Phantom Scroller Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Hi All. Visited a friend to cut up some kindling wood for the pensioners in the area and notice this piece I think it's beech but not sure, So the question is what would you do to dry it out and reduce the splitting not forgetting it is soaked. This is beautiful it will be worth waiting for. Roly Lucky2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Don't worry about what to do with it just send it here.I actually drool when i see wood like this and want to cuddle it.the wheels rapidly turn on projectst i would like to make from it ,so worry not my friend ! Phantom Scroller 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Johnson Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Hi Roly No, send it my way. I am no expert in drying wood but I am thinking I would dry it in an even room temperature. That is a nice specimen so hopefully you receive some expert advice in drying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryEA Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Roly, that is beauty times two! There is nothing you can do to reduce the splitting. As the wood dries the fibers will separate. Some wood will naturally split less that others. The water takes up space and when it evaporates there is nothing replacing it, the wood shrinks. Sorry, best of luck. Larry Phantom Scroller 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldhudson Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 I've never done it but I've read that turners soak green wood in Polyethylene glycol (PEG) to prevent checking. There is a load of stuff about it on the internet. This link seemed pretty authoitative: http://owic.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/pubs/peg.pdf The other question is what to make with it that will preserve that great look.I was reading a recent issue of Woodsmith #210 and they had plans for a band saw vase that would make very good use of this special piece of wood. Nice find be sure to show us what you make. Phantom Scroller 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Roly, do you have any plans for it yet? If you plan to use slices, then I'd slice it now and have it stabilized. You can get stabilizing materials at Woodcraft. Basically it's a resin that you soak the wood in (it works best if it's in a vacuum chamber) and it will hold everything together. If you plan to use it for scrolling, the stabilizing will eat up your blades. Spalted wood is great for making pens. Phantom Scroller 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Scroller Posted January 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Roly, do you have any plans for it yet? If you plan to use slices, then I'd slice it now and have it stabilized. You can get stabilizing materials at Woodcraft. Basically it's a resin that you soak the wood in (it works best if it's in a vacuum chamber) and it will hold everything together. If you plan to use it for scrolling, the stabilizing will eat up your blades. Spalted wood is great for making pens. I don't have any plans at the moment but to just look at it, I think I'll paint both sides at the moment with a wood sealant and like it dry through the bark, Has any one tried melting wax candles and pouring it over the ends would that work not tried it, also someone said put it in a bin liner full of sawdust which would slow down the rate of drying. I don't know what to do for the best result ? Roly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Roy Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Hi Roly re you spalted timber. You could use PEG or many other methods which could be used. You're more or less in the lap of the Gods and pot luck into the bargain. If you're not in a hurry, put it outside somewhere dry and airy preferably off the ground and mother nature will do the rest. Just keep an eye on it as when it's damp the fungus will still be active but once it's dry the fungus is dead as the proverbial DODO. Hope this helps Roly. I tried this once in the MICROWAVE. The timber was passable, but my black eye took about three weeks to disappear. Rob Roy. Phantom Scroller 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 I don't have any plans at the moment but to just look at it, I think I'll paint both sides at the moment with a wood sealant and like it dry through the bark, Has any one tried melting wax candles and pouring it over the ends would that work not tried it, also someone said put it in a bin liner full of sawdust which would slow down the rate of drying. I don't know what to do for the best result ? Roly I would do exactly what you said. Paint the end grain with house paint and let it dry through the bark. I'd cover it loosely in a plastic garbage bag (loose enough to get some air), and then stick it in a dry cool place for a year or so. You might be able to get away with a few months, too. But I'd test it with a moisture meter before digging in. Not sure if you're a turner or not, but that would make a beautiful bowl. Phantom Scroller 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullyscroller Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Travis is correct in that i'd turn a bowl with it sully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Beautiful piece of wood. A friend gave me a few pieces that he uses to make pens. He only used paint. It worked fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryEA Posted January 11, 2014 Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 I'm back. About 10+ years ago I cut two 30" dia. 4" thick slabs of spalted maple. I followed advice and guidelines. LIghtly coated with poly, then strapped around the wood with metal banding. I put them in a unheated garage to dry. After two weeks the wood shrank enough that the banding fell off. At about two months, small cracks began to appear. I drilled 1/4 inch holes through the sides and glued dowels to try and reduce the splitting. As months passed I drilled more holes. After 5 years (no moisture guage) I deemed them dry enough. Wanted to use them for table tops. Used wood filler for the gaps. Within 6 months, the spalted wood had pulled away from the filler enough that some filler fell out. I may mess with it again someday. Thats my story and why I say you cannot stop it from having splits. Reduce them, YES, stop them, NO! In the picture, the black lines are fissures or cracks. Larry Phantom Scroller 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawdust junkie Posted January 11, 2014 Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 DROOL is all i can say....hmmmm maybe that would keep it from splitting LarryEA and Phantom Scroller 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Scroller Posted January 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) I would do exactly what you said. Paint the end grain with house paint and let it dry through the bark. I'd cover it loosely in a plastic garbage bag (loose enough to get some air), and then stick it in a dry cool place for a year or so. You might be able to get away with a few months, too. But I'd test it with a moisture meter before digging in. Not sure if you're a turner or not, but that would make a beautiful bowl. Thanks Everyone for you input and Travis, I've got some old varnish in a tin with lumps in, I'll coat it with that to save on my wood sealer. It's worth the wait. Roly PS I'm a wood turner as well and I'll saver every piece Edited January 11, 2014 by Phantom Scroller Travis 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Scroller Posted January 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 I'm back. About 10+ years ago I cut two 30" dia. 4" thick slabs of spalted maple. I followed advice and guidelines. LIghtly coated with poly, then strapped around the wood with metal banding. I put them in a unheated garage to dry. After two weeks the wood shrank enough that the banding fell off. At about two months, small cracks began to appear. I drilled 1/4 inch holes through the sides and glued dowels to try and reduce the splitting. As months passed I drilled more holes. After 5 years (no moisture guage) I deemed them dry enough. Wanted to use them for table tops. Used wood filler for the gaps. Within 6 months, the spalted wood had pulled away from the filler enough that some filler fell out. I may mess with it again someday. Thats my story and why I say you cannot stop it from having splits. Reduce them, YES, stop them, NO! In the picture, the black lines are fissures or cracks. Larry Thanks Larry it's a large bottle of super glue them .lol Roly LarryEA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clayton717 Posted January 11, 2014 Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 very nice looking chunk of wood. it would make a very nice looking bowl. Phantom Scroller 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Beasley Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 If you don't dry the wood completely the moisture will disrupt the stabilizing by pushing the resin back out as it turns to vapor when you cook it to cure the resin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm161 Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) Hi Roly, I wondered if you ever moved forward on the spalted beech you were considering a year ago. It is a wood that I am particularly fond of and have used it several times to make my bandsaw boxes. I happened to get hold of a second lot of slabs (24" x 12" x 1") the other day, completly dry and ready to use, to add to my store and saw a post about spalted beech for breadboards and the thought of the spalting being a problem. That led me to this posting. This is what I recently bought Malcolm Edited January 20, 2016 by Malcolm161 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Scroller Posted January 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Hi Roly, I wondered if you ever moved forward on the spalted beech you were considering a year ago. It is a wood that I am particularly fond of and have used it several times to make my bandsaw boxes. I happened to get hold of a second lot of slabs (24" x 12" x 1") the other day, completly dry and ready to use, to add to my store and saw a post about spalted beech for breadboards and the thought of the spalting being a problem. That led me to this posting. This is what I recently bought Spalted Beech slabs Jan 2016 R.jpg Malcolm Mal funny you should say that I forgot about it a year ago, I have various logs drying out in my workshop I'll check them out the weekend they're buried under a load of rubbish in bags.Thanks for reminding me. Roly sawdust junkie and Malcolm161 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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