Beech

[Baldhead]

What is the difference between beech and steamed beech?

Baldhead

 

[Noggsy]

This may not be scientific, but is the answer 'steam'?

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Steaming causes a chemical reaction in the wood and changes the colour to a quite uniform pink as opposed to the off white/brown colour of unsteamed beech. It also makes the wood somewhat easier to work with cutting tools (without going into the minutiae of the details). Slainte.

 

[david123]

We'll
I never knew that :shock:

 

[Grahamshed]

We'll
I never knew that :shock:

Nor me. I just thought it would make it softer and easier on the teeth

 

[John15]

Thanks for the question Baldhead and thanks for the answer Sgian. I've often wondered, now I know.
Cheers,
John

 

[Baldhead]

Steaming causes a chemical reaction in the wood and changes the colour to a quite uniform pink as opposed to the off white/brown colour of unsteamed beech. It also makes the wood somewhat easier to work with cutting tools (without going into the minutiae of the details). Slainte.

Thanks for that.

Like I always tell newbies, "No question is too stupid, I ask stupid questions all the time" or words to that effect! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Baldhead

 

[david123]

Any idea how long it has to be steamed, and could it be done at home? I have some beech and would like to give it a go. Very interesting

 

[Giff]

We had to have a very large and old beech tree taken down from our garden 2 years ago as it was deemed to be dangerous. I had the tree surgeons (arborists if they are listening) leave the sections and cut them into approx 3mtr lengths the I got them planked onsite with a Woodmiser. I built open storage areas to air dry them but bit the bullet and built a kiln http://www.logosol.co.uk/all-products/sauno-kiln/. I have now used the kiln dried and the air dried and found the colour changed ( pinker and darker in the kiln ) but also the air dried seemed nicer to work with, especially in the thicker sections. The kiln is the best route though if you need it in a hurry ( about 2 weeks) the air dried needed about 2 years before the MC came down to a usable level.Geoff

 

[david123]

Very interesting
I assume you bought the smaller of the two units. Out of interest, I see that the cost of the unit ( smaller 2 Kw one) is about £700 is. How much did it cost you to build the unit to house it? I would assume beech tree would have easily paid for that. Good way to go.

 

[Giff]

Yes it was the smaller unit. The instructions are very good. The materials are just the cost of the Styrofoam which is a specific type as the plans show ( I think you can download the plans from the site.) It does seem a good system as it steams the timber first to open the grain and then dries it out. The drying is in two parts wet and dry with vents on the kiln to control the moisture release. Geoff

 

[david123]

Geoff
I love the idea of working from the tree inwards, (or all outwards depending upon which way you look at it) to the finished product. As I have mentioned on these forums before, virtually everything we do this from scratch. I get a great deal of satisfaction knowing exactly how the end produce was produced.
As we are hoping to move (still) and upsize with more garden area, It is something that I would like to consider

Thanks for sharing that, I had no idea you could get Kilns for small workshops

We live and learn.

 

[Giff]

Hi Dave

In case it helps I have installed mine outside for space reasons. It is undercover , it is a lean-to and my wood store but open to the elements. I thought that as the insulation board was so good it would probably work ok outside and it seems to keep up to temperature inside even in the winter.As recommended I use a cooking probe thermometer that pierces the foam. Best regards Geoff

 

[david123]

Sounds brilliant, I have saved that site

Thanks again Geoff

 

[Giff]

Here are a few pictures of the tree / timber, and the tree fellas ! The hollow bit you can see is why the tree had to be felled. Geoff

 

[david123]

Great pictures
I can see why it was worthwhile getting a kiln. Hope you have a log burner to

 

[Giff]

Yes we have………. and still lots of logs two years on !….G

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Any idea how long it has to be steamed, and could it be done at home? I have some beech and would like to give it a go. Very interesting

You would need a decent well insulated chamber; a kiln, perhaps one as described by Giff in other posts, might do it, but I'm not sure. The essentials of the process are that the wood is stacked in the chamber and you have to raise the temperature inside with hot wet steam to about 100ºC. It takes time for the wood to rise to this temperature, but it's critical that it does so, and then once you've raised the wood to temperature you need to maintain it at about 95%- 100% RH for about 18- 24 hours.

Whether or not this is something you can do economically, both intermittently and on a small scale (or even as a one-off) I think would depend on your need, your resources and the time you're willing and able to invest in the project. Slainte.

 

[Giff]

Yes I might have forgotten to say that the boards need to be "sticked" I made up lots of 25mm x 25mm section. The insulation works both ways. Keeps the heat in and cold out…..maybe has to work slightly harder than in a central heated workshop….but they DO work. I had a lot of beech, but also 3 very old native cherry trees which may have ended up as heating fuel….as 90% of the timber our tree surgeons take down. Geoff

 

[david123]

And good health to you Sgina
Thanks for explanation, I will have to do a little bit more research on the subject, sounds very interesting

Geoff
I have some ash planks that I bought from The Ikworth estate earlier this year that I have sticked. Don't know why I bought them, it was on impuls. As we are hoping to move sometime this year, it was a pretty daft thing to do. I suppose I will somehow have to put them into storage with a rest of the house until we buy our new place.

Happy New Year to you all