Thread: Seasoning Timber before use...

Fruit woods (mostly the stone fruits) are very attractive timbers but by reputation they have a high moisture content and tend to split radially a lot when dryng. I recently had first hand experience of this with a log of ornmental plum wood which I recovered just after it had been cut down. I sealed the log ends but even so after 6 months multiple radial splits developed. I still cut the log up for small boards along the grain (cutting around the splits where possible) but intact rounds (or diagonals) across the grain might be very difficult to obtain from such timber. Worth saving the log for lengths of timber though. If you chainsaw down the middle of the log lengthways then I think this is supposed to help alleviate the shrinkage stresses. I loved the colour of the one I cut up but it unfortunately rot/borers/splits etc which meant the timber yield was pretty poor.

Seal the ends of the trunk MOST IMPORTANT

I would get the trunk cut into slabs, say 100mm thick, they say one inch a year to dry under cover.
Store with "stringers" between the slabs ( a piece of timber 25 X 25 every 500mm) to allow air flow

There are lots of woodies in the hills who would be happy to give you some advice.

Happy Chipping

Originally Posted by mannum3

Seal the ends of the trunk MOST IMPORTANT

I would get the trunk cut into slabs, say 100mm thick, they say one inch a year to dry under cover.

I presume this means to seal both ends of all the slabs? Probably a dumb question, but what does one seal such a cut with? I have a tin of pruning paint somewhere - is that the sort of thing, or would a coat of varnish (to be removed later of course) be a better option for the drying time.

Would slicing it up now improve my chances of avoiding splitting while drying?

Thanks for your valued input.

Originally Posted by pampelmuse

If you chainsaw down the middle of the log lengthways then I think this is supposed to help alleviate the shrinkage stresses.

I can do this, but it would feel a bit like running up the white flag before the battle has even begun.

If I did decide to make the potential cutting boards out of length wise slabs rather than rounds, then I presume I'd have to seal all sides that got cut - not just the ends? Would this be likely to give a better usable yield than slicing into rounds now as mannum3 has suggested?

Thanks to you also for the sharing of your wisdom

ROunds will split and there is nothing that you can do about it. The way those guys get rounds is to cut them, seal them and immediately put them under water, or underground in pit full of soaking wet sawdust and come back in a couple of years and then dry them very slowly. It takes years and even then the failure rate, not just from splits, but from rot fungus etc is high.

Originally Posted by pcal

I can do this, but it would feel a bit like running up the white flag before the battle has even begun.

If I did decide to make the potential cutting boards out of length wise slabs rather than rounds, then I presume I'd have to seal all sides that got cut - not just the ends?

Nope - just the ends will need sealing.

Would this be likely to give a better usable yield than slicing into rounds now as mannum3 has suggested?

Absolutely.

Nectarine wood is gorgeous and will be similar to an apricot tree I milled in 2007.
Look at the pics at the end of this thread https://www.woodworkforums.com/f14/ap...49/index2.html
Links to products that utilize this apricot log:
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f44/ap...handles-68190/
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f44/kn...70/#post697833
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f44/fl...51/index3.html

Diagonal cutting is not the way to go as splitting will be severe. Better to split the log with the grain. Make sure the ends are sealed on the log before you split or you will have to do every piece. Exterior waterbased household paint will do.

Hi pcal,
As warned, cutting a wood like Nectarine into rounds is begging it to turn into a pile of useless chips. Most woods have to split if dried in the round - the outside, more recently laid-down wood contains more water in its cell walls than the inner wood. So as they dry, these cells shrink more, & this sets up stresses that can only be relieved by splitting. Cutting down the middle allows some shrinking without excessive stress, & is enough for many woods, but some woods will still split quite a bit if only halved (She-oak!). A few woods are either compressible enough (Jacaranda & Camphor wood), or have a smaller cell-wall moisture gradient fromm inner to outer wood & can be dried in the round. You used to see lots of Mulga pieces dried in the round, & I presume that succeeds beaause of a small moisture gradient.

As BobL says, these sorts of woods are wonderful turning woods - you might do a lot better cutting it into turnable pieces, buying a small lathe, & going in for pens & pepper mills.

Cheers,

You can get log end sealer from most CALTEX servo's. They might have to order it in. It is a white liquid that turns into a wax when set.
Or, go to Bunnies and get some brushable duraseal. brush it on and let it dry.

Thanks guys for so much useful information.

Following up some contacts one of you pm'd me, I have the log now with a local guy who has a mill on his farm. It will be coming back in slabs to dry.

If any are interested, I'll attach some photos of the slabs once I get them back.

Originally Posted by pcal

Would this be likely to give a better usable yield than slicing into rounds now as mannum3 has suggested?

Oops. Sorry Mannum. Seems I misunderstood your post originally. I am slowly being educated however. Sorry for misquoting you....

Well, for better or worse, the log is milled into slabs.

Guess I'll just have to wait a couple of years to see what is still usable. Would standing it as pictured under my carport be OK? Perhaps wrapped in a tarp? I could shift it into the shed, but space is already at a premium...

Thanks to all who offered assistance.

Regards,

Pcal

Originally Posted by pcal

Well, for better or worse, the log is milled into slabs.
Guess I'll just have to wait a couple of years to see what is still usable. Would standing it as pictured under my carport be OK?

Not if the sun shines on the other side, the radiant heat will make a mess of it.
It would be far better laying down with "stickers" 3/4 or 1" strips of wood between the slabs about every 18" along the slab and then place some heavy weights on top

Perhaps wrapped in a tarp? [/QUOTE]
Not wrapped, it could go mouldy. If you want to store it outside you could cover it with something but make sure air can circulate between the slabs and but make sure sun doesn't strike it directly.

I could shift it into the shed, but space is already at a premium...
=

It can be stored outside but see above.

Looks like it was worth the effort. That colour looks spectacular. Hope it goes into something special.