wood drying

[Karl Card]

I just won 4 cherry crotch slabs and have plans for coffee table and end tables. They do have to be dryed however. They are all close to the same size: 76" long, 2.25 inches thick, and range from 14 to 25 inches wide. I got all 4 of them for 40 bucks and would really like to somehow keep them from cracking. Definitely would appreciate feedback on this one. If you dont mind I am new at this so if you can tell me "why" in addition to your response. Please dont take that in a bad way I just need to learn and knowing why is part of learning.

[Danny Hamsley]

I just won 4 cherry crotch slabs and have plans for coffee table and end tables. They do have to be dryed however. They are all close to the same size: 76" long, 2.25 inches thick, and range from 14 to 25 inches wide. I got all 4 of them for 40 bucks and would really like to somehow keep them from cracking. Definitely would appreciate feedback on this one. If you dont mind I am new at this so if you can tell me "why" in addition to your response. Please dont take that in a bad way I just need to learn and knowing why is part of learning.

Sealing the ends is paramount to keep the slabs from checking or splitting. I use a commrcial formulation called anchorseal that really works. Regular paint works marginally, but it is better than nothing. If you want to do it a little cheaper, that aluminum roofing paint called Kool Seal from Lowes works pretty good, but it is very messy. You could also melt some parafin wax and liberally smear it on the ends to totally fill up all the end grain pores.

Sticker the slabs to assure air flow all around each slab including the botton slab in the stack. Some 2 x 4's cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch square strips will do fine. Use stickers that are at least 1" thick and not more than 1 1/2" wide. Cherry is rather forgiving in drying, but make sure that the slabs can get good airflow through the stack, so don't stack up against a wall or hem the stack in with other stuff. A couple of feet of free air space all around the stack would be ideal.

[Karl Card]

Thank you. I have heard of anchor seal but never used it. I am assuming it is a brushable liquid.?! Another question I have is that these do still have the bark on them, I was wanting to leave the bark intact if possible but is that going to work or cause more problems?

[Danny Hamsley]

If you dry it outside, I find that bark is a bug magnet and they can infest your wood. Hickory, ash, and red oak bark seem to really attract the bugs (ambrosia beetle and even powder post beetles). Cherry, however, is not too bad except for the sapwood. If you are drying it inside, it may not be an issue, but look for little piles of sawdust to make sure that you are OK.

If you are drying it outside, say under a shed, I would remove the bark. You can spray a borax solution, I think that it is called Boracare, but I have never used it.

[Mark Levitski]

I would at least coat the figured grain/knots as well as the end grain on cherry. I've read that cherry is "forgiving", but that is not our experience. My wife builds rustic furniture and uses slabs that we cut from green wood like these a lot, especially crotch pieces. I turn a lot of cherry, especially burls. It has been very problematic just air drying in the shop. We resort to coating the whole piece w/ anchorseal to have the best results. Even with checks and outright wider cracks and splits, we sometimes can get a great piece made by filling w/ with epoxy inlay using various materials (turquoise, coral, copper, even coffee grounds).

Yes, Anchorseal is a brushable liquid and easy to use. Google it. The manufacturer will ship it direct. We sometimes leave the bark on for both the furniture and the turnings. If the tree was taken when the sap was down (late fall or winter), it is more likely that the bark will stay on after it dries. We sometimes resort to some CA glue to keep it intact on special pieces. Natural edge slabs or turnings can appeal to some people and increase the value of the piece. A natural edge can also be attained w/o the bark, so don't worry if you lose it.

[Frank Drew]

Karl,

For the reasons noted, I'd also recommend removing the bark; I don't think it would remain tight and intact for your final use, in any case.

Mark brings up a good point about considering coating the entire slabs with sealer since crotch and other highly figured woods don't always behave like ordinary boards when they dry; his practice of drying indoors might change the conditions somewhat, however.

[Danny Hamsley]

You might be be better served to let it dry outside undercover for a while before drying inside. It will dry slower outside, reducing drying defect versus having it dry too fast.