Breaking down green logs for turning -- Suggested lengths

[Dan Case LR]

I recently acquired several nice Post Oak logs that I need to break down to workable lengths and seal. I've read articles that suggest cutting to a length equal to the diameter + 2-4 inches, and others recommend cutting to the approximate maximum length that will fit my lathe.

What are your recommendations? What works well for you? What dumb mistakes should I stay away from?

Thanks!

D.

[Kevin Jenness]

I generally leave logs full length with the ends sealed until ready to turn them. At that point I will cut back the end to sound wood free of checks and cut a blank to whatever length seems appropriate, no longer than the lathe swing for a vessel and free of large knots or defects, then rip the round into sections free of the pith and process the resulting pieces as quickly as possible. If I cut out blanks that are not going to be processed the same day I cut them several inches over finished length, rip them, seal the ends and store them in a cool shaded place out of the wind. The longer I expect to store them, the more extra length I allow.

Since drying and checking start at the log ends, leaving logs full length inhibits degrade up to a point. Some species like maple or holly will develop staining in the log form relatively fast in warm weather so it's better to rough out the intended shape as soon as possible (unless you are trying to encourage spalting).

[roger wiegand]

As long as you can and still move them without hurting yourself, assuming they are not someplace where they can just sit. Cut pieces from an end when you're ready to use them and seal the cut end after taking a piece. It took me a while to get through an 18 ft long 24" diameter cherry log that way, but almost none of it was wasted to end checking.

[Dwayne Watt]

Roger's suggestion is probably your best bet, but understand that oak tends to crack unless it is dried very slowly. Even in log form it will crack radially (particularly in the hot summer of the south). My personal results with bowl blanks that were simply sealed and left to dry in the shop resulting in nothing but cylindrical firewood within a couple weeks. Even roughed out bowls that were placed in shavings and paper bags tended to crack badly. Once turned bowls fare better for me but only if turned relatively thin and then dried slowly. When successful, the resulting bowls can be gorgeous.

[Reed Gray]

When I get logs, I prefer to keep them full length. I do have them on heavy vynal tarps, and tarps all around them, and under a tree. You want to keep all sun and wind off of them. Most will keep for a summer or so this way. I then cut off chunks as I need them. However, keeping your wood crack free can vary a lot depending on your local weather. If you can sink them in a mill pond, that probably works best, but that option isn't open for most of us. As for sealing, when I do, I use titebond or elmers glue. Depending on how much wood you have, you can keep it in plastic bags, though some woods will tend to mold, especially maple which has a lot of sugar in it. Best bet is to rough turn it as soon as possible.

robo hippy

[Richard Coers]

Sections of logs is about the worst way to store wood for turning. The full diameter still shrinks as it naturally dries and that introduces a ton of stress in the wood. Everyone I know, splits or saws the log sections down the pith. It is also more open to insect attack when the bark is left on. All methods are dependent on just how long you intend to store the wood.

[Wally Crawford]

I do not have an area to store whole logs, so I have to cut my wood into chunks. The length is determined by the diameter. I immediately seal the ends and split the log down the pith for most. Occasionally, I will get wood that I can cut lengthwise twice and get a piece of quatersawn wood that works well for platters.

[Dan Case LR]

Thanks for all the good advice, everyone. I think a little more background might make my situation more clear.

I live in the part of Little Rock, AR that was devastated by an EF3/4 tornado on March 31st. We are blessed to live in a small area where relatively little damage was done (from my front porch, I can see houses that were destroyed on the other side of my street, and a block away and north is a large swath of total destruction). Fortunately, no lives were lost in Little Rock, though other parts of the state weren't as fortunate.

We lost seven big, beautiful shade trees, mostly Post Oak with one Hickory and an old, slow-growth pine. Four landed on my roof behind the house, causing some repairable damage. One big Post Oak fell to the side of the house, and the one in the front--my favorite--fell into the street. Crews quickly topped the last two, and the trunks and root balls are now in my front yard.

My dream is a house out in the county with a few wooded acres where I could skid these two out of the way, seal them and let them dry slowly. My reality is a 2-car garage for a shop, a limited amount of storage, and a passion for turning sculptural pieces on my Powermatic 3520.

Back to the logs in my front yard: these have some promising burls I really want, and at least one of the root balls needs to stay. I'm thinking in terms of breaking these logs down selectively, concentrating on the burls and nicest-looking parts. I'll leave the rest for people to steal or the city to pick up. I hate to waste, but I probably shouldn't have tried so hard to save them.

Any other advice before I break out the chain saw?

Thanks!

D.

[Thomas Wilson80]

I’ve initially cut down the pith and then segmented into hexagonal blanks with sealed ends but was getting a lot of checking within a couple days/weeks. I’ve started cutting out the entire pith (3-4”) as most recommend and now have had blanks last 6-12 months with minimal or no checking, depending on the species. It takes more work up front, but my day job is such that I often can’t get any turning in for weeks at a time and this gives me the flexibility I need. It helps too that I’ve started storing my blanks in a relatively temperature-stable cold storage inside my house instead of the garage like I did previously where temperatures fluctuated between really hot and really cold.

I haven’t had many green burls, but from reading, my understanding is that they don’t behave like normal wood so you may be fine to cut the burls into turntable sizes and just seal any open grain.

good luck.
Tom