Sealed Logs For Turning...Now What?

Re: Sealed Logs For Turning...Now What?

John Lucas

>It takes about a year per inch to dry. You probably won't want to wait that long to turn it. We seal the ends to try to keep the wood from checking. If you leave the heart in the log it will probably check anyway the end sealer just slows this down.

I'd turn it now. Some people turn it totally green and let it warp. Some turners rough turn it to a thickness equal to 10 percent of the total size and then let it dry. then they put it back on the lathe and re-turn it so it ends up round instead of Oval like the green turned bowl.

In addition to John's comments..

Mike Schwing from Maryland

>Unless you're going to turn the logs whole, as in a long grain vase or hollow vessel (I'm only doubting this as you stated you're also a newbie), you can speed up the drying process a bit by rounding out the blanks you hope to get from this log now, and sealing them for later turning. From a 2' x 12" diameter log I'd try to get 4 blanks - two 14" x 5" and two 8" x 5" or six blanks - 2 large ones and four at 8" x 2.5". I like to turn bowls so thats all I usually see inside a log. I'd cut the logs lengthwise to remove the pith and then take them to the bandsaw to cut out the turning blanks and seal the end grain (or the whole blank) with endgrain sealer. You'll minimize losses due to end grain checking and have blanks ready for turning at a moment's notice.

If no bandsaw, well then I guess I just wasted your time! Sorry.

Re: Sealed Logs For Turning...Now What?

Ruth Niles

>DArita,

You don't say where you're located, I believe western cedar and eastern cedar can differ in characteristics. I live in PA, I turn quite a bit of cedar and found it doesn't check so much as split open. The heartwood is usually not round, like most species, but scalloped or fluted (for lack of a better word) and will split at these flutes. I've turned pieces where there were no signs of checking or cracks, got it rounded to find a pocket crack inside.

I usually turn it fairly green (drying 3 to 6 mo. in 18" - 24" log lengths), take it right to finished form, lather it with oil and put it in a brown bag until it's light as a feather and dry.

The oil will turn it a darker color, to keep it more natural buff it with a hard wax (carnuba).

The oil and/or wax will cover the cedar aroma. It is one wood I like to leave natural when possible. Sanding to a really fine grit then using brown paper lastly, gives this wood a beautiful glow.

The aroma remains almost forever (haven't lived long enough to prove this, but am working on it!); after aroma fades, lightly sand the wood and the cedar smell emerges.

Most important, have fun!

Ruth

Ugh - 5am math not so good

Mike Schwing from Mars

>Lets try that again - from a 2' x 12" diameter log, the way I'd do it (if my math were better).

I'd cut the logs down the middle lenghtwise, just to the right or left of the pith, ala Bill Grumbine's article here about "log to lathe". Then cut to the other side, removing the pith. This'll remove about 1" worth of the center. You can use that for firewood or if you make the cuts a little further away from the pith you can get two bowls out of the discard, but lose a little depth on the remaining bowls.

If you chose to cut just to the pith, you then have two (assuming we're working with one of the 12" logs) sections roughly 24" x 12" x 5". Cut them in half and you have four nice blanks, 12"x12"x5". Either seal them the way they are or take them to the bandsaw and make circles out of them, then seal them.

I think my math was a little better this time, I've had a few cups of coffee.