Working with unseasoned wood slices? Advice please..

**curiosity22** · 26th August 2015, 08:16 PM

Hey G'day people,

Several days ago I had the opportunity to do a 3d relief with a small piece of seasoned timber, just some nice pine I believe it is. Size about 18 x 16 cm. Pic included.
Finished with some Cedar Oil. Two coats with rag.

trial.JPG

Job turned out ok, not perfect, I had issues with the Z axis coupler - cheap spring loaded one which was not working as intended, (has been replaced).
I had never worked with a slice before with bark still around the piece and I think it looks Mickey Mouse!! I like it - so I've gone hunting found someone reasonably local and purchased some more slices.

50cm diam 4 cm thick some 30/40cm diam slices 3 cm thick etc. Red gum - white gum - pine.. But they are not seasoned.

I've never worked with unseasoned wood particularly slices, just wondering can it be used unseasoned to do a relief and then let it dry or put it on a backing of some sort. Should I let it dry?

If I need to let it dry out, bring it in the house where its warm or leave it outside with some spacers between the slices and let it air dry. This process is a long process short process - I havent got a clue, is there perhaps a formula K x X = days required to season?

Absolutely clueless.. looking forward to be educated.

Cheers,
Steve

**curiosity22** · 28th August 2015, 03:06 PM

Nobody going to venture advice huh

...

**cray-** · 28th August 2015, 05:18 PM

I hazard to say that any issues working unseasoned timber would not be specific to CNC but woodworking in general. You might get a better response from the Timber subforum: https://www.woodworkforums.com/f14

Good luck.

**curiosity22** · 28th August 2015, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by cray-

I hazard to say that any issues working unseasoned timber would not be specific to CNC but woodworking in general. You might get a better response from the Timber subforum: https://www.woodworkforums.com/f14

Good luck.

I'll try that with thanks, I've never used unseasoned wood with my cnc thought someone else might have.

cheers,

Steve

**cray-** · 28th August 2015, 07:13 PM

My guess is that if there is too much moisture in the timber it could gum up in your bit and cause excessive heat, rather than clear solid chips.

You might also risk the piece cracking when it drys, but I'm no expert so take it with a grain of the proverbial.

**RustyArc** · 28th August 2015, 09:07 PM

Unfortunately, it simply won't work. Unless the green timber is *very* solidly fixed, it'll twist and warp as it dries, and it'll tend to check and crack.

I know this because I tried CNC routing some bowls out of green timber - they looked great after the finishing passes, but trying to dry them both using the microwave in the first instance, and then naturally with a heavy weight on top to try and hold their shape, the uneven contraction of the wood distorted the piece, and cracks started at some edges.

**curiosity22** · 28th August 2015, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by RustyArc

Unfortunately, it simply won't work. Unless the green timber is *very* solidly fixed, it'll twist and warp as it dries, and it'll tend to check and crack.

I know this because I tried CNC routing some bowls out of green timber - they looked great after the finishing passes, but trying to dry them both using the microwave in the first instance, and then naturally with a heavy weight on top to try and hold their shape, the uneven contraction of the wood distorted the piece, and cracks started at some edges.

Rusty hey g'day,

Thank you for your reply, you've said the magic words for me, you have tried and it didn't work good enough for me.

All I need now is to work out how long to dry the current slices I have before using them. They are about 50cm diam by 4/5 cm thick.

Cheers,

Steve
Thank you to everyone else who have taken time to reply - much appreciated

**SawDustSniffer** · 29th August 2015, 09:30 AM

seasoning takes about 1 year per inch of thickness

**RustyArc** · 29th August 2015, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by curiosity22

All I need now is to work out how long to dry the current slices I have before using them. They are about 50cm diam by 4/5 cm thick.

If they're cross-cuts of a log, you really need to seal the cut surfaces well otherwise you'll get cracks forming - a couple of coats of paint should do the job. It'll have the effect of slowing the drying, but that's better than having unusable material.

**elanjacobs** · 30th August 2015, 02:31 AM

Originally Posted by SawDustSniffer

seasoning takes about 1 year per inch of thickness

I thought that was only for boards, not endgrain slices

**RustyArc** · 30th August 2015, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

I thought that was only for boards, not endgrain slices

A cross-cut slice will potentially dry a lot faster than a board, but if allowed to do so will very likely form cracks, hence why I recommend thoroughly sealing all exposed end grain.

**Toymaker Len** · 31st August 2015, 11:31 AM

It is almost impossible to dry a slice across a log without a big crack going in to the centre. If you think of the cells on the outside drying and contracting then a gap has to open up. However if you take a flitch off the outside of a log you might be able to machine that green and dry it without cracking.

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