Thread: splits and checks

Rory, you'd probably have gotten more responses if you'd posted in the 'timber' or 'small timber milling' section.

You seem to be doing all the right things, i.e. sealing the ends and not allowing too rapid drying. I don't have any experience with the species you are cutting so can't offer any useful suggestions. I see you are in a pretty dry part of the country, so drying is apt to be rapid whatever you do. Also some trees are full of internal stresses & faults & just won't observe the rules whatever you do with them.

In this part of the country, a decent-sized hardwood log won't dry out much at all if left lying in the log, & needs to be treated as if it were green wood (which you seem to have done). I've cut up quite a few trees that have been down for years, and am always surprised at how 'wet' they can be from just a couple of inches below the surface, which is good in one way, it makes life much easier for the saw!. However, because the outer few inches have been through numerous rapid drying/wetting cycles, they are often heavily checked. They look ok when first cut, but even with careful drying, they can open up quite badly & unpredictably.
Sawing up old logs can be a lotto in many ways!

Cheers,

Rory70; Welcome to the forum.

Not able to advise on your situation but what I have read previously on this forum seems that you are doing what others are doing.

Take a look in this sub-forum and post similar question there.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f106-timber