Painting the ends of slabs

[Chooks74]

Hey, can anybody tell me how soon after slabbing a piece of timber should be painted? Is 48 hours too late?

And what do you paint the end of the slab with, would varnish do or is there something special and where would I find it if so?

Cheers

[BobL]

Hey, can anybody tell me how soon after slabbing a piece of timber should be painted? Is 48 hours too late?

And what do you paint the end of the slab with, would varnish do or is there something special and where would I find it if so?

Cheers

Best time is as soon as it is cut and you can get to it, don't even wait for the next cut!
RE:Is 48 hours too late?
No, but cracks have probably already started so you should expect more cracks in that slab.

RE; What to use
I use old acrylic house paint, - the goopier the better. Minimum of two coats - usually 3
There are end sealer out there but my experience is that they not do any better than house paint.

[bobsreturn2003]

i paint mine with endsealer or paint several times before i slab soon as the ends are square or cut properly. then i slab it , may be some days before i get to it .if im carrying logs home . its a lot easier . cheers bob

[BobL]

Sorry - it wasn't clear in my original post. When I said paint the ends as soon as it is cut - I mean paint the end of the fallen log as soon as it is fallen and even before you make the other cuts on the trunk. Then if you recut the ends of the logs while slabbing you should seal the ends again as soon as they are cut.

[Chooks74]

Thanks, good info.

[HappyHammer]

What kind of timber is it?

HH.

[Chooks74]

Will be spotted gum. Has been on the ground for a while so will loose a bit from the exposed end as is.

[Sigidi]

Keith Spotty doesn't split too much, but make sure you weigh the daylights out of your stack, once the log is slabbed.

Who you got doing the slabbing? or ya doing it yourself?

[Chooks74]

Doing it myself, borrowed alaskan mill off weisy.

[weisyboy]

i normaly mill the whole log and as i stick and stack it i paint the ends and a brush width up the log also any bad nots and braches in the wood.

i use end grain sealer i buy it in 4lt tins from woodturning supplies i get it fairly cheep. and they corrier it to me.

i have a spear tin here if you want it or i can take some out if ya only want a bit.

wil see you on sat anyway.

[Calm]

I'm likje Weisyboy i usually slab the whole log and seal it as i load te trailer and touch it up again as i sticker it to dry. I try to do it within an hour or so of slabbing it.

[weisyboy]

o yer most logs should be sealed when felled also to stop them opening up from the end.

spotty should not split mutch but as sidigi said stack it and weight it down heavilyn as it will cup to buggery when threw sawn, good wood to quatersaw thow offers ittle problems.

[Sigidi]

I have end grain sealer and buy it in 20 litre tins for about $85 and have to admit have still got the can if anyone wants 5litres at cost price and freight I'd be happy to send it to ya?

While I'm on that, what are you guys around Brissy paying for saw chain? 3/8 chain oregon I get up here for 40 cents a drive tooth, I recall being in brissy and needing a chain, but having to pay nearly twice as much for it as I normally pay up here...

[weisyboy]

gday

i can buy a 25ft roll of 3/8 skip for $125

otherwise it csts me $45 per 25" loop

[natural edge]

I have end grain sealer and buy it in 20 litre tins for about $85 and have to admit have still got the can if anyone wants 5litres at cost price and freight I'd be happy to send it to ya?

While I'm on that, what are you guys around Brissy paying for saw chain? 3/8 chain oregon I get up here for 40 cents a drive tooth, I recall being in brissy and needing a chain, but having to pay nearly twice as much for it as I normally pay up here...
$505 100 ft of stihl 404 semi cheisel only stuff to buy