All my wood is ruined

Bob Gibson

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Location
Merrimack, New Hampshire
The power went out thursday night and just came on a few hours ago. By the time I heard my basement water alarm there was 3" of water in my basement. It was 1:00 am before I could get the generator running and the sump pumps going. I also had the bottom and top of the hutch I just built for my son sitting on the floor waiting for him to pick it up. I'm sick over this.
This is really depressing :(
I had recently got a good deal on common cherry and it (as all my lumber is) laying on sticks flat on the floor.
All the tools are ok anyway. Got the dehumidifier running full blast now.
We had 12" of snow then 4" of rain and super high winds. This is the first time in 6 years I've got water in the basement. I should of opted for the battery backups for the pumps.
I take and post a few pics tomorrow. Any ideas on how to save anything will be appreciated.
 
bob was the hutch done with finish on it? if so possibly the moister didnt get threw the finish.. as for your stash, if it wasnt already planed down to almost final thickness it should dry back out in time and you can clean off the water stain. sorry to hear of your trouble:eek:
 
Larry, the hutch was not finished. My son was going to take it to his house and do it himself.
The cherry and some pine was rough so maybe I can save some. The maple, oak and the rest of the pine had already been planed though.
Thanks for the reply!
 
That's definitely discouraging. But don't give up on it yet. The wood will dry out--keep it stickered, flat and give it plenty of time. The cabinet will also dry out. Sanding may make it as good as new. I'm hoping for the best for you.
 
Bob, I know about flooded basememts and the discouragement that goes along with it. Follow the above advice. It isn't the first time that there wood got wet! Stickering and air flow. I do suggest you take it out of the basement, might not have enough air flow down there and mold will start. Not bad on the wood, turners pay plenty for spalted wood!! But if it is real wet/saturated, it will hamper your dry out efforts in the basement. The hutch, I agree, get it up, maybe a fan on slow just to get drier air or air movement around it, and give it time. By the time you are back in business and ready to work, it may be ready for you to work on it! Good luck, sorry to hear of the news, but hey, with all that is going on in our world right now, in the scheme of things, this is just a glitch. Sorry you aren't closer for us to come help you with your dilema.
 
I'm sure there are some chemicals that others will suggest that will save all of it. Mostly you don't want any bacteria or mold to start affecting it, and chemicals to affect your finishes. You may have to sand down the hutch a bit, but it should be fine. I'd take Jonathan's advice to move it from the basement and get some air moving over them.
 
I agree, stack and allow your wood to dry properly and it will come out OK. As for the hutch, I suspect some staining of the wood but again, allowing it to dry properly and you should be able to clean up any damae.
 
Oh Bob sorry to hear this happened to you. I dont know anything about how to save it all but the advice given sounds good.

I hope and wish it works out. Guess you gonna upgrade the pump backup system.
 
Thanks for all the ideas. Much appreciated. I think I'm gonna be ok. As soon as I found the water I had moved the hutch onto sawhorses. Picture me at 1:30 in the morning with no lights, in slippers and a bathrobe dragging in the water trying to get the hutch out of the water :rofl:
There are still wet spots down there but the water has been gone for a few days. I have a box fan running as well as the dehumidifier. I also have several vents that I previously cut into my forced hot air heating system.

To ad insult to injury I awoke at 5am this morning to the alarm on my sump pump. The power went out again. So it was out back starting the generator again.:doh:

It almost makes me want to move into the city. Well not really :rofl:

I have come to realize that during a power outage the 2 best moments are being able to turn on the generator then being able to turn it off. Goes to show you that there is a silver lining in every cloud.:)
 
It'll come back, trust me. Most of it's gonna' be just fine soon's you stop agonizing about it & let it dry.

I went through that whole thing with a good friend in 2007 in North Stamford, CT. His basement shop flooded (that was one MONSTER of a storm!) to about eighteen inches. Wood, veneers, tools... everything was floating everywhere. Nearly everything saved just fine, though.

What a freakin' MESS.
 
Picture me at 1:30 in the morning with no lights, in slippers and a bathrobe dragging in the water trying to get the hutch out of the water :rofl:
.:)


please bob, I just ate.
:D:D

I dont see why if you dry out the wood it wont be usable. Hope the power stays on, its been a real harsh winter, dont know about you, but Ive had enough of it, looking foward to spring.
 
Picture me at 1:30 in the morning with no lights, in slippers and a bathrobe dragging in the water trying to get the hutch out of the water :rofl:

I was going to post that if it had been me up at 1:30 in the morning trying to save my hutch, I probably would have been down there in the alltogether, but you've already ruined Allen's breakfast so I won't tell you that...:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
Best thing for you to do with all that cherry, is to put it in my wood rack to dry. Right next to the wood stove. I promise I wont use it all.:thumb::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
What cherry:dunno:
 
I don't store much wood at home, maily due to lack of space but I can understand how would I feel if that happenend to the two boards I have for my next project.

Sorry about that Bob, I hope you can save it all and still make good use of it.
 
Here are a few pictures.
The hutch/cabinet all done.
It seems that just the bottom of the hutch got too wet. I may replace it.
A few wet spots still.
A picture of a little of the cherry that was real wet. I moved most of it but these pieces I'm keeping closer to the dehumidifier. I think I'll plane it down tomorrow and see whats up.
Other than the edges of some plywood delaminating I think I'm pretty much ok..
Thanks again for all the help. So very much appreciated.

Sorry for the visual before breakfast Allen :rofl::rofl:

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Uhhhh...Bob....I'd leave the cherry alone a couple of weeks before I tried planing it. Let it get real dry and to again acclimate to its surroundings.

Just sayin'
 
listen to the lady in the short costume bob, she is right:D and as for the hutch bottom i thinki would wait longrer and let it dry more then just touch sand it and maybe the customer can stain it a bit to over come the stain that may result form the water but from what you showed it looks fine.
 
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