Somewhat similar to the question regarding birch, I picked up a limb from a
Manitoba Maple, here in Alberta, Canada (ornamental tree). The butt of this
limb is seven or so inches and my 100 year old lathe can take a total of
eight inches (assume it's similar to the Jet mini). I don't have immediate
plans for the maple, but I suppose bowls would be a good choice, using
"full-round" blanks for maximum size.

My question is due to the wood being too wet at the moment since the branch
was freshly cut. It fuzzes and tears, and there was actually maple juice
(not syrup, unfortunately) on the end of my chisel of a test piece.

To get some medium-dry samples, or partly wet samples because I'd like to
turn it green, wet, and let it distort, should I hack it into eight inch
long (by seven diameter) pieces, end seal them and wait awhile or keep the
log whole and wait longer? Or improve my technique and turn it now. I'd
rather finish the pieces in one go and let them distort rather than rough
turn and wait for a perfectly round product but I'm open to suggestions.

How much of each process (cut&seal, dry how long) for the easiest turning in
my unheated garage, considering we're heading into winter with typically
very dry and very cold weather ahead, meaning things are very dry and it's
too cold to woodturn three months from now.

Stephen

--

Stephen and/or Kathie
"Owen Lowe" wrote in message
news
In article k6q6d.135006$%S.91032@pd7tw2no,
"Tom Storey" wrote:

I have been given a piece of green birch measuring about 4' long and
about
16" in diameter. It is one heavy sucker! I have a Jet Mini and I would
like
advice on how to best section the log to preserve it and then prepare it
for
turning bowls. I do have a chain saw, thank goodness!

If you don't have use for it soon then I'd seal the ends with a green
wood sealer like Anchorseal or a wood working store's private label
version. At least two to three coats ought to suffice and then store out
of direct weather and sun, off the ground. Don't pull off the bark
unless you suspect bugs are finding their way to the wood beneath.

If you'd like to use it soon, then I'd cut the log into (4) 12"
sections. Then I'd halve each section, yielding (8) 16"x12"x8" blanks
and seal the ends on these. You may get minor checking of the endgrain
if you don't get adequate sealer coverage, but that won't likely cause
you problems since you're going to have to further trim these down to 9"
diameter blanks for use. Then store the blanks out of direct weather and
sunlight - I just pile them up in a corner of my unheated and
uninsulated garage.

Some folks leave the log as whole as possible and hack off what they
need as they need it, but I'd rather fire up the chainsaw as
infrequently as possible - too, I'd rather not have to keep applying the
end sealer to the freshly exposed end.

I believe what ever method you choose, the key is to seal and protect
the wood from the effects of direct weather and ground exposure.