In Tricks of the Trade

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I’ve dried my own lumber for years, but I always had a problem getting enough weight on top of the stack, to keep the upper boards from warping. Here’s a solution: Use clamps made from threaded rods.

Start building the stack by placing short pieces of 2×4 on your shop’s floor. Next, place 2x4s across them. You’ll need one about every two feet. Cut these pieces about 6″ longer than the width of your lumber pile. Drill a 3/8″ hole, 1″ from the ends of each of these 2x4s. 

Insert 5/16″ threaded rods through all the holes, then put a fender washer and nut on the bottom end of each rod.  Stack your lumber in the normal fashion, placing dry stickers between each layer. 

When the stack is complete, place pre-drilled 2x4s on the threaded rods and use another fender washer and nut to squeeze the stack.  Tighten the nuts down nice and snug.   –Luke Steeves


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