Shannon's Lumber Industry Update

Zelkova lumber is starting to become more available as the 1st and 2nd generation of urban planting in the wake of the Dutch Elm blight is maturing and urban sawyers are finding more Zelkova in their inventories. This tree has many of the same properties of Elm and a long, revered history across Japane, Korea and China. Additional topics in this episode include what woods are safe to burn from your woodshop scraps and how the Post WWII lumber boom compares to the current lumber market.

We have been drying lumber for thousands of years and in this episode I look into how it was done and how it evolved into the kilns we use today. Plus a look forward and innovations in drying tech. Most importantly though are the observations that drove the need to dry rather than any particular science. How did wood behave and how did we want it to behave is what started this whole idea of drying lumber.

Red Alder has increased in popularity substantially from its "junk tree" status and now shows up in cabinetry, floors, guitars and even saunas. Listen as I dive deep on the merits of this underrated hardwood. Also in this episode I talk about Walnut grading for color and how the potential of Vietnamese Walnut could play out in the North American market.

This time I dive into the driftwood trade. This is a nearly 3 billion dollar global industry that I never knew was even a thing. Now I see driftwood everywhere. Plus I talk about log pricing, Oak staining, and freeze dried lumber.

In this episode I feature Bubinga and talk through its trade and CITES regulation. I then move into a conversation about how Santa might logistically pull off making toys for the entire world and what his lumber orders might look like.