Scored a walnut log yesterday. Cut only a few days ago and full of water. I have removed the pith and cut the log into pieces on the band saw. Coated the cuts with Anchorseal.
Should I leave the bark on or remove it?
Thanks for any advice.
[OP]
Contributor
Scored a walnut log yesterday. Cut only a few days ago and full of water. I have removed the pith and cut the log into pieces on the band saw. Coated the cuts with Anchorseal.
Should I leave the bark on or remove it?
Thanks for any advice.
Member
Yes, I'd do one of those.I usually leave the bark on because that's easiest, but I'm not sure matters one way or the other.
Member
How about turning it right now as a natural edge bowl with the bark left on ??Originally Posted by Jim Hipp
Otherwise bugs like to get into the lignin and the sapwood under the bark, I’d take it off, and keep the logs up off of the ground and out of the sun and wind, still it will start splitting in not too long a time.
Have fun and take care
Moderator
(Sorry if this duplicates - I didn't have time to read the other messages.)
My experience: if a log is stored outside removing the bark is more important in spring through fall when the insects seem to be more active. (Fortunately, it is easier to remove then before the tree goes dormant!) If the temperatures are cold or cool in your area it might not hurt leave it on since it does act as a bit of seal and might minimize cracks on the outer circumference. However, the insects I've seen the most in walnut (around here) are big grubs which may already be in the wood now, although I don't know how active they are when it's cold. Fortunately they mostly keep to the sap wood - unfortunate if you want to use the sapwood!
That said, I always remove the bark when processing wood and I don't want to go for a natural-edged piece. I generally cut it off with the bandsaw unless I'm saving as much width as possible for the rim of a bowl or platter.
If you do remove the bark you might apply anchorseal there too since you already sealed the rip cuts, although I've found walnut to be one of the more stable woods I've cut and sawn, at least the black walnut that grows around here. Individual trees vary though - I had unsealed rounds from one huge cherry tree refuse to crack although they sat in the sun for years!
Probably not useful for this log already sectioned and sealed but one tip an old sawyer gave me is to stand a newly cut log (or sawn slabs) on end for a few days. This will allow a lot of the free water to run out of the end, more effective with certain woods than others of course. The times I've done this I could see the water drip out and make a puddle.
Green walnut is great! What size was the log? I've cut from 8" to 24" but the smaller trees (around here at least) don't have much heartwood.
BTW, if you can turn it before the sapwood changes from white to brown you can often get some fantastic contrast. For example, the other woodturning John Jordan sometimes puts the sapwood to good use:
jordan_walnut.jpg
(Repeat to avoid misunderstanding: not my work!)
JKJ
[OP]
Contributor
The log was 8'X12+-". After the first replies I went to start removing the bark with a 1.5" chisel and a mallet. Really tough going. Bark would not separate from the log so I have ditched that idea and plan to paint it with another coat of Anchorseal and wrap it in Glad wrap. I will store it in my unheated garage off the concrete floor. I placed a short piece of the log on my band saw table on end and water ran on the table. Across the end cut the log is about 60% heart.
Moderator
Sounds like great wood! I'm not sure the plastic wrap is needed but if you use it maybe remove it when it starts to warm up to prevent fungus. If you have room in say, a chest freezer a good way to preserve wood for the long haul is to wrap it and freeze it.
When I do want to remove stubborn bark on irregular shapes (usually stubbornly adhered when a tree is cut in the winter when dormant!) I tend to do it with a chain saw with a skimming cut. I like using an electric chain saw for this but it does make a mess if done indoors but it's practically effortless.
JKJ
Moderator
wow, john. amazing.
Moderator
The guy is good! Thant one sold for $1000 according to the AAW website: http://www.auction2017.woodturner.or...rdan_i22309931
More of his pieces: http://www.johnjordanwoodturning.com...g/Gallery.html
He teaches all of his secrets in classes. John J. and Clay Foster have class together at Appalachian Center for Craft and at Arrowmont this year. Well worth taking, very relaxed but invigorating week. (Advanced turners only - you have to "audition" to get in!)
John J. says he will make one of his "signature" pieces for me but I haven't seen it yet.
I like to gently spar: he says to only turn wet wood and I say only turn dry. But when he visited my shop he took home a piece of dry ebony. So there! (Ok, so maybe I twisted his arm.)
This is Doug Thompson, John Jordan, John Lucas, and John K Jordan at a TAW symposium a few years back.
Jordans_TAW_2010_cs.jpg
JKJ
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