Care and feeding of logs

[azamiryou]

I just obtained some smallish logs from a friend's fallen tree. I'm not sure what kind of tree it was, but the wood definitely has some spalting.

Anyway, this is my first venture with collecting (relatively) unseasoned wood. I know I need to dry it, but should I cut it into pen blanks first? Let it dry before cutting it? Cut it into boards, then dry, then cut the boards into blanks?

And do I need to do anything special on account of the spalting?

Thanks for your guidance.

 

[robutacion]

Some pics of the wood would help but, if the wood is already spalted that means that is not totally green and that many of the wood cells have surpassed the dry stage to the "decomposition" stage, which is the spalting.

Depending on the amount of wood you got out of it, I would process a log or two now and seal the ends of the other logs with acrylic paint or proper wood sealant.

If the logs are already cut, seal the ends and put them out of the weather if possible, otherwise using a wood pallet outside as a base and a tarpaulin as cover, will be ok to be kept outside, preferentially under a tree (shade).

If the logs aren't cut to size, leave then as long as you can handle and seal the ends. The more pieces you cut out of a log and leave then sealed to dry the more wood you will lose from the log ends as the wood will crack at least a couple of inches from each end of the log, regardless of length.

If you are keeping some of that wood for making bowls and things like that, cut the logs 4 inches longer (at least) than its diameter, slice then in half, seal the ends and put them to dry.

If you want to process some of that wood for use ASAP, you will need to slice it all up into the blank types you want, (pens, bottle stoppers or others) just cut then slightly oversized (couple of mm or so) counting for shrinkage and a little wobble.

After you have your blanks cut to size, wax the ends (end-grain) and rack them on top of each other with some space in between, put some weigh on top of them or strap them wire or packing strap to reduce the wood movement as it dries.

Check its weigh (blank or full rapped bundle) or measure its MC (moisture content) until they are dry(ish) to dry, most woods are "workable" within 6 months from this process procedure, yours being already spalted, will be ready well before that...!

The drying time will depend of many factors, the wood species firstly, and the condition to which those process blanks or logs are exposed to. Weather conditions have a major role in the drying process, hot Summer weather will dry wood a lot faster the humid, cold weather (Winter) however, the "milder" the conditions (temperature), the longer will take to dry but generally, less cracks tend to develop in a slow and well controlled environment...!

I hope this is of some help to you and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me...!:wink:

Cheers
George

 

[Wildman]

I would cut into pen blanks now. You want to see what you have, mixture of good and spalted wood okay. You can end seal and let hang out for few months.

Combination of spalted and heartwood/sapwood can add interesting contrast to your pens. May need to use little CA glue while turning to prevent tear out. Some folks get spalted wood stabilized.

Spalting caused by fungi and moisture longer both present wood rots. Take away moisture spalting stops. If those logs been laying on the ground for more than one year, wood could be useless. Dust from spalted wood not good whether sawing or turning.

 

[LandfillLumber]

Seal the ends of the logs cut into boards and sticker them in the shade.Also you need a cover to keep rain off and some heavy weight to keep the boards from cupping.Good Luck,Victor

 

[LandfillLumber]

If you cut boards they can always be cut down to pen stuff so think about that you may want a piece of it for a pen stand or something bigger.Victor

 

[azamiryou]

Thanks for the tips. I think maybe I'll cut them into planks for drying, then pen blanks later. Who knows, maybe I'll decide to use some of it for a box or something.

Here are some photos. The biggest one is about 8 or 9 inches in diameter, and about 12 inches long. (My friend chopped it up with firewood, not woodworking, in mind.)

I'm wondering if I should leave them out on the ground for a while for additional spalting. If there are one or two "threads" visible on the cut ends, is it likely there's not much spalting inside yet? If I do leave them out on the ground, is it better to have one of the cut ends down, or have them laying on their sides? Any idea how long to leave them out? (Mid-Atlantic coast region - pretty warm and humid this time of year)

And I know it's hard to tell from looking at rough logs, but if anyone has a guess on the species I'd love to hear it. (There were no leafy bits around to assist in identification.)

Thank you!

(Click photo to go to album for larger size.)

 

[Wildman]

End checking at pith and radial splitting; better start doing something with that wood before critters and more rot gets it. Until you open up those log will never know how much usable wood you have. If you really want, more spalting just leave logs on the ground outside for another six months.

 

[bitshird]

You really need to seal them and stop the checking at the pith, that will cost you a lot of wood.

 

[keithkarl2007]

If you put them in a refuse bag on their own they will continue to spalt. Just check them regularly and turn the bag inside out every time you do so. You don't want them to go too far or it will become too punky to use

 

[azamiryou]

Perhaps a silly question, but I am a beginner at handling fresh wood: after I've cut it and sealed the ends, will it continue to spalt if not dried?

 

[Wildman]

Spalt Your Own Lumber: Nutrient Supplements for Spalted Wood (e.g. beer)

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item...nutrient-supplements-for-spalted-wood-eg-beer

If you are wild about spalted wood check out this article.
http://utoronto.academia.edu/documents/0106/5179/materials-02-00062.pdf