Moisture content in oak

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Ozi

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I have been given some off-cuts of Oak, about 4" square in various lengths from 9" to 2' 6". I'd like to try making a small box, mainly as a learning exercise never having worked with oak before and wanting to improve my joint making which is not great, I generally make such things as goat crushes or shed doors where accuracy is not really required. Currently this wood is in my workshop which is quite dry although cold. The moisture content is about 19%. From experience wood in there will eventually get to around 5%.

Can anybody advise what percentage I should let the wood get to before cutting into boards.

Should I cut it as is then allow to dry before final thicknessing.

Advice gratefully received
 
Ideally you want to work with wood that has a similar moisture content to where the finished piece will live, else you risk movement when taking into its ‘home’. 8%-12% is the number I recall for a warm dry home.

The other thought is wood dries at an 1” per year of thickness. So your 4” square could take years to get to the 10% needed. I’d cut it up over thickness by 5mm then hide it under the bed for a few months to dry, then back to the workshop for box making.

Fitz
 
Ideally you want to work with wood that has a similar moisture content to where the finished piece will live, else you risk movement when taking into its ‘home’. 8%-12% is the number I recall for a warm dry home.

The other thought is wood dries at an 1” per year of thickness. So your 4” square could take years to get to the 10% needed. I’d cut it up over thickness by 5mm then hide it under the bed for a few months to dry, then back to the workshop for box making.

Fitz
That's right! :)

The OP says 5% moisture readings of wood in their shed. That seems very low - Rugby is not like Arizona. Is a new moisture meter needed? Is the 4" square stuff actually at 19%?

If the 4 X 4 is cut up, consider the grain. If one is lucky, one may be able to quarter-saw it enough to get some fine medullary ray pieces out of it. These are a classic built-in decorative feature of oh so many traditional pieces of furniture, including wee boxes.
 

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Agree re the 5% mc also it may be much higher in the middle of the lump than at the outside, if you do quarter saw cut it I would recommend putting the planks in stick with a lot of weight on top until it’s fit to use.
Ian
 
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