How should I treat these yew slices?

[Steve Bullman]

Cut these today, would like to sand them down and use as place holders.  What's the best way to go about this with regards treating them so they don't split please?

 

 

[Darrin Turnbull]

maybe next time dry the wood first and then cut the slices.

covering both sides with wax and letting them dry from the bark side might help.

[GrowingArb]

Treat em mean keep em keen [emoji1360]

[se7enthdevil]

1 hour ago, Steve Bullman said:

What's the best way to go about this

start praying...

[Rough Hewn]

You could mount them on plywood?
Use clear resin?
Start with a kiln dried log?
Those will split.

[Ian Leach]

They would probably split Steve, you could try soaking them in pva and hope for the best, or let them split and then cast them in resin and then sand. Then you can add photolumesant (sp) powder into the cracks to make it glow.

[Rough Hewn]

Several coats of varnish might work?

[arbwork]

Steve a long time ago I tries a few yew slices, dried slowly and had better luck with them than any other wood slices of same size, possibly a good time of year to dry them slowly is now , good luck  

[Steve Bullman]

Sounds like I'm probably as well off slinging them on the fire?

[Darrin Turnbull]

It must be twenty years since i cut this piece. Hornbeam from Villa Lemm Gatow. As you can see it didn’t split , mind you it was a diagonal cut.