Replies

1. 
   Curtis | May 16, 2004 04:53pm | #1

   Good day

   What are you looking to do with the shorts?

   If turning, just seal the ends, and let them dry in some corner of the garage for a few years.

   If you want to make boards out of them, cut into slabs, stack and weight.(and wate...)  Remember to seal the ends! I use wax emulation.

   As a general rule wood drys one year per inch. that's just a general rule,but It works most of the time for me. When green I stack and sticker the stack, and after a few weeks, I flip and move the stack. after a couple of times, I just leave and forget the stack, "O" I dry inside a shed out side, Nothing fancy, out of site out of mind. it take time to dry wood, but I think its well worth it.

   good luck.

   C.A.G.
1. 
   jimmyk | May 19, 2004 03:27pm | #11

   Hey Curtis,

   I live in Fowlerville. I was in Bloomfield Hills yesterday kissing up to some interior designers trying to get work. I'm going to be in East Point tomorrow doing an install. What's your address so I can sneak bye when you're not home and rummage through your wood stash????

1. 
   Curtis | May 19, 2004 11:42pm | #12

   HI

   I am at 13 and Greenfield.

   call me (248) 288-3445 if you get in the eara.

   C.A.G.

   C.A.G.

2. 
   Curtis | May 16, 2004 04:58pm | #2

   P.S.

    24" long and about 12"-14" diameter. thats pretty small.

   that tree was a pretty young tree, or you just got a few branches.

   eather way, there isnt a lot of wood.

   I would recemend turning them.

   C.A.G.
3. 
   forestgirl | May 16, 2004 08:22pm | #3

   ASK, that size is probably best suited to turning, but I have a weakness for picking up "logs" in the 2-4'L range and I don't turn, so here's an idea.  Short pieces like that are suitable for making boxes with, or maybe bookmatched pieces for a small panel. 

   The problem is they're a PITA to dry because they're so darned short -- hard to stack and weight, take up way too much room for what you're getting out of them.  Solution???  I'm going to try making up small stacks and then banding each stack with adjustable straps.  Picked up the idea here at Knots when banding with ratcheting straps was mentioned with regard to regular, large stacks of wood.  Seems like you could stack and sticker the little planks, probably with kiln-dried pieces of hardwood on top and bottom to provide a solid, flat reference point.  Check frequently (every week?) and tighten the straps down to keep the little stack snugged to the reference boards.  After awhile, they probably wouldn't need to be checked very often, as the dimensional changes would slow down.  Be sure your stickers are directly in line up through the stack and sticker between the walnut and the reference boards also.

   What's your climate like?  How hot/dry does your garage get?  How humid is it outside?

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

   
   

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   Edited 5/16/2004 1:23 pm ET by forestgirl

   
   

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   Edited 5/16/2004 1:25 pm ET by forestgirl

4. 
   tsproul | May 17, 2004 07:55am | #4

   gonna disagree....having read a bit of Krenov, I'd gather he would do as you.  saw them into boards and dry them out....yes, there will be a lot of sapwood which will be much lighter colored than the dark heartwood....but that can make for good looking doors or panels or such...

   Tim
5. 
   ASK | May 17, 2004 03:52pm | #5

   Thanks for all your comments and information.

   Climate: Western Mass. Cold winters, Warm summers, cools off at night, humidity varies but can get pretty humid in the middle of the summer.

   The pieces I got were from the main trunk, but I was hoping for something a little longer, say 6' or so. I wasn't there when they cut it down.

   I think I'll cut them into slabs and I like the steel band idea Forestgirl, thanks.

   Thanks again

   ASK

1. 
   forestgirl | May 17, 2004 07:53pm | #6

   Oooops, "steel band" -- nope, nylon (or whatever).  Perhaps I should have used the term "strap" rather than band.

   Anywho, with your climate you could probably stack outside if it's more convenient.  I hesitate to stack outside here in the Great Northwest because it's super-high humidity most of the year.

   Have fun!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   ASK | May 17, 2004 08:11pm | #7

   Forestgirl,

   You mean the 1"-1.5" nylon straps with rachett I use to keep the 4 X 8 sheets from flying off the roof rack on top of the car? and other occasional uses.

   ASK

1. 
   forestgirl | May 18, 2004 06:51am | #8

   That's the idea.  I looked at "tie downs" at Home Depot today, and am thinking I've gotta find a cheaper way.  Am going to investigate backpacking equipment and possibly components (buckles, bulk strapping, etc.).forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   ASK | May 18, 2004 04:17pm | #9

   Forestgirl,

   Backpacking. Good thought.

   Interesting that HD isn't really cheap on many items.

   ASK

2. 
   forestgirl | May 19, 2004 12:27am | #10

   re: the HD prices, it's not that they're expensive, it's just that the tie-downs they carry are, welllllll, they're tie-downs.  Made for pick-'em-up-trucks and such.  Overkill for my small-lumber purposes.  :-)forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

3. 
   ASK | May 20, 2004 04:41pm | #13

   Morning,

   Just got the June 2004 catalogue from Lee Valley

   Page 12, 16' Web clamps for $7.50 each, $6.75 if you buy 6 or more.

   On the same page are the Jorgenson Cabinet Master Clamps, I bought 8 recently, at the best prices I've seen anywhere.

   ASK

4. 
   forestgirl | May 20, 2004 07:42pm | #14

   Thanks, that's a pretty reasonable price.  I need to find some short ones (3 or 4 feet) for small batches of wood, but I'll bet the big ones would come in handy for grouping several small batches into one big one.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

5. 
   ASK | May 20, 2004 07:58pm | #15

   Forestgirl,

   It occures to me that if you need short ones, get the longer ones and cut them to the length you need and burn the end so they don't unravel

   ASK