[bzcarvn]

Can anybody give me some advice on air drying some tulip poplar logs? I had a tree cut down and saved two nice logs, 6 feet long and 2 feet diameter. How can I best limit checking and cracking? Should I let the bark on?

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

whatever I cut, I coat the ends with parafin wax,.or you can use an expensive manufactured coating "anchorseal".....I have only had some smaller sections of tulip poplar, but when they were very dry the bark came off easy, can't say what a full size stick or log would do?

[artolver]

aside from the coated ends
It also helps to keep it cool and dry and stickered.
Up north anyhoo....art

[bzcarvn]

Thanks for the help. I have some anchorseal ordered and I do live up north anyhoo, PA, very near Fox Chapel's home in East Pete to be exact. I shall keep them cool and dry under a big pine tree and hope for the best. If they don't dry half decent, I guess I'll just cut 'em up for fire wood. When I retire in a couple a years, I hope to make some Indians out of them.

[Hugh]

It also helps to stand the logs on end. Put something on the ground to keep the log out of the mud, and stand it up. An article published about this method, suggested a ridge pole, and stand the lumber or logs against the ridge pole. They dry nicely that way.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

funny you should say that Hugh, I cut a large limb off a mexican redbud, saved it because the wood is beautiful and thought I would use it for turning pens...but it was too big to put in the shop to dry and didn't want to lay it on the ground for the critters to eat it, so I stood it on end and leaned it against a tree and put a large flat rock under it......very glad to hear from you that it works! I just did it out of necessity ha ha