Green Hickory

[Jim Hipp]

Although I don't have all the tools I need to begin turning I find myself looking for available sources of wood to turn. Down at the cafe a local cattle guy was saying that he had just that morning pushed over 3 hickory trees and that he would be burning them unless somebody wanted them. My ears perked up and the next morning I went to cut a few short logs and brought them back to the house. Within a few hours they were beginning to develop end cracks so I split them down the middle and coated the ends with a liberal coat of Anchorseal2. Stored them in my shop.

Anything else I should do to slow the drying process down? Prior to splitting they were about 11-14 inches in diameter.

Thanks
Jim

[Bob Bergstrom]

Wrap them in plastic or cut them short enough to slip into heavy plastic bags.

[Dennis Ford]

Plastic is good for short term use but mold will develop in a day or two. Splitting them like you did will help a lot, a second coat of Anchorseal will help a little more but you still need to rough them out (or turn to finish thickness) before they dry and crack too badly.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Plastic is good for short term use but mold will develop in a day or two. Splitting them like you did will help a lot, a second coat of Anchorseal will help a little more but you still need to rough them out (or turn to finish thickness) before they dry and crack too badly.
I've kept a variety of wood in plastic bags for months. Most have been enhanced to darker colors. Here is a piece of cherry that has been bagged for 6 months. Looks pretty good to me. It was turned this week.

[robert baccus]

Not for everyone but but wood in water will last forever. Plastic bags, boxes, drums.

[Dennis Ford]

I've kept a variety of wood in plastic bags for months. Most have been enhanced to darker colors. Here is a piece of cherry that has been bagged for 6 months. Looks pretty good to me. It was turned this week.
The Cherry piece looks great, I have had poor results with plastic wrap in warm weather; lots of color change and sometimes decay.

[Bob Bergstrom]

The Cherry piece looks great, I have had poor results with plastic wrap in warm weather; lots of color change and sometimes decay.
I just noticed your location. Quite a different temperature range. Here in Chicago we haven't seen 60 degrees in a long, long time. I guess I finally found something good about this terrible winter. LOL.