# So I cut a tree down, now what?



## healeydays (Nov 1, 2012)

Hi guys,

After reading thru the site, I didn't see a specific note on step a thru z on what to do with new fresh wood straight from Mother Nature, so I thought I would start this conversation to collect everyone's words of wisdom in one place.

Last year during the Halloween storm, we lost a couple of Black Hawthorn trees in our yard. At that time I cut them down and stacked them to the side of the yard. I went out last night and grabbed a couple of the branches and cut one open to see what the wood was looking like and found some spalting throughout.

My question, being new to this, is now what? The trees are not large enough to have milled, but would like to preserve them for projects/trade. What would be the steps to get them stabilized and what is the best way to store and cut? 

Thanks in advance,
Mike B in NH


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## Mike1950 (Nov 1, 2012)

healeydays said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> After reading thru the site, I didn't see a specific note on step a thru z on what to do with new fresh wood straight from Mother Nature, so I thought I would start this conversation to collect everyone's words of wisdom in one place.
> 
> ...



MIke to really get answers pictures would be nice..........


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## healeydays (Nov 1, 2012)

Mike1950 said:


> healeydays said:
> 
> 
> > Hi guys,
> ...


I will see what I can get up for pictures, but was hoping for a more general conversation for someone who doesn't know how to deal with a new find and how to take care of it for future projects.


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## Mike1950 (Nov 1, 2012)

Anchorseal the ends would be the first thing to do. Then what are you going to do with it. Turn-flatwork. Some may disagree but some woods will need special treatment (see my plum thread) and some woods are pretty cut and dried-excuse the pun. Me I really don't turn so I seek how to make it into boards. A turner -they seem to usually want green.
In my shop now at different spots I have boards drying-a little plum-olive, camphor,red oak burl, flame elder, ducks maple. it has been there most of the summer. much cooler and more humid then our outside 90+ and dry semi-arid air. this time of year I start useing the wood heater and humidity will go down in shop to get the last of the water out. This works for me. 
PS. I really do this for a hobby- some here do it for a living and have a much better insight into wood processing.......


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## healeydays (Nov 1, 2012)

Personally I would also be looking for boards out of what I use, but am opening this question for both type of usage as this was planned as a general question topic.

Should the wood be stored with bark on or off?

:dunno:


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## gridlockd (Nov 1, 2012)

Mike, 
you sound like a woodworker/wood scavenger very similar to me. I do a little woodturning, a little flatwork, a little carving, etc. I don't have any concentration in any specific area. that being said, what you do with the "log form" is entirely dependent on what you want to do with the wood. I would say, if it's pretty, make something out of it so you can see a finished project with that wood. for me, doing that opens up the possibilities of what I could do with it. 

Case in point: I was given an entire apple tree from my boss, and wasnt sure after cutting it how I was going to proceed. I started out cutting a section of it into some turning blanks. then I realized how pretty the grain was and i re-sawed some into planks for boxes. got some pen blanks out of some more, so on and so forth...

hope this helps. anchorseal on the endgrain is a must though. especially for fruitwoods. I'm not sure what hawthorn is, so some pics would be appreciated. Maybe we can work out a trade for some nice apple!! :hookup::hookup:


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## DKMD (Nov 1, 2012)

I haven't done any processing for lumber, but I've done a bit for turning blanks. The treatment depends quite a bit on the wood species and drying characteristics as mentioned earlier. I think the most efficient way to dry turning wood is in rough out form... Generally, smaller blanks have fewer issues than larger blanks. Pith free wood turned to a consistent thickness has been the best actor for me regardless of species, and I generally coat the endgrain with anchor seal. 

For wood that I'm not ready to rough out, I generally get the pith out of the blank and coat the entire piece with anchor seal... Sometimes two coats. This is how I generally handle burl blanks. 

Platter blanks generally get cut or turned round then sealed all along the outer edge lapping on to each face an inch or two.

I've had better luck with larger spindle blanks turning them round and putting a radius on the edges at either end... Peppermill blanks are a good example of this situation in my shop. Again, I use anchor seal on the endgrain. Smaller spindle blanks like stoppers and pen blanks are just cut and thrown aside in my shop... I lose a few to cracks, but it's not worth the effort for me to seal the endgrain on these pieces generally.

If space isn't an issue, keeping whole logs with the ends sealed would be great... I don't have the space to do that. I would definitely leave the bark on if keeping whole logs. Also, lots of folks keep turning blanks submerged in water until they're ready to rough out... Again, I don't have the space for doing this except on a really small scale. 

I've sealed pieces in plastic bags for short periods(1 to 2 weeks) with good success, but they'll grow some nasty mold if left in much longer than that. Likewise, plastic stretch wrap can be used in much the same way.

None of the above is Gospel, but it's the way I'm doing things currently.


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## healeydays (Nov 1, 2012)

Ok guys, 

Here's my 1st try at pictures on this site. It is 2 sections of a branch off one of the Black Hawthorn trees that I cut last year. I haven't cut them open to see what magic is inside, but from the ends, they could be interesting.



Mike


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## Vern Tator (Nov 1, 2012)

Nice looking spalt!!!!!


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## healeydays (Nov 1, 2012)

Vern Tator said:


> Nice looking spalt!!!!!



Thanks, the pictures actually came out ok.


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## NCWoodArt (Nov 1, 2012)

Are you willing to sell or do you prefer trade? i would entertain either the piece you posted looks really good for small bowls which is what I have in mind for it.

Bill


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## LoneStar (Nov 2, 2012)

Heck yeah ! I'd love to get a piece if you decide you want to sell/trade !
:hookup:


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## healeydays (Nov 2, 2012)

LoneStar said:


> Heck yeah ! I'd love to get a piece if you decide you want to sell/trade !
> :hookup:


Ryan,

I sent you a note.

Mike


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## gvwp (Nov 3, 2012)

Looks like nicely spalted wood. Looks like it would make beautiful pen blanks. Thanks for the pics.


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## healeydays (Nov 4, 2012)

Folks,

Just got home from weekend in Maine. I have had a few people contact me on some pieces and I will post a few of the pieces on the trade forum tomorrow as I'd rather trade than sell. 

Mike B


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## Zooalx (Oct 1, 2013)

healeydays said:


> Folks,
> 
> Just got home from weekend in Maine. I have had a few people contact me on some pieces and I will post a few of the pieces on the trade forum tomorrow as I'd rather trade than sell.
> 
> Mike B



I hear you but I'm not a wood worker myself. Hopefully if you've still got some we can make some sort of deal.


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## Woodsman (Oct 17, 2013)

healeydays said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> After reading thru the site, I didn't see a specific note on step a thru z on what to do with new fresh wood straight from Mother Nature, so I thought I would start this conversation to collect everyone's words of wisdom in one place.
> 
> ...



If they are fairly short and spalted like they are in the pictures you posted, I would suggest taking them into the garage or some sort of covered space. From the pictures you posted, I would gather that you stand a good chance of letting them get too far in the spalting process before you get any use from them. Getting them out of the weather will surely slow this process down a bit.


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