Milling Logs into Lumber
Our process begins with a log that is provided by our customers or one that we acquired and saved from going into a landfill. The log is loaded onto the TimberKing Sawmill and prepared for cutting into live edge slabs, large timbers, or dimensional lumber. Once the log is cut into live edge slabs or lumber it begins the drying process by air drying, drying in our Solar Kiln, or drying in our Nyle Dry kiln down to a moisture content of 8 percent. Once dried dimensional lumber is planned using our wood thickness planner. Large wood slabs tend to cup or warp during the drying process which will need flattening prior to sanding and finishing. Our thickness sander can sand both dimensional lumber or large live edge wood slabs. Contact us for pricing on rates for Saw-milling, Slab Flattening, Wood Planning, or Finish Sanding.
Wood Air Drying Prior To Kiln Drying
The process for air drying wood begins immediately after the log is milled into lumber or live edge wood slabs by placing 1 inch by 1 inch wood stickers in between each layer of wood to be dried to allow airflow through the pile to allow moisture from the wood to evaporate as the wood dries. By placing a covering over the top of the stack to keep rain and snow off the wood to avoid staining and mildew.
Solar Wood Drying Kiln
After cutting wood on the sawmill from a log another method of drying is using a Solar Kiln that has a faster drying rate than air drying in a covered stack. The Solar Kiln is constructed in a manner to allow the Sun to provide energy for the Photovoltiac Panel or PV Panel to power 2 fans that are DC 12 volt. These fans pull in outside warm air during the summer and force it through the wood pile and exit out the bottom through vents. The inside is painted black to absorb sunlight and create heat. Temperatures can get up to 140 degrees during the summer months inside the kiln.
Nyle Wood Drying Kiln
Recently added to Hadley Hills Wood Products is a Nyle L-53 Wood Drying Kiln. Lumber or Wood Slabs are placed inside a kiln chamber and dried using a dehumidification process where the wood is gradually heated using a kiln drying schedule pertaining to each species of wood and as wood is slowly heated moisture is removed by the Nyle Compressor unit on the back side of chamber. A more controlled rate of drying wood. Once wood reaches target moisture content then the compressor is turned off and heater is set to 150 degrees for a period of 24 hours to sterilize the wood of any bug larvae that may be inside the wood. After sterilization wood is slowly allowed to cool then removed and is ready for use.
Wood Slab Flattening
Wood Slabs once they are dry and ready to use need to be flattened because during the drying process the wood will have a tendency to warp or cup while drying. Flattening a slab involves routing or milling the surface to a flat plane.
Slab Flattening Rate: $85.00 per hour
Dimensional Lumber Planing
Dimensional lumber up to 15 inches wide can be planed using our Jet 15 inch wood thickness planer
Lumber Planing Rate: $85.00 per hour
Wood Thickness Sander
Once Lumber or Live Edge Slabs have been Flattened or Planed the next step is sanding, Hadley Hills Wood Products offers sanding option using a commercial grade WoodMaster 38 inch thickness sander which will sand the wood to a 80 grit surface, final sanding using different grades of sandpaper can be done also but normally customers prefer to do final sanding prior to the protective finish of their choice.
Thickness Sanding Rate: $85.00 per hour