Storing bowl billets for an extended period

[Rip Littig]

I'm at the tail end of moving and expanding my shop. It's been painful waiting, now on the epoxy floor for another week. First world problems I know. During my down time I've bandsawed a fair amount of wood billets or cylinders ready to be rough turned as soon I get into my new space.

We've talked a lot about storing logs and drying rough turned blanks with minimal to no checking. I searched but couldn't find much on storing billets for weeks or potentially a month or two. Optimally we process wood as quickly as possible into rough turned bowls which then are prepared for long term drying. If we can't, we're better off leaving wood in long log form with end grain sealed until we can rough turn. I'm bucking that trend as I miss working on our craft during this down time. I know I'm engaging in a more risky process.

All the above said, how long have you been able to store wood billets without significant cracking? I've sealed end grain with Elmer's Glue and set in a cool garage in Connecticut. For larger (12" to 20" inch diameter up to 7" thick) billets I've additionally let surface moisture dry for a day or so to minimize mold before covering with with a tarp. This seems to be working well for walnut and even cherry blanks but not so much for hickory and tupelo (no surprise).

If you're still reading have you stored wood billets successfully for an extended period of time? For that matter have you done so and learned the hard way what to avoid? Any knowledge shared will be greatly appreciated as always!

 

[John Ames]

ive stored some wrapped tight in plastic wrap... it works fine, but then again I live in a desert climate. (116 degrees today... who needs a kiln?)

 

[hockenbery]

A freezer stores blanks well.
Wrap with plastic to defeat the defroster from drying the wood.

I’ve used this for many months for a valuable blank. Also a lot for demo blanks when I had something suitable for a demo scheduled several weeks out.
I had one piece of wet madrone in a freezer for about 2 years. Came out just like it went in.

Plastic wrap works for me up to maybe a week.. then it starts to mold.

Several folks gave had good results storing blanks under water in barrels. I haven’t tried it.

 

[Richard Coers]

All the above said, how long have you been able to store wood billets without significant cracking?

20+ years
Around here, bugs can be a major issue, powder post beetle is the worst. I wouldn't recommend glue, it's not very flexible. A half block from a log may shrink 3/8". Glue won't stay on with that kind of movement.
I almost never store with the bark on (bugs), never split closer than 2" from the pith, allow a little air around the blanks, but never outside under a tarp.

 

[robo hippy]

I prefer to turn cylinders, and then do about a 1/2 inch 1/4 round bull nose/round over on the ends of the cylinder, then glue. I have used the plastic on some madrone, and did some without, and they appear to have survived. This works if you are making things from the cylinders. If you are thinking of slabbing the blanks up, then I would just use glue on the ends, Maybe if they are really wet, then some stretch film.

robo hippy

 

[Wally Crawford]

As John Ames said, this may be location sensitive. I live in NC where summer relative humidity is oppressive. It has been said that native North Carolinians can actually breathe water. My outside wood was degrading and getting away from me, so I cut some of it into bowl blanks, wrapped with cling wrap, and put it onto wire shelves in my garage A few pieces have developed mold under the cling wrap, but I do not see any cracking. I wear a PAPR when turning the molded wood, so the mold is not an issue for me. I thought about spraying it with Clorox solution to eliminate the mold, but really don't see the need. If I lived in AZ, the results could differ.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I coat ends with wax (melt in Goodwill skillet) and put the log on the shelf. Still lose some but just make spindle blanks . If you cut round and cracks occur you just lost the whole piece.

 

[Marc Banka]

I wrap mine tightly with cling wrap. Oak blanks setting for several years turn like fresh cut. This is wood harvested, cut into bowl blanks and wrapped while still dripping wet.
Sometimes mold, or slime starts, but never gets far in that environment. I’m also in steamy NC.

 

[Norm Marentette]

I tend to the same as Mark but will seal them with anchor seal let dry for a week then wrap them.

 

[robo hippy]

I do not use the stretch film on maple. I figure the mold that ALWAYS forms under the film comes from all the sugar that is in the wood. I would expect the same with any wood that has lots of sugar in it. Not a problem with madrone which does seem to leave sticky residue all over everything....

robo hippy

 

[DON FRANK]

I have had much better luck with PVA glue than I have anchor seal but if I was wanting to save them for a long period I would go the wax route. I have pieces here that I waxed on all sides that have lasted for years without cracking.

 

[Paul Paukstelis]

I ran into something that was pretty odd (to me at least) around storing blanks. These were all split black walnut logs with the endgrain sealed with AnchorSeal. They've been stored for around 3 years and there is no visible cracking or checking on the end grain or across the face of the cut. The last 4 or 5 that I cut out rounds on the bandsaw all have cracked endgrain on the interior. It seems to start roughly 6mm (1/4") in from the exposed (sealed) edges. A bit of a head scratcher, as I thought I must have done a nice job cutting and storing these, but apparently not.

 

[Graham Dolby]

I'm at the tail end of moving and expanding my shop. It's been painful waiting, now on the epoxy floor for another week. First world problems I know. During my down time I've bandsawed a fair amount of wood billets or cylinders ready to be rough turned as soon I get into my new space.

We've talked a lot about storing logs and drying rough turned blanks with minimal to no checking. I searched but couldn't find much on storing billets for weeks or potentially a month or two. Optimally we process wood as quickly as possible into rough turned bowls which then are prepared for long term drying. If we can't, we're better off leaving wood in long log form with end grain sealed until we can rough turn. I'm bucking that trend as I miss working on our craft during this down time. I know I'm engaging in a more risky process.

All the above said, how long have you been able to store wood billets without significant cracking? I've sealed end grain with Elmer's Glue and set in a cool garage in Connecticut. For larger (12" to 20" inch diameter up to 7" thick) billets I've additionally let surface moisture dry for a day or so to minimize mold before covering with with a tarp. This seems to be working well for walnut and even cherry blanks but not so much for hickory and tupelo (no surprise).

If you're still reading have you stored wood billets successfully for an extended period of time? For that matter have you done so and learned the hard way what to avoid? Any knowledge shared will be greatly appreciated as always!

I always spray rough-turned bowls with Lysol (with bleach) before sealing. This seems to keep fungal growth and staining to a minimum.