# Board end sealer



## powerking (Sep 21, 2012)

Ok..here goes....new to this forum here and have a question, I am in the process of trying to make a simple outdoor bench from some rock maple, I cut my slab down today, tree was just cut down yesterday, so its still very green. What can I seal the board ends with so they dont start cracking? The slab is about 4.5in thick and about 12in wide
Thanks
Rich


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## rarefish383 (Nov 7, 2012)

Wow Rich, I don't know how this got missed for so long. Hope your planks haven't split all up on you. I use Anchor Seal, I just Googled it and got their home site and made an order. It might be a little pricey compared to bargain latex paint, but I think it was under 30 bucks for a gallon, Joe.


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## 2treeornot2tree (Nov 9, 2012)

i have been using left over industrial enamel paint i have left over from painting equipment. Its about $25 a gallon.


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## Healeydays (Nov 15, 2012)

*New guy in the neighborhood*

I have used anchorseal the past especially if I'm saving a log, but if it's in my shop or smaller, I use candlewax. It goes deep enough in the end pores and who doesn't have half burnt candles around if you have a wife or girlfriend right?


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## ShermanC (Nov 18, 2012)

*Sealtite (from Klingspor) vs. Anchorseal*

I started wood turning 14 years ago and am on the second gallon of Sealtite, a white liquid emulsion that I buy from Klingspor's web site (Hickory, NC). On the day I cut the wood, I use a magic marker to label the specie and the cut date then brush the fluid to seal the ends then let it dry overnight. I season all wood species (84) the old fashioned way, as I was taught in 1999, one year per inch of diameter. If the log is greater than three inch diameter add six months time for safe measure. Sealtite usually works to prevent checks of radial shake, heart shake and cup shake. But nature can overtake any rule of thumb and sometimes the wood will spit no matter what I've done. I dry the wood ends on old newspapers to keep the wax off the shop floor. When dried the wax is slippery and If on the floor could cause a bad accident.

I belong to AAW and a chapter club, Ozark Woodturners (Baxter County & Mountain Home, AR). Some of the real knowledgable members insist Anchorseal is the best but I have not tried it. The next time I need to buy more sealant I think I'll give it a try.

Another method and product that works well on logs for turning, smaller than 6" dia., is canning wax. I keep about 1" depth of wax in a metal coffee can that fits inside a medium cooking pot. When needed, I put water in the pot enough to heat and melt the wax in the can. Once the wax melts I dip the wood ends in the wax and dry it on old newspaper.
Last March I took a pecan trunk to a sawmill to have it cut into fourteen 1" slabs and a 3" mantle piece. We set it in a garage on the floor, separated with wood stickers to air dry. I told the guy to paint the board ends with latex paint ASAP to prevent checking, warping and spalt. I forget to ask him how it looks now that it has dried. Sorry to write so much but I like to learn about these tricks and what other posters have tried.


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