by Professor Gene Wengert
Q.
I'm trying to find information on kiln drying South American hardwoods for manufacturing purpose. The woods to be dried are: Swietenia Macrophylla (Mahogany), Juglans Neotropica (Walnut) and similar species from 4/4 up to 16/4.
A.
There is a USDA Handbook called Tropical Timbers of the World (now out of print) that has the information you require. What information specifically do you need? Let me know. I can tell you that mahogany is easy to dry and walnut is impossible if thicker than 1 inch.
Professor Gene Wengert is Extension Specialist in Wood Processing at the Department of Forestry, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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