Advtce needed on green sycamore

[SPSlick]

I've just picked up a load of sycamore logs and would like some advice on getting them ready for turning.

As you can see there's quite a lot. It was felled on wednesday and has no cracks or checks yet.

 

[Dalboy]

Just get the ends sealed. That will give you some time to be able to cut them into blanks which then will need re-sealing

 

[Bodrighy]

Also try and stack them upright as if left horizontal they can somehow gain a dark stain in them. Nor sure why it happens but it does.

Pete

 

[SPSlick]

Thanks for the quick replies.
Can I use emulsion paint to seal them? Got a fair bit left over from decorating.

 

[woodpig]

Oil based paint would be better or PVA if you have it.

 

[SPSlick]

Ok got plenty pva. I'll get that done tomorrow then I guess I'll be saving up for a chainsaw.

 

[CHJ]

A couple of coats of emulsion or any old oil paint will work, keep the logs as long as possible for as long as possible if you can to reduce the waste from end cracks.
Sycamore seems to dry out fairly quickly but does have a tendency to acquire discoloration during storage, from the action of the sugars in the wood I believe.
Samples of the discoloration to expect can be seen here.
Being as you have so much, it might be worth having a go at turning some green to reasonably thin walls, it may well distort somewhat as it dries but it may stay whiter, if you can tackle natural edge orientation then the distortion should appear quite natural.
Try to finish wings/wall thickness in one shot turning session waiting to many minutes between turning outer and inner may well see too much distortion starting to allow tooling the other surface.
I've been turning wood with two years plus drying time under its belt and it still moves two or three millimetre out of round whilst in turning session.

 

[SPSlick]

I'm quite keen on trying some green turning but I don't have a means of cutting it yet. I tried using a B&D scorpion saw on one of the smaller pieces but couldn't get very far.

 

[finneyb]

Youtube 'Bowl from a log' ie turning green wood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0t2iZrjuw8

As a last resort to cut the log get an 7-8 tpi (teeth per inch) saw probably £5, http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+To ... tem_detail but a chainsaw is best.

I prefer an electric chainsaw quieter and not as powerful as petrol therefore not as dangerous, takes a little longer to cut but worth it IMO.

HTH

Brian

 

[Dalboy]

I prefer an electric chainsaw quieter and not as powerful as petrol therefore not as dangerous, takes a little longer to cut but worth it IMO.


Brian

Electric chainsaws are as dangerous as petrol ones in the wrong hands. I have seen the results from a electric one and it is not pretty. I spent 15years demonstrating them and have even refuse people the use of them on how they try and use them throughout the training. goodness knows what would have happened if they were let loose by themselves.

Sorry for the rant Brian

 

[woodpig]

How about carving some Kuksa?

http://ultimathule.fi/en/291-kuksa-cups ... AgsK8P8HAQ

 

[finneyb]

I prefer an electric chainsaw quieter and not as powerful as petrol therefore not as dangerous, takes a little longer to cut but worth it IMO.


Brian

Electric chainsaws are as dangerous as petrol ones in the wrong hands.

I agree. But the kickback force is reduced with the lower power. But if the saw kicks back and the chain hits you the damage will be significant with both the electric and petrol. But as you say in the wrong hands they are both dangerous.

Brian

 

[dickm]

Arguably, some older electric chainsaws are MORE dangerous than petrol ones as they don't have a clutch, and tend to run on for longer after releasing the switch

 

[greybeard]

The reason you need to seal the wood - with almost anything - is because of the hugely different rates of evaporation between along-the-grain (i.e. up/down the tree) and across-the-grain. The first evaporates up to 10x faster than the second.
If you think about it the tree lives by passing water up and down itself, not in or out through the bark. So anything that slows down the faster evaporation rate will be more conducive to a more equal rate of evaporation. A more balanced/equal rate of evaporation will mean you have a better chance of the wood not splitting as it dries....in theory!
And then there's the tension that is contained within the tree as it grows (fruit trees suffer notoriously!), and is of course released when the tree is cut down.....I'm just saying there are no guaranteed results!!
But as someone above has said, get in and practice with a few pieces whilst they are still definitely green, you've got loads there to play with!
When sealing also write the wood and date on each piece, e.g. "Sycamore - cut 02/15", because you will probably not remember what or when stuff in 2/3/4 years time!

Good luck

 

[Robbo3]

Another method is to secure plastic bags over the ends, or if small enough, place 2 or 3 pieces in a carrier bag. This creates a moisture soaked environment slowing down evaporation.

If the wood is freshly felled, turn the bags inside out & re-secure daily, then as the moisture loss lessens, at greater intervals.

Not really practical if you have lots to do but useful to keep one or two ready to be used or for storing part turned wet items.