Hi All,
So, Im not a turner - not yet, anyway. But a friend wants to try her hand at carving some small bowls, and she wants to use local wood. Here in the Inland Pacific Northwet, we have an abundance of Ponderosa (Bull?) Pine so she thinks that's a good place to start. (The nuances of carving pine - I'm not sure about that either, but that detail isn't part of my "assignment".)
So, I have several short logs, snatched away from a friend's woodpile, and I'm ready (I THINK!) to start curing them. I have a very general idea about curing "raw" wood prior to use for woodworking, but I've no idea what special precautions or tactics I should use for making "bowl blanks". I'm assuming: (1) the curing process will take a long time, I've already set her expectations on that detail; and (2) I presume that I should treat the ends with Armor-Seal (?) or perhaps just some generic latex paint?
I have a place in my shop where the logs can have mildly heated circulating air. Beyond that, and sealing the ends, what precautions and tactics shall I be taking to minimize the risk of splitting, etc.? Or, am I completely off-course here?
Thanks for any guidance and insights!