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Crabapple Wood

Started by martyk, March 05, 2006, 02:11:45 PM

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martyk

A recent storm felled a flowering crabapple tree in my yard, and I've saved a couple of crotches with an eye to using them for creating some kind of sculpture. The tree was about 40-50 yr old.  I live in Northern VA. The chunks I have are up to 20" in diameter. The bark is on them. Any advice on how best and how long to dry it? At what degree of dryness is it most workable...for sawing, chiseling, etc? Anyone know anything about the characteristics/uses of the wood? Thanks.

dundee

G'day, Crab Apple , (Rosaceae), if it is the same species here in New Zealand,??  I have used the lumber for woodturning.

I found the wood texture uniform, the lumber I had was 48mm thick, which took 3 years (on stickers) to reach EMC, then I tossed it into a convential low temp kiln for 5 days reaching 11% MC.

A mate of mine used some of the lumber for engarving and carving

If all else fails--the fruit makes neat crab apple jelly

Rgds
Richard
Cape Kidnappers
New Zealand

Ga_Boy

Hi Marty,

First welcome to the FF.

I have not worked with Crab-Apple wood, but I do know that fruit wood is desirable for woodworkers.  There are a few sawyers in the MD/DC VA area.   I am over in Southern Maryland.  I think you are on the right track for using the crotchs, I suspect you will find some dramatic grain patterns there. 

If you have not sealed the ends of your logs please do so ASAP, I can not stress this enough for you.  It will help prevent end cracking and splitting by slowing the drying process.  Anchorseal is the best product but roofing tar will also work.  Several coats of laytex house paint is a sutiable if you have nothing else.  I have anchor seal if you want to seal the ends of these pieces till you decide what you  want to do. 

I run a Peterson Swing Blade mill and a conventional kiln.  My web site is http://www.amslumber.com

Let me know it you have any questions regarding sawing or drying services.





Mark
10 Acers in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Deadwood

Crabapple Wood? Man that is a gift from the Lumber God's!

Okay, maybe that is a bit dramatic, but Crab Apple makes some beautiful lumber! I can't say too much about sculptures and the like as that is not really my thing (not that I don't appreciate those that can do such things).

I have air dried my Apple in the past with no ill harm using the conventional sticker/ cover method. I know the wood is hard, the grain ineterwoven, requires carbide sawblades and is nearly impossable to plane/ joint by hand or machine, but the efforts are truly worth it.

I have some apple drying now. It's going to be a pain, but I plan on making a nice Jewlery Box for my mother. I figure the trade off will be good, afterall she was in labor with me for quite a few hours. :D

jrokusek

And save the scraps for your smoker!  Small chunks of apple wood work real nice when smoking pork or other light flavored meats.  Sawdust works nice for smoke on the grill.  Good stuff!   

Burlkraft

I have turned some crab apple. The problem with crab apple is that when it dries it is VERY hard. You better have a lot of sharp tools when you are working with it. Were you planning on carving it? I would do it while it is green and then seal it and let it dry down slow. If it dries fast it check really bad. Anchorseal would be the product I would use. It tends to warp like crazy when it dries fast. :( :( :(
Why not just 1 pain free day?

CHARLIE

I've turned green apple wood and that stuff will crack on you right before your eyes!  When I do turn a chunk and have to leave it on the lathe when I go or do something else, I wrap it with plastic wrap (like saran wrap) that is used for packaging.  That way I can leave it as long as I want to and it won't crack 'cause the moisture is sealed in.  Works good for other green wood that you have to leave alone for awhile.
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

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