Standing drying

[AHPP]

I have a small cherry crowding an oak. It's only about 12" DBH but it's straight so there should be a few canoe paddle shafts in there. Since I only really need the crown gone to give the oak space, would there be any benefit in (a)ring-barking it, (b)pollarding it or ©both and leaving it to dry standing for a couple of years? I'm hoping it might split less fixed to the stump (drying cherry splits badly if firewood is anything to go by).

 

Would it dry well like this or am I just as well off felling in winter, milling, (maybe painting end grain to slow drying) and air drying normally?

[morten]

I have a small cherry crowding an oak. It's only about 12" DBH but it's straight so there should be a few canoe paddle shafts in there. Since I only really need the crown gone to give the oak space, would there be any benefit in (a)ring-barking it, (b)pollarding it or ©both and leaving it to dry standing for a couple of years? I'm hoping it might split less fixed to the stump (drying cherry splits badly if firewood is anything to go by).

 

Would it dry well like this or am I just as well off felling in winter, milling, (maybe painting end grain to slow drying) and air drying normally?

 

Unless you leave the crown on after ring barking it is not going to dry any faster than if you fell it, as you need the leaves to "evacuate" the moisture from the wood.

So either ring bark during spring/summer and leave the crown on, or fell during winter.

 

Others may disagree, of course

[AHPP]

I think I want it to dry slower to prevent cracking (which I believe cherry does more than average)?

[Rob D]

Wood does not really dry well in the round as a rule of thumb.

 

 

The short answer - I would fell in Nov and plank it immediately - less water in the main stem, cooler less chance of drying defects.

 

 

It's tricky with questions like the OP - really you need to get online and do a lot of research - as a lot of answers only open up more questions!

 

 

Wood is a complex thing and takes ruddy ages to start understanding it!

 

 

For example in finding out how much wood may move or split depends on:

 

 

• The species of wood?
  
• How large is the tree?
  
• Whether it is first length or branch wood?
  
• When it was felled?
  
• Presence of knots or shake?
  
• How it was sawn?
  
• Method of drying?
  

 

 

Each one of the above is almost a book unto itself!

 

 

 

 

[openspaceman]

Wood does not really dry well in the round as a rule of thumb.

 

 

The short answer - I would fell in Nov and plank it immediately - less water in the main stem, cooler less chance of drying defects.

 

 

 

That's my view too

 

On small diameter stuff for something like a paddle I'd try cleaving it into 4 and then reassembling loosely

[AHPP]

I know. Questions beget questions beget questions!

Thanks, folks.

[spiral]

On small diameter stuff for something like a paddle I'd try cleaving it into 4 and then reassembling loosely

 

Definatly,, & if straight grained & not free for paddles or similar remove area next to pith, {an inch or so 8 the bark & sapwood as well l then, wrap in large bag full of bone dry sawdust, change the sawdust for dry again whenever it becomes damp, until the specimen timber is dry.

 

The saw dust draws the moisture out so the inner part of the timber dties first , thus eliminating cracking, caused by the surface drying first in air drying.

 

Its time consuming but really works, I always do it to dry, large diameter box or other pieces for small specimen use requiring high quality pieces.

 

Guess sawdust could be expensive, but mine used to be free from the cabinet makers waste/dust extraction system, from the machines.}

 

It works. {Ive done it nearly 6 or 7 times times over the last 20 years...}

 

Its apparently an old Corsican technique... possibly used by other as well? For tool making & craft stuff.

 

Spiral

[Big Beech]

my cherry dried fine, that was summer felled, milled in Autumn. stacked under a tarp. only center quarter sawn board split as expected.

keep the stickers thin to avoid to much air flow too.

[peatff]

Any wood splits cut into rings. If it's left in longer lengths with the ends sealed with wax or painted it minimises splitting.

[se7enthdevil]

drop it, mill it, stack it.

 

make sure each plank has sealant on the end grain and it should be ok.