"Peter Hyde" wrote in message
...
Now for
the big question. How do you stack the logs? Lay them on their sides a
la firewood or stand them on end? I read somewhere, maybe in this group,
that logs stood on end do not crack as much and dry faster. Anyone?

Logs crack because the flow of moisture from the interior to the surface is
inadequate to keep it near the FSP (fiber saturation point) of ~30%. Since
moisture is lost from endgrain ten times faster than from face grain, it is
the ends which show first damage. If you watch such things, you'll find
that end checks are self-limiting. The sheltered area in the checks and the
dry area outside which cuts off capillary draw ultimately combine to
maintain the interior at a favorable moisture content.

Does it make a difference how logs are kept? Of course. Loss from two
surfaces is more rapid than loss from one. The sideways stack loses
moisture faster. The protected surface of a log on end suffers less from
end checks than the exposed surface, but seems more prone to radial checks,
which are what really destroys a piece for turning.

Roughing makes all things easier. End grain exposure is immense, so the
blank dries rapidly, the thinner walls allow for continuous capillary draw,
diminishing end check formation, while the geometry of a bowl with no long
continuous cross-sections, minimizes overall distortion. It's the way to
go. Easier to cut green than cured wood, and far easier to get a bowl to
survive than a chunk of wood.

Periodically, I like to remind folks of the resource at
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fp.../fplgtr113.htm , where
chapter three should be required reading for woodturners.

Oh yes, if you have wax, a low-sudsing laundry detergent and a big blender,
you could make your own emulsion to coat endgrain.