164 History of Drying Lumber

164 History of Drying Lumber

Author: Shannon Rogers February 11, 2026 Duration: 56:40
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.

Shannon Rogers hosts Shannon's Lumber Industry Update, a podcast that feels like a conversation with a knowledgeable friend in a well-stocked workshop. Forget dry industry reports; this is an accessible, engaging dive into the world of wood, framed around the questions real people have. Each episode tackles the practical and the curious, from selecting the right board for a project to unraveling the history and science behind how trees become timber. The goal is to cut through common misconceptions and foster a deeper appreciation for the material that has shaped human civilization. You'll come away not just with answers, but with a sharper, more nuanced understanding of lumber's journey from forest to finished piece. It’s a space where beginners and seasoned woodworkers alike can develop a more intuitive sense for their craft, becoming, as Shannon puts it, a little more wood savvy. Tune in for a consistently informative and surprisingly relaxing listen that makes the complexities of an ancient industry feel relevant and fascinating. This podcast naturally finds its home in the Leisure category, perfect for anyone who enjoys working with their hands or simply wants to understand the stories hidden in the grain.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Shannon's Lumber Industry Update
Podcast Episodes
77 - Poplar is so Popular [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:04
Let's talk about Poplar...or Tulip Poplar...or Eastern Cottonwood...or White Poplar or Yellow Poplar or Quaking Aspen or (gasp) Tulipwood. No they are not all the same tree. Or are they? Today I talk about the Populus ge…
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Duration: 45:12
Let's talk about wood identification and the process I go through. In this episode I give you a few resources to use but mostly a hierarchy of things to follow to get you very close to a positive ID of that unknown wood…
LU 75 Finding Lumber at Auction with Tommaso Valeriano [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:19
This week I have Tommaso Valeriano join me to talk about the ways in which he has acquired nearly 30,000 board feet of lumber without ever visiting a lumber yard. Mostly his success has come through auctions and he share…
74 - CD's Trees [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:09
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73 - Alternatives to Russian Birch Plywood? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:51
Russian Birch plywood prices are tripled at minimum. Moreover even paying the higher price isn't something the general market wants to do and support the Russian economy. So what are the alternatives? There aren't very m…
72 - Cambium Carbon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:30
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71 - Trending to Local Timbers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:58
In my predictions for 2022 I stated that there would be more focus on domestic lumber. Today I dive deeper into that and look at how local timbers present opportunities and challenges to the commercial lumber market as w…
70 - Choosing Wood for a Workbench [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:38
On this episode Alex Adams joins me to talk about choosing wood for his upcoming workbench projects. He wants to incorporate as many locally sourced woods as he can in order to gain experience with many species that he c…
69 Got a Log?  Now What? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:54
So you've decided to saw your own boards from a log. In this episode I discuss how and where you might get a log when first starting out and then the care and feeding of that log before you begin to saw it.

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