# Cherry tree find



## Rustburger (Oct 18, 2019)

I had been watching Facebook Marketplace for weeks, just in case someone wanted to give away some nice wood that I could use for turning. Today a guy had a listing and the pic showed some possible medium size cherry in it.
I quickly contacted him and arranged to go over and found some cherry almost 28 inches in diameter! Thats really big for Virginia. A hour later I had 6 large crotch cuts of cherry and 1 cut of locust. Lots of work but it was a good day.

Reactions: Like 9 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 3


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## ripjack13 (Oct 18, 2019)

Nice.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rocky1 (Oct 18, 2019)

Pretty stuff.... Nice haul.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Oct 18, 2019)

Very cool! congrats.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Rustburger (Oct 18, 2019)

The question now is how to best handle the drying process for the cherry and locust crotch cuts?

Maybe seal the ends for now and then turn green and place the rough turned blanks in paper bags or saw dust to slow drying?

Any ideas?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## rocky1 (Oct 18, 2019)

Well... Anchor Seal is $139 for 5 gallons on Amazon, as of last Thursday, and while that was Prime eligible and shipped free, it took 5 days to get here.

I've hard pretty good luck drying them in cardboard boxes full of shavings. Had one small mulberry that got a bit out of whack but it was crotch wood, and wall thickness isn't quite even, little bark left on one side, so it was expected.

Turned a piece of maple green, freshly cut, and that one worked really well. 11 1/4" diameter and it dried a mere 1/4" out of round, while the bottom tried to spalt. Going to be an interesting piece when finished.

Sat both in the box bottom down, but I almost wonder if you wouldn't do better bottom up so the moisture in the bottom wicks down the sides and slows drying further. Will be trying that one shortly, I hope, and would love input from others who may have tried both.

But yeah, shavings from your bowl in a cardboard box works really well in my experience.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## gman2431 (Oct 18, 2019)

The cherry crotch will get crazy on ya... seal it all and put away somewhere not hot or dry. Makes beautiful turnings tho!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## rob3232 (Oct 18, 2019)

Slow dry for any crotch wood. Good luck bud !

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## trc65 (Oct 18, 2019)

On cherry I've turned, I seal the whole bowl and come back to it later. Just make sure you leave enough thickness to turn away after warping. Or you could just turn it final thickness and dry in shavings, letting it warp.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Nature Man (Oct 18, 2019)

Congrats!!! That should keep you busy for awhile! Make sure to show us what you make. Chuck


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## Steve in VA (Oct 18, 2019)

I've been doing some research on this myself and while I've not tried it, there seems to be nothing but positive feedback on the the Ron Kent method. Basically you soak a rough turned bowl in liquid dish soap (NOT dishwasher) and water for 1-3 days and it greatly reduces the likelihood of most checking. Obviously it varies species to species, and I'd guess all bets are off on a crotch piece.

http://blog.woodturnerscatalog.com/2012/09/storing-and-turning-unseasoned-wood/

https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/options-for-drying-green-bowl-blanks/

https://www.ronkent.com/techniques.php

Good luck; that's some pretty wood!!

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## Rustburger (Oct 18, 2019)

Right about now is when I realize...what the crap am I gonna do with all this wood!

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 3


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## Wildthings (Oct 18, 2019)

Rustburger said:


> Right about now is when I realize...what the crap am I gonna do with all this wood!


HOARD IT

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## William Tanner (Oct 18, 2019)

A bodacious score. Nothing much I like better than seeing a rig full of turning wood.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Rustburger (Oct 19, 2019)

While cherry is not necessarily known for its spalting...this ain't bad.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


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## barry richardson (Oct 19, 2019)

Rustburger said:


> Right about now is when I realize...what the crap am I gonna do with all this wood!


Do you have a bandsaw? you could cut a bunch up into 3x3 mill blanks and such.... also give some away and be the hero of your turning friends or turning club.... nice score BTW!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Rustburger (Oct 19, 2019)

So...I was so impressed with the cherry that I decided to go back for more! Found some nice stuff.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 1


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## rob3232 (Oct 19, 2019)

Rustburger said:


> While cherry is not necessarily known for its spalting...this ain't bad.



That is some of the nicest curly cherry also

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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