Can I lock in the freshness?

[Kupreanof]

I have a lot of dead standing that is bone dry inside. Obviously it checks when I cut it and let it settle.

But I wonder if I cut it and milled it and sealed it all at once if it would lock it at equilibrium. Obviously if I then brought it into a different climate than it's been settled in for decades without checking, it would likely eventually settle to that environment and inevitably check, albeit slowly.

I don't see why it wouldn't remain where it has settled, so long as I can replace the protection the stump, sides, and crown provided and keep it in the same environment (wishful thinking I know).

Maybe Zip-Loc would work with me to develop something.

I know, I know Anchor Seal and embrace the separation process and result. It's the challenge of the thing you know.

 

[BobL]

I have a lot of dead standing that is bone dry inside. Obviously it checks when I cut it and let it settle.

Nope - it's not bone dry inside - it's external air dry inside - that means it will still have around 12% moisture content. It's pointless to lock in the moisture content because as soon as you work the wood into a useful object it will need to equilibrate to it's new exposure/size anyway so all you are doing in prolonging this problem

But I wonder if I cut it and milled it and sealed it all at once if it would lock it at equilibrium. Obviously if I then brought it into a different climate than it's been settled in for decades without checking, it would likely eventually settle to that environment and inevitably check, albeit slowly.

You would have to seal the whole thing in wax to retain the equilibrium but this may not be eliminate checking.

Another reason why wood splits is because of internal tension. As soon the log is milled the tension is partly released but some is retained and can produced cracks. If the tension is high and the milled wood is too thin then you could end up with pretzels. All you can do is mill it into medium size pieces and let it re-equilibrate with the air and then resaw around the cracks etc.

 

[Kupreanof]

That makes sense. I live in a rainforest where we're always "soaked to the bone," so bone dry is relative!

From what you say, It sounds like the less I take off the better. So is a log in the round likely to split/crack/check less than a squared timber beam (due to the stresses not changing direction, in terms of drying and not load)?

Would the same beam cut from a smaller tree dry better than that beam cut from the center of a larger tree? Or is it the opposite due to the radian slices (if you will) decreasing in thickness as they converge on the center?

 

[BobL]

From what you say, It sounds like the less I take off the better. So is a log in the round likely to split/crack/check less than a squared timber beam (due to the stresses not changing direction, in terms of drying and not load)?

The outside of a log has more water and so shrinks more than the inside. While it's all held together by the roots and stump it won't crack much but as soon as you cut it at the stump and into shorter lengths the outside shrinks faster than the inside so cracks will develop. Cutting a log it into square beams by peel off some of the outside will reduce cracking

I cut most of my timber into 2" thick slabs and let it dry like that, then I resaw it from there.

Would the same beam cut from a smaller tree dry better than that beam cut from the center of a larger tree? Or is it the opposite due to the radian slices (if you will) decreasing in thickness as they converge on the center?

Smaller tree has more sapwood and so will on average split more. Larger tree has more stable wood so on average will crack less.
Radial or quarter saw pieces are usually the most stable cuts for any tree.

 

[Brmorgan]

Can I lock in the freshness?

Ya sure, if you can find a Ziploc bag big enough! But seriously, as pointed out, wax coating is pretty much the only way to really totally seal a piece of wood.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Ya sure, if you can find a Ziploc bag big enough! But seriously, as pointed out, wax coating is pretty much the only way to really totally seal a piece of wood.

AND it STILL won't be sealed 100%, there will still be a moisture loss/gain, but the wax slows it down a lot.

Rob