Thread: Seasoning circular sections...

Originally Posted by TasV

I was wondering if the wood was supported around the outside whether it would maybe minimise the radial splitting. I was thinking something like a framing clamp (without the corners) wrapped around the edge and tightened and then as it dried incrementally tightened further as it shrunk.

The sealer's a damned good idea, but I'm unsure about the strapping... it may be a like a strap around a balloon; pretty much useless. It won't stop star or radial shakes in the middle, but if your diligent about checking the tension regularly it may prevent it opening up like Charlsie's blackwood slab.

Even so, I suspect that internal stresses would build up in the timber, and as you (or your mate) start sanding the ends (top/bottom) to make it look presentable and thus thinning the slab, they'll be released in the form of a sudden *CRACK!!* (Woodturners become quite familiar those sort of stresses. )

Still, it's worth a go. You may be lucky and all you stand to lose is a bit of wood and some time...

Does kiln drying reduce the chances of splitting?

Good question! For milled boards, I'd say yes, as the drying process is carefully controlled. For end-grain slabs though... I may ask this same question in the Milling forum and see what they think, just for curiosities sake.

Originally Posted by charlsie

skew the bwood on the left was soaked to get tannins out the smaller wheel 60mm thick was just lying round the shed and your right a little epoxy would fill the fine. which bring me to another question. what type of fillers do you blokes use. i use a clear casting resin that you can color or leave clear.cost is $80.00 for four ltrs.

Clear casting resin.

I've thought about this a few times, while I don't think it is possible to prevent the radial splits what I would try is

1. Boiling the slabs. (this replaces a lot of the sap that's locked in the cells with clean water.) then try drying and see if they split. (this is an oldtime method of reducing degrade in timber)

2. Working on the basis that no matter what you do there will be some splitting, you may have to live with it. Dry the slabs and fill any drying splits with a black resin thus making a feature of the splits.

And... maybe some added salt would draw water out at the same time. One of my students, a boy in year 8 last year, has a medical condition where he accumulates lots of fluid in his wrist. He has to soak a bandage in epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) and wrap his hand in it to draw the moisture out through his skin (which too me doesn't make sense - it only absorbs water in what's called the anhydrous state which it ceases to be once dissolved in water (I'm a chemistry teacher) but that's what the DR ordered??? Maybe as the water in the bandage evaporates some of the hydrated salt becomes dehydrated and becomes rehydrated by drawing the water from his tissue??? Guessing...).

Originally Posted by charlsie

tasv dont mean to hijack your thread if you could keep enough pressure on the round while it dried i reckon you would have more of a chance to stop it splitting it's worth a go.

I doubt this will work. The reason it splits is because sapwood contains more moisture than the heart and so the sapwood shrinks more than the internal bits. You simply cant keep enough sapwood wrapped around the guts of the log. You can place a 1/2" thick steel strap around a log and keep tensioning it everyday and it can still split.

Originally Posted by charlsie

kiln drying if done properly should not split the wood .i made a rudementary one out of coolroom panel 2400mm x 800mm x800mm three 80 watt light globes in the bottom and a small fan at one end get to 55 degrees in summer

Kiln drying still splits an awful lot more timber than kiln users care to admit mostly because they use kilns for extra fast drying and just wear the losses due to splitting. What is needed for rounds is very slow drying so that is why folk place circular bits in water or under wet sawdust for a couple of years to reduce splitting. A farmer I know used to throw rounds into the shallow end of one of his dams in winter and dig them out two summers later - he reckons it used to work OK Even so, some species will split no matter what you do to them.

BTW I get 60ºC in my 6 x 2.4 x 2.4 m kiln (seatainer) without using any energy additional energy other than the sun. Is your cool room panel white? If so I would suggest painting it any dark colour and saving the cost of electricity. I doesn't matter if the kiln drops down in temp at night. CSIRO wood scientists reckon it's good for the timber and gives it a chance to relax and reduced splitting compared to a constant high temperature. Sort like lots of nudges rather than one constant push.

Originally Posted by TasV

And... maybe some added salt would draw water out at the same time. One of my students, a boy in year 8 last year, has a medical condition where he accumulates lots of fluid in his wrist. He has to soak a bandage in epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) and wrap his hand in it to draw the moisture out through his skin (which too me doesn't make sense - it only absorbs water in what's called the anhydrous state which it ceases to be once dissolved in water (I'm a chemistry teacher) but that's what the DR ordered??? Maybe as the water in the bandage evaporates some of the hydrated salt becomes dehydrated and becomes rehydrated by drawing the water from his tissue??? Guessing...).

Soaking green logs in seawater for a few months is supposed to reduce downgrade significantly. So the salt water concept is worth trying out.

Originally Posted by charlsie

tasv dont mean to hijack your thread if you could keep enough pressure on the round while it dried i reckon you would have more of a chance to stop it splitting it's worth a go.

No worries. As a complete newb. to the ways of wood seasoning/preparing I am keen to listen to EVERYTHING...

tasv i know its a bit late but i cut the split out und glued it back i havent put it through any machines ,thats why the join stands out plus i didnt cut very straight but it might give you some idea of what can be done
cheers charlsie

Joint the edges and that'll be one nice fish hanger.