# Drying hemlock



## flipflop (Jan 20, 2009)

I was in NY a few weeks back and I called a mill and had some lumber cut to bring back to NC. I got some hemlock that is 3"x8"x6' long and some others but those are the biggest they are very green. What I need to know is when can I work this wood, at what moisture % would still keep it stable. I have the wood drying in my garage with stickers spacing the wood. There is a good about of wood so they have plenty of weight on it plus I put another 600lb of concret bas on top to keep things stright. I have a fan on it right now running 24/7 for the last 2 weeks it is very hot and humid there so I'm not sure how well the wood will dry. I'll bve trying to do something with this wood if I can when I get back from sea at the end of the month.

I will be building a farm table with the big timber. Looking to get a 2 3/4" top after I plane the wood. I'll post pictures as I build.

Thanks for the help.

-Matty


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## sbryan55 (Dec 8, 2007)

Matty, the general rule of thumb for air drying wood is one year for each inch of thickness as a minimum before the wood is ready to work.


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## pvwoodcrafts (Aug 31, 2007)

Bet thats not what you wanted to hear. But he's right.


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## Daren (Sep 16, 2007)

That is the rule of thumb for hardwood…hemlock is a softwood. In the ideal conditions (hot-dry place with good air flow) You may get it dry before winter, even that thick. Hemlock, depending on how it was sawn, is pretty stable about like doug fir. So if you can get it to 10% that would be air dry for your area. I would invest in or borrow a moisture meter before I ever started to build with it though.


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## flipflop (Jan 20, 2009)

I figure I'll check it when I get back in the states in April. Thanks for the in put my wife will not be happy with this, I'll blame it on you guys. hahahaahaha Thanks guys I think it would be stable by next spring.


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