Effect of water spray log storage on southern pine veneer drying

A reduced temperature drying schedule was investigated as a means of improv ing grade recovery of structural veneer cut from water stored southern pine logs. Fresh cut, one year old, and three year old logs were evaluated. In total, close to one thousand sheets of veneer were evaluated. Reducing the temperature in the last zone of the veneer dryer from 193 to 177 degreesC s ubstantially decreased incidence of grade-reducing splits. Moisture content average and distribution were not effected. Water sorption tests showed fa vorable results from the one year old material that was dried at the reduce d temperature schedule. Relatively high thickness variation of veneer cut f rom water stored logs had no apparent affect on final moisture content aver age or distribution. Reducing the zone three temperature by 16 degreesC inc reased the total veneer drying times by 13 and 19%, respectively, for the t hree year old and one year old material.