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persimmon

Started by metalspinner, July 12, 2006, 01:17:40 PM

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metalspinner

Any tips or ideas on drying persimmon? 

I just picked up a nice persimmon log  that is 20" on the small end and 9' long. I've heard it isn't the most obedient wood to dry.  Should it air dry first, or maybe put it straight in the kiln (solar)?  Does flat sawn or quarter sawn make a difference with this wood?

Inquiring minds want to know... smiley_headscratch
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

jkj

I cut some persimmon last year and it's been air drying.  It did exactly like I had read - the warp was extreme with severe cupping for flatsawn boards.   Quartersawn boards were fine.  Any board containg the pith split badly.  From my experience, if you want to end up with flat flatsawn boards, cut them about 30-40% thicker than needed.  I have no idea about kiln drying.

If I had a 20" log I'd cut it mostly into 3 and 4" thick slabs or turning squares.  It is wonderful on the lathe.  If your log has any significant black heart wood (unlikely at that size), Ellis on Woodcentral would love to have a piece.

One other thing - I read once about a technique used with ebony (related to persimmon) - girdle the tree and leave it standing dead for a year before cutting.  This was supposed to stabilize the wood somewhat.  I asked about that in several forums but got no confirmation.  I have one standing dead persimmon I plan on sawing soon so I'll see how it does.  One protential problem is dead persimmon seems to be quickly attacked by large borers.  (not necessarily bad for turning wood)

JKJ
LT-15 for farm and fun

metalspinner

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If I had a 20" log I'd cut it mostly into 3 and 4" thick slabs or turning squares.
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That is probably how it will end up.  I just don't trust this stuff in lumber form.  Maybe this will be a good wood boiling experiment. It seems to be a poorly behaved wood from what I've heard.
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

dundee

Just wondering, we have five persimmon trees on our property, these trees are in-fact a fruit tree, bearing bright orange fruit, is your persimmon the same species / hybrids?

Richard

jkj

Persimmon here is Common Persimmon, "diospyros virginiana", in the same genus as ebony.  The wood is hard and dense, often with a pencil thin jet black heartwood.   At one time persimmon was used extensively for making golf clubs.  The bark is very dark deeply furrowed squarish plates.   

The fruit on the female trees is green and astringent when green, ripening into a delicious soft orange fleshy fruit about an inch or so in diameter.  The male trees have no fruit.  My goats, chickens, and dogs love the ripe fruit.  I've seen at least 50 persimmon trees on my property, most 10-12" in diameter, a few 20" or more.  Most are deep in the woods and tall with very straight trunks.

JKJ
LT-15 for farm and fun

Dan_Shade

ripe persimmon is very good.  it's meaty and sweet, but the seeds are huge.

when I was a kid, it was a big thing to get somebody to bite into a green one ;)  that still makes me laugh to think about it....

if seen kids spray themselves in the face with a waterhose to make it go away, hahahahaa

i'd sure like to get some and saw it up one of these days :)
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

dundee

Thanks Dan and jkj, yep appears to be the same as in New Zealand, my wife dehydrate's 50% of the crop which we munch in our travels. We have noticed the sugar levels increases when dehydrated.

I did not know that the wood is attractive enough to mill, gotta have a look at this   8)

Richard

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