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Wood storage question

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I finally got back to my shop after surgery and other health issues. I just got 40 feet of Black Walnut and have 40 feet of cheery and the same amount of maple coming. If I cut this up in 6 feet sections, seal the ends, and store in a dry area how long can I expect it to last before turning? I'm going to work a few days making blanks and then a few days turning green bowls. I made a tooth fairy box and Christmas ornaments for a man's little girl and he blessed me with wood. This blank will be the largest attempt to date and as large as my lathe can handle.
P1085688.jpg P1085691.jpg P1085694.jpg
 
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do the cherry first....its more prone to checking.....dont do black walnut all at once.....worst for your lungs even with protection......a lot of wood for one time
 
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do the cherry first....its more prone to checking.....dont do black walnut all at once.....worst for your lungs even with protection......a lot of wood for one time

Thanks, Charlie, I didn't know that about cherry. I cut up a huge Red oak and found out about it really fast.
It is a lot of wood but I have a tractor with a loader and an area to store in the dry. I'll get it when I can and may be able to help out some turners in my area.
 

Bill Boehme

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Seal the ends with Anchorseal and store the wood out of the weather ... preferably indoors in a cool dry place. Wood that is stored outdoors in Texas doesn't fare too well. But, it depends on where you live.
 
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That is a LOT of wood. Considering all those big blanks could be cored to make at least 4 bowls. What are you going to do with a couple hundred bowls?
 

hockenbery

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With Cherry and walnut I like to use the white sap ring in hollow forms and NE bowls.
It only stays white for a few days to a few weeks.
After that it turns to a dull grey or brown sometimes it is still a pleasing contrast but often not.

if you want a few pieces with the white sap ring you need to plan and do those first.

Usually wet cherry is a dream to turn with a great smell.
 
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Seal the ends with Anchorseal and store the wood out of the weather ... preferably indoors in a cool dry place. Wood that is stored outdoors in Texas doesn't fare too well. But, it depends on where you live.

Thank Bill, that is my plan but I wonder if I go back after say a year will the wood still be in good shape to turn?
 

hockenbery

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Thank Bill, that is my plan but I wonder if I go back after say a year will the wood still be in good shape to turn?

The walnut heartwood should still be good in a year. I was able to cut a walnut in a park that had gone down in a storm maybe 3 years before I got permission to take it.
It was on a hill so that most of the log length was not in contact with the ground.
heartwood was rock solid and mostly the sapwood had lost its color and was punky in places.
I turned a few bowls and hollow forms. Most of it I ripped into turning squares for boxes, finials, and spheres.

Dark bowls and hollow forms didn’t sell fast for me.
The exception being NE Walnut bowls and NE HF with white sapwood around the rims would sell quickly.
 
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That is a LOT of wood. Considering all those big blanks could be cored to make at least 4 bowls. What are you going to do with a couple hundred bowls?

I only plan on about 14 bowls from each type as my interest is in other types of turning as well. Just the joy of turning, having something available to turn, practice, and gifts.

With Cherry and walnut I like to use the white sap ring in hollow forms and NE bowls.
It only stays white for a few days to a few weeks.
After that it turns to a dull grey or brown sometimes it is still a pleasing contrast but often not.

if you want a few pieces with the white sap ring you need to plan and do those first.

Usually wet cherry is a dream to turn with a great smell.

Thanks Hockenbery, I do plan on some NE bowls. I turned my wife a small one last year and now she wants a large one I'll turn it while the sapwood is still white.
 
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That is a huge amount of wood. I would consider turning some of it into spindle blanks. Split 12 inch log sections with chainsaw and then process on bandsaw eliminating the section with pith leaving some quartersawn. I endseal with melted wax in an old electric frypan. I cut into 3x3 or so and some 2x2. You can also bandsaw bowl blanks and roll in the wax. You only need less than a half inch of melted wax. Losses will be less than if you leave in logs.
 
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I like to keep my logs as long as possible. If they are going to sit for a while before turning, then I do seal the ends, but that is rare. You can even fit a big plastic bag over the end some times. I have a heavy vynal tarp on the ground, and another one over the top. They are in the shade under some big trees. You always seem to get some end checking if they sit for a bit, so if you take a 12 foot log and cut it into 2 sections 6 foot long, you get twice as much end checking. Some logs can keep for years. Maple generally goes pretty fast, most likely because of the sugar in it which all those critters that turn good wood into compost just love...

robo hippy
 
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I learned a lot from this question. I also think- one inch per year of thickness. I might not live long enough to turn it! Thanks for the replies and info.
 
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That is a huge amount of wood. I would consider turning some of it into spindle blanks. Split 12 inch log sections with chainsaw and then process on bandsaw eliminating the section with pith leaving some quartersawn. I endseal with melted wax in an old electric frypan. I cut into 3x3 or so and some 2x2. You can also bandsaw bowl blanks and roll in the wax. You only need less than a half inch of melted wax. Losses will be less than if you leave in logs.

Thanks, Mike, I do plan on quite a bit of spindle material 2,3, and 4inch. Is the wax you use paraffin? I use green wood end sealer on my logs and the end grain of the green turned bowls.
 
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I like to keep my logs as long as possible. If they are going to sit for a while before turning, then I do seal the ends, but that is rare. You can even fit a big plastic bag over the end some times. I have a heavy vynal tarp on the ground, and another one over the top. They are in the shade under some big trees. You always seem to get some end checking if they sit for a bit, so if you take a 12 foot log and cut it into 2 sections 6 foot long, you get twice as much end checking. Some logs can keep for years. Maple generally goes pretty fast, most likely because of the sugar in it which all those critters that turn good wood into compost just love...

robo hippy


Thanks, robo, I'll have to cut them down to 6 feet in length for ease of handling and storage. I've experienced the maple before and you can have some spalted wood very fast..
 
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Thanks, Mike, I do plan on quite a bit of spindle material 2,3, and 4inch. Is the wax you use paraffin? I use green wood end sealer on my logs and the end grain of the green turned bowls.
I have used old candle stubs and paraffin canning wax. Cheap candles from the Dollar Store wil work. Paraffin is very expensive now. I heat to about 225F so the water sizzles out of the wood when it is dipped in it for a few seconds.
 
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With Cherry and walnut I like to use the white sap ring in hollow forms and NE bowls.
It only stays white for a few days to a few weeks.
After that it turns to a dull grey or brown sometimes it is still a pleasing contrast but often not.

if you want a few pieces with the white sap ring you need to plan and do those first.
I just got some black walnut logs from a neighbor, about a week ago. What prevents the sapwood from darkening—will it darken even after turning? I'd like to keep as much of that beautiful contrast as possible.
 

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hockenbery

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I just got some black walnut logs from a neighbor, about a week ago. What prevents the sapwood from darkening—will it darken even after turning? I'd like to keep as much of that beautiful contrast as possible.

it stays pretty white if it come off the lathe white. Use a finish that won’t yellow it.

1. Turn it before it turns grey. Yesterday would be good.
Probably have week for white then and after month it likely will be grayish. Removing the bark may delay the graying.
Storing a blank in the freezer will keep it white.

2. when turning the water from the heartwood can stain the sapwood. Compressed air can blow the staining water out before it discolors the sapwood. This is a big issue for me when hollowing. The water released inside a hollow form has no where to go so it moves into the sapwood. Hollowing NE bowls it is not much of a problem however inspect an if you see the heartwood trying to stain blow it out .

3. Two part bleach will usually whiten the sapwood if you waited too long or did not get the staining from the heartwood blown out.

E84C8A4A-C05C-47F0-A09C-3EA1AF74D179.jpeg This is camphor. Sapwood is pretty good but was more white a week before this piece was turned. Finished with Waterlox that doesn’t change the color much.

67201049-4F14-40E8-A4A8-D3CE8FB6F858.jpeg This HF Sapwood was bleached because it was turned a couple weeks too late. It was finished with a lacquer to keep it white. Not that the inside is stained dark.
 
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Thanks for the great info. I happen to have just acquired a stand freezer in the shop, so I'll be putting that to good use!

This HF Sapwood was bleached because it was turned a couple weeks too late. It was finished with a lacquer to keep it white. Not that the inside is stained dark.

I take it you carefully bleached only the sapwood, yes? I'd guess it would have an effect on the heartwood too.
 

hockenbery

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Thanks for the great info. I happen to have just acquired a stand freezer in the shop, so I'll be putting that to good use!



I take it you carefully bleached only the sapwood, yes? I'd guess it would have an effect on the heartwood too.
Yes Carefully I use a foam brush which gives pretty good control for painting to the edge with the bleach.

The heartwood bleaches a light brown. Beads on a walnut bowl or platter can be bleached To add a nice highlight.

The bleached mistakes can be sanded out since the bleached wood is on the surface.
 
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