How long to dry blanks?

[Matt Meiser]

Now that the lathe is finished, apparently I need wood to turn? ;) The neighbors cut down a smallish tree last week and cut it up yesterday. I got a peice of the trunk about 4' long and 1' in diameter that I am going to cut up into smallish bowl blanks My plan base on reading, is to cut it into lengths with the chainsaw and then halve it on either side of the pith with the bandsaw. I think I'm on the right track there? I'll have to seal it with latex paint as there is nowhere nearby to get anchorseal that I know of. I'm going to put them on a pallet in the back part of my shop which is hot in the summer, but I keep the humidity fairly low with a dehumidifier. After that, I'm not sure how long I should let them dry?

[Jim Ketron]

I use the chainsaw to cut out the pith. lay the log on its side an make your cuts, you will be cutting side grain so keep your saw at full speed and at an angle so it wont clog up the saw as bad! I work mine up and down as I saw, its a lot easier than trying to cut it end grain.
I think this is safer than cutting it on a bandsaw and having the log turn and bind up your bandsaw.
Turn them green and dry them with many diff methods. I use the DNA method. trying to let them air dry will take years

[Don Baer]

Matt,
I needed green wood sealer and picked up some stuff from Rockler that works just like anchorseal. It might even be made by anchorseal and private labeled for Rockler. $20/gal but a gal looks like it'll go a looooooong way.

[Jim King]

I agree with Jim, turn them asap and dry them rough turned. My favorite and only method I will use is boiling. Check out my web site "our process" section and click on boiling. http://www.exoticwoodworld.com/index.php?c=static&sc=process

[Travis Stinson]

Matt, you can order Anchorseal directly from UC Coatings. https://www.uccoatings.com/
And like Jim said, use the chainsaw to split the logs. Unless you have some sort of carriage to keep the log section from rolling and one heck of a bandsaw and blade to cut through a 12" log! Using the chainsaw is much easier and safer.;)