Now what do I do with it?

[Jim Reasoner]

My neighbor called me about a cherry tree that was just cut down and he thought I may be able to use some of it in my "wood stuff". I didn't know it was this big. This could be beautiful wood and I hope I don't screw it up. I am not really set up to handle chunks of wood this big. I am almost afraid to cut into for fear of messing it up. The pieces are 16-18" long and the bottom one is 16" diameter. I wish someone was close enough, the stump that this was cut off of is 4 ft high and still standing. Any suggestions, advice, etc are very welcome.
I tried to upload and include a photo file. I am not sure it will be attached.

[Jim Becker]

It shouldn't be too much of a problem to chunk it down for use with your lathe. Bill Grumbine's DVD as well as his web site have good information on the process. But the first step is to grab that wood "now" and get it to your own property before it dissapears...assuming you haven't done so already!

[Andy London]

The first thing to do is get some log sealer and seal the ends, Cherry will crack really fast.

Looks like beautiful wood!!! Find someone with an 18 or 20" chainsaw and cut some slabs.

[Glenn Hodges]

Where do you live Jim? I have a Husky with a 24 inch bar that will eat that thing alive. If you are near me, I will jump right on it and help you.

[Jim Reasoner]

I already have the wood. The picture was taken by my shop. I appreciate the offer Glen. I live in Clarksville, Arkansas, be a bit to far from Georgia I expect. I cut these sections up. the leaning one on top I split down the middle. I was similar to the bottom one on the right. I was thinking about cutting some slabs out of them trying to get the best combo of the dark and light wood. I assume I should cut just above the centerline in order to eliminate the pith from a bowl blank, is that correct? I would like to get them rough turned pretty quick and get about a 55 gal barrel of denatured alcohol and let them soak. Of course that would not cost but about 500$. So I guess I will turn and soak one at a time. At any rate I got my hands full for a while.

[Glenn Hodges]

Jim, with cherry I leave the log whole until I am ready to turn a bowl, and as someone mentioned coat the ends with something like Anchorseal. If you cut the slabs and leave the pith in you will get bad cracks which will destroy the blank. Get the pith out if you are going to slab any of it. Good luck, right now I have plenty of cherry, I was only offering to help, but Arkansas is a little to far frm South Georgia. Good Luck