# 5/4 Cherry lumber??? Good deal, what to build?



## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Being new to woodworking I have no lumber stock, no clue what good prices are and no clue how many BF it takes to build something. Oh also no real wood budget. That being said I came across this CL ad and was wondering if this was a decent deal? What could a person build with 20-30 BF of this Cherry wood? Should I stretch the budget and buy maybe 50BF or more? I want to build arts and crafts style furniture and that uses mostly quarter sawn white oak, but this seems like a good price on some nice wood.

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/mat/2790635715.html

Thank
Paul


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## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

You can't buy pine for that price around here. Cherry? You better be hauling a$$ to his house right now and buying every board he's got.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Just because you do not know what to do with it immediately does not mean you should not buy the wood. At that price I would buy it and keep it is safe storage unti I needed it.

I used to do that with black walnut. I had no immediate need and it was expensive. Each time I went to the lumber yard to buy something else I would buy one or two black walnut boards. Eventually a project came up for which I wanted that lumber.

George


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

GeorgeC said:


> Just because you do not know what to do with it immediately does not mean you should not buy the wood. At that price I would buy it and keep it is safe storage unti I needed it.
> 
> I used to do that with black walnut. I had no immediate need and it was expensive. Each time I went to the lumber yard to buy something else I would buy one or two black walnut boards. Eventually a project came up for which I wanted that lumber.
> 
> George


Just like George said. Good point !!!!
I'm alway getting wood, even of I don't have a plan for it. (My wife thinks differently) she thinks I have enough, it's never enough. Hey they can say it, so can I :laughing: 
But oh well. I have wood that's just sits around the garage, and when things pop into my head or a certain project comes to mind, I'll use it. 
Because I build rustic log & slab furniture, I let the wood tell me what it wants to be.


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Well I think I am going to take a ride up there, it about 30 miles one way. I talked to the guy and he mills it himself on a farm. He said it has been in the kiln and is around 8%MC. I wish I could buy a bunch, but think I may have to keep my purchase at $100 tops. That would be about 50BF. That might even be pushing it. He also said he had some maple. Didn't ask the price. What is a general idea of what 50BF of cherry could build? A mission style coffee table, with top and bottom shelf, legs? Something a little larger?


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

Great price!!

Boards look very light/white in the picture, make sure it is Cherry.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Give him a $100 and just pick out as much as you can. If you have a moisture meter bring that. Depending on moisture % you can haggle the price.


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## JohnK007 (Nov 14, 2009)

Let's see, 5/4 X 11 inches X 120 Inches / 144= 11.46 bd ft per plank X $2.00 per BF = $23.92 per board. Your $100 budget would get you 4 boards with a little left over for a cup of joe for the ride home. You'll have just over 45 bd feet of Cherry. Depending on how large a coffee table you want to build, you might be able to pull it off. A fifth board for insurance against any mess ups wouldn't hurt. But then you'll have to forgo the cup of java.


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Carpe Diem. :thumbsup: 

I had a similar situation with Maple and Hickory. Get it while you can. I am by no means an expert on cherry but you will want to be sure the ends are not checked much and that the boards are clear without too much shake (small tears and imperfections from limb movement etc.)


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Well I spent my hundred bucks. I got about 57 BF. The longer boards were $2 and the shorter ones were 1.50. This is the first time I have ever bought hardwood from anyone, especially from someone who milled it themselves. I hope I did OK picking boards. They guy was very nice and I am glad I made the connection. In all it was a 63 mile round trip and two $3 tolls. So it cost me about $17 in gas and tolls. This guy lives on a hundred acre farm and does part time work for the owners. They allow him to mill wood from the place and also have a shop there. He had some maple, cherry, a little oak, some ash. He only does it part time. You guys are making me nervous thinking it is too light to be cherry. The wood has a pinkish hue, that may not show up in the pics.

Not sure about grading wood, but I thought this was the best sides. 

































This is the other side.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

It's definitely cherry! lol not a bad deal.

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Glad you came back with something to show us. & you didn't get scammed. 
Like Tom said its cherry. 

Another good and easy way to find out if it's cherry, is to give it a fresh cut and smell where you cut it. It will smell like cherry. Good score.


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Thanks guys. I didn't think the guy scammed me. He seemed like a great guy and I look forward to going there when every has some wood I might be interested in. It is kind of a catch what you can with him. He did have a lot of other wood like I listed above. Just no real white oak.

So what am I building with this? I know it is up to me, but would like suggestions, as to the amount I have. Or should I save it and get more when budget allows? I will be waiting a little anyhow since I have some shop stuff I want to build first.

Link/post some images of stuff you guys have built with cherry.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Dominick said:


> Another good and easy way to find out if it's cherry, is to give it a fresh cut and smell where you cut it. It will smell like cherry. Good score.


what does Cherry WOOD smell like if you've never played with it? Not cherries :smile: not to me, anyway. Smells like crushed cherry pits too me. I think most of the smell comes from the arsenic (I think that's it) maybe its cyanid though, found mostly in the pits but also in the wood...

I don't do much with cherry but speaking strictly from a bft standpoint that would make a very nice console / sofa table! :yes:

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

firemedic said:


> what does Cherry WOOD smell like if you've never played with it? Not cherries :smile: not to me, anyway. Smells like crushed cherry pits too me. I think most of the smell comes from the arsenic (I think that's it) maybe its cyanid though, found mostly in the pits but also in the wood...
> 
> I don't do much with cherry but speaking strictly from a bft standpoint that would make a very nice console / sofa table! :yes:
> 
> ~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


Who said they never played with it? And what do you mean by that comment. 
Just trying to understand what your referring to. All the cherry I've cut smells like cherries.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Disregard Tom I think I got it now :laughing: da


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Dominick said:


> Who said they never played with it? And what do you mean by that comment.
> Just trying to understand what your referring to. All the cherry I've cut smells like cherries.


It was an assumption based on the OP's doubts...

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## bigcouger (Jan 4, 2012)

Outstanding deal there doesnt happen in my neck of the woods tho always got to go north past the freeze line for good wood here


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

firemedic said:


> It was an assumption based on the OP's doubts...
> 
> ~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


No prob Tom. Just want to clarify. Before I end up on the johnray list.....Doh :laughing:


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Dominick said:


> No prob Tom. Just want to clarify. Before I end up on the johnray list.....Doh :laughing:


:no: no one wants to be on the johnray list :no: :laughing:

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## mike1950 (Aug 29, 2010)

Shop notes had a plan about 10 yrs ago for stacking barristers bookcase. Took about 50 bd ft I made an oak and a cherry one. Looks like you have found a good source of wood.


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## Itchytoe (Dec 17, 2011)

Like those before me have said, you definitely got a good deal. Wish I could find cherry for 2 bucks a bf. I'd have to rent a storage building to keep it all. You can do alot with 50 bf, especially if you do small items like jewelry boxes.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Itchytoe said:


> Like those before me have said, you definitely got a good deal. Wish I could find cherry for 2 bucks a bf. I'd have to rent a storage building to keep it all. You can do alot with 50 bf, especially if you do small items like jewelry boxes.


Itchy, where do you live? I'm making a run up to Marion, LA in a couple weeks... 
Cherry / pecan/ hickory/ ash/ $1.50 
Walnut $2.00

:smile: I just found this guys mill. It's over a 4 hr drive but certainly worth the haul for a sizable order. I hope it works out!

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## Itchytoe (Dec 17, 2011)

I'm in Sulphur (next door to Lake Charles) Unfortunately, I'm about to start some overtime. About a month of 7 12's, which always ends up being 14's, so that cuts out just about all of my free time. No significant orders for me till the end of February most likely. At those prices, I may make a trip this weekend and just store it in the garage till I have more time. Don't suppose you'd be willing to share your source would you?


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Itchytoe said:


> I'm in Sulphur (next door to Lake Charles) Unfortunately, I'm about to start some overtime. About a month of 7 12's, which always ends up being 14's, so that cuts out just about all of my free time. No significant orders for me till the end of February most likely. At those prices, I may make a trip this weekend and just store it in the garage till I have more time. Don't suppose you'd be willing to share your source would you?


Absolutely!

Tommy Wheeler
(318) 292-4450
Marion, LA

I don't even want a finders fee!!! :laughing:
That's going to be even more of a haul for you though 

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Quick question on wood storage. I brought the wood into my basement and it is in a pile on my concrete floor. Is it going to get messed up laying right on the floor for one night? Should it be put on blocks tonight or can I do it tomorrow?


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## wood player (Jan 21, 2011)

enjoy your find . I was at the gas station tonight bleeding money to the fuel tank god When a man came in with cherry limbs in his truck. I said I hoped he was saving the logs for lumber and he wanted me to buy some. couldn't because the log budget is too low right now. He has an order for 40 cords of firewood so plans to cut and split it. Cryin time. I do have a nice jag of cherry lumber air drying right now and don't really have a market for it right now, but I still feel bad about all the lumber going up in smoke and BTUs Michigan does seem a little warmer this winter.


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Paul W Gillespie said:


> Quick question on wood storage. I brought the wood into my basement and it is in a pile on my concrete floor. Is it going to get messed up laying right on the floor for one night? Should it be put on blocks tonight or can I do it tomorrow?


Unless it floods down there it should be fine. Not THAT fragile! Good idea to get it up off the floor though and stick it as soon as you can. For mine I picked up some kiln dried 2x3s cut them to 2' lengths, jointed them and ripped them in half. First sticks at the end an inch or two in, then every two feet. If it's relatively dry it will acclimate to your shop in a couple weeks. If it was recently milled you are looking at rule of thumb one year per inch of thickness drying time. If the ends are not coated put some latex paint on them to reduce checking (which cherry tends to do - DAMHIK). :smile:


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

It was kiln dried and he hit it with the moisture meter before I left and it was in the 6+% range. I will stick it tomorrow.


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

Paul W Gillespie said:


> It was kiln dried and he hit it with the moisture meter before I left and it was in the 6+% range. I will stick it tomorrow.


I would dead stack it and not use stickers. That will help the lumber stay at a low MC. In fact, if you wrap the stack with plastic sheeting and tape the ends closed, it will still be at 6% MC when you start working it.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

ETWW said:


> I would dead stack it and not use stickers. That will help the lumber stay at a low MC. In fact, if you wrap the stack with plastic sheeting and tape the ends closed, it will still be at 6% MC when you start working it.


I'd hate to see your lumber. Lol


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

ETWW said:


> I would dead stack it and not use stickers. That will help the lumber stay at a low MC. In fact, if you wrap the stack with plastic sheeting and tape the ends closed, it will still be at 6% MC when you start working it.



It doesn't really matter what the MC is as long as it's consistent with the shop/store/house... The idea is to acclimate the lumber to the shop. Stickering aids that be it by allowing it to further dry of absorb a bit of moisture... Don't get me wrong, you want your lumber dry... but stable is paramount to dry.

Flat stacking won't affect dry lumber in the short term but it will encourage warping over the seasons as humidity levels and heat levels change.

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## truckjohn (Oct 31, 2011)

Don't forget that Cement slabs are porous to water... Water flows right through them just fine.... and it wicks moisture out of the ground...

I always like to stack good lumber in the basement on top of PT 2x4's... This way - you don't have any problems with it... 

On the smell of Cherry.... It depends...
Some cherry smells sour and icky... Some smells just like Cherry fruit... and some has a smell that kinda reminds you of cherry but isn't cherry... I like the stuff that smells just like cherry fruit over the nasty smelling stuff....

Thanks


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

firemedic said:


> It doesn't really matter what the MC is as long as it's consistent with the shop/store/house... The idea is to acclimate the lumber to the shop. Stickering aids that be it by allowing it to further dry of absorb a bit of moisture... Don't get me wrong, you want your lumber dry... but stable is paramount to dry.
> 
> Flat stacking won't affect dry lumber in the short term but it will encourage warping over the seasons as humidity levels and heat levels change.


+1 At 6% it will be absorbing moisture to equalize with your shop. Then it will be stable and ready to work.


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

Dominick said:


> I'd hate to see your lumber. Lol


Since you obviously didn't know, wrapping dried wood in visqueen (plastic) to prevent moisture absorption (wood is hygroscopic) is an accepted and proven method of maintaining the MC. All the plastic does is prevent the exchange of moisture between the wood and the air.


*Firemedic*, the idea is not to acclimate the wood to the shop but to it's ultimate resting place. If that is inside the house, then 6% - 7% is the optimum MC in modern, heated/cooled homes. That's why wood is kiln dried to that value. Since wood is hygroscopic, it's never actually stable, either. It swells and shrinks with changes in the RH. Building with wood that is in the middle of that RH range is optimum.

If the OP knows the RH and temp of his basement (hygrometers are available at home centers, are cheap and a must for serious woodworkers), the EMC the wood will reach is easily determined. Here's one calculator. http://www.csgnetwork.com/emctablecalc.html

If he's happy with the resulting EMC, go ahead and sticker the wood. But, if the 6% MC is desired then dead stack it and wrap with plastic until ready to build. The wood will simply remain at it present state. It's dry so it won't mildew, the MC doesn't change so it won't warp or check and you will know the MC when you begin working it.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

ETWW said:


> Since you obviously didn't know, wrapping dried wood in visqueen (plastic) to prevent moisture absorption (wood is hygroscopic) is an accepted and proven method of maintaining the MC. All the plastic does is prevent the exchange of moisture between the wood and the air.
> 
> Firemedic, the idea is not to acclimate the wood to the shop but to it's ultimate resting place. If that is inside the house, then 6% - 7% is the optimum MC in modern, heated/cooled homes. That's why wood is kiln dried to that value. Since wood is hygroscopic, it's never actually stable, either. It swells and shrinks with changes in the RH. Building with wood that is in the middle of that RH range is optimum.
> 
> ...


ETWW, 

It's a matter of utility. Properly designed and constructed furniture takes into account wood's propensity to movement.

What can not be accounted for is lumber moving while being worked. A jointed piece of %6 lumber newly exposed to the shop's climate will not be properly jointed the the following day. Were his shop climate controlled this would be a non-issue. Being it's not, it is far more critical to have stable lumber during construction than "dry". 

Lumber in my shop doesn't get below %8-%10 (seasonal changes) and I know beyond all doubt that when it's milled, short of grain stresses, it's tried and will not move. 

I suggest you do a bit more hands on as opposed to I read it somewhere and reconsider the issue. I don't pull idea's out of a hat when I respond to questions, my replies are based on experience building real furniture which at times was my livelihood over the years.

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## tgwoodworks (Jan 6, 2012)

I can second the concept that firemedic is discussing. I too build real.furniture that needs ro stand the test of time. I am never worried about the mc of my material as long as it has aclimated to my shop. I am located in a northern climate and go through great expense to keep my shop climate controlled throughout the year. In the past eight years of being I'm my current shop I have never had the windows open. Another note to ETWW is that the reason for drying lumber to 6% MC is to break the cell structure of the wood for two purposes. The first is so that the material is stress relieved on a cellular level. The second is to prevent the wood from accepting moisture above around 18% mc.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Just like I said. I'd hate to see your lumber. 
Why would you trap moisture in your wood ,wrapped in plastic for anyway? To me it doesn't make sense. Unless you were trying to dry a burl slowly. But who am I to say I'm right. 
Just sound backwards to me. 
I air dry all my wood,stickered & stacked. Never had any probs. JMO.


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

I always have a space issue, so I do not have lumber racks and store about 500bf of lumber in my shop. My concrete floor is dry, as it was built with a barrier layer under the floor.

I stack my boards with the first layer on edge on the floor, using all the 16/4 to 8/4, then stack on top of that, also on edge. Doing this for years and never had a problem, other than it is a b*%ch if I need one of those boards stacked at the bottom.

IMHO sealing with plastic is the first time I have ever heard of this. I once fumigated English Walnut wrapped in plastic after noticing a few bugs and stored it outside for three months, which solved the bug problem.


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

_I suggest you do a bit more hands on as opposed to I read it somewhere and reconsider the issue. I don't pull idea's out of a hat when I respond to questions, my replies are based on experience building real furniture which at times was my livelihood over the years.
_
Firemedic, I don't pull ideas out of a hat either but rely on the knowledge of experts...people like Bruce Hoadley "Understanding Wood" and Dr. Gene Wengert, who has forgotten more about wood properties than you and I will ever know. To ignore and belittle the experience and knowledge of people who have made a career from the study of wood is the height of stupidity and arrogance.
Oh yeah...Roll Tide!!! Was that an azz whupping they put on the LUS Tigers or what? :laughing::laughing::laughing:

_Another note to ETWW is that the reason for drying lumber to 6% MC is to break the cell structure of the wood for two purposes. The first is so that the material is stress relieved on a cellular level. The second is to prevent the wood from accepting moisture above around 18% mc. _

TGwoodworks, where did you hear that? That's completely wrong. Cell structure doesn't break when wood is properly kiln dried. Cells can collapse but it's rare and usually associated with too-rapid drying. Wood cells begin shrinking when they reach FSP but will also re-gain moisture and expand until it reaches FSP... *F*iber *S*aturation *P*oint which is when the cell walls are completely saturated with moisture. That's called *bound water *because it is chemically bound to the cell walls. Wood will never regain free water from the air.

Again, wood is hygroscopic. It never stabilizes unless it is kept in an environment of constant relative humidity. It will continuously absorb and desorb moisture with changes to the RH. When the MC changes, the dimensions of the wood change. That's why we build to accommodate movement. However, it is foolish not to minimize that movement if possible. That's why wood should be dried to the EMC of it's ultimate environment. In most modern homes, that is around 7% MC and that's a fact.

_Why would you trap moisture in your wood ,wrapped in plastic for anyway?_

Dominick, the idea of wrapping in plastic is to keep moisture out, thereby ensuring that the wood stays at the kiln-dried MC instead of acclimating to a much higher EMC. Wood always contains moisture unless it is placed in an environment with zero RH.

Finally, I'll just say you all do what you want because I certainly will. I would suggest, however, that you do some study on the subject of wood and moisture. While personal experience is a valuable tool, so is factual, scientific data. Wood behaves in certain ways and there are publications which can educate one on those ways. I only makes sense to know as much about the medium as possible. 

In Hoadley's book "Understanding Wood", chapter 6, Water and Wood, he writes, _"Someone once quipped that more than 90% of all problems with wood involve moisture. For those who ignore basic wood-moisture relationships, that is a conservative estimate."_


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

ETWW,

A LONG time ago I decided that it wasn't worth arguing with ignorance. It's like telling a cat to be a dog, while it would be a tremendous improvement, things will never change.

Despite that, for the interest of those others reading along, I'll put past frustrations aside and reply.

1) Yes LSU took a waxing. Thank you for noticing and thank you for proving your immaturity to the Internet abroad.

2) Thank you for confirming that your argument is based solely on 'you read it' and not experience just as I guessed. That, in essence, is like arguing with me about the clinical diagnosis of an MI or CVA because you read two books about it... Good luck with that one too.

3) To say that two authors you look up to are the authority is fine, at least you read. But there are as many schools of thought on the subject as there are authors. You picking two and fighting about it doesn't prove anything. Simply stating why you believe it's better that way would be called an intellectual conversation and wouldn't have left you looking like a 3 yr old screaming for his way. 

I've had plenty of students disagree with me in class (medical) and it's usually because they read the chapter wrong. I don't ask for blind faith, I would never give it myself. All I'm saying is reading something Vs doing something after reading / being educated are two different things... And maybe you have done both, I have nothing to go by though.

I invite you to collect yourself and your emotions and INTELLIGENTLY argue my original post. I didn't just say how... I said how and WHY. So if you care to address the why's based on tangible experience (or heck, even read it somewhere) as opposed to stamping your feet and screaming 'MEANIES' because others disagree I would be thrilled to read it. I and everyone else may be %110 wrong, but tell me why and I and others will still have respect for your opinion in the future.

Have a terrific day!

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

I'm not going to get in to it. 
It's personal preference. Whatever works for you. Good luck.


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## Fsucraigk (Nov 4, 2011)

I think the original intent of the post has been lost. 

The OP stated that they were inexperienced and starting the hobby. The question was a simple one about how to store his wood in the house until the time came to work it. Realistically are they going to use a moisture meter, do they have a moisture meter? I've built plenty of items without using a moisture meter, or wrapping wood in plastic or anything else complicated. I write this post from an oak rocking chair that has been in my family for over 100 yrs, doubtfully built in a climate controlled shop, using a moisture meter or anything other than well constructed joints, also no metal fasteners. As you can tell I'm going to side with Firemedic on this one.


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