Green wood "I got this far"

Re: Green wood "I got this far"

Brad Vietje

>Hi David,

First -- you were SMART to pick up the wood -- as long as you weren't taking it w/out asking from private land...

Sounds like Boxelder, which has bark somewhat like White Ash, but creamy, nearly white wood, and occasionally has red streaks. Some will tell you that a fungus, introduced by a beetle boring holes into the wood, introduced the red color. This is often the case, but Boxelder up here in the northeast often has the red fungal streaks without any beetle involvement. If this IS Boxelder, the red will eventually fade to an orangy-brown with exposure too light.

You've done exactly the right thing in sealing the wet wood with Anchorseal. I'm confused, though, about the orientation of the blanks. Boxes are ususlly turned with the wood fibers (careful-- not the same as the lines, or growth rings) running along the length of the lathe, while most bowls are made from cross-grain blanks, with the wood fibers running across the lathe.

If you can find it, look at the Richard Raffan video on boxmaking -- he shows very good information. You will probably have the best results by hollowing the top and bottom pieces, but leaving them thick -- probably twice as thick as your finished box. Then dry the wood slowly to help avoid cracks -- putting a few box rough-outs in a paper bag or two, in a cool, moist place should do fine. Depending on where you are, and your local weather conditions, etc... you should be able to make finished boxes in 3 - 6 months.

If you are unsure how to do this, just seal the wood for now, and seek out your local AAW club, and ask for help. Woodturners are usually more than glad to help out. BTW, if you do have Boxelder, the burls are very stable, but the straight-grained parts can crack, as the wood has a very high moisture content, so be sure to seal any cut and exposed surfaces.

Safe spinning,

Brad Vietje

Thetford, VT

Re: Green wood "I got this far"

Mike Schwing from Md.

>David, you probably have box elder. If so, the colors are created by the interaction of a fungus introduced by a beetle on the wood itself. You can probably see two tiny holes inside of each area of red. Box elder is also prone to burl growth - and it seems you have some (lucky dog)

What you have done is turn down a section in spindle orientation - which is correct for most boxes. (Jeff Lavine turns most of his snap lid boxes end grain, I think, but most do otherwise). This allows for the lids to continue to fit with seasonal movement vs. a face grain turning that would warp asymetrically.

Since you have anchorsealed it, correctly, it will dry down to a point where it will be in equillibrium and won't shrink or crack anymore than it already has at that point. That is one definition of dry. But if you turn the box at this point it will likely dry some more and change shape some, as well. No big block of wood ever really dries out such that it won't dry some more when made thinner or smaller.

The air dry method with anchorseal can take many years - general rule (just GENERAL) is 1 inch of thickness per year, but species and conditions can alter that formula.

Many people will rough out an object, whether it be bowl or box, leaving the walls thick, and then anchorseal, alcohol soak, or pressure cook, (or something else, and so on..). This is an attempt to let the object dry further without cracking and minimizing distortion, so that when it is dry it can be finish turned to perfection.

I haven't made many boxes, but the ones I have made were from kiln dried lumber - considered dry.

You can measure and record the weight of your blanks now, and then about every month or so. When they stop losing weight - they've reached that equilibrium.

Hope this helps some. Undoubtedly others will add, this is a regular topic.

Re: Green wood "I got this far" *LINK*

Ron in Drums PA

>I've made a few boxes from green wood and dipped them into DNA. I was able to finish turning them in two weeks.


Alcohol drying