Drying Sycamore - any tips?

Re: Drying Sycamore - any tips?

Chuck Ludwigsen

>I have about 6 half-logs of Sycamore. I coated the ends with anchorseal as normal. I turned one bowl to 3/8" thickness and now have a nice oval. So I agree with turning them thick and coating for slower drying.

Chuck.

Re: Drying Sycamore - any tips?

Steve Worcester

>True. If left in log form, it will discolor and is easily spalted. I rough turn and then cover with anchorseal. This allows it to dry slower which decreases the checking and warpage. It also boils well, but will pinkin initially.

If you leave it in log form, it tends to crack a bit, and then will get internal radial cracks. I have had some luck with wrapping it completely in plastice, sealing in the moisture. It will for sure spalt, but not as easilt crack.

Re: Drying Sycamore - any tips?

Frederick Nelson

>I suspect you are talking about the European Sycamore, also called Planetree or Sycamore Maple. This is Acer pseudoplatanus, a member of the Maple family (Aceraceae.) Its leaves and seeds more closely resemble those of other Maples with seeds that are paired and winged. This is not what we on the Western side of the Atlantic know as a Sycamore.

The American Sycamore, also called American Planetree, is Platanus occidentalis, a member of the Sycamore family (Platanaceae.) This tree is quite common along waterways in the eastern half of North America and features large, five-pointed leaves that are not as deeply indented as those of a Maple. Its seeds also grow in ball-like clusters, not the winged pairs of Maples. Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of American Sycamore is its thin, gray bark that peels off in sections to reveal a lighter colored bark beneath it. It also has a reputation for spectacular movement from changes in humidity. (The handle of my tool-tote was turned from a quarter-log of sycamore and now has a cross section that more closely resembles a pie-wedge with rounded corners - with the narrow edge up it fits the hand nicely, though.)

Drying the European sycamore is more likely to be like drying a Maple than drying the American variety. The movement shouldn't be quite as spectacular, and the wood probably doesn't have the medulary ray patterns that American Sycamore has. I would like to see some pictures of your wood, both during and after turning would be nice.

I have turned some handles from American sycamore as well as some lidded containers from thoroughly dry wood (to keep movement at a minimum.) The grain shows through nicely. I've also used some sycamore in my Intarsia sculptures for the bellies of birds to give the impression of feathers with the quarter-sawn effect.

These comments may not have been much help to your problems of drying the wood, but it will help the folks on this side of the pond to understand that we may be thinking of two different kinds of wood.

FNelson

Doing a Good Turn daily in Creve Coeur, MO

Re: Drying Sycamore - any tips?

David Eaves

>Hi Chuck,

Thanks for that, I will make sure I keep them thick, as I don�t want to lose this wood if I can help it.

Thanks again

David

Re: Drying Sycamore - any tips?

David Eaves

>Hi Steve,

Thank you for confirming that. I can�t get involved boiling it so I�ll just go for the rough turning as you have mentioned.

Cheers

David

Yes your right, Acer pseudoplatanus...

David Eaves

>Hi Frederick,

I suspect you are talking about the European Sycamore, also called Planetree or Sycamore Maple. This is Acer pseudoplatanus, a member of the Maple family (Aceraceae.) Its leaves and seeds more closely resemble those of other Maples with seeds that are paired and winged. This is not what we on the Western side of the Atlantic know as a Sycamore.

The American Sycamore, also called American Planetree, is Platanus occidentalis, a member of the Sycamore family (Platanaceae.)

Yes your right I�m talking about Acer pseudoplatanus. The seeds as you say are winged. I never realised there was a difference in the use of the common names, thanks for pointing this out.

Drying the European sycamore is more likely to be like drying a Maple than drying the American variety. The movement shouldn't be quite as spectacular, and the wood probably doesn't have the medulary ray patterns that American Sycamore has. I would like to see some pictures of your wood, both during and after turning would be nice.

From the Sycamore I have turned you do get some medulary rays, but not in big patterns. I will take some photos of the wood through the turning process.

These comments may not have been much help to your problems of drying the wood, but it will help the folks on this side of the pond to understand that we may be thinking of two different kinds of wood.

No problem, thanks for pointing it out again. I hope this has confused no one already; I will have to watch the common names again in future.

David

Re: Drying Sycamore - any tips?

Mike Swain

>Hi all,

Over here in the UK the majority of sycamore is cut and stacked the way other timbers are, leaving a horrible grey coloured looking mess with free stain marks from the seperating stickers.

The few timber yards that know what they're doing stack the cut boards on end inside a seperate shed until they're ready to be kilned, making nice white boards, some are left to completely air dry as some prefer their timber this way (mainly furniture makers)

Regards....Mike

Re: Drying Sycamore - any tips?

Brad Vietje

>As Mike states, Euro. Sycamore should be "end reared" to avoid staining. As far as I have been able to learn, this applies to logs as well as to planks or boards, and American Sycamore as well as the Sycamore Maple found in the UK.

Safe Spinning,

Brad Vietje

Thetford, VT

Thanks Mike and Brad..

David Eaves

>I've roughed the bowls, and I'm air drying them carefully now. There is very little contact with surfaces so I'm hoping to avoid any staining.

Thanks again

David