Preparing Blanks

[MalvernMichael]

I have some logs from a couple of trees I recently felled and what to cut them into blanks in readiness for a new lathe that I am buying
I find it all a bit confusing about cutting blanks, from what I have seen on the net the norm is to cut out the pith of the tree and then slice as required and wax coat the end grain.
But I have seen some blanks that look like slices of the tree and just waxed so the pith must still be in them, is that a problem?
Any advice welcome
Thank you
Michael

[Les Symonds]

The comprehensive answer to your question can be found in several excellent volumes about green-wood working, so we're not going to get a comprehensive answer here. However, in essence both approaches have their merits. Cutting away the pith can reduce (but not remove) the risk of splitting, although some woods, which are less prone to splitting, can have the pith left in. My personal experience is that my best pith-bowls have come from the centre of a length of dried log, where the ends have developed minor cracks which have not traveled too far down the log.
If you're preparing wood for future use try both approaches. Are you able to safely chain saw a log along its length, through the pith? If so, then do this and keep the split log in convenient lengths, sealing the ends.....avoid cutting into small pieces at this stage. If you leave one smaller log intact and seal both ends well, you might be lucky to get a usable pith-bowl blank out of the middle of it.
Les

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

I am absolutely rubbish when it comes to drying wood. Most of the stuff I use comes from the timber merchants. However I have been know to try my hand at timber conversion on the odd ocassion that I have a (potentially) nice piece of wood. I cut my logs in half length ways and that is it. My argument being that if I didn't they would split anyway so I split them first. As Les said treat the ends carefully ensuring that all the end grain has been covered. I do try to get the cut down the pith as that seems to help but the only time I worry about the pith is when I do a (very rare) hollow form. I never use slices cut across the tree as in my case they always end up splitting, now I know there are those on this site that welcomes, or at least accepts, splits but I do not. Timber will shrink tangentially no matter how dry so best to avoid that if you do not like splits or shakes. In my very humble opinion the best thing you can do is get a book that tells you all about it, it's a bit of a dark art.

[MalvernMichael]

Thank you both for your advice, I will give it a go as the lathe I want won’t be in stock until March I will spend a bit of time cutting and sealing as you suggest.
I will also look for a good book on the subject
Michael

[Walnut Les]

If they are logs I would leave them as long as I can and cut them in half along the pith and then seal both ends with pva glue, then I would store them in a cool dry place out of the way of the sun.
When you come to use them or part turn them you might have to cut a few inches of the ends of the logs due to a few cracks or splits so please allow for that and don't cut them in to the round just yet as you will lose more than you save.
I will be converting a silver birch tree later on today that I cut down last week. I will post pictures of how I do this later

This is what I do to the tree trunks that I get. all the best Les

[Derek]

There are so many different approaches to this I take out the pith and cut along it or either side again like so many seal the ends as wood that dries to quickly has more chances of splitting. Like Les I seal mine with Pva and have had a reasonable good success yes you will loose some but that is a chance we all take when converting our own wood some of mine maybe down to the fact I missed the pith(about 5 of them) and went to one side and other times down to the type of wood as some will split more readily than others.
I have just finished converting a load and have somewhere in the region of 102 blanks cut and sealed for bowls and some 40 or 50 for hollow forms. I do expect some to split but with that amount I still should get enough to keep me happy.
The photo is of about 80% of them as it was taken before I had complete the task which is now done. Time for some turning of older stock which has dried.
In the first photo the middle shelf is older stock from last year but the top and bottom is from this time as well as the pile on the single shelf and yes it is strong enough as it is more like a table with six legs.
This may not be how others do it and some may disagree but as I stated we all have our own way of doing things

[Walnut Les]

They say that a picture is as good as a thousand words so here you go. this is the way that I convert some of my wood
cut the wood down the middle along the pith and seal the ends with pva glue to slow the drying process down remembering to leave a little extra wood on the ends that you will have to cut off due to it splitting or cracking later on during the drying process.

I'm going to be part turning the silver birch in this picture so I have not sealed the ends but the wood in the back ground is all dry and has had the splits and the cracks cut off and is now ready to be cut into the round ready for turning.

[MalvernMichael]

Thank you all for your advice, very much appreciated
Michael

[Bryan Milham]

Michael,

Looking at your screen name, I'm guessing you line in Malvern (I worked there for 5 years).

Send a message to georg (https://www.awgb.co.uk/awgbforum/index.php?action=profile;u=699) he live very close to you and dries a lot of his own timber.

He can also introduce you to the nearest club.