Hi Bill,

The rule for air dried lumber is that it needs to be cut into planks
ASAP after the tree is felled. This is because of the facts that George
has clearly stated, ~ end grain dries much faster than side grain.
People who disregard this will find end grain checking sufficiently
destructive to warrant moving their lumber which was previously
destined for furniture into the fireplace. (Been there, done that)

As far as lake-salvaged lumber goes, probably the same general
principles apply, just no idea who is going to rip lumber with water
coming out of it.




Bill Jones wrote:
Sorry for changing the topic somewhat, but I'm also curious about
drying
very wet wood. In particular, I own some property along side of a
small lake that years ago used to be used for logging. Ie the lake
dammed up and made bigger, logs hauled to the lake, then the dam
opened
so that the logs flowed downstream. Or so I have been told by the
local
historians.
Anyway, although this is a small lake, it is about 50' deep in
places, and every year a few logs float to the surface, and these
logs
must have been down there for 100 years. I've seen Norm on PBS
getting
old lumber from commercial places that recovered such underwater
logs,
but I was wondering if there was any way for an amateur to do it.
Ie if I were to drag one of these logs up, would it start rotting

right away, or can I let it start to dry naturally? Ie I'm thinking
that
it would be too wet to cut to length with a chain saw even. The logs
I've seen aren't big enough to be commercially valuable, ie only a
foot
or so in diameter, but I thought it might be interesting to try to
get
some small boards out of it.
Anyway, I'm just curious whether anyone has ever tried this.