Wood sealer from a big box store?

[Brian Kent]

I picked up some free eucalyptus logs today. They are being cut down the street.

Is there anything from Home Depot or Lowes that can be used as a wood sealant? I can't get to Rockler for about 2 days.

I know there are a lot of problems with checking with eucalyptus, but I'll see what happens for the price.

I do not have a chain saw and no blade for the band saw for wet wood so I will seal up small logs whole for now. Then I'll call Suffolk and see what they have for wet wood.

[Dwight Rutherford]

I have used the cheapest latex paint they have. Works fine.

[Chip Sutherland]

I have used latex paint as well with no problems. I have heard that the paint can wick up the fibers so you may lose more off the end but still it's better than checking. Latex, I have learned from this forum, is not a long-term solution.

[Steve Rost]

Ask for OOPS paint. This is paint mixed and the wrong color for the customer. It is reduced price. Last quart cost me $2.00 Been using it for years, I go back and recoat the piece in a week or so or when I remember. Two coats usually get it done!

[Bill Bulloch]

Big Lot sell cheap paint cheap.

[Morey St. Denis]

Yeah, mistaken tints or any returns readly available can be a good economy option for latex sealant. If selecting something premixed, pick among those offerings for a deep, bold color. When buying an untinted gallon, go for ultra-deep tinting base in the raw... These contain the least amount of Titanium Dioxide additive which is especially tough and abrasive, even on carbide saw blades. Avoid ceiling paints, these have the most TiO2. You may not need to make a trip to buy anything if you've got enough surplus carpenters glue or can raid the familie's craft supplies for white PVA glue (aka Elmers). Lacking quick access to a proper wax-based green wood sealant, I find that any old aliphatic resin glues serve this purpose very well. If you need to improve brushing or wetting characteristics, just dilute it a bit with water.

[Aric Krueger]

I can't get to Rockler for about 2 days.


I do not have a chain saw and no blade for the band saw for wet wood so I will seal up small logs whole for now.

If it's only going to be a couple days until you can get a blade and some sealant, you could just wet them down and keep the ends wet with water soaked rags and wrap them with plastic. Just check them and keep them wet. They should be OK for a few days in the cool shade that way until you can get to them. I wouldn't leave them too long like that, however, because the mold and fungus will start in. I've left Madrone and Alder like that for a month and they were just fine and dandy until I got them milled up.

[Brian Kent]

I tried a couple of quick wet turns - my first with truly and completely spray-wet wood. That's fun stuff!

The first one I got to less than 1/4" and lost a big chunk.
The second one is about 1/4" thick and I did not try any fine tuning, finish scraping, sanding, or anything else.
Beautiful color, but I am ready for the worse with splits. Breaking up is hard to do.

I am waiting for the photos to get from the camera to the computer on "Photo Stream". Usually it is just a few seconds.
First one showed up:
The smaller logs are good. With no chainsaw the big one is for the future or just for my imagination.

[Aric Krueger]

The smaller logs are good. With no chainsaw the big one is for the future or just for my imagination.

If you have a splitting wedge, a hatchet and a handsaw, you may be able size that big one down enough to get it on your lathe and rough out a couple bowls. Or split off some 3 x 3 to 4 x 4 pieces for goblets and such. At least the pith would be gone and, with the end grain sealed on the pieces, you probably won't loose as much to cracking as you would leaving the log whole.

[Dan Masshardt]

No chainsaw? This would be a decent time to remedy that. :-). While good saws aren't cheap, there are often electric ones on Craigslist for $30 or $40 that you can use inside the shop.

[Brian Kent]

Turning my first really really wet wood = Most hilarious fun.
Oiled the fresh rust off of the lathe bed too.
Sprayed like the back tire of a bicycle in the rain.

My most recent turning has been with very dry white oak and very dry sycamore.
Like walking through the desert vs jumping in the ocean.

[David C. Roseman]

No chainsaw? This would be a decent time to remedy that. :-)

Sounds like Dan shares two of my abiding principles in life: (1) Never pass up an excuse to buy a new tool. (2) It will pay for itself the first time it's used, no matter what it costs. ;)

David

[Brian Kent]

Sounds like Dan shares two of my abiding principles in life: (1) Never pass up an excuse to buy a new tool. (2) It will pay for itself the first time it's used, no matter what it costs. ;)

David

Then obviously I should go buy a Stihl Farm Boss and related safety equipment, except at this moment money is "no object". Until I get some more, anyway ;).

[Prashun Patel]

I have a Stihl MS250 (18") and it's plenty big for anything our lathe can handle...

Do you have some MS? I'll send you a bunch of paraffin wax to melt into it. It makes a better sealer than the latex, IMHO.

[Brian Kent]

I would like that very much, Prashun. Do you heat it up or does it chemically melt?

[Prashun Patel]

you melt it. Double boil it or use a hot plate. Just take the proper precautions. Welcome to the frustrating art of drying wood!!!

Like wiping varnish, there's no magic formula to the blend. I start with a 'can' of spirits and put in a 'handful' or wax chunks. When melted the solution will be mobile no matter how much wax you put in there. However, it doesn't take much to make a solid mixture when cooled. When cool, I aim for the consistency of runny pudding. It should be paintable but not too runny. Again, the consistency is not critical; if it's too thin, you can always apply multiple coats. But if it's too thick, it's just messy to work with.

Know, unfortunately, that time of year and species have a LOT to do with success or failure. With a lot of woods it's a balance btn cracks and mold. Sometimes yr lucky to get BOTH (DAMHIKT!!!)