Shannon's Lumber Industry Update

I asked for questions on wood movement and y'all delivered big time. I hope I got through them all and did my best to combine duplicate questions. I think the best way to understand anything is in context so digging into the details of specific situations should explain wood movement.

Wood moves, get over it. You can't stop it but you can slow it and you can restrict it. Most importantly you just need to build to compensate for wood movement. Don't be afraid of it, embrace it. This week I cover the basics of wood movement and will dive into specific examples in an upcoming episode with your questions.

This week I delve into the effect of COVID on the Hardwood sector and specifically how shipping and logistics delays are causing the biggest disruptions. Then I answer some of your questions about CITES, color fast finishes, and a few odd plywood things.

All woods go grey with exposure. They all move, they all check, and they all look different when freshly milled. It doesn't matter the species, it is something wood does. Let's understand why.

Today I talk about riving wood. Why do it, what species to consider and when to use a wedge and when to use a froe. Then I talk about the falling prices of Cherry, Buying CITES species, drying turned bowls, and why small sawmills seem to only sell slabs.

On today's show I discuss steamed vs unsteamed Walnut, quoting lumber, lumber thickness pricing, moisture meters, and burning down your shop. That is, don't do it. Burning shops are bad.

There are A LOT of different glues used in the manufacture of plywood. I'm not chemist and frankly knowing all the technical stuff won't help that much as a plywood buyers. So I talk about 3 main types and where you might find them and how glue is used in manufacturing. Then I answer a boatload of plywood questions submitted from the audience.

Part 3 of the Plywood series focuses on the core. What types of cores are out there and how do they differ from one another. How is the core manufactured and how can you use this knowledge to buy a sheet of plywood best for your particular project.

Let's talk about plywood face veneers and how they are sliced, dried, and assembled to make your plywood panel. There are a lot of elements for this most precious element of a panel that need to come together just right to make a quality panel.

Have you heard that there is a global pandemic going on? Yeah its hit the lumber biz. Or more importantly the impact is finally trickled down to the consumer level as we are seeing framing lumber prices up to 80% higher than normal. In this episode I discuss how the impact of COVID has effected the lumber industry.

Today I talk about how you should go about buying plywood. What you need to be prepared to ask your dealer and how to consider the variety of options available on the market that will meet your specific needs. Stay tuned for the additional parts in this series where we will go deep into the construction of plywood panels.

In this episode I continue our exploration of lumber technical properties with a look at Modulus of Rupture (Bending Strength) and Modulus of Elasticity (Stiffness).

Today I answer a bunch of questions from my inbox. Topics include case hardening, Emerald Ash Borer, Compressed Cedar Technology, Solar kilns, and Hophornbeam.

In episode 28 I introduced Hempwood and now I revisit it. This time I have the founder, inventor, and CEO of Hempwood, Greg Wilson join me to talk about the product, its origin and its future.

Today I talk about the thickness of lumber and understanding how it is sawn and planed to give you the net thickness you may be buying off the shelf vs buying true rough sawn lumber. This is am important factor to consider when you start buying your lumber from the typical big box store.

On this episode I have Josh Weber from Timber Woodcraft in Louisville, KY on to talk about urban logging and solar kilns. Josh runs his own solar kiln and uses salvaged lumber to make products for his customers. He also sells lumber!

This week I'm talking about a little touted technical property: shearing strength. This is another number to look at when trying to figure out how a wood will work. In this case it is a good indicator of how it will plane. Also BE NICE TO EACH OTHER!

I take a deeper dive into the Janka hardness test and what it can tell you about the wood you choose for your next project. It is a great first number to consider but I also explain why the number alone can be misleading.

In this episode I talk a fair bit about plywood and how it is put together and why it doesn't tear itself apart from wood movement. Also in this episode, bugs and plywood, 2x4 corners, and a look at a new product on the market: Hemp Wood.

On today's show I talk about changing the color of your wood through ammonia fuming and ebonizing with steel wool and vinegar. How the tannins do their job and how you can pump up the tannic acid with an additional coat to the wood.

3 questions this week all in the same vein: what's the deal with the prices and availability of? So I discuss Pine pricing, Cherry availability, and the Yellowheart market. That last one could be substituted with any number of other tertiary species.

This episode I define Genuine Mahogany, and talk about how to choose a species for weight and durability using technical specifications. Then I take a walk into a coppiced forest, and finally talk about questions to ask a new supplier to vet them for sustainability and legality. Great questions this week everyone!

In this episode I discuss the White Oak shortage, grading marks, Spanish Cedar, more drying lumber, and a call for solar kiln information and experience.

This episode I delve into the type of lumber drying kilns. Steam kilns, dehumification kilns, and vacuum and RF vacuum kilns all exist and have their pros and cons. But first I revisit why we kiln dry our lumber.

Email grab bag time! I cover a variety of questions from buying veneer to mold, fluorescent wood, and the structural qualities of sapwood. Plus we talk about terrorists banning wood and some additional FSC facts.