old Sycamore
12/13/2013

Using Beech to Build Cabinets
It's a beautiful wood, but is American Beech too unstable for cabinets? Not necessarily, say those who've tried it. August 21, 2006

Alternating growth rings in panels
The debate between alternating growth rings and matching grain. September 25, 2002

Converting log volume scales
When sellers and buyers want numbers in different scales, how do you come up with the calculations? July 22, 2003

Parenchyma Cell Rings and Wood Grain
Info about parynchyma cell rings, a structure similar to growth rings that can affect the appearance of sawn lumber. October 1, 2009

Dropping your lumber prices -- and why not
Why do customers expect a local sawmill's prices to be lower than the lumberyard's? February 13, 2001

Costs To Consider In Milling Oak
12/21/2013

Suggestions For Marketing Lumber
02/10/2007

Planing Charges for Rough-Cut Lumber
Sawyers discuss the up-charge for planed boards, and for custom planing work. December 6, 2009

Powder Post Beetle Worries
Will powderpost beetles found in a piece of furniture spread elsewhere in the house? April 21, 2011

Building with Urban Trees
Harvesting and utilizing wood which would otherwise end up in the landfill. February 28, 2004

Dealing with sawmill dust
Home-made systems for getting rid of the dust buildup under sawmills. January 4, 2001

Ripping Chain
12/19/2013

A retail lumber business?
Tips for success in a start-up sawmill-to-retail business. January 16, 2001

Cost of Grid Power Versus Running a Generator
Generators are a poor deal when fuel prices rise, but commercial power bills can get complicated. Here's a look at how the numbers crunch. March 3, 2006

Gene's value-added hints
A bit of wisdom on adding value to your wood products, from Professor Gene Wengert. April 2, 2002

Blue Stain and Wood Grade
Stain is a defect in wood, and lowers its grade.April 18, 2010

Pricing Rough Cut Lumber
and gets plenty. June 23, 2005

Availability of Eastern Red Cedar
Cedar is fast-growing and plentiful. June 14, 2014

Converting MBF Price to Cubic Meter Price
Converting prices and converting volume aren't quite the same process. Here's a discussion. January 31, 2012

Rate of Wood Moisture Gain from Ambient Humidity
How long will it take for furniture stored in an unconditioned warehouse to equilibrate with the ambient moisture conditions? April 18, 2010

Dessicant Driven Dehumidifying Kiln?
12/14/2013

Five value-added approaches
Professor Gene Wengert presents ideas on adding value to your wood products. April 2, 2002

Telling Basswood from Cottonwood
A few clues that are useful in distinguishing Basswood from Cottonwood. June 14, 2014

Killing Cull Trees
Tips on knocking out the unwanted saplings on a growing timber lot. April 18, 2009

Experiences shipping lumber
Determining the costs and problems of shipping lumber through UPS or other service. January 16, 2002

Minimizing Federal Income Tax for Forest Landowners
Tax law changes effective since 2004 provide new ways to write off reforestation expenses. Here's some info on how the rules work. May 19, 2007

Black Walnut
12/09/2013

Appalachian Hardwoods
02/14/2007

Low-Acid Wood Species?
All wood and sawdust tends to be acidic, but some varieties are milder than others. August 1, 2011

Winter Time Sawing And Stacking Tips
11/30/2013

Gypsy Moth Egg Case
Identifying these egg cases in the woods. January 6, 2005

Wood Resistant To Salt Water
04/20/2013

Milling Beams
12/21/2013

Milling for shares
Sawyers discuss the practicality and profitability of share-cutting. March 4, 2002

Species For Wood Boat Engine Stringers
01/03/2014

Can a Beginner Make a Living with a Portable Sawmill?
Experienced sawmill operators counsel a newcomer on his odds of success with buying and operating a sawmill in a tough market — and describe what his life will be like if he tries it. November 16, 2010

Rates for custom milling
An extremely detailed look at different systems of charging for custom milling. May 30, 2001

Chip-free dovetailing in plywood
Building dovetailed plywood drawers without chipping; European and American approaches. April 24, 2002

Woodworking 101: The Basics
and shows how it can affect various production operations. 1998.

Eliminating Wood Problems -- An Industry Review: 10 Ways of Eliminating Wood Problems
Gene Wengert explains why eliminating wood problems begins and ends with monitoring and controlling the moisture content (MC) in wood -March 18, 2000

Measuring/Monitoring Moisture Levels
The hows and whys of monitoring moisture content in lumber. 1998.

Twisted timbers
Determining the cause of twisting in Douglas fir construction timbers. August 10, 2000

Causes and cures for sticker stain
The Wood Doctor weighs in with comprehensive information about the causes and prevention of sticker stain. 1998.

I've Got that Shrinking Feeling
Specific information on lumber shrinkage during the drying process. Includes 'typical shrinkage' tables for red and white oak. 1998.

Cutting dadoes in sawn logs
Tools and techniques to get the job done. October 20, 2003

Think before you take the CNC plunge
WOODWEB technical advisor Brian Personett offers some food for thought to those thinking about purchasing CNC equipment. November 15, 2000

Tinting body filler -- it can be done!
Searching out an epoxy filler that can be color-mixed, for filling large knot holes. March 20, 2001

Is Your Meter Running?
The value of the moisture meter when drying of oak lumber. 1998.

"Light" and "dark" veneer bands
Avoiding the "striped" look in veneered ply. November 18, 2002

Digital hygrometers
Kiln operators discuss options for measuring conditions in their lumber drying and storage facilities. July 26, 2000

Comparing moisture meters
An assessment of the performance of pin and pinless moisture meters made by major manufacturers. July 11, 2000

Chip-free cutting of composite panels
Consider these factors when striving for chip-free cuts in composite panels. February 13, 2001

20 Steps to Drying Hard White Maple
The Wood Doctor's 100 percent guaranteed, sure-fire, no-snake-oil method for successfully drying hard white maple. 1998.

Uses for Basswood
Basswood is a little soft for use as trim, but excellent for carving. March 18, 2006

Verifying moisture meters' accuracy
A discussion of ways to verify the accuracy of moisture meters. Includes info on calibration. June 21, 2000

Moisture content of walnut -- and measuring it
A woodworker seeks information about acceptable moisture contents for walnut used in furniture, and wonders what makes moisture meters tick. 1998.

Gluing white oak panels
Because of its density, white oak lumber must be machined carefully for panel glue-up, and assembled within an hour of preparation. 1998.

Ratios: Relative humidity to moisture content
Common conversions and instruments used in measuring wood moisture content. October 31, 2000

Moisture issues in antique lumber
Is salvaged wood from old barns dry enough to use as one would use kiln-dried lumber? August 23, 2000

Measuring MC by weight
How to measure moisture content in wood without a moisture meter. August 10, 2000

Cracks in log home logs -- and other warnings
Cracks in logs used in log home construction are normal, but not necessarily desirable. August 10, 2000

Converting board feet to metric
It's not as simple as it sounds. November 7, 2001

Powderpost Beetles in Furniture
Pinholes and powder are a dead giveaway of a beetle infestation. Here are some facts about the bugs and how to handle them. February 19, 2006

Cedar Log Value
A wandering thread, but you can learn something here about Cedar (or whatever y'all call that tree). February 3, 2011

Techniques for Equalizing and Conditioning Lumber
The Wood Doctor explains how to complete the final two steps in the primary processing uh, process. 1998.

Solar Kiln Designs 4 -- Solar Heated, Lumber Dry Kiln Designs - Part 4
An in depth article by Gene Wengert and Luiz Carlos Oliveira

Causes and Cures for Stains In Dried Lumber
How to avoid various types of staining in kiln-dried lumber. 1998.

Solar Kiln Designs 2 -- Solar Heated, Lumber Dry Kiln Designs - Part 2
An in depth article by Gene Wengert and Luiz Carlos Oliveira

Strange stories from the sawmill
Sawyers trade tales of unusual objects discovered in wood, during processingd - June 21, 2000

An overview of sawmill operations
Sawmill operators swap experiences, "war" stories, and ideas for production profitability. October 17, 2000

Solar Kiln Designs 3 -- Solar Heated, Lumber Dry Kiln Designs - Part 3
An in depth article by Gene Wengert and Luiz Carlos Oliveira

Flattening boards with a planer
Methods for planing warped wood flat. September 25, 2002

Solar Kiln Designs 1 -- Solar Heated, Lumber Dry Kiln Designs - Part 1
An in depth article by Gene Wengert and Luiz Carlos Oliveira

Price sawmilling by the cut?
Pricing by the hour, the board foot and the cut. (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) February 12, 2003

Low-impact logging
Alternatives to ATVs and heavy machinery in harvesting timber. October 31, 2000

Wood, the environment, and Man
A wide-ranging overview of the state of the primary processing industry, and where it may be going from here. August 10, 2000

DIY grading
The legal ins and outs of grading your own milled lumber. January 28, 2002

Good species for fence posts
Rot resistance of red oak, white oak and more. February 6, 2002

Dry kiln operator's manual
The modern dry kiln is a unique product of research, development, and experience. It is the only practical means now in wide use for rapid, high- volume drying of lumber to conditions necessary for maximum serviceability in housing, furniture, millwork, and many other wood products. As part of our c ......

Bandsaw blades: Sawyer survey
Sawyers cite their preferred bandmill blades by brand name. July 11, 2000

Portable Sawmill Comparisons
Users share views and experiences on portable sawmill types. November 13, 2005

Drying rough-sawn timbers
A large outdoor project raises questions about drying large, rough-sawn timbers for long-term use. June 20, 2000

Creosote-treated timbers: Cut with care
Some wise precuations to take if milling lumber previously treated with creosote. September 21, 2000

Understanding Hardwood Lumber Grading
This article from Independent Sawmill & Woodlot Magazine covers the basics. September 21, 2001

Measuring Logs and Lumber
Lumber measurement - Professor Gene Wengert clears up questions regarding proper measurement techniques. May 28, 2001

Resharpening Bandsaw Blades
Arguments for and against sharpening your own bandmill blades versus sending them out to a resharp service. May 11, 2005

Thinning hardwood stands
Advice on how to thin, prune and groom. February 6, 2002

What to charge for on-site sawmilling?
A discussion of approaches to charging for on-site sawmilling work. March 12, 2000

CNC feed rates for melamine
Concerns on purchasing a CNC router and software for cutting melamine. August 12, 2001

Sawyer survey
A host of sawyers share their preferred techniques for sawing logs, and the reasoning behind them. June 20, 2000

Steambending
How much time to allow based on thickness and proposed radius of wood. September 23, 2003

Flatsawn to Quartersawn
Cutting both types of lumber. December 17, 2003

Applied wainscot
Creating fake raised panels for the lower portion of walls. April 3, 2002

Fortune Teller: Making More Money in the Wood Industry
Wood Doctor Gene Wengert makes some educated guesses about the near future in the wood products industry, and offers some advice about how wood-based businesses can profit from change. April 15, 2013

Laminating Curved Beams
Woodworkers approach the puzzle of creating structural porch beams that curve in the horizontal dimension. April 24, 2006

Comparing sliding and vertical saws
Woodworkers voice their views on the virtues and liabilities of both sliding and vertical saws. November 15, 2000

Effects of environmental awareness?
Lumber processors discuss the market effects of buyer awareness of environmental issues. August 23, 2000

Cherry Color After Aging
When cherry shelves are constructed years apart, how dramatic will the color difference be? May 8, 2004

Water and Wood
Some options for measuring moisture in lumber during the kiln-drying process. 1998.

Hard vs. soft maple
Can these maples be mixed, and what are the differences? January 21, 2002

Hardwood Lumber Kiln Schedules
Dr. Gene Wengert provides schedules for kiln drying hardwood lumber. 1998.

The limitations of juvenile lumber
Exactly how useful is the lumber yielded by less-than-mature trees? August 10, 2000

Rates for sawmilling/kiln-drying
Sawyers post their individual rates for sawmill and kiln-drying services. June 27, 2000

Uses for shavings and sawdust
A discussion of uses for and the marketablility of waste from the primary processing of lumber. July 18, 2000

Quality Issues with Rift Sawn White Oak
Sawing methods affect the presence of visible rays or fleck — but how much fleck is acceptable? March 4, 2006

Black locust vs. treated wood -- for barn poles
Comparing black locust to treated lumber for use in barn construction. June 21, 2000

Kerf thickness' effect on yield -- and profitability
How profoundly does the thickness of blades used in sawmilling affect yield, costs, and wise use of resources? June 20, 2000

Keeping a tally
Ideas for tallying BF while custom sawing. May 2, 2001

Poison oak prevention and treatment
Sawmillers share thoughts on the best preventions and cures for exposure to poison oak. September 6, 2000

Drying Rewetted Kiln-Dried Lumber
How to render kiln-dried lumber, which has been rewetted due to flooding or excessive humidity, useful once again. 1998.

Converting BF to cubic feet
How to convert board feet to cubic feet. March 28, 2001

Sawing for half
Sawmillers trade their takes and tolerances for sawing in exchange for a share of the yield. August 10, 2000

Cottonwood for horse stalls
Is this a suitable species? September 25, 2002

Gig-back techniques for manual mills
Sawyers offer various ideas on gig-back techniques, and their impacts on saftely and profitability. June 20, 2000

Dealing with Blade-Diving Waves
More blade tension, better blade lubrication, and a sharpening modification may help keep bandsaw blades from wandering when cutting larger logs. December 1, 2005

Amish mills
Some perspectives on Amish sawmill operations. June 27, 2000

Lumber grading: The basics
How lumber is graded and net tallies are determined. November 7, 2000

How did our forebears dry lumber?
How lumber was dried for furniture construction prior to the introduction of kiln drying. November 21, 2000

Drying Large Rounds - Preventing Splitting
Is it possible to dry these without problems? October 20, 2003

Installing refrigerator end panels
The search for better methods. April 3, 2002

Hemlock for homebuilding
The virtues and pitfalls of hemlock as a house-framing material. June 20, 2000

Fiber saturation point: not an issue
Why the fiber saturation point is not a critical element in proper kiln drying practice. September 26, 2000

Ideas for weighting stickered lumber
Options for applying weight to stickered, drying lumber are offered. August 10, 2000

How milling impacts figure
How milling influences figure in sawn lumber. November 15, 2000

Lumber drying for musical instruments
Does the speed of the drying process affect a wood's musical quality?June 21, 2000

How I cut a 5-sided beam
Fully illustrated details. October 30, 2002

Bandmill blade guide pressure
Proper set-up techniques for blade guides on bandsaw mills. November 29, 2000

Rx For Planer Splits
The five main causes for splits in lumber during roughmill planing. 1998.

Drying sinker wood
How does one begin drying wood that's been submerged in water for many years? June 27, 2000

Producing Quarter-Inch Thickness Lumber
Here are several different approaches to the challenge of producing very thin board lumber. January 17, 2011

Loss in air-dried lumber
The Wood Doctor provides typicial loss factors for several speices of lumber, when air-dried. 1998.

Tooling up for Euro-style cabinets
When considering a switch to the 32mm system, there are two choices: Get your feet wet, or dive right in. 1998.

Drying wood for musical instruments
A primer on various lumber drying techniques as they relate to musical instrument construction. 1998.

Cutting the butt off blowdowns
Cutting the butts off blown-down trees can be hazardous. Here are some safety tips. June 27, 2000

Frequently Asked Questions about Widebelt Sanders
A general list of guidelines when using widebelt sanders - 1998

Communicating via email
Buying and Selling Wood on the Internet: Part 1. January 3, 2002

Wood Species for Exterior Projects
Suggested wood choices for a set of garage doors. March 18, 2006

Tree Burls — Causes and Value
Burls from a tree trunk can yield valuable material for custom craft work. Here's some info on what they are and why they appear. June 14, 2014

Wood species for outdoor furniture
The Wood Doctor names names: Decay-resistance lumber suitable for outdoor use. October 10, 2000

Drying discs from a walnut log
Ideas for drying and protecting circular slices taken from a walnut log. November 15, 2000

Dry Kiln Information Resources
A list of clubs, organizations, books and publications providing information about drying lumber for use in woodworking. 1998.

Band Mill Blade Speed
Determining the feet per minute that a band should run at on a home-built mill. May 11, 2005

Solar kiln kits and plans
A discussion of various solar kiln plans and kits. June 20, 2000

Conditioning DH-kiln-dried white oak
July 18, 2000

Don't send a home dehumidifier -- to do a commercial kiln's work
Are domestic dehumidifiers adaptable for use in drying small quantities of lumber? March 12, 2000

Lindane
Information on Lindane, a pesticide used to control powderpost beetles. June 21, 2000

Planer is tearing-out -- on white oak, but not red
What could be the culprit when a planer is tearing out on one type of oak, but not another? June 14, 2000

Keeping track of blade sharpenings
Comparing notes on noting the service history of sawmill blades. July 4, 2000

Working with hickory
How to get around the difficult machining characteristics of hickory. July 24, 2001

Telling Red Pine from White Pine Logs
Branch whorls aren't much help, but compare early and late wood growth. February 26, 2005

Wood weight and highway transport
How to accurately estimate the weight of a truckload of air-dried lumber to assure compliance with trucking regulations. Includes access info for resources. August 1, 2000

Air temp, relative humidity and MC
How much moisture can air hold, and what is the effect on drying lumber? July 4, 2000

Bugs in air-dried ash
Can a stack of ash be saved from an infestation of powderpost beetles? June 20, 2000

Cambium miners' effect on standing cherry
A woodlot pest causes gummosis in cherry. June 21, 2000

Troubleshooting Warpage with Kiln-Dried Cherry
Why did a load of Cherry boards warp in the kiln? May 16, 2008

Resawing Reclaimed Heart Pine Timbers
February 27, 2005

Drying Siberian Elm Slabs
Prone to warpage and bug damage, Siberian Elm is tricky wood to dry. March 31, 2008

Sunlight and a Cherry Entry Door
Cherry is a problematic wood for any exterior use, because it is known to first darken, then bleach, from exposure to sunlight. April 24, 2006

Quartersawn lumber
Techniques and reasons for quarter sawing lumber. November 21, 2000

Aromatic cedar for closet lining
A discussion of drying and machining, aromatic red cedar for closet lining. Includes ideas on marketing the finished product. March 4, 2000

Standing dry cedar: Lumber-worthy?
Are standing, dead cedar trees a good source for decking boards? July 11, 2000

Quality of Southern Grown Oak
Though slightly different from northern wood, it's suitable for furniture. July 12, 2005

Processing oversized logs
Approaches for dealing with large-diameter logs. March 16, 2000

Kiln velocity and sticker thickness
The necessary volume and velocity of air exchange, and sticker size, for a small dehumidification kiln are discussed. November 29, 2000

Steaming beech for veneer production
Questions and answers on various technical aspects of steaming beech lumber, preparatory to producing veneer. Includes ideas for further reading.

Basement drying basics
The Wood Doctor prescribes proper drying procedures for a small batch in a basement. June 21, 2000

Concrete bases: An air-drying necessity?
Bases and stacking techniques for air-drying lumber. November 29, 2000

Optimal width when milling lumber
Milling lumber to the ideal width, and stacking for drying without warpage. December 6, 2000

Estimating BF in standing trees
Guidelines for accurately estimating lumber yields in standing timber. July 26, 2000

Sawing square timbers
Producing square timbers on the sawmill. November 15, 2000

Chestnut
Horse chestnut, and why it's the only live type of this wood available. September 6, 2000

Value of Dead Standing Oak
Moth-killed Chestnut Oak (also called Rock Oak) need not be felled immediately, and can produce valuable boards and timbers. October 1, 2009

Inconsistencies in HDF production
Problems with production of high-density fiberboard with MUF adhesive. June 6, 2001

Sharpening of band mill blades
A primer on sharpening band-mill blades. March 2, 2000

Cottonwood: O.K. for rafters?
Is cottonwood appropriate for the structural parts of a building? January 31, 2001

Straight cuts through knots
Knots are extremely dense. Here's advice for keeping cuts on line while cutting through them. June 21, 2000

Planer vs. spiral insert heads -- for planers
Which provides the best finish--a planer type or a spiral insert knife head? January 16, 2001

Line-boring for adjustable shelves
The full range of options for getting shelf holes in place is reviewed. 1998.

Hardwood Utilization Book Review
"The Management, Manufacture and Marketing of California Black Oak, Pacific Madrone and Tanoak" covers the various aspects encountered by the forester, the logger, the sawmill manager, the marketing people, and the business owner - 1998

Usefulness of Gum Wood
Which variety is this, and what's it good for? February 26, 2005

Counting board feet while sawing
Sawyers share tips for tallying total board feet while milling. July 18, 2000

Dry Kiln Operator's Manual
A publication of the Forest Products Laboratory. August 22, 2003

Expanding a sawmill operation
Advice on expanding an existing sawmill operation June 20, 2000

Sawing information resources
Where the beginning sawyer can find the fundamentals. (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) February 12, 2003

Salt pastes and PEG
Polyethylene glycol is high-priced, but the alternatives for stabilizing green wood are few. 1998.

You say pecan, I say hickory
Pecan lumber is usually sold as hickory. June 20, 2000

Dovetailing plywood
Successfully dovetailing baltic birch plywood. March 20, 2001

Cupping of resawn lumber
The two reasons wood cups when resawn. 1998.

Best preparation for bent ash
Dr. Gene advises a fishing-net maker on the best ways to prepare ash for bending into frames for his products. 1998.

Straightening Old Bowed Floor Joists
Overloaded wood deforms over time (it's called "creep"). There's no quick way to reverse the process. December 1, 2005

Sawing "on the shares"
A discussion of sawing lumber in exchange for a share of the yield. June 20, 2000

Nyle L150 dehumidification system
A discussion about whether a Nyle L150 dehumidification system is salvagable. March 6, 2000

Ironing Plywood
A cabinetmaker has success straightening out bowed plywood with a hot iron. December 28, 2005

Cypress board and batten siding
It's better to kiln dry that cypress before siding your house with it than to let air-drying suffice. 1998.

Kiln drying Mexican oak
Mexican oak can be dried using the same schedules as those used by processors in the United States. 1998.

Temperature maximums for dehumidification units
and that's plenty. 1998.

Spots revealed in dry, planed lumber
Dr. Gene attempts to find the causes of discolored spots on dried lumber, revealed only when the stock has been planed. 1998.

Techniques for drying wooden bowls
Advice on how to dry large, turned vessels. 1998.

Waste factors in floor manufacturing
The amount of wood wasted from rough to finished flooring may surprise you. January 24, 2001

Kiln dried: Better than air dried?
Why kiln-dried lumber is the best option for wood that will eventually 'live' indoors. 1998.

Are coastal trees of lower quality?
Is there a in the quality of lumber between trees grown in coastal, versus inland, areas? August 10, 2000

Maple processing basics
The fundamentals of milling and drying maple. August 10, 2000

Harmful saw dust
Steering clear of cedar dust, and what could happen if you don't. January 16, 2001

Red cedar vs. white cedar siding
The differences between the two woods, specifically, their suitability for use as siding. October 17, 2000

Sticker stain solutions
A look at potential causes and solutions for sticker stain. July 11, 2000

Drying black walnut, bug free
Practices for preventing infestations while air-drying lumber. November 29, 2000

Boxing the heart, 101
Basic guidelines for sawing a maple log. June 20, 2000

Quartersawn mahogany, or is it?
An architectural woodworker seeks specifications and industry guidelines for what constitutes truly quartersawn mahogany. March 5, 2000.

Curing pitch buildup on blades
Sawyers offer various approaches and potions for preventing pitch buildup on bandmill blades. June 20, 2000

How Much Weight in a Truckload of Lumber?
Information on wood weight and truck carrying capacity. July 20, 2011

Mill Shed Show and Tell
Bandmill owners share photos of the shelters they have built for their saws. February 27, 2013

Cures for sticker stain
Drying lumber can suffer from sticker stain for a variety of reasons. June 20, 2000

Primary processing profit parameters
Some goal guidelines for profitability in kiln-drying operations. July 26, 2000

After-the-kiln powderpost beetle infestation
Who's responsible for a powderpost beetle infestation, two years after the wood was kiln-dried? June 27, 2000

Hackberry sawing and drying
How to saw and dry hackberry to avoid chemical staining. March 7, 2000

Drying green tongue-and-groove pine
Success in drying green, already-machined lumber has much to do with the species. 1998.

Melamine comparison
September 6, 2000

Defining the Term "Board"
Boards, flitches, and cants - here's how to keep 'em straight. February 26, 2005

DH kiln preferences
A look at dehumidification kiln construction, and manufacturers of DH units. July 26, 2000

A good, cheap end sealant?
A discussion of the pros and cons of various sealants used on ends of boards in primary lumber processing. April 22, 2000

Controlling color in air-dried alder
Ideas for achieving color uniformity when air-drying alder. July 26, 2000

Air-dried oak for casework?
Air-dried lumber needs to live in the environment it will inhabit prior to fabrication. 1998.

Repairing a sequenced MDF door
reverse the terminal warp of a sequenced MDF/cherry door. 1998.

Cambium miner's effect on lumber grade
Gene Wengert on cambium miners, what they do, and whether the result affects lumber grade. 1998.

Tracking Hours of Sawmill Operation
Keeping tabs on your time with a sawmill clock. May 11, 2005

Pacific island kiln
Construction details for a kiln on a Pacific isle near the equator. February 29, 2000

Calculating longitudinal shrinkage
There's no firm factor for calculating longitudinal shrinkage in maple, but here's a place to begin. 1998.

Sealing kiln ceilings
What's the best material for sealing a kiln interior? July 18, 2000

Pause button on kiln?
Is lumber adversely affected if drying is suspended late in the kiln schedule? August 1, 2000

Sliding table saw basics
General information for first-time users of 'sliders.' 1998.

Calculating footage based on weight
How to estimate the board feet in logs based on their weight. August 10, 2000

Lumber drying options and efficiencies
The Wood Doctor's favorite references for making decisions among lumber-drying options. 1998.

More on blue stain removal
Is there a 100-percent-effective method for removing blue stain from pine? 1998.

Kiln-drying energy: Too cheap to save?
Sleep lost over the most efficient way to insulate a wood kiln will yield only lost sleep, not big savings. 1998.

Air drying of hardwoods
Basic information, and where to find more of it, on air-drying green lumber. 1998.

Sinker logs: Cutting, use and grading
A quick review of the cutting, use, and grading of lumber from sinker logs. June 20, 2000

When holly goes pathological
Only fungus and injury cause color change in normally white holly. 1998.

Drying pine for a trestle table
A brief look at the basics of drying freshly milled, 3-inch-thick pine. 1998.

Shrinkage allowances for red oak
Estimating radial and tangential shrinkage when drying red oak to 12 to 14 percent MC. 1998.

Wavy cuts in pine
Troubleshooting the cause of wavy cuts in pine. August 10, 2000

Recycling log wash water
A discussion of the merits and pitfalls for recylcing the the water used to keep logs dampe prior to milling. July 4, 2000

Sticker specs and spacing
Basic info on the size and proper spacing of stickers when drying lumber. June 21, 2000

Making stickers
Finding an appropriate material for lumber stickers used in air-drying. August 10, 2000

Keeping logs wet before milling
Should logs be stored in water until they can be milled? June 27, 2000

Equilibrium Moisture Content of Wood -- in Outdoor Locations in the United States and Worldwide
An FPL article in PDF format

A facility for storing kilned lumber
What's a good facility for storing kilned lumber without raising its moisture content? May 6, 2000

Drying small pieces in microwave
You can dry lumber in a microwave oven, under certain conditions. 1998.

Tips for drying butternut burls
Butternut burls are dried much like regular lumber. Also, a source for further information on drying burls. 1998.

Estimating BF yields
Some formulas for calculating board foot yields from rough logs. March 1, 2000

Estimates of Air Drying Times -- for Several Hardwoods and Softwoods
An FPL article in PDF format

"Depression" explained
How to determine relative humidity with two types of temperature readings. June 20, 2000

Solar kiln construction
Specifications for a solar kiln. March 11, 2000

Controlled spalting
Is it possible to control spalting to produce unique turning stock? June 20, 2000

Smelly lauan
The Wood Doctor is quizzed about bad-smelling lauan in a commercial bar. Diagnosis: anaerobic bacteria. Prognosis: terminal. Prescription: replacement. 1998.

Solar or dehumidification kiln?
A discussion of the merits of two types of kilns for lumber processing. March 12, 2000

A rubberwood primer
Rubberwood's machinability and comparability to teak. January 31, 2001

Correcting case hardening
Correcting case hardening in processed lumber. July 11, 2000

Moisture transfer in humid climes
Do tropical and sub-tropical species re-absorb moisture when left in their humid, native lands? September 6, 2000

Case hardening in white oak
Is case hardening common in white oak, and should it be accepted? July 18, 2000

Do trees freeze?
The short answer is no; Gene Wengert provides full details. February 13, 2001

Fan settings for forced-air shed drying -- Eastern cottonwood
Proper settings for hydrostats controlling the operation of fans in forced-air drying of Eastern cottonwood. June 20, 2000

Problems getting consistent thickness -- during rough milling
Fixing a bandmill that cuts boards at inconsistent thicknesses. September 6, 2000

Steam bending wood
Information resources on how to steam bend wood. January 24, 2001

Computerized bandmill setworks -- worth the investment?
Cost-saving advantages of utilizing setworks on a bandmill. December 6, 2000

Salvaging lumber from submerged wood
The best chance for salvaging lumber from submerged wood lies in cutting it quickly, and drying it slowly. 1998.

Stained oak from supplier
There are solutions for stained, milled, not-yet-dried oak lumber, but first , one must determine the cause of the staining. 1998.

Gross tally vs. net tally
The difference between "gross" and "net" tallies in lumber processing is explained. July 18, 2000

Horsepower Requirement for a Big Circular Sawmill
Quick tips on the power needs of a large circle mill. August 30, 2007

Causes for warpage after planing
Why boards may warp after surfacing. January 16, 2001

Wet bulb, dry bulb
An explanation of the terms "wet bulb" and "dry bulb" in reference to temperature measurement, and their particular usefulness. March 6, 2000

MC in imported mahogany furniture
Moisture contents higher than eight percent are suspect, and suppliers must be notified. 1998.

ITEMIZER - From R & R Drummond, Inc.
Use your computer to generate efficient layouts for cutting sheet material into desired sizes (a link to a demo download is provided)1998

Quartersawing on a band mill
Ideas for getting quartersawn lumber from logs, on a band mill. August 10, 2000

Heat considerations in solar kilns
Solar kilns get hot enough to handle some aspects of lumber drying, but not all of them. March 6, 2000

Uses for Hackberry Wood
don't toss those hackberry logs. February 14, 2006

Characteristics of butt log lumber
Denser, darker wood than the rest of that from the same laod may be from butt logs. 1998.

Quartersawing thoughts and help
Some thoughts on doing quartersawing with a circle mill versus a bandsaw mill. Also an offer of instructions. March 7, 2000

Drying wood for drums
Avoiding checks, splits and cracks when drying lumber rounds for drum bodies. September 6, 2000

Casehardening explained
The Wood Doctor describes casehardening, its causes, and cure. July 18, 2000

Tiger stripe effect -- what causes it?
What causes tiger stripe in wood? July 3, 2001

Lumber grading guidelines
Where to find basic information on lumber grades and lumber grading. August 10, 2000

Quani?? Konnei??
Description: Konnei, a species from tropical Asia. March 2, 2000

Solar kiln construction - and more
are answered.

Scragg mill: Defined
A description of the functions of a scragg mill. November 29, 2000

Drying hard maple for whiteness
Permissible extremes for dehumification drying of maple, to accentuate whiteness. 1998.

Stains on wood
remove. June 27, 2000

Bur oak, a.k.a. white oak
Information about various types of white oak, of which 'bur oak' is one. August 23, 2000

Removing blue stain
Ideas for removing and preventing blue stains in newly processed pine. August 1, 2000

Drying South American hardwoods
Dr. Gene Wengert provides a resource for information on drying tropical hardwoods. 1998.

Sawdust buildup in discharge chute
How to remedy pine-tar buildup leading to clogged discharge chutes during sawing. July 26, 2000

Preventing brown stain on pine
Warm weather is the culprit; keeping still-to-be-processed logs cools is the solution. 1998.

EMC/RH ratios
Here's a listing of equilibrium moisture content to relative humidity ratios. July 11, 2000

Sawing Western red cedar
Participants offer their experiences in sawing Western red cedar. July 4, 2000

Carbide-tipped bandmill blades
The pros and cons of carbide-tipped blades for bandmill operations. June 20, 2000

Trouble drying 8/4 oak
Drying 8/4 oak too rapidly will damage the wood. February 29, 2000

Low-cost kiln plans
Information sources for constructing low-cost kilns. 1998.

Preventing discoloration in rubber wood
The two causes of discoloration in rubber wood, and how to avoid them. August 10, 2000

Kiln floors
What causes the breakdown of concrete floors in kilns? September 6, 2000

Air drying sycamore
What steps to take, from stickering to weighting. October 31, 2000

Liability insurance for on-site milling
Some sources for liability insurance covering sawmilling performed at a customer's location. June 20, 2000

Oak cupping and warping
When during drying does oak lumber stop cupping and warping? July 4, 2000

Design of air drying sheds
General info on the design of sheds used for air-drying lumber. 1998.

Dark liquid from walnut: Toxic?
The Wood Doctor says: Stay away from this stuff! 1998.

Identifying mixed lumber
The best guide to wood identification. March 5, 2000

What makes a trailer load?
Determining how many board feet of lumber comprise a "trailer load." November 15, 2000

DH kiln operation
A resource for DH kiln operation. 1998.

Alder color
The effects of age on the coloration of lumber cut from alder logs. August 10, 2000

What can be dried with black walnut?
How to determine what species are compatible for drying with black walnut. June 20, 2000

What causes "shake" in pine?
The cause of this defect, which significantly impacts lumber grade. June 20, 2000

Resharpening Lennox blades
Yes, it's possible to re-sharpen blades for the Lennox mill. March 25, 2000

Kiln-drying eucalyptus
Recommended temperatures for drying this native Australian species. 1998.

Good lumber from "Ys"?
Can quality wood come from branch locations? July 11, 2000

Small kiln construction and systems
Advice on where to find information on small kiln construction and operating systems.

Timetable for final processing of walnut
Stock in cants form should be processed in a timely manner. March 26, 2000

Aluminum paint for kilns
Options for aluminum paint for use on solar lumber kilns. March 9, 2000

Kiln fan settings
Guidelines for setting thermostatically controlled fans in lumber kilns. March 3, 2000

Durable Wood for a Screen Door
A craftsman's question about screen door materials kicks off a long discussion about the qualities of various wood species, old growth and second growth. October 4, 2005

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