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Author Topic: When to cut a stock blank?  (Read 5186 times)

Offline Cory Joe Stewart

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When to cut a stock blank?
« on: November 05, 2015, 11:14:29 PM »
Hey gang,

My brother in law has given me a nice piece of cherry that I plan on making a fowler out of.  It is a full plank at the moment.  It was log on the ground for about two years.  It slabbed it this fall.  I figure it needs to dry about two more years to be on the safe side.  However it is taking up a lot of room.  I was wondering if it would be safe to go ahead and cut out the rough stock blank??

Regards,

Coryjoe
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Offline Dennis Glazener

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Re: When to cut a stock blank?
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2015, 11:24:32 PM »
Cory,
I wish that I had done mine that way but I didn't. Just be sure to paint the end grain to keep it from splitting/checking. I use old latex paint and put it on heavy. My cousin who turns bowls, roughs them out while still green the paints the entire piece of green wood with a cheap wood glue he buys by the gallon. He then stores them in his attic for a couple of years and then finishes turning them. He said so far none has cracked on him.
Dennis
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Offline Shreckmeister

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Re: When to cut a stock blank?
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2015, 11:47:29 PM »
Absolutely you can cut the plank now
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eddillon

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Re: When to cut a stock blank?
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2015, 12:10:33 AM »
Band saw to almost blank dimensions.  Leave about 1/2 inch on the blank profile.  Be sure to paint end grain like Dennis said.  Cutting to almost blank size will accelerate drying process.  Weigh the blank right after band saw and paint.  write date and weight on the blank.  Weigh every couple of months until weight stabilizes.  Wood is then ready to cut.  I use digital postal scales.
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Offline JBJ

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Re: When to cut a stock blank?
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2015, 02:18:42 AM »
I have always been told one year of drying per inch of thickness for air drying. Be sure and end coat the slabs. I have successfully used hot parafin and a couple of proprietary products.
J.B.
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: When to cut a stock blank?
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2015, 03:33:17 AM »
Cut it into a generous stock profile soon as you can.

I had planks of maple I cut into planks and immediately cut stock blanks out of. Had almost no loss.

Next batch of planks, I let dry in the plank for a year, and had tremendous waste because of checking. I had take all the precautions of sealing the ends, tarping, drying slowly in the shade, etc. Never again. Blank 'em up ASAP.

Cherry is notorious for planks splitting from one end to the other. Cut your blank(s) now! Any end cuts seal up.
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Offline WKevinD

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Re: When to cut a stock blank?
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2015, 06:55:19 AM »
Home Depot typically has gallons of "wrong color" latex paint around for cheap money.
Don't worry about the color just paint up the end grain nice and solid...I now can tell how old the slabs are by the bad colors in the stack.
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kaintuck

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Re: When to cut a stock blank?
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2015, 05:12:32 PM »
home depot sells a moister meter~ around 65 bucks~

otherwise....cut it into blank, and 1" per year in a normal environment........

marc n tomtom
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: When to cut a stock blank?
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2015, 04:34:56 AM »
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS remove all bark off the wood ASAP. Bugs will get in thru the bark if you don't.

If its wet, dry it slowly, in the shade out of wind and heat. A shed would be ideal, and partly cover the stack with a tarp to slow the air circulation. Wood needs some air circulation to avoid mold, but too much air will dry the outside of the plank and it can get surface stress cracks/checks. It needs to be stickered with DRY stickers. Wet stickers can cause mold.

After 6 months or so, allow full circulation. No sun, tho.

You may need to occasionally spray with fungicide or insecticide to prevent powder post beetles from eating your wood. Sprinkling with diatomatious(sp?) earth will also help prevent bugs.
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: When to cut a stock blank?
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2015, 04:50:49 AM »
I like to stack my stock blanks up with stickers in between. There is a base piece of steel channel with two threaded rods straddling the blanks, then a cap channel bolted down snug. This helps keep the blanks from twisting and curving. For a stack of long blanks, I like three of these assemblies.

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Offline BOB HILL

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Re: When to cut a stock blank?
« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2015, 08:09:28 AM »
Acer is spot on with his advice. I also seal the end of the log as soon as it's cut,if able .Cut generous blanks as soon as possible  and seal. Heed  his advice about bark and insects. They love air dried wood. Most of the insecticide  will be removed when you plane and band saw your pattern out. Use a respirator  when planing. It may be longer than needed but I let my wood dry five yejars before using.      Bob
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: When to cut a stock blank?
« Reply #11 on: November 07, 2015, 03:02:05 PM »
All this reminds me...I have  a whole walnut trees worth of slabs to knock stock blanks out of. Been drying three years now, time to see where I end up.
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Offline WKevinD

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Re: When to cut a stock blank?
« Reply #12 on: November 07, 2015, 04:49:17 PM »
If your having a log cut with a portable mill or if your delivering logs to a mill do yourself a favor and paint the ends of the logs as soon as they hit the ground. Much easier to do touch ups to seal the end grain after the log has been slabbed or the slabs have been cut to blanks.
Tom that is a great clamping arrangement!
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