Kiln dried, but the ends aren't sealed.

[else24]

Or at least, they probably aren't. In a few days I'm going to go look at a load of Black Walnut someone had cut off her land and dried in a local kiln. She's already told me she doesn't believe the ends were sealed. It's all rough cut to 5/4. I want to get a look at it even if it's just for my own education. I've got an idea what the local prices are.

What should I look for besides splitting ends? I'll have a ligno meter with me, and a flashlight and even a block plane so I can check the grain, but besides looking to see if the boards have begun to split, and if they're somewhere around 8 percent moisture, and maybe measuring a few to see if they're really about 5/4 or so, are there any other checks I should make?

[George]

Don't bother. If it's dry, your efforts will only color the ends. Most commercial hardwood outfits don't bother with coatings, because the wood is initially cut in 102-104" sticks, and it rarely checks enough to keep from making 96" lengths.

The outside of the wood will be as dry as the current relative humidity will allow. Inside may be different, depending on whether she stored it indoors or out.