Replies

1. 
   notDusty | Jun 10, 2005 03:02am | #1

        Lee ,

                    Look for a product called P.E.G .  There is probably other things that can be used but PEG is known for its curing properties , I believe it stands for something like poly ethyl glycol .

                 good   luck              dusty

1. 
   sawduster | Jun 10, 2005 03:22am | #2

   The good stuff is called Anchorseal(there are a number of others that do the same thing) it is a wax emulsion in a water base.  You will need two or more coats and if the wood is very wet it will still crack in time, just not as bad.  I think the best thing you can do is seal the ends of the logs, then cut the blanks jsut before you are ready to turn.

1. 
   notDusty | Jun 10, 2005 05:14am | #3

                 Hi Cee ,

                           I didn't know that Anchorseal worked like that . The PEG, if memory serves me right is sold  as a wood stabilizer and I thought it largely eliminated most of the cracking and such .  Also I have made turnings from green wood and burnished with sawdust and waxed with good ole Johnsons Paste Wax , whilst the piece is turning of course . A few of them never did crack , and some did .

                                      dusty

1. 
   KeithNewton | Jun 10, 2005 07:21am | #4

   Dusty, PEG is what you would use after you have turned your rough blank down to near the finished thickness, It is not ideal for rough oversize stock. It is too costly, and hard to use for what Cee is wanting. I like to keep my tuning logs in as large a format as possible until I am ready to turn, then I saw off what I want then re-coat the ends. During the hot months, I will set up a yard sprinkler every few days to re-wet the surface.If you have already roughed out the blanks, yes sanding sealer will help. Two coats are even better, and you can still wet it every now and then if you can see it checking. You don't need to worry about a finish that your are not going to keep anyway.Anchorseal is the best but may be overkill since you are not going to the kiln with your blank, just trying to slow it down for a short time. You can also put it into a paper bag after the sealer dries if it will fit. Good luck KeithPS here is a detail of my last turning.

   
1. 
   notDusty | Jun 10, 2005 08:02am | #5

               rootburl ,

                             Beautiful turning you have done , I knew PEG was used for stabilizing , now I understand when you would use it , thanks .

                                dusty

2. 
   Miami | Jun 11, 2005 04:17pm | #11

   RB -

   I was admiring your turning - how do you get the 'controlled burn' on the outside edge details?  I'm assuming this is not just serendipitous tool burn ... so perfectly placed to highlight detail ...

   Clay

3. 
   KeithNewton | Jun 11, 2005 04:39pm | #12

   I use a micro torch. it has a fine little flame. I move in and out very quickly, and wear a magnifying visor.

2. 
   wchips | Jun 10, 2005 06:36pm | #8

       I clickes the wrong reply buton. thanks to Dusty and Chee too

                                   Have a nice day Lee

2. 
   DennisS | Jun 10, 2005 08:04am | #6

   Lee -

   I use a product called green wood end grain sealer. Don't recall the brand name but that's the generic name. Woodcraft has it, do a search on their site and you should find it.

   It's an emulsified wax of some sort. I usually try to get all my logs sealed as soon as possible after harvesting them. Then after rough turning a piece I'll coat the outside with a 50-50 dilution of the endgrain sealer and water. I say the outside since I've had experience with rough turned pieces cracking when both inside and outside are sealed. I seem to get better control of the shrinkage while the blank is curing if I allow the inside of the piece to dry faster, if you will, than the outside.

   If you mill your pieces into turning blanks either round or square, be sure to coat the ends and down an inch or two all the way around as well.

   I have a lot of plum that I felled a while ago and turned a vase shaped piece then coated both inside and outside. Got some really horrific shrinkage cracks opened up, so I remounted the piece and turned off the sealer on the inside, put the piece in a plastic bag and the cracks closed back up. Oh - they're still there, of course, but the piece seems to be seasoning a lot better with the inside left open to "breath".

   ...........
   From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
   Dennis
1. 
   wchips | Jun 10, 2005 06:33pm | #7

       Thanks guyes , Ill have to trysome of these products.

                              Have a nice day Lee

2. 
   Buzzsaw | Jun 27, 2005 06:49pm | #20

   Dennis,

     I have some trees in my yard that are dead and they are going to be cut down.  If I have them cut into long-enough logs can I have these cut by a sawyer? I didn't know if they had to be alive or not prior to cutting down. These are not pines but I'm not sure what type of tree it is. The bark is fairly light but it is not white llike a birch. Anyway, regardless of the tree type, can I have a tree that is already dead cut up into boards.  This, obviously from my elementary question, is my first attempt at having logs cut by a sawyer... Regards,

   Buzzsaw

3. 
   TomHigby | Jun 11, 2005 04:21am | #9

   I've used parafin wax for that purpose many times with good results.  I only seal the ends.  I shave some parafin onto the surface, then brush lightly with a propane torch.  The wax instantly melts and forms a complete seal.  Remember that it takes a long time to season large pieces, often as much as ten years.

   Tom

1. 
   wchips | Jun 11, 2005 05:23pm | #13

     Thanks Yom , Do you get your parifen wax in a grocery store? I remember when iwas a kid my mom wsed to use parifin wax to seal up gar top when she made jam. Well i went to two grocery stores ,asked them if they had parifin wax.they never herd of it.

   Have a nice day Lee.

1. 
   Miami | Jun 11, 2005 05:44pm | #14

   Hardware stores still carry paraffin - the stuff I've seen still comes in a box labelled 'Gulfwax.'

   Clay

1. 
   wchips | Jun 12, 2005 03:11pm | #15

   Thaks Miami .Ill give them a try .

                             Have a nice day LEE.

2. 
   lwj2 | Jun 14, 2005 03:00am | #16

   Check the grocery stores for canning jars and lids, paraffin isn't usually too far away.Leon Jester

1. 
   wchips | Jun 14, 2005 05:47pm | #17

       I did , nothing  there  I will wait till it gets closer th canning season, It might be a little earley yet?

                                        Have a nice day Lee.

1. 
   lwj2 | Jun 14, 2005 06:08pm | #18

   It's cranking up here, Kroger has the stuff out -- we're about to hit the early jam season locally.Leon Jester

2. 
   WillGeorge | Jun 15, 2005 07:31pm | #19

   Kroger   We had them...  My wife dragged me there to 'help' in shoppin'  I hated the place! I was young then..

   SURE wish I could go shoppin' with her again!

4. 
   KeithNewton | Jun 11, 2005 06:14am | #10

   Lee. I don't think that I mentioned that if you are starting with a tree or log section with the bark still on. I recommend that you leave the bark on until you are ready to use it. If you knock the bark off, during the heat of Summer, the sapwood will check badly in a day or two without the bark.

   However if you are going to store it for a very long time, the bark and sapwood tend to invite insects pretty bad.

   My favorite sealer that I use now is a Glidden brand of white interior / exterior latex primer. It is cheap, goes on easy and thick and if any checking starts to occur, it is easy to detect, and I just hose it down if they start. This is just so easy, and I always have nice fresh moist wood.

   If you guys have not learned to work green wood, you don't know what you are missing. The energy needed is somewhere between 25 to 50% of dry, There is not nearly as much dust, and sometimes you can even get away with cutting against the grain, and still get a pretty fair cut, because the chip has more flexibility, or is less brittle, nor prone to split across to the other side of the cut.