While in the local shop, I was asked by a customer what the best way to treat/cure or care for a peice of green walnut that he plans on having a stock made. I didnt want ot risk giving him bad advise so I thouhgt I would pick the minds here. All of the stock wood I have ever delt with was already dry and ready. My question is, what is the average guy to do? In his case should he just set it in the corner of the closet and hope for the best, or is there things that need to be done to help the process; ie. coating the ends?? cutting to a certain size etc...?

I put an eye bolt in the top and hang them vertically.

And I weigh them every 3 months or so and after they stop losing weight, I wait(the other kind) for 18 months or more. Generally it will be 3 or 4 years before (in a dry climate) you can start making chips.



[ 04-18-2003, 05:48: Message edited by: Customstox ]

Thanks for the tip...
and WOW, thats some nice looking wood hanging there!

I haven't done any for a while but I will tell you the end grain MUST be sealed to discourage cracking as soon as possible after the tree is cut and the blanks must get that same treatment as soon as they are sawn. I've seen cracking of an unsealed log begin within two days. I used two or three coats of leftover paint. I planed the blanks when I cut them and sealed all end grain that ran out the sides with poly-u. That will show grain-flow. Later, when blanks are completely dry you can sand the sides and give them a complete coat of poly to show all grain.

Though I haven't the experience Chic has, I've hung them as well as stickered and stacked them and don't see much difference in stress relief, though I didn't stack them more than about five high. Hanging will certainly conserve floor space, foil termites, and allow easy access.

My "kiln" was a barn loft and here in GA that is about as good as an oven. As I had other blanks on hand, I waited about six years to work them but as I am only a hobbyist I could afford to. Three is plenty I would say.

[ 04-18-2003, 15:02: Message edited by: steve y ]

Up here, in the booneys, they are "mining" old logging rivers. What they are finding is logs that sunk in the 1800's. Water has taken all the sap out of the wood. They don't split. Low oxegen levels in the cold water limited rot to almost nil.
Could stock wood be "dried" this way? How long?

Chic,

Gawd...clean that mess up will ya? hehehe...

John-

I saw where they are pulling them out of Lake Superior as well, and making furniture. They claim that the quality of the wood is better than anything today. They also said the price is quite high. Interesting concept though. I'd like to see some of it.

quote:

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Originally posted by John Y Cannuck:
...1800's... Could stock wood be "dried" this way? How long?

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I don't know, maybe another 200 years if you sunk them now?

Steve Y, I suspect you have a lot more experience at this than I do. I tried cutting wood once or twice and quickly gave up on it. You also gave a very good complete answer, I only addressed how I hang them. I understand that laying them stickered works well also but they should be turned I am told.

Wisner used to cut quite a bit of wood. I believe he told me a rough rule of thumb was an inch (in thickness)per year for our area. Western Washington.....the wet side.

I am an engineer and a woodworker, and when I read Hoadley's book "Understanding Wood" it was a great big "Ah Ha!" for me.

The air's relative humidity maps onto the wood's total moisture content in a "S" shaped transform that maps onto the expansion rates for the radial, longitudinal, and tangential directions of the wood species. The expansion stops when the fibers are saturated and then water goes between the fibers as the wood water logs.
Drying wood in a kiln and adding water is to keep the drying rate slow enough for the moisture to move longitudinally so checks don't develop.

Or just paint the ends, store it in the house and keep weighing it.

I asked an Italian gunsmith about processing for stock blanks and he said to leave it in running water for 3 years - a creek bed would do. He said it is essential to wash out all of the sap or the wood will warp later.

A fresh cut tree should be place in a lake or river until water logged then the process of cutting and drying begins I have been told...Kiln dried wood is inferior BTW...Wood must be aged for a number of years...until most of the moisture is out of it. Any blank I buy I must know the history of that wood and how long it has been hanging or I just hang it and forget about it for about forever...I weigh it ever so often about like Chic explains...I used to buy green because it is cheaper but now I just buy well seasoned wood and then let it hang for a year or so...

Thanks for all of the info everyone. The next time I am asked that I will at least heave little info on the topic.