[meipo]

The company I work for has taken down a large wild cherry tree. I am allowed to take some logs to play with. There are some small ones from the branches (about 4" in diameter) and some really large ones from the trunk.

:
1/ How should I prepare them so that they are ready to be carved?
2/ The bark on some of the logs are quite smooth and nice. Is it possible to peel it off for carving?
3/ We also have some sassafras. Is it a carvable type? There are a bunch of trees got taken down, I just have to ask what else is there.

Thanks in advance for advice.

meipo

[Just Carving]

Seal the ends as quickly as possible so they won't crack. I think a coat of clear paint or wood sealer will suffice but wait and see what others here say to use. I know they will crack because I have a few unsealed logs from my trees laying on a bench in my carport, and they cracked. You might even be able to put a piece of plastic over the end with a rubber band or piece of string, too.

The bark might split and peel/unravel from the ends as is happening with one of my logs now.


BTW--4" means 4 years of patiently waiting! But, the cherry carves real nice--better than basswood or poplar.

[Kenny_S]

Anything that seals can be used on the ends. I use paraffin and I have used paint, but several coats as the ends tend to soak paint up.

[AlArchie]

The best way to handle that is to get it to someone with a small mill, if there is someone like that near you. Usually these small operators will charge you a minimal amount to cut the logs to dimensions you want, or maybe even for free in exchange for some of the wood.

As far as how to mill it, I'd ask it to be sawn to the thickest piece you want, right across the center. Then cut the center out of that piece. That will give you 2 nice quartersawn pieces. You can now have them saw the rest up into quartesawn pieces, that will be progressively smaller. You might think this is wasteful, but it will yield you the best possible wood from the log. No need to keep that "pithy" section unless you want to play with it. Now seal the ends and put it away to cure.

Depending on how large diameter you are dealing with, you should be able to collect at least two 4" thick pieces with the width being only 1 or two inches less than the diameter. If the tree is larger, you may even salvage two six inch thick pieces and several full 4/4 boards and maybe even some 5/4.

If you haven't got a mill near that will handle this, you can rip those to rough size with a chainsaw and some patients. Getting rid of that central pith will save a LOT ov checking. But be sure to seal the ends!

Al

[meipo]

Thanks so much, everybody, for your advice and help. Since I have never done this before, I just have to ask:

1/ When you say paraffin, is it the same or similar thing as paraffin in candles? So, can I burn a candle and drip on the end of the logs?
2/ Otherwise, where do I buy paraffin and how do you apply it onto the logs?
3/ Do I just leave the bark on as the wood cures?
4/ If I know someone with a band saw, do you think we can mill the logs down with a band saw? And can that be done while the log is still moist and fresh now?
5/ Bob: Given what you said about 4"=4 years, if I get a log that is 1' in diameter, does it mean it will take more than a decade for it to cure??
6/ If someone can mill the wood for me, apart from sealing the ends, anything I have to do with the other parts of the log or just let it be exposed?

I am sorry that your answers just bring more questions.

meipo

[Just Carving]

Good question! I've heard it said a number of times both here and elsewhere that it take a year per inch of growth for the wood to season. I guess that's why you should cut the wood up as soon as possible and seal the ends.

It kind of makes sense for carvers to do the same as the people who burn wood in their fireplaces. They get a load of wood, and then split and stack it so it is ready for use when the wood is seasoned. But the only thing is that the carvers need to be more particular since the quality of the finished carving may very much depend on the quality of the wood.

[squbrigg]

Good answer Bob....the principal is the same. To speed up the drying process, you can cut up the log into smaller billits/pieces and they will dry faster, just insure that the ends are sealed.

Stack the wood in a crisscross fashion so air circulated well, and don't allow your wood to sit on the ground or cement, put it up on scrap 2x4 or something like that, to keep the moisture from being absorbed into it and discoloring.

A heavy band saw with a resaw blade will cut it up fine, Meipo. I just cut up an tree with my Laguna and have it stacked drying. Great wood. I have some Cherry too, three sections of the trunk that a woodsworker gave me.

Bob

[AlArchie]

Meipo, to answer you questions,here's what I have found;

1.Regular paraffin wax is the same stuff as candles...well close enough,

2. You can also find parrafin in block form in the grocrey store or hardware store with canning supplies. It's easier to melt it down in a double boiler than to drip a candle onthe ends. It can be dangereous to heat it over direct heat as it is higly flamable when reaching it's flash point.

3. If you have the wood cut into stock size, you can leave the bark on, but may want to have that edge milled at the same time you have the log cut. If you plan on curing the whole log, I'd suggest you remove the bark to ease the drying process and to eliminate the "bug haven" that bark tends to provide. Also sometimes the bark will retain moisture and promote fungal growth. I've done it both ways, and sometimes it works out OK and sometimes it doesn't.

4. Bob is right, you can do that on a bandsaw with a re-saw blade, or the widest 3 tpi skip tooth blade your saw will handle. First you will probably have to rip that log to size with a chain saw, and cross cut it to a length you can handle. I've found that a 4 foot section is about as big as is practical. Without a rise block on your saw, you will most likely be limited to just under a 6" thick piece and only as wide as your saw's throat.

I made up a sled to handle the log on my bandsaw, so I lost 3/4" in thickness. Once you have two adjacent surfaces squared, you can just go to the rip fence on the saw.

Yes, you can do this while the wood is green.

5. That 1"=1 year formula is a guide. If you have shorter pieces than standard 8' or 10' lumber, that may shorten up a bit. Also you may be able to shorten the drying period by building a small solar kiln.....plans are available online, just Google "solar kiln". I haven't made one so I can't answer specifics.

Also I haven't been able to cure a log over 4" diameter without it splitting. Not saying it can't be done, but the probability of a crack is almost inevitable when drying a large full diameter log. Just check ANY log cabin....even poperly handled timbers are rift with cracks.

6. Once you have the material milled to the size you want, follow Bob's advice and stack it away for a while. Air circulation is critical. The pro's will "sticker" the wood while curing. This is simply putting 1/2" "stickers" or small strips of wood, like lath between the boards to allow for circulation. These are usually placed one to two feet apart. Use dry wood for stickers to prevent fungus growth and discoloration of the wood. Don't dry your wood indirect sunlight. A shady, well protected area where there is ample air circulation is best. Curing your carving wood is different than drying firewood in that it doesn't matter if firewood checks. In fact that is an indicator of properly cured firewood...lots of checks means dry wood, and they are only cutting the firewood into (usually) 16" lengths. Properly seasoned firewood is usually ready in one year; cut in the summer or fall and ready the following fall.

Hope this helps more than confuses. Just try and see what happens...worse case scenario you have firewood, and best you have some beautiful wood to carve. Odds are you will be carving!

One more thought.....if you use a bandsaw, get rid of the bark, FIRST. There is a lot of grit imbedded in bark and it will wreck your blade, you may even see occasional sparks! (the voice of experience)

They say; " Good judgement is the result of experience, and experience is the result of bad judgement!"

Al

[whitecree]

If leaving the log whole to season, remove the bark. Bark dries at a different rate than wood, and due to moisture transfer between the two during the srying process, can encourage cracking or checking.

Seal the ends. Any number of ways to do it. Paint, wax, tar (messy, and discolors the wood a bit) or even common household white glue. Dilute the glue about 30% with water for the first coat to help it penetrate. Once dry, add another coat or two of straight glue.


If at all possible, mill that wood down to something close to what you actually want to work with. Easier cutting while green than when seasoned.

[meipo]

Hello, my friends!

Again, thanks for all your input and advice. Here is a picture of a smaller log (easier for me to take home to take a photo).

If I understand what everybody says, I should remove the bark for the wood to dry. And then, I should also remove the center before drying, in addition to sealing the ends. Tell me: in the attached picture, is the center the entire part that is salmon color? And we are only harvesting the yellowish brown wood? If so, that is a lot of center even in the logs from the trunk! The part that is yellowish brown is at most 3" thick while most of the log is the center. The amount of flat board one can get out of it is not a lot. Am I understanding things correctly??

meipo