[Greg Salata]

Hello, new guy here.

I have been a woodworker for years and just getting into carving.
I am in the process of cutting down a butternut tree approx 22" in diameter.

I will have much of the main log milled into lumber for woodworking but also some for carving.

A few questions

Any suggestions as to sizes for milling?
How much should I save?
Limb wood? Should I split pieces for drying? Save what sizes?

I have the entire tree and do not want to waste it if it is worth saving.

Thanks for helping a new guy.

Greg

[wade clark]

Greg,
Many of us prize butternut for carving! Very nice carving wood. I bought some pieces off ebay a couple years ago, but the supply seems to have dried up. There have been several people posting on here that they can't find any in the last year or more. I agree with you, save all of it you can!
As to size of milling, it'll dry better thinner, such as 1" to 2" thick. I'd be prone to saving larger pieces and sealing them in Anchorseal, a water-soluable wax.
Probably the smart way to do it is cut it into 2" or less thicknesses and take it to be dried in a kiln. Then glue up blocks if you want to carve bigger carvings. This way eliminates a lot of problems. It depends some on whether you are just killing time carving or creating something that it really matters that it not check, like a decorative piece on a fine cabinet.
If you like to carve small things, I'd seal pieces down to 6" diameter and put them away to play with later.
You might also look for long pieces that could be carved into walking sticks.
Butternut's great to carve, so enjoy yourself!
Wade

[Kenny_S]

Lucky!!!!!!!!!

[squbrigg]

Butternut.....save all the tree for carving wood, it is the best! A wood canker has been devistating the Butternut in the US for years now and supplies are dwindling. I hope you find your tree sound when you cut it up.

Cutting it up, as Butternut is best used for carving and not furnature making, keep that in mind. Thicker billits would take longer to dry, but will be better for carving. Seal all the ends as soon as possible and then again after milling, and stack the wood properly with spaces between each layer for air circulation. Some scrap 1X3 works well.

As for sizes, talk to your milling operator, and he can advise you how to get the maximum out of the tree, but it all should be good carving wood, I use every scrap of Butternut I get, right from the biggest slabs I can find for relief carving, to the small 1" x 1" pieces I've been carving baby mice out of! Don't waste antthing!

Of course, if you don't like it, you can always send it to me!!! I'll take real good care of it for ya!!! LOL

Bob

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I would have a mess around my house, cuz i doesnt thro nuttin' away! lol....even a piece of limb 1 to 1 1/2" makes a carving...geez, a whole tree!

[Greg Salata]

Here is a pic of the tree.
Should limb pieces be split split down the center to aid in drying?

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I would cut all up to size and coat the ends with anchorseal if it was mine, but thats my opinion, in fact I would do that and let it sit for quite some time before I even sent it to the mill! again imho! splitting it will give more surface to dry faster and also crack...geez what a great pile of butternut...you are fortunate!

[wade clark]

It looks like it has a good start on drying! Isn't that dead bark flaking off? If the tree's been dead long enough to lose that much bark, it may be relatively dry. In which case, it's not going to be prone to significant splitting as it finishes drying. I'd say that's close to a perfect scenario!
Save anything that's not rotten. Maybe even dig the root up, pressure wash it and leave it around to carve someday.
Wade