Drying Apple Wood:

[Scrums]

From a neighbours garden I have acquired an ornamental Crab Apple - about 12" dia x 48" long + branches.

Anyone got any advice regarding drying and ending up with anything but firewood?

Cheers,

Chris.

PS: NO ONE mentions microwave.......still excluded from the kitchen....but that's ok - can't cook anyway - as I proved.

 

[lugo35]

i tried to dry some its a B**** to do. wraps and twists alot. would be interested to know how to do it to.

 

[jasonB]

As Lugo says it warps a lot as you can see from this rough turned green bowl after drying

I had a bit more luck splitting the 12" trunk down the middle, sealing the ends and just leaving it to dry in a shed.

Jason

 

[GCR]

Chris

I used crab apple for this box. I have to admit it was left for about 6 months before I planked it up, but I did plaster the ends of the log with oil based paint to slow evaporation through the end grain.

I cut the log into 20mm planks. Placed sticks about 20 mm thick, 3 to each board for air circulation. Then I tied it up like a parcel to stop all the bits falling out should it be moved accidentally and left it for a year in the garden shed, not the best location but it seemed to work. I then brought the timber into the workshop and took a skim off both surfaces - you have to be ready for pronounced movement. After a further few weeks I selected the bits I wanted - there was a lot of waste/unusable wood - and planed the pieces down to finished size. After all this the wood seems stable......so far.

Apple moves considerably during seasoning, but even plain timber has a wonderful grain so don't let this opportunity pass you by!!

Bob

 

[woodbloke]

GCR wrote:

Apple moves considerably during seasoning, but even plain timber has a wonderful grain

About 18 months ago my next door neighbour cut down his apple tree, burnt the limb wood and left the trunk at the bottom of the garden, where its been ever since...I probably think I am far too late to rescue any of it.. :-k ....seeing that rather attractive box I ought to have pounced on the log and tried to do something with it..... too late now - Rob

 

[David C]

What a splendid box,

wonderful colours.

David C