# make my own lumber



## old wood 68 (Jun 1, 2009)

Wondering if anyone out there has ever milled up paper birch into lumber? I have a Granberg Alaska 111 chainsaw mill, and have been milling up some paper birch logs that died about 3 years ago. The lumber is beautiful, perfectly spalted, if there is such a thing. The bark of paper birch is very effeicent at keeping the moisture in, so even though the trees have been dead for 3 years, the lumber is quite wet. Anyone have an idea how long it might take to air dry this stuff, how much warping, twisting, checking, etc. I can expect?
Our humidity here in North West Montana is usually very low, and we have a SW jet stream.
oldwood 68


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Welcome. I moved your post to the milling section where it should get more attention. I don't have much experience with paper bark, but have milled river birch and it likes to move alot drying. I have some of that spalting right now. One thing I have found any spieces I have ever milled spalted was more tame in the drying stack than fresh felled. Sweetgum for example, I don't like it at all fresh because it cups/twists/warps but spalted I can deal with it.
As far as how long, how thick did you mill it ? 4/4 (1") stickered and stacked properly I would fully expect to be as air dry as it's going to get before November where you live. If not sooner.
We like pictures BTW.


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## old wood 68 (Jun 1, 2009)

Thanks for the reply. I cut the first batch 11/4" thick, and the second at 11/8" thick. Just experimenting to see how much it shrinks. I was hoping to hear what you had to say about the spalted wood being more stable. I have some pictures of the first boards that I milled, but not sure how to post them.
old wood 68


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