[radrob]

I bought a load of blue atlas cedar a few weeks ago. Did my first carving with it last week and i am not sure what to do with it now? Its very green/wet.
What is the best way to finish green wood? Should i just let it set somewhere for a couple weeks,or months? Should i put the logs somewhere under a tarp till next year? Man is this stuff heavy. Is there anything that will seal it but let it breath? Probably not.

[makinchips]

A few questions.......sorry

How big is it? (the carving)

Is the pith in it? (the carving)

How big are the logs and do they have the bark on them?

That will help me give you an answer.

,

Joe

[Ashbys]

I like the wood grain. Good carving.

I will let the experts answer, there are a few things I have been told that will keeep it from checking , but I am interested in the answers you get. Then I will post again

Ash

[radrob]

The carving is a little over 2 feet log
I am not sure what the pith is,but it was cut out of a 18 in diamater log
They all have bark on them
I am afraid if i seal this carving it will rot from all that moisture in there or split wide open.

[brianh]

This is the basic procces I use for finishing, you will get cracks no matter what you do to some extent.

1 If the log is real wet I wait until the surface will easily burn with a torch.

If it is a carving that gets burning it gets it then.

2 I dissolve boric acid powder in hot water and spray it on with a garden sprayer let dry. Boric acid kills mold and mildew and wood loving bugs. It can be found in home centers usually called roach proof.

3 apply stain if needed then a seal coat, the seal coat is made up of thinned poly with linseed oil I find thinned coats soak in and do not peel off. the linseed keeps the finish from getting brittle. I usually apply 2 coats.

4 paint if any, I paint last to avoid the yellowing effect from the poly.

5 appy thompsons water seal I tell my customers to appy it twice a year for maintenence.

The finish will still breath but slows the drying process so cracking will be kept to a minimum and keep it out of the sun.

Put blocks under the carving to keep it off the ground.

Take the bark off the logs you have, bark is like a sponge and is a haven for bugs and rot.

[radrob]

Thanks brian!!
Should i mix the poly and linsead oil 50/50?

[makinchips]

First, this is not to contradict other methods of drying green wood but just a few basic facts that lead to wood cracking.

First, the pith is the center of the log which comprises the first few years of growth. Basically, wood cracks or "checks" because of the stress that builds up when the wood dries. Once the free water in the wood cells leaves, the cell walls themselves begin to dry. As the cell walls dry they begin to shrink. The outer layer of the log dries first because it's close to the surface. The inner wood dries much more slowly because the moisture has to go through the outer layers of wood which really slows the process down. Each different species of wood dries at different rates because of the different densities. (Kild dried lumber is dried under strict scheduals to allow the inner moisture to escape at a controlled rate to prevent checks.) In the case of a log, the outer layers dry and start to shrink around a core that is not shrinking as fast, so, because of that tension, the wood checks. (Sometimes quite severly)

So, what to do?

First, the only method to completely prevent checking is to use polyethelene glycol. The green wood is submerged in this stuff for weeks and it replaces the water in the wood and once it is used, it must be coated out to prevent the stuff from leaving and being replaced with moisture. This is juast not a practical solution for most shops.

So, to minimize checking there are a few things that can be done. 1st, always remove the bark.....this is easy if the log was cut in the spring or summer. (The cambium layer is active at this time)

Next, split the log in half, down the pith. As these halves dry the shrinking outer core pulls around the "wet" center and shrinks the half log without tension because it was split. You will see over time that the once flat surface of the split will get a ridge at the pith. These half logs should be placed in a dry spot that gets good air circulation and off the ground. Latex paint or wood glue can be applied to the end grain to reduce most checking there.

If you need the whole log, the best you can do is to control the location of the checks. (This method was used by the NW coast Indians on their totem poles) Using a chain saw or splitting wedges remove about 20-25% of the log......so there is a flat side. When the wood cracks, it will almost always crack at the weekest point so the large cracks should head to the flat spot. Put this face to the back of your carving or bottom in this particular carving.

Another method is to drill a large hole down the pith so the wood can dry from the inside out as well as from the outside in. The ship carvers often did this on their figure heads.

Lastly, and this is probly the fastest way, is to carve the wood green and then hollow out the center (from a location that can't be seen) This can be done on the carving showed above. A multi spur bit could be used here (this does not have to be neat...lol.

When is it dry? Weigh the piece on a regular basis with an accurate scale.....when it stops loosing weight, it's dry.

Bugs? If they are not already in the wood, don't worry about it.

Mold or fungus will only appear if the wood isn't drying fast enough so this is a tough call.

As I said at the top this is just some info that can be used in what ever process that you choose.

Hope this is helpful.......Remember,the "best" method is the one that works for you.

Joe,

Make Chips!

[brianh]

On the linseed poly mix. aprox 50%poly 25% thinner 25% linseed.


Getting the center of the log cut out is the best but not allways practical for bears and large carvings. I do cut a relief cut in the backs of bears it helps some.

On smaller carvings like my snakes I plunge up as far as my biggest chaisaw bar will go.

[radrob]

Thanks for all the info.
I cut a relief in the belly and tried the linseed poly thinner mix.
Here is a pic of it burnt and coated.