Question from a rookie on the block

Murray Skinner · #1 08-13-2008, 11:33 PM

I'm a wanabe new carver, about to embark on what I anticipate will be a rewarding passtime.

I have just felled a large (failing) basswood tree on my property.

I have milled it into two 10 foot pieces, each 16 inches wide by 4 inches thick. These are intended as the top of a new bar which I would like to build in my basement.

In addition I have milled planks and blocks to carve.

My question is "how long should this wood cure before i either finish the bar top or carve the other pieces?"

I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks,
Murray

Claude · #2 08-14-2008, 12:04 PM

The general rule of thumb is one year per inch of thickness...

Claude

Murray Skinner · #3 08-14-2008, 01:46 PM

Thanks Claude.
Yikes, that takes some patience to wait for wood to cure.
I'm glad I'm starting carving at a relatively young age!
Murray

Claude · #4 08-14-2008, 09:04 PM

Well, if you know anyone with access to some free lengths of the large PVC pipes you see alongside freeway construction sites ( the 12 -16 inch diameter ones), you could build your own drying kiln. Put the wood inside, install a valve in the side, put a small fan and maybe a heater in the pipe, then seal the ends, pull a partial vacuum on it via the valve, and your could speed the process up to taking maybe a week or so. Never had the money, time, place, or materials to try this, personally....

Claude

Donna_T · #5 08-17-2008, 12:16 AM

Is it northern or southern basswood? It won't make any difference in how long it will take to cure, but it could make lots of difference in how easy it carves. The farther north it grew, the easier it is to carve.
Donna T

squbrigg · #6 08-17-2008, 09:42 AM

Don't forget to seal the ends to prevent checking and stack it for good air flow.

Bob

Hi_Ho_Sliver · #7 08-17-2008, 09:54 AM

I think I would question whether basswood is tough enough for a bar top, it dents pretty easily......maybe with a really tough epoxy "bar top" type finish?

RussL. · #8 08-17-2008, 11:06 AM

There are several internet sites dedicated to home-built wood drying kilns.

After our recent basement flooding and the installation of industrial dehumidifiers and blowers in my basement for 147 consecutive hours (110*F ambient air temp.!) I stuck a few green basswood planks that were 1" thick and from 4' to 10' long and 10" wide down there to take advantage of the situation.

After just 48 hours I had reduced the moisture content from 22+% (the upper limit of my pin wood moisture meter) to anywhere from 18% on the 10 footers to 14% on the shortest 4' piece (which had also had a bit of the thickness planed off, too).

Not bad for just 48 hours...

Russ

susieq · #9 08-17-2008, 11:32 AM

Murray,
everyone who has posted so far has given you an important fact to think about. Where are you? What part of the country? Southern basswood is pretty crappy.....I know from experience. I bought a bunch of it in North Carolina. 100 board feet of it, still green. It was a dollar a board foot. Some of it was over 6" thick. I hauled it home to Florida and coated the ends, pegged the pieces as I stacked them to allow air to circulate between the pieces, ran an electric fan on them for the first couple of weeks and waited for several years. What a waste of my time that was. Southern basswood is very crumbly. You take a gouge to it and it falls apart. Cold climates make for better basswood. I ended up burning most of that batch in our woodburning stove over several winters... (yes, we heat with a stove even though we are in Florida)

Also, was this tree already dead when you felled it? If so, for how long? It might be partially dried already. Also, even if it is good basswood, it won't be real hard surface, maybe not the best for a bar top. Might be real nice for carved details on other parts of the bar.

So, depending on where you live, this wood may or may not even be worth your time. You have to decide that. Then you should think about the other stuff.
best wishes

Mottles · #10 08-17-2008, 12:52 PM

Hi Murry, I can't help you with your query, but sure can welcome you to the Boards. Good luck, with your bar top I have to wonder too if Basswood is the right wood also? Hey even if it isn't you sure have a lot of carvings to create from that wood. Like most of us we have to buy our Basswood, your already a head in both cost and quanity.
Let us know what you decide, we also love WIP's
Kathy