I am going to salvage a large sugar maple butt log (42-48" d. x 66" long. It has been down for several weeks and has developed some checking on one end ( the other is freshly cut. I will not be able to process this for a while except for splitting it into full length billets. Would you seal the checked butt end as is or cut it back to unchecked wood first?
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Cut off checked log end for sealing?
- Thread starter Kevin Jenness
- Start date
I would leave the checked end on there and anchor seal both ends.
A good idea would be to see if there are any small band mill operators in your area that could slab for you.
Note: about 3 years ago a friend cut a large maple next to his house (about 200 miles SE of me) in about May and he brought it to me in September. The wood that was not checked was already degraded, so the point is don't leave it to long.
A good idea would be to see if there are any small band mill operators in your area that could slab for you.
Note: about 3 years ago a friend cut a large maple next to his house (about 200 miles SE of me) in about May and he brought it to me in September. The wood that was not checked was already degraded, so the point is don't leave it to long.
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As above, I would probably just seal the ends as they are.
however since you are ripping it into two blank halves I would inspect the checked end after ripping.
if it looked really bad with checks deeper than a couple of inches I would cut it off.
when I seal log halves and store them for a weeks or months I cut off 2” to remove checking before cutting the blanks for turning.
however since you are ripping it into two blank halves I would inspect the checked end after ripping.
if it looked really bad with checks deeper than a couple of inches I would cut it off.
when I seal log halves and store them for a weeks or months I cut off 2” to remove checking before cutting the blanks for turning.
Keep it up off the ground, either by tarp, which is best, or on stickers, and again, having a tarp under it would be best. Tarp over the top and ends as well. Out of sun and wind. Seal the ends, and even go so far as to slap some plastic on the fresh sealer, which will really seal the ends. I prefer to cut off pieces as I need them. I generally don't worry about cutting the log in half. A log that size might be easier to move around if it is cut in half, but some times I like to see how the cracks off the pith develop before I cut it in half, and then try to line the center cut up with the crack. Of course, some times the cracks on either end of the log are 90 degrees to each other....
robo hippy
robo hippy
I am going to split the piece lengthwise through the pith on site using a chainsaw with a 20" bar and following up with a maul and wedges in order to get the pieces down to a weight that can be lifted with my son's tractor bucket (~1 ton). I may trailer it to his mill, but it's a yard tree so I may just bring it home and whittle it away here. The tree has significant spalting near the bark- once I see how much there is nearer the core I will decide whether to leave the chunks on the ground for a while or sticker them.
Ha! What an anti-climax.
The tree was in front of a currently vacant house a few miles away. After it was struck by lightning the homeowner had a tree service take it down recently. They had removed the site-chippable material at which point I saw the remaining trunk and large limbs. The owner's son gave me permission to take what I wanted, and I arranged to get it loaded tomorrow. I left a sign on the trunk asking the tree service to give me a call if they showed up first. Today I loaded up my gear and drove over the hill to find they had taken everything to the biomass plant in Burlington. Oh well- there will be more spalted maple down the road. I'm glad I didn't put any more work into it before Mr. Peabody's coal train hauled it away.
The tree was in front of a currently vacant house a few miles away. After it was struck by lightning the homeowner had a tree service take it down recently. They had removed the site-chippable material at which point I saw the remaining trunk and large limbs. The owner's son gave me permission to take what I wanted, and I arranged to get it loaded tomorrow. I left a sign on the trunk asking the tree service to give me a call if they showed up first. Today I loaded up my gear and drove over the hill to find they had taken everything to the biomass plant in Burlington. Oh well- there will be more spalted maple down the road. I'm glad I didn't put any more work into it before Mr. Peabody's coal train hauled it away.
My preference is to cut it to length, split it, seal it then stack it on end when I get home or the next day. I find that if I leave it as a long log or don't split it then I'm less likely to get to it and will go out back, pick something already ready to bring in, shape on the bandsaw and turn. I do trim some of the checking on the ends if it has any before I seal it and cut my stock about 25% longer than the planned bowl dia. Allows for more checking without ruining the stock. I turn mostly natural edge bowls and I like them to end up longer than they are wide. It's humid where I live and I've not had good luck with tarps over my log inventory. It's shady where I keep them so putting them on end (mostly) on pallets open to the air works fine here.
I've had the same happen. Gone home, got my gear and the tree service wouldn't wait. If they're there I find them very helpful and interested in what I do but, they don't want to leave the site with logs that I might not come back for and then they've got to make a second trip to finish the cleanup. I keep a turned bowl in my truck so I can hop out and show them what I want it for. I've often had them cut up the few pieces I want and even load it for me.
I've had the same happen. Gone home, got my gear and the tree service wouldn't wait. If they're there I find them very helpful and interested in what I do but, they don't want to leave the site with logs that I might not come back for and then they've got to make a second trip to finish the cleanup. I keep a turned bowl in my truck so I can hop out and show them what I want it for. I've often had them cut up the few pieces I want and even load it for me.