Thread: Drying Banksia

The only other thing to do is split them down the heart to avoid the BIG cracks and cross your fingers .
When you say covered, we're not talking plastic sheeting or something laid over them I hope - work in mild climates with some timber but most of the time it just creates a sauna situation - gotta have air space around them

I have had good luck with timber off the stump by roughing, then soaking a couple of weeks in 50 - 50 hand dish washing detergent and water, drain and wrap in many layers of newspaper and let dry.

If not split through the pith / center, almost everything will crack and check.

You might also do a search in Google about "boiling bowls". The turner claims 100% success if followed to the letter.

Also do a search on drying wood for turning etc. There is much discussion available.

All you can do is your best. Split, seal, store.

Split the log along the heart. If you are lucky, the heart will be off centre and you get more usable timber on one side. I use the heart timber for stickers
Seal all over with mobilizer, oil based paint, water base paint, watery pva glue. I leave the bark on, as I believe this helps, but others will have their own views.
Store in a cool airy place out of direct sun light. Southern side of the shed under tin, stickered.

I finally looked at a nice hunk of Silky last weekend 300w*100t, I last looked at it in 08 before storing in the wood shed, turned the outside and put it on a bench for this week. It's now in the bin as it developed major splits, thus thrown in the bin in disgust. I'll look at it again later today, but I think it'll go into the burn pile

Originally Posted by Pat

All you can do is your best. Split, seal, store.

Split the log along the heart. If you are lucky, the heart will be off centre and you get more usable timber on one side. I use the heart timber for stickers
Seal all over with mobilizer, oil based paint, water base paint, watery pva glue. I leave the bark on, as I believe this helps, but others will have their own views.
Store in a cool airy place out of direct sun light. Southern side of the shed under tin, stickered.

I finally looked at a nice hunk of Silky last weekend 300w*100t, I last looked at it in 08 before storing in the wood shed, turned the outside and put it on a bench for this week. It's now in the bin as it developed major splits, thus thrown in the bin in disgust. I'll look at it again later today, but I think it'll go into the burn pile

You heathen time you had lessons in "So nature has taken it course how can I the master of nature show it at its best"

I understand your sentiments of frustration Wheelim, BUT experience tells me that what
has been said, and therefore what I do not have to say, is correct!

Originally Posted by wheelinround

You heathen time you had lessons in "So nature has taken it course how can I the master of nature show it at its best"

Mother Nature decides on what's going to work . . . and I have 10 other blanks on the floor ready to roll. Someone reorganised his woodshed last week and found a pile of rough turned blanks

Hi All,

I'm completely knew to all this so please help.
I believe Jay's Banksia timber is probably from my tree that feel on Thursday. This timber is lovely and we desperately wanted it to go with people who were making things from timber. To see it mulched or used as firewood would have been a crime in our eyes. We have contacted woodworking groups in the hope that our tree that we loved lives on in other forms; where people have managed to successfully dry the timber and make lovely items from it. I have my fingers crossed that it works out for you and others that have this timber from your group.

We have retained the trunk portion of this main bough that fell which is in full sun as there would be no way of moving it without a crane. We are hoping to find someone to slab it for us and will post in another section of these forums to hopefully find someone with the right equipment.
In the meantime we have the same issue as Jay; how to seal the big pieces we have kept to prevent cracking.
I have had a product called End Sealer made by Carba-tec recommended to me. It is Cup Day on Tuesday here in Melbourne and many places close on Monday to take a 4 day weekend. I will check in the morning but am doubtful whether Carba-tec will be open before Wednesday.
Does anyone know other places that might sell this product or equivalent products we could use. My believe is that leaving sealing till Wednesday will be too late.

We have owned this tree for 23 years. It was on the significant tree register and was thus pretty special to us. A third fell down and the arborists had to reduce the remaining tree by 60% due to the danger of the rest falling from weight, imbalance and the gaping wound in the trunk. We are giving it a go but it may not survive. We very much want to have something made from the tree bough that we've kept and will only get one chance at getting this right, although I know even with the best sealants cracking is still an issue. Recommendations re where we can buy Carba-tec End Sealant or equivalent sealants until we can get it slabbed would be much appreciated.

Originally Posted by bcasey

In the meantime we have the same issue as Jay; how to seal the big pieces we have kept to prevent cracking.
I have had a product called End Sealer made by Carba-tec recommended to me. It is Cup Day on Tuesday here in Melbourne and many places close on Monday to take a 4 day weekend. I will check in the morning but am doubtful whether Carba-tec will be open before Wednesday.
Does anyone know other places that might sell this product or equivalent products we could use. My believe is that leaving sealing till Wednesday will be too late.

Hi

I spoke to you on the phone.

In regards to sealing it, normal house paint will do the trick, 2 or 3 coats on each end.

Did you have any luck with the number I gave you?

Hi DJ,

I did phone the person but they have a lot of timber in hand would wouldn't be interested in the share arrangement I was hoping for where I got a slab and they got the rest for their own purposes. He could do the work but he felt to come this far would be a full day's work and the cost quoted is just not a viable option for us, especially after the bill from needing to bring much of the remaining tree down. He is also away until Wednesday. He was very nice on the phone did phone someone else that had done something similar to us but they were moving and also not an option. He suggested I send him some photos which I may do when I get a chance but from what he tells me even on the occasions that he has done such an arrangement, he gets the prime piece. The bough that dropped is in full sun. It would take a crane to shift it so we need to move quickly. The person who's number you gave me suggested possibly posting on these forums in the hope of finding someone with either and artisan's saw or a mobile lucas saw who was more an enthusiast/hobby person where a share arrangement might work well. I was just looking at doing this. Is this particular forum section the best one to post in re this?

Re paint. Have been reading a lot today. Should this be an oil based paint? I am happy to buy whatever paint is the most suitable given it is not something I have on hand anyway. Would hate to lose my timber over a few $ saving on a poor choice of paint.

Originally Posted by Pat

................. I leave the bark on, as I believe this helps, but others will have their own views.
..............

I agree the bark does help regulate the drying process but in many species it also causes blue-stain (eg: Hoop-pine) and mould. I love my acacias for their strong contrast between sap and heart wood but leaving the bark on even Mulga will cause the entire sapwood to go that horrible grey-green colour These days, if it comes off easy enough, I go ahead and remove it unless I know it will stay put and particularly want the bark for effect.

Originally Posted by bcasey

Re paint. Have been reading a lot today. Should this be an oil based paint? I am happy to buy whatever paint is the most suitable given it is not something I have on hand anyway. Would hate to lose my timber over a few $ saving on a poor choice of paint.

Water based paint is fine, you can put thicker and more coats on in a few hrs.

I'll have a chat to another guy I know, he'll be probably be happy to take the log, mill it and return a portion of it, if you agree to contribute towards the cost of getting it picked up. Can you send some photos to my phone with measurements or upload here.

I have milled a couple of Banksia Grandis and I couldn`t prevent it from splitting but being such a large tree there was plenty of usable wood between the splits for me not to worry about the process . however I have thought that maybe putting plenty of strapping as well as slowing the drying process might help.

Thanks for your call and assistance DJ. Really appreciated.
Hopefully in a year or so we will have something lovely made with the timber of our special tree.