Order logs for air drying from lumber mill?

[froglips]

Hey all you sawyers out there, I have a few "old way" questions.....

I'm planning to air dry lumber. My hope is to start a collection of wood that drys so in a few years it'll be ready to be abused into furniture

I want to work with a small, nearby lumber mill. They do boards as well, and I plan to get some of that into the drying rack as well.

For this inquery, I want to get logs for splitting/riving myself.

How would you recommend I get the logs "prepared"?

Would it make sense to have them quarter the logs? or half them? What about removing the bark?

Is there a reasonable length to have them cut to?

Any terminology that would help me ask them what I would like to do?

Any books or website you'd recommend I check out?

Thanks,
Jim

[scsmith42]

Jim, in general it is much better to dry lumber "in the board" as opposed to "in the log". Much less degrade and a higher quality end product. If you search the archives, there is a lot of information already posted about air drying.

When you mention "splitting/riving" the logs, what is your intended end use from the resulting lumber?

Scott

[jeff...]

My experience tells me if you want to air dry dimensional lumber, cut the lumber from green logs.

[froglips]

Bodgers? Bodgers? We don't need no stink'n Bodgers

I've seen St. Roy split and rive wood in many of his shows. I'd like to give that a try. Probably going to make boxes like he did a few weeks back.

So, sounds like I'd want to split the logs into boards for drying.

I asked about the "in the log" drying from an idea I got from Jim Cummins video, he air dried split wedges. He didn't talk about why he kept them in 1/4 wedges.

Thanks!

Jim