Sycamore ....

[benedmonds]

I have never had much use out of chainsaw milled timber, I have used a few oak beams I cut to make a climbing wall for the kids, and a sign for our community orchard. I have a bunch of pine boards we cut for a client who seems to have forgotten about them.. and a gun stock sized piece of walnut..

But never found (or looked) a market for any of it.

 

Brought back two lumps of sycamore, the one pictured should have an interesting grain the other similar length (6ft ish) is a clear stem .

 

Is it worth milling, or anything other then firewood?

 

What would you do with it?

[se7enthdevil]

the one pictured should have some great looking crotch bowl blanks hiding in it.

[benedmonds]

the one pictured should have some great looking crotch bowl blanks hiding in it.

 

so what should I do with it?

[mickdundee]

Just bumping this as I'm interested in what the OP should do with those crotches

[gobbypunk]

Yes defo mill it I bet it will have some lovley grain in that , ideal table tops

Cheers Mark

[Blaisey]

I would mill for sure. I have left one similar in the corner of the yard for 3,4 years and was amazed when I finally got round to milling great wood imo (for indoor use)

[Goaty]

As you may be aware sycamore is prone to fungal attack and the boards will need standing upright on end to help prevent this. Also they suffer saps rain if you sticker stack them.

The first milling I did was 2-3ft diameter sycamore. I got around 80% success. I recommend only do it when you have plenty of time, to mill then stack properly and know you can keep an eye on the boards, and turn them if needed.

If you mill then leave to stack another day they they will ruin quickly. My trunk was left in the yard over a year before milling propped off the floor. The end few inches did did fungi attack even though I painted them.

[skc101fc]

Just re read this and I'm wonderring about the standing boards on end business. What happens if you don't and how do you keep the boards flat and stable?

[gobbypunk]

Hi I was wondering the same I have boards stacked flat in my workshop but if I could stack them upright I would be able to get at them alot better but I would be reluctant to for the obvious reasons if anybody knows how I can store upright without many probs please let me know

Thanks Mark

[se7enthdevil]

as far as i am aware the reason they are upended is simply down to a staining where the sticker is when stacked that penetrates deep in to the board rendering them unusable for decorative purposes...

 

if they are straight then they should not warp that much but you can stack them if you keep an eye on them and i read somewhere of a company using plastic stickers rather than wood.

 

i do not know if the sticker staining happens only with KD timber or if air drying gives the same result but from memory the plastic was to be used in the kiln.

 

 

i have a few old books i've bought on the bay and will leaf through them to see if i can find anything relating to this subject.