seasoning holly - more questions

[gavin e]

Hi everyone

I'm very new to woodturning so please bear in mind that i know next to nothing - if i ask a stupid question please feel free to point out why!

I've been given five 5ft x 10inch logs of holly, brought down by the recent high winds, and want to know what i should do with them to get the best from them. Some people seem to say that i should seal and store them as they are for a few years, whereas others seem to suggest i can cut them into workable blanks and rough turn pieces out of them almost straight away, as long as i leave them for a couple of months to dry before doing a final cut and finish.

After reading what i can find here about holly, it seems that the timber is likely to split and twist no matter what i do, so i'm a bit confused. Please help.

 

[DaveL]

Hi Gavin,

Welcome to the forum.

I have moved your post to the turning board, I think it will get more attention here. 8)

 

[Paul.J]

Hello Gavin.
Welcome to the forum.
I was given some Holly a few weeks back and also asked the same question.
I was originally told that it had been cut down for about 18 months but then found out it was more like 4 years.
I have done what was said on here and the latest is that the piece i brought into the house is now starting to crack
The rest which was left in the shed still seems o.k.
I have turned a couple of pieces that were offcuts and they seem fine still.
I am also trying Chas's meths drying method,which also to date seems o.k
Yours is freshly felled,and given the difficulties of drying timber,Holly in particular,i would try the meths method for quicker drying :wink:
Hope this helps.
Paul .J.

 

[PowerTool]

Welcome to the forum,Gavin

Paul has it summed up very well - holly is a lovely wood to turn,but pretty awful to dry out

Andrew

 

[jpt]

HI

I cut down a holly tree for one of my wifes work colleagues 2 years ago and for my troubles he let me keep the wood. :wink:

The trunk was about 8' x 7", I cut 2 18" long logs from it and sealed the ends with PVA. The rest I cut into lengths of about 10" and cut in half removing the pith and sealed the ends with PVA. Following advice from others I stored the wood in cool place out of direct sunlight. I also stored it standing upright and away from any other wood as I was told that if I did not do this it would discolour.

I checked it after about 2 weeks and the logs were starting to split from the centre outwards. So I cut them up as I did the rest of it.

I am now turning this wood which is down to about 12% moisture and it is still white and most of it is split free. About 5 bits have minor splits in them and on further examination these all have some of the pith still in them.

Hope this helps.

john