Need some advice on cutting blanks for turning

[Brent Grooms]

I find myself in the possesion of a truck bed full of black walnut that a fellow had cut back in august. Not being a turner, he didn't seal it. I picked up some of it today. Any suggestions on processing it into blanks?

Currently this is frozen, had to get some of it out of the snow. It is in my unheated garage for the moment while I figure out what to do next. My thinking was to get it cut and cut off as much of the checked ends as possible and get it sealed asap. Some of these chunks are as big as 15in x 24in dia.

I have been lurking on this side for a while and I know there are a bunch of turners out there who deal with the cold and give a fella some advice...:D

[mike fuson]

Rip down through the pith and then seal. Stack vertically end grain to end grain this will keep the air off the ends some. And hope for the best.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Mike is right. I would cut the pith out of it and any cracking on the end then seal immediately. If you don't cut the cracks off the ends it will just keep going. I know I got some walnut and oak. I cut the pith out but didn't cut the cracks off the ends. You may only need to cut a couple of inches off each end. I lost a lot of wood by not doing this.