drying wood

[joekid]

if cut to shape first, how long would 8 inch by 4 inch chunks take to dry in a shed, is there anything i can do to stop spalting on already spalted wood, dont want it to rot away before its dried/coating or spraying? any info welcome,

 

[Russell]

Spalting will stop as the timber dries its the damp that causes the fungus to thrive. You main problem will be that timber that thick will take a good few years to be stable. Expect to loose a lot through splits as well.

 

[woodbloke]

Usually reckoned to be 1 year for every 25mm timber thickness for hardwood to come down to about 20% MC, softwood is generally a shorter time - Rob

 

[paulm]

As Russell says the spalting stops when the wood dries out indoors.

You will need to treat the ends of the long grain on each piece with melted paraffin wax, end seal, pva or gloss paint or similar straight away to minimise end splits which will appear very rapidly otherwise as the timber dries out.

Likewise if you have any pieces with the central pith in, consider splitting or sawing them through the pith as this is where most end splits start from.

You will still end up with some amount of firewood even after doing this but if you do it straight away you should hopefully still have some good and useful blanks for your turning.

Cheers, Paul

 

[joekid]

As Russell says the spalting stops when the wood dries out indoors.

You will need to treat the ends of the long grain on each piece with melted paraffin wax, end seal, pva or gloss paint or similar straight away to minimise end splits which will appear very rapidly otherwise as the timber dries out.

Likewise if you have any pieces with the central pith in, consider splitting or sawing them through the pith as this is where most end splits start from.

You will still end up with some amount of firewood even after doing this but if you do it straight away you should hopefully still have some good and useful blanks for your turning.

Cheers, Paul

thanks Paul im on to that job after tea,cheers

 

[joekid]

Spalting will stop as the timber dries its the damp that causes the fungus to thrive. You main problem will be that timber that thick will take a good few years to be stable. Expect to loose a lot through splits as well.

thanks Russell

 

[joekid]

i wes thinking of asking my pal to call around with his chain saw, im thinking this may help dry it out/im not in a rush or anything, but it may help the wood dry better,stop the spalted pieces from rotting away,

 

[paulm]

Sounds like you've got the bug now !

I know of someone who always drives around with one eye on the verges etc looking for wind blown trees, or council contractors taking down unsafe trees, or local roadworks that are felling trees that are in their way, and he has even been known to carry his chainsaw in the car boot just in case.......

His wife has even called him obsessed and made him swear not to bring any more timber home as the workshop, shed and driveway are full of the stuff :shock:

Cheers, Paul.

 

[PowerTool]

the workshop, shed and driveway are full of the stuff :shock:

Cheers, Paul.

Same here (just in case it comes in handy...)

Andrew

 

[joekid]

its mad ive been living in the shed, i cant get enough of it, ive got to get a screw on faceplate tomorrow, im struggling getting the centres out of the bowls/ theyre wet wood but its practice!!