First, keep the bark on. Look at the bark color. If white - paper birch -
you have to turn it a bit sooner that its brother, yellow birch. White
birch spalts rather unattractively, yellow spectacularly.
If other than a fresh (hours) cut, don't bother with anchorseal. Shield the
ends from rapid water loss and accept that you've lost about an inch and a
half of useful wood. End checks are largely self-limiting, so slowing the
rate of loss to within the limit of capillary draw will keep them sound.
With cold weather coming on rapidly, you should be able to harvest pieces of
your log at your leisure. Loss from fresh cuts is negligible with the
temperatures below freezing. Shelter from the sun should be all that's
required. Spring is another matter. Then you'll have to protect any fresh
cuts, increasing the possibility of decay by slowing the loss of moisture.
If you decide to spalt some yellow birch, you'll want an area out of the sun
where you can lay it on the ground. Some like to set upright, but I find
that more fussy and difficult to control, with the portion near the ground
often becoming fully punky before the interior has more than a suggestion of
color. By rolling when the ends begin to show color you preserve what you
have as the moisture drops below 20%, with the option to return and continue
by putting it back on the ground again.
Where you'll want anchorseal or such is with rough rounds. Not the bowls -
birch is virtually bulletproof in drying - but the longer rounds you'll want
for boxes or goblets and such. Alternatives include Elmer's white glue and
latex paint. Keep them out of the warmest and driest parts of the house
until spring. I keep them close to the basement floor near an outside wall.
How to cut?
http://www.enter.net/~ultradad/logcutting.html
"Tom Storey" wrote in message
news:k6q6d.135006$%S.91032@pd7tw2no...
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!
--
Remove the 'p' from 'shaw' to e-mail me.