Today's carving

[Dean Lofthouse]

Does anyone know how to cut 12" diameter rings at around 2" thick wothout them splittling and opening up like someones cut a slice out of them.

 

I've tried seasoned logs and unseasoned logs.

 

The latest batch I cut inot 2"thick discs and left them stacked together to limit air flow to them and slow the drying process, haven't split yet but I'm not holding my breathe.

[billythegoat]

great work Steve

[Lee Winger]

Does anyone know how to cut 12" diameter rings at around 2" thick wothout them splittling and opening up like someones cut a slice out of them.

 

I've tried seasoned logs and unseasoned logs.

 

The latest batch I cut inot 2"thick discs and left them stacked together to limit air flow to them and slow the drying process, haven't split yet but I'm not holding my breathe.

 

The only timber that worked for me was a slice of sycamore,chopping boards?

 

 

Nice bench Steve, personaly i'd iron strap the legs and fix with those big old hand forged nails...

[Steve Bullman]

Does anyone know how to cut 12" diameter rings at around 2" thick wothout them splittling and opening up like someones cut a slice out of them.

 

I've tried seasoned logs and unseasoned logs.

 

The latest batch I cut inot 2"thick discs and left them stacked together to limit air flow to them and slow the drying process, haven't split yet but I'm not holding my breathe.

 

danish oil?

[skyhuck]

Does anyone know how to cut 12" diameter rings at around 2" thick wothout them splittling and opening up like someones cut a slice out of them.

 

I've tried seasoned logs and unseasoned logs.

 

The latest batch I cut inot 2"thick discs and left them stacked together to limit air flow to them and slow the drying process, haven't split yet but I'm not holding my breathe.

 

Elm :wave:

[yaxleylad]

You could try cutting your discs out the log when its still completely fresh and wet, then imeadiately put a disc into a sack generously surrounded with damp shavings (eg fresh chain saw chip's) If you use this method with wood products, they dry out evenly with less stress, with less chance of radial split's (Thats what I wondered about your bench steve if a radial crack opens on the leg it will snap off, but your probaly right if there generous that may not happen, or maybe thuja is a stable timber and not prone to radial cracking?) It would just take quite a long time and patience using this method. Any way I have used it to dry out ladles and spoons, without them cracking OR going mouldy, other spoons just left out in the open have dried fast (too fast) but have cracked and distorted, especially cherry its a pain, I prefer alder and lime. Obviously a wooden ladle or bowl with cracks is useless. I think some people use a micro wave oven to treat green wood also but I've not tried it.

Hope this hepls, cheers Jonathan

[Dean Lofthouse]

Cheers for that Jonathon, will give that a go.

[TommyTreecarver]

Nice bench Steve, and its worth at least £300 the right person will pay more!

[Tom D]

Thats too nice for the patio Steve, get that in front of the sofa, you just need to make some coasters to go with it.

[Ian Leach]

Does anyone know how to cut 12" diameter rings at around 2" thick wothout them splittling and opening up like someones cut a slice out of them.

 

 

I've tried seasoned logs and unseasoned logs.

 

The latest batch I cut inot 2"thick discs and left them stacked together to limit air flow to them and slow the drying process, haven't split yet but I'm not holding my breathe.

 

 

It depends which way you cut them, If you cut them like logging up they will split very easy. But if you cut them across the grain then make them into rings they don't split as much, Sometimes not at all. I aways seal the end grain with pva or wax as well which stops splitting too. I'm waiting for our kiln to turn up so i can build that, should only take 5 days to dry then.