[bckskin2]

I cut some brush out of my fense row. I would like to save some of the big pieces to make spoons. How can I stop checking? I know there are commercial products, but they are expensive.
Jerry

[davidinsarasota]

I usually remove the bark and dip the ends in melted wax. Keep it out of direct sun and in a humid area at first.

[Clifford_Parker]

Dip the ends in melted wax or latex paint, stack them with sticker sticks for spacing and let them dry for a few months.

David,

I lived in Ft. Meyers for three years. Do you even HAVE a non-humid space down there? LOL

[makinchips]

Jerry,

I would think that you could just carve em now. You're making spoons which, for the most part, are pretty thin and uniform. There isn't going to be much stress built up to cause cracking.

However, I would suggest that when you start carving a spoon, do it in one or two sittings or until you have it roughed out to the point that the thickness is even.

Wood turners use this technique all the time. They rough out their bowls to a uniform thickness and and set them on a shelf to finish drying and then do their finished turning. Saves a lot of time and it reduces, yes reduces, the chance of checking.

I'd actually put the ones you are going to carve later, into water to keep em wet (bark removed).

Hope this helps,

Joe,

Make Chips!