Conditioning project wood.

[surveyor]

I've been lucky so far on making projects out of reclaimed or long stored lumber.

But I've been building a mantle out of some 50+ year old cedar slabs and noticed one of the pieces developed and end split.

Not a big deal, because it's supposed to have a rustic look, and I cross laminated the pieces and glued them together so it won't get any worse.

But...

I have a few pieces that are 10"+ wide and my daughter said she wanted a mandolin, so I will build it. (Because that's how I roll).

Eventually I'll have to have the top edges pretty thin, so splitting is no bueno.

The Appalachian dulcimer I built from a barn find walnut slab is holding up great the last few years, but different wood and maybe I was just lucky.

Aside from getting it inside and acclimated to living conditions, is there anything else I can do to either condition the wood, or weed out the pieces which may become problem children down the road?

 

[ABBD]

I would think moisture levels and retention would be your biggest issue. Maybe find a way to kiln dry?

 

[surveyor]

I would think moisture levels and retention would be your biggest issue. Maybe find a way to kiln dry?

These boards are dry as a bone.

Found them stored in a barn loft.

The one board on the mantle developed it's split after I had it laid out inside a few days.

Just wondering if I need to bite the bullet and moved the big ones inside and let them ride, or if there is some way to treat/rehydrate (?) them to minimize the chance of wrecking them.

 

[surveyor]

Heck, maybe they weren't dry enough when found?

After all, the barn is exposed to the world, but these were found in a stack, covered by decades of loose hay and dust.

I need a moisture meter....

 

[ABBD]

Hard to say. Outdoor humidity is a drastically different than conditioned space. I would definitely acclimate prior to sealing.

 

[NCbowjunkie]

Heck, maybe they weren't dry enough when found?

After all, the barn is exposed to the world, but these were found in a stack, covered by decades of loose hay and dust.

I need a moisture meter....

Lowes sales the meter For something like $30 bucks. The best you can get around here is 8-10%. Even if kiln dried and come out at 5% after a couple of days it will climb back up Now if you are in Arizona it would be different

 

[bigten]

You may be surprised at the moisture content in wood such as you have. It goes through many cycles during its' life in a non climate controlled environment. I've made items from very similar found materials that would later shrink quite a bit after a period indoors. With that said, I think you may be ahead by bringing the wood inside for a while before beginning the project.

 

[surveyor]

You may be surprised at the moisture content in wood such as you have. It goes through many cycles during its' life in a non climate controlled environment. I've made items from very similar found materials that would later shrink quite a bit after a period indoors. With that said, I think you may be ahead by bringing the wood inside for a while before beginning the project.

Now all I got to do is find room for the whole slab.

Thankfully, I'll tell my wife that @bigten said to, and all the heat is off me.

 

[Scrub]

Definitely bring it in if you can

 

[surveyor]

Definitely bring it in if you can

Seal the ends first or let it roll?

 

[Scrub]

Seal the ends first or let it roll?

I would let it roll. Me personally just my opinion I wouldn’t seal the ends since it’s been air dried that long. I’d want it to do what its going to do. Wood can do some funny things even if you do everything like you think is right.

 

[Triggermortis]

Rule of thumb.
Relative Humidity x 2 /10 = moisture content. You want moisture content at time of fabrication to be about equal to the environment your piece will be . If it’s been sitting that long the moisture gradient throughout the wood will be uniform
As someone said, any splits there are permanent and kiln drying is unnecessary