Do it! Points with the wife are worth more than time or money.
Do it! Points with the wife are worth more than time or money.
Pear is not a durable wood. It will stain from fungus and become infested with insects very quickly if left in log form. If you're going to process it, do it immediately.
Last time a major hurricane came through here I acquired several 4' long bradford pear trunks in the 16-18" diameter range. I leaned them against a fence, in the shade, while I procrastinated for a couple of years before throwing the wood on the lathe. The wood was beautifully spalted and made some of my prettiest bowls. No bugs for some reason. I take all the pear I can find. I've milled small diameter log sections with good results. Give it a try. Don't mill the boards too thin so you can plane out any twist. Stack and sticker with lots of weight on top and Paint the ends with Anchorseal to help minimize splitting.