Drying wood question

[Jake Truxal]

Last month I got about 30 logs from a willow tree my neighbor cut down. I was told by a guy at Home Depot that a couple coats of oil based paint on the end grain should work just about as good as wax or endgrain sealer. Since I had a bunch of old paint I tried this option. I was also told it was best to peel the bark off, the tree seemed to have bark rot so the bark came off fairly easy. I put 2 heavy coats of paint on the end grain and brought the logs inside to my shop in the basement. I did not cut them into blankS, just left the logs whole. A week later, all but 4 of the logs had 1/4" splits in them the lenght of the log rendering them useless (they were only 3" - 6" in diameter, I was going to use them for spindle turning).

Why did these logs split?
- because the oil based paint option doesn't work?
- because I peeled the bark off?
- because I brought them inside?
- other?

I got about 30 Walnut logs yesterday and cut them into blanks for bowls so I want to make sure I do it right this time so I don't lose all the Walnut too.
I havent cut the blanks round yet, just split the log, removing the pith and cut the ends off. Please advise the proper sealing technique so I don't lose these blanks too. Since I cut them into blanks, do I still seal only the end grain or all sides? Thanks.

 

[hockenbery]

With the walnut Try roughing some bowls soon.
The white sap wood is often a really nice feature, especially if you find a tree with flat side that lends itself to the opening on the bark side so you can have a White ring at the rim. The sapwood will become a sort of yucky gray gradually and in 2-3 months you may not like it.

I have had good success with walnut cut into half logs for as long as 6-8 months kept outdoors in the shade with the ends sealed with sealtight
Straight grained blanks can move enough to avoid long splits for a while.
Crotches will often split sooner as the grains want to pull away from each other.

I usually cut the 1/2 logs a minimum of 4 " longer than the bowl blank I hope to get. to prep the bowl blank I cut it round on the band saw or 8 or 16 sided with a chainsaw. The 2" on either end is usually enough to accommodate the end checks.
good luck
al

 

[MichaelMouse]

They split because you were not able to force them to dry evenly. If you take the bark off, the outer portions dry and contract, only to meet resistance from the moisture-packed inner portions. Something, as they say, has to give. Radial splits.

That's why you coat end grain on turning blanks, too. If the outside gets drying while the interior is still expanded with moisture, it relieves its tension by splitting. End checks. You're already in trouble with the walnut if you've tried to remove the bark or cut into short lengths. Plastic bag at least the ends and get busy roughing your pieces. Leaving long and bark on - out of the weather - is the way to go. That way you harvest the stuff you can turn right now, which greatly increases your survival over split lengths if you observe a few elementary precautions.

Good free information on what happens to wood while drying here : http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr113/fplgtr113.htm Chapter three is where you want to look, though the entire publication is very informative.

 

[Nicholas Lingg]

I've not had must luck "painting" the ends of wood with latex paint but when I dip the ends it works must better. I think you got in trouble when the bark was removed!

 

[john lucas]

You had 3 problems. Paint on the ends doesn't work for me. End grain sealer like Anchorseal works better. The best is dipping the end in melted wax. I bought an electric skillet at the flea mkt for $1. I use that. The wax is always there, it heats to the proper temperature so no fire, and if there is a fire it has a metal lid.
As MM said removing the bark speeds drying although it does seem so slow down some of the bugs.
Bringing it indoors is a double edge sword. The heat speeds up drying which can cause problems but I have bad bug problems so bringing them into a concrete floor area stops that.
Walnut has fortunately been one of the woods I have the least problems with. Keep it out of the weather and direct sun. I would have left the logs whole and as long as possible. Cutting them into blanks larger than the bowl has still cause me problems. I try to seal them with endgrain sealer or wax if they are small enough. Lately I've been bandsawing them into bowl blanks and sealing the whole thing in wax. then I try to rough turn them as soon as possible.
Saving wood has always been a problem for me. I simply don't have a good place. What is helping is to raise the wood off the ground. I used concrete blocks with pressure treated lumber over them. I need to cover the top but for now they are in a shaded area. I seal the end with anchor seal. Logs I really find precious I split through the pith and then stack them with the cuts together to reduce the air movement. All of this has helped but I still lose a lot. Of course the wood is free so it's not a big loss but it does suck when that great piece of Ambrosia maple splits.
I do a lot of smaller projects so when the wood starts to split beyond bowl usability I take them to the bandsaw and saw them into 4x4, 3x3, 2x2 etc. Seal the ends in wax and put them on the floor of shop to dry for later use. This is working so well I'm going to start trying to save platter blanks.

 

[Joe Greiner]

You can still use the willow for some spindle turning. The splits occurred at their weakest region anyway. Use the parts between the splits, where the wood is stronger. Most spindle turning, and most finished lumber, is away from the axis of the tree. You don't need to saw the wedges into square shapes first; mount them at the center of the smallest circle at each end, and turn air/wood/air/wood... until round.

Other than that, what they said.

Joe

 

[Dave Ogren]

In the middle of last November I was really close to getting a lathe so I cut up bowl blanks from Cherry, Poplar, Oak, Hickory, and Walnut. I settled them into the Chopped leaves in my flower bed and partially covered them and if it appeared that the leaves were becoming dry I would hose them down. Got the lathe 2 weeks ago, started to uncover the blanks after 4 1/2 months and they are perfect. Now I am going to keep the new blanks in mulch in a dark place in my woods. Just another way of doing it.

Dave in Asheville

 

[Odie]

In the middle of last November I was really close to getting a lathe so I cut up bowl blanks from Cherry, Poplar, Oak, Hickory, and Walnut. I settled them into the Chopped leaves in my flower bed and partially covered them and if it appeared that the leaves were becoming dry I would hose them down. Got the lathe 2 weeks ago, started to uncover the blanks after 4 1/2 months and they are perfect. Now I am going to keep the new blanks in mulch in a dark place in my woods. Just another way of doing it.

Dave in Asheville

Yeah, that stands to reason......

Keeping them wet is a good way to prevent splitting......this is the way lumber mills treat raw logs.......keep them wet by constantly spraying them with water.

ooc

 

[MichaelMouse]

Keeping them wet is a good way to prevent splitting......this is the way lumber mills treat raw logs.......keep them wet by constantly spraying them with water.

In weather warm enough to support fungus, expect to lose the sapwood altogether, or at least to make it ugly if you use this method. Technique is useful for softwoods, but hardwood logs are generally submerged in anerobic conditions to preserve them.

 

[Burt Alcantara]

A lot depends on climate. I live is a dry semi-desert. About 3 years ago I got the better part of a willow. I sealed some of the logs but not all. I still have a large log in the yard that has yet to split. It has weathered near zero to 110 degrees, rain, snow, hail yet still no splits. The smaller logs, all unsealed are also split free.

A neighbor gave me a small apple tree he cut down. I sealed it with a few coats of AnchorSeal. The larger pieces look like they were sealed with C-4 -- totally useless. The smaller ones are holding up.

Best is to seal all wood ASAP, place it in an area with no moving air and away from direct sun.

YMMV,
Burt

 

[Odie]

In weather warm enough to support fungus, expect to lose the sapwood altogether, or at least to make it ugly if you use this method. Technique is useful for softwoods, but hardwood logs are generally submerged in anerobic conditions to preserve them.

Good to know that......thanks MM......

OOC