Or at least, they probably aren't. In a few days I'm going to go look
at a load of Black Walnut someone had cut off her land and dried in a
local kiln. She's already told me she doesn't believe the ends were
sealed. It's all rough cut to 5/4. I want to get a look at it even if
it's just for my own education. I've got an idea what the local prices
are.
What should I look for besides splitting ends? I'll have a ligno meter
with me, and a flashlight and even a block plane so I can check the
grain, but besides looking to see if the boards have begun to split,
and if they're somewhere around 8 percent moisture, and maybe measuring
a few to see if they're really about 5/4 or so, are there any other
checks I should make?
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> Or at least, they probably aren't. In a few days I'm going to go look
> at a load of Black Walnut someone had cut off her land and dried in a
> local kiln. She's already told me she doesn't believe the ends were
> sealed. It's all rough cut to 5/4. I want to get a look at it even if
> it's just for my own education. I've got an idea what the local prices
> are.
>
> What should I look for besides splitting ends? I'll have a ligno meter
> with me, and a flashlight and even a block plane so I can check the
> grain, but besides looking to see if the boards have begun to split,
> and if they're somewhere around 8 percent moisture, and maybe measuring
> a few to see if they're really about 5/4 or so, are there any other
> checks I should make?
>
Don't bother. If it's dry, your efforts will only color the ends. Most
commercial hardwood outfits don't bother with coatings, because the wood is
initially cut in 102-104" sticks, and it rarely checks enough to keep from
making 96" lengths.
The outside of the wood will be as dry as the current relative humidity will
allow. Inside may be different, depending on whether she stored it indoors
or out. http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplrn/fplrn268.pdf