Drying Crotch wood

[Gecko]

Well I managed to get a little bit of the Maple. Along with some "logs", I got 5 crotches. When I find someone to saw this for me, I was wondering what the best way to keep it from splitting is while air drying. Right now they have the cut ends painted over and are sitting outside.

[Tom]

If there are no bark inclusions where the crotch comes together, You probably won't have a splitting problem.  If there is a bark inclusion and the crotch isn't intact, splitting will be practically unavoidable.

[beenthere]

Find a swimming pool (or tank) and soak them, until time to saw them. Then the drying can take place or be controlled a bit better in the final sized-piece, not the entire crotch. Or pur a sprinkler hose on them to keep them wet.   It's what I would do, until I was ready to saw them.