How long is wood considered "green"

[Dave Gallaher]

I have access to some just cut ash and red oak. I would like to try my hand at a bowl or two but currently time is not available. If I seal the ends of the wood how much time will that buy for ease of turning? Given a choice should I grab the clean stuff or get a piece near a limb?

[Curt Fuller]

It's been my experience that wood stays green while in log form for years. If you have the chance with this wood cut it into longer pieces than you intend to use, by several inches or even leave it in logs if you have a place to store them. Seal the ends with some good green wood sealer, wax, or whatever you like to use. But you can still expect some checking over time on the ends. If you've cut the logs long enough you can just cut off the checked ends and have a fresh piece of wood to work with when you get the time.

As for what part of the wood to take, the crotch pieces always have some beautiful feathered grain, near the base of the trunk usually has some curl. Most of the straight pieces will be straight grain, which is pretty too.

[Don Meyer]

I have been wondering the same thing myself. I have been turning some maple and red oak that I thought were green and I found them to be difficult to get smooth cuts on them forming the outside of bowls. Two days ago my brother gave me some cherry that was cut in July and I couldn't believe the difference in the way it cut. It was like cutting the proverbial soft butter.

[Barry Bruner]

Dave, I am glad you ask. I have been wondering about the same thing. I knew the tree would retain the moisture as long as it was out in the elements. Curt, are you saying it is still considered green or not dry? Or is it the same thing. I am not doubting you, just asking. Barry Bruner

[charlie knighton]

maybe forget the how long, maybe another consideration would be moisture content whatever the lenght and general turning quality of each species

[Curt Fuller]

Dave, I am glad you ask. I have been wondering about the same thing. I knew the tree would retain the moisture as long as it was out in the elements. Curt, are you saying it is still considered green or not dry? Or is it the same thing. I am not doubting you, just asking. Barry Bruner

Well, I guess what I mean by "green" is that it will still be prone to cracking and serious warping even after several years if left in log form. It might not be green as in throwing water and trailing yard long curlies like a freshly cut log though. If left in log form, not roughed out or anything like that, when I got ready to use it I would treat it as green wood. I would either rough it and go through the process of drying it or I would turn it thin to finished product in one session to minimize cracking. That's just from my experience though. I'm sure there are others that will see it differently.

Since we're on the subject, I've also found that the season when the wood is cut makes a huge difference in how long it takes to dry the wood. Fall, after the leaves are gone, and winter are the prime time to cut wood. The sap is down and the tree has done much of the water removal for you. Spring and summer, when the tree is pumping gallons of water everyday into the wood for growth, is the worse time I think. You can cut a log on a warm summer day and watch the ends check.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ditto what Curt said. I just turned some ash wood that I cut 3 yrs ago and it was still rather green. It didn't sling water or anything but was still wet.

[Joe Pfeifer]

A rule of thumb for air drying lumber is 1 year per 1 inch of thickness. This is variable depending on humidity, temp, wood type, etc. A board is considered air dried when it has a moisture content between 8-10%, compared to kiln dried which is usually around 5-6%.

[Curt Harms]

A rule of thumb for air drying lumber is 1 year per 1 inch of thickness. This is variable depending on humidity, temp, wood type, etc. A board is considered air dried when it has a moisture content between 8-10%, compared to kiln dried which is usually around 5-6%.

I have some kiln dried oak. I can assure you that after a summer in the humid mid-atlantic region, it is no longer at 5-6% moisture. 10-12% is much closer, kiln dried or not. By the same token, air dried wood stored in a heated space will measure 6% moisture in February.

[Reed Gray]

I like my bowls to warp as I turn to final thickness and then dry. Just love the shapes. A lot of the water will go out of the wood within one year. I believe this includes the free water, and the bound (water at a cellular level). The year old wood will not move nearly as much as the fresh wood, and the spring wood will move a lot more than fall or winter wood. A lot of it depends on your local weather as well. In dry summer Utah, wood can start to check when you fire up the chainsaw. In the more humid south and here in the northwet (except for our summer), it is very humid and wood will keep for a long time. Also some trees will be more stable than others, Pacific Madrone is one of the most unstable woods I have ever found. Do keep your wood covered and out of direct sunlight and wind. Sealing the ends helps. If you bury it in shavings, you can get some great spaulting going on.

robo hippy