Hardwood Lumber Drying Short Course

Operating a lumber drying facility, especially one drying hardwood lumber, requires special skills.  A significant amount of lumber can be degraded or damaged during drying when proper techniques are not used.  This course is for beginning operators and supervisors drying hardwood lumber in steam or dehumidification dry kilns and in predryers.  The program will cover practical techniques for the efficient and effective operation of predryers and dry kilns.  The program will include moisture measuring and the use of sample boards; kiln and predryer operational techniques; drying schedules; causes and cures for drying defects, and quality control procedures.

Instructor

Dr. Bond has extensive experience in working closely with the wood industry as an extension specialist and consultant in the areas of lumber drying, wood and moisture relations, and sawmill efficiency. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Wood Science and Forest Products at Virginia Tech. He provides extension programming for the hardwood industry, conducts drying research, and teaches a lumber manufacturing class to undergraduate students. For more information www.woodscience.vt.edu

Course Information

Day 1

8:00                       Topics

• Green lumber handling and storage
• Measuring moisture content correctly
• Use and limitation of moisture meters
• Class exercise
• Temperature, relative humidity and EMC relationships in drying
• Stacking and stickering lumber

                                   
12:00 - 1:00          Lunch

 1:00 - 5:00           Topics

• Air-drying practices
• How wood dries, shrinkage, drying stresses, and degrade in drying
• Proper selection and use of sample boards
• Class exercise
• Drying Systems
• Discussion
• Homework assignment

Day 2

8:00-12:00            Topics

• Homework review
• Kiln schedules & their modification
• Equalizing and conditioning
• Dry kiln operational techniques & quality control
• Proper dry storage
• Causes and cures for drying defects
• Class exercise

Dates and Locations

August 16th & 17th-Frohna, MO
August 18th & 19th- Mountain View, MO

Cost:

MFPA Member-$200
Non Member-$250

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Cost:	MFPA Member - $200 Non- Member - $250
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	PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED TO ENROLL IN THE CLASS
Payment:	Check - mail to MFPA, 505 East State Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101 Credit Card Payment - call Tammy Homfeldt at (573) 634-3252
Location	Choose One August 16th - 17th - Frohna, MO August 18th - 19th - Mountain View, MO