Tree down too long?

[Reed Gray]

Reguarding Erine's comment about blanks splitting because the tree had been down too long before getting to it, I have noticed something similar. It seems that every time that I get a tree that has been down a year or two, those blanks, both log and block made from them tend to split much more so than ones that are fresher. This even goes as far as splitting in an hour or two rather than a week or a month. This doesn't seem to be one specific type of tree, but rather any tree. This doesn't seem to effect blanks that I turn right away, only if I let them sit while taking all of the normal precautions.Has anyone else noticed this?
robo hippy

[Paul Downes]

I have found it varies all over the map as far as time on the ground and species. I have cut some firewood (maple) that was beautiful and spaulted throughout. It was in dark timber- meaning a rather dense, wet, woodlot in central Michigan. I trimed the blanks and anchor sealed them and they are premo. The trees had been cut 4 yrs. previous. Some woods have lots of natural tension in them and some have a cell structure that wicks out water quicker that others. I ruined some premo red stained figured box elder blanks because I got lazy after making 75 bowl blanks and didn't get them all anchor sealed right away.:( I just fed some into the wood stove tonight. Sometimes I am able to cut pen blanks from cracked bowl blanks so it's not a total loss. It's always best to seal blanks as soon as you cut them. I just bought steel to make a 4' x 16' suspended rack for storing bowl blanks. I keep tripping over the darn things.:D (not so stelth gloat)

[Dennis Peacock]

I ruined some premo red stained figured box elder blanks because I got lazy after making 75 bowl blanks and didn't get them all anchor sealed right away.:(

75 bowl blanks.!!??? Man, I'm tired just from thinking about chainsawing that many in one day. Boy am I bushed. :rolleyes: :D

Congrats on the new bowl rack. I have mine up on shelves waiting for a return to the lathe.