Try splitting the wood at the pith and let it dry.
"robo hippy" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have had a couple is times when I've gotter trees that had died while
standing "a year or two ago". It seems that in every instance, the wood
will crack and check almost imediatly. It doesn't matter if I turn it
first, or seal the logs and keep them covered, even during our wet
Oregon winters. Is it just me, or does this happen with most "dead"
trees?
robo hippy