Managed to scrounge a couple large pieces of green apple wood in log form about 10ins dia and the same again in depth also a couple of small 2 ins dia logs what is the best way to season them perhaps for turning or carving ? thanks ilan
apple wood
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Lucky you - apple wood works beautifully. It's also a great fuel wood if you have some bits too knotty to work.
They might be easier to work green but they could also split or warp after you've worked it which is not good.
Paint the ends with pva or a coat of grafting wax. This stops them loosing all the moisture from the cut ends. I season my wood in the roof of my garage without heat. A 2" bough takes about 18 months If you want to speed it up you can make up a drying box with some low wattage bulbs in the lid. Make sure it's well ventilated and keep an eye on the temperature. It should never get hot to the touch.
You can also split the big bits it while it's green to speed it up but don't take it down too snall in case it splits again and you end up with matchsticks
They might be easier to work green but they could also split or warp after you've worked it which is not good.
Paint the ends with pva or a coat of grafting wax. This stops them loosing all the moisture from the cut ends. I season my wood in the roof of my garage without heat. A 2" bough takes about 18 months If you want to speed it up you can make up a drying box with some low wattage bulbs in the lid. Make sure it's well ventilated and keep an eye on the temperature. It should never get hot to the touch.
You can also split the big bits it while it's green to speed it up but don't take it down too snall in case it splits again and you end up with matchsticks
Removing the bark also helps it dry out.
Depending on what you want to use it for ? but I would be inclined to plank it or cut it into thick "posts". Then stack it back up with as a complete trunk with blocks of wood seperating the layers. This allows the air to move over more surface area of the wood, and hence dry out more evenly. You would need to try and keep it flat, and stacked evenly to discourage it from warping.
I usually just write off the end couple of inches as it tends to split/check, I have never tried sealing them with wax. Tho I believe the pro's do this.
Cheers
Rich
Depending on what you want to use it for ? but I would be inclined to plank it or cut it into thick "posts". Then stack it back up with as a complete trunk with blocks of wood seperating the layers. This allows the air to move over more surface area of the wood, and hence dry out more evenly. You would need to try and keep it flat, and stacked evenly to discourage it from warping.
I usually just write off the end couple of inches as it tends to split/check, I have never tried sealing them with wax. Tho I believe the pro's do this.
Cheers
Rich
I've heard a number of theories about sealing the ends and the most plausible I've come across is that the sugars in the sap are what consolidate the wood and make it durable. If you leave the ends unsealed all the water in the sap evaporates frim the ends because thate the way the tubes (senior moment - forgot the technical term) up the wood run. As the water in the sap evaporates more is moved in to the ends of the wood and the middle is starved of the consolidating sugars. And the drying and shrinkage is uneven causing splits and warping. This is also why it is better to lay the wood to season down rather than standing it on its end.
With the ends sealed the drying through the sides rather than the end is more even and the sugars are evenly distributed and the warping and splitting is reduced.
Well I beleived it anyway so I usually put a dab of pva wood glue on the ends of any green wood I get.
With the ends sealed the drying through the sides rather than the end is more even and the sugars are evenly distributed and the warping and splitting is reduced.
Well I beleived it anyway so I usually put a dab of pva wood glue on the ends of any green wood I get.
You can use it green and then hot oil/oil the result (see thread Splitting Headache for my own method). 
If you don´t need them whole, I would split them and oil/pva them and then dry as slowly as possible - starting off in cool damp place first (not so damp they´re not drying at all and rotting!). Don´t remove the bark! Especially from the smaller pieces - this makes them dry too quickly and they will split! :yikes: Seal the ends. The longer stuff takes to season, the better. 1-3 years.
If you don´t need them whole, I would split them and oil/pva them and then dry as slowly as possible - starting off in cool damp place first (not so damp they´re not drying at all and rotting!). Don´t remove the bark! Especially from the smaller pieces - this makes them dry too quickly and they will split! :yikes: Seal the ends. The longer stuff takes to season, the better. 1-3 years.Similar threads
