Air drying lumber

[jturner]

I just got done cutting some 2 1/4 inch thick osage and hickory 12 inches wide and 8 feet long. If it is at about 75 degrees with low humidity (wood heat) about how long will it take to dry? Can I cut it into 2 1/4 by 1 inch slats to dry faster or would it check to bad? Would it be ok to have it kiln dried?

[Pappy]

About a year,be sure and keep it dry.You can reduce it close to bow size and seal it all over and it will dry quicker,I would do that with the Hickory but personally I don't like to work Osage less than a year old.I would give the Hickory a month or so then work it down some.If you make it to thin to quick it will tend to warp or twist as it dries.Be sure and seal after you work it down or it will probably check. The Osage for sure.
     Pappy

[Grunt]

Make sure to stack it flat. I would bring it into that dry heat slowly. Check it every day for the first few weeks.  Might be good to throw a old cotton sheet over it to make sure no warm air is blowing directly on it. I would be a lot easier to handle if the boards were 6" wide. What Pappy said also.

[Timo]

Here is some I did last year.It dries quick when you get it reduced.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,12402.0.html

[jturner]

So would it be ok to redce it down and stack it? The log was cut last may I just got my sawmill and cut it, its still soaked. I have it stickered and covered with tyvek i figured on leaving it covered for about a week. Timo, how green was the wood in the pics when you reduced it down to slats?

[Timo]

Bought a month from the stump.

 The smaller ya get it reduced the quicker it will dry. That stack dried perty well in about 3 months. Gotta get some weight on it. I have some boards that weren't reduced and they went awire even with weight.