Making A Table From Circular Slices Of Oak....Stopping Splitting?

[Khumbu8000]

Hi All,
I am hoping to saw up some circular discs sections of an oak tree that has gone down recently. I met someone today who said that if I used the circular cross-sections for table tops then he thought it would split from the middle, over time. He advised me use a froe and then cleave them lengthways.

Is there any way of stopping circular cross-sections from cracking? Can I coat them in anything?

 

[Bundleman]

You'll have more success if you cut the slices across at a 45 degrees.
Otherwise you'll have to use chemical treatments to prevent splitting.

 

[Khumbu8000]

I wouldnt mind using chemical treatments. Do you mean Cuprinol etc

 

[2trapper]

I tried about one year ago, but without success. Even if the maximum care was provided, at very last the log split. After that I found this book that I higly recommend. it is packed with lots of tips about seasoning wood and preventing splits.

[h=1]How to Season and Dry Your Own Wood by Alan Holthman[/h]

 

[Dave Budd]

more likely something plastic like an epoxy sealer or PEG. No way of stopping splitting in rounds that I'm aware of, unless you totally stop and moisture movement by plastisising. Not sure about kiln drying? probably not

 

[British Red]

You cannot cleave the size of tree you mentioned in the previous thread with a froe either I'm afraid (4' diameter). You can cleave it but a sledge hammer and wedges are required.

 

[Dave Budd]

depends how big your froe is

I've cleaved a 2 foot tree using a bar of steel with an edge on it rather than wedges

 

[British Red]

2' I can see - but 4'? What would you hit it with? A sledge? Then a couple of big guys to swing off the handle?

I'd love to watch

 

[Dave Budd]

nah, The way I've done it s to use the 'froe' to start a straight split across the log and then follow it down using wedges A friend of mine has been making iron age shields from birch, alder and oak and that was the only way I could get half decent planks from them

 

[British Red]

Now that makes sense - but I'd still like to watch

 

[demographic]

This bloke seems to manage it, I reckon the epoxy holds it all securely.
[video=youtube;0maJWFjoGbM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0maJWFjoGbM[/video]

 

[MarvTommo]

Wow that looks pretty cool.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Harvestman]

For slices of a foot or more diameter, I was advised you can't do it. it will split. I tried it anyway, and it split.

 

[Khumbu8000]

Many many thanks. Circular discs are off the menu. I will try and use wedges, mallet, lump hammer etc and I do have a iron bar 2m long i recently found in a bush. I presume i could put a bit of an edge on it with an angle-grinder. Any way it might give me some leverage.

For cleaving is a side axe much better than my husqie hatchet, which is heavier than most and great for roughing out spoons etc. or long handled straight adze?

 

[British Red]

Don't mess with a side axe (ruins a good tool). Either get some proper steel splitting wedges (as shown here)


5) Hand tools by British Red, on Flickr


....or make some wooden wedges. Start a split and progress it with wedges. You could split with your Husqy. How long do you plan to live?

Jim Aston (Old Jimbo) once split a mahoosive tree with a Vaughan mini hatchet and wedges. To prove it could be done. And even he resorted to a large hammer.

Short answer - you could make wooden wedges and split it as a trunk after you have cut away the crown and rootball. But you would be better served getting the right equipment.

 

[Dave Budd]

if you are planning on having the top only a few inches (or even a foot) thick, then splitting it will be easy. Just saw the trunk into the thickness you want and split with a ground edge on your bar or any oher means you feel like. Splitting a length of large diameter stuff is going to take wedges and sledges

 

[Dan J]

Coating them is a possibility. Oil or melted wax and then try to keep them cool and let them dry out as slow as possible. Have made up serving platters before for someone out of ash and that didn't split however there is no way to guarantee this will work.
Lengthways is the best bet.
If you want an easy start for the wedges try cutting a groove with a circular saw down the length and then use the wedges. the more you use the easier it will be. oak wedges are good as a softwood will tend to split easier as well as compress as they're driven in.

 

[Khumbu8000]

With smaller beech trunks recently i have gone along where i want it to split with some sharp but very cheap axes and make a line of indentations about 1 cm thick. I then use a rusty old but very large chopping axe as the first wedge, which gets malleted in. This opens it up enough for my long steel wedge to go in front. Then chopping axe out but glut in its place, and so on.

i think i will do these indentations along two lines on the top as the tree is so big. Hopefully with pressure from both sides for the first foot i will then be able to get the bar in. But will have to keep scoring it about 1-2cm thick along side to control the split a bit. It may just tear off too early but im going to have fun trying!

may practise the technique on a smaller log.

i have a short lump hammer but may just get a sledge hammer for the wooden wedges though i finding wielding other logs helps and keeps me fit.

Time to make some gluts. I normally use some really tough old hazel and it doesnt lose shape as the axe s and wedge have done the hardest work but i have some seasoned beech or green oak?????