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Drying wood discs

Started by Qweaver, May 28, 2016, 10:02:42 AM

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Qweaver

I just sawed a white oak to re-deck my trailers and I had several 2'-3' logs left over.  I sawed one into 2 and 3" discs and now I need to know how to keep them from splitting.  I don't have a commercial coating but I do have anti-freeze.  These are really pretty and I hate to see them crack and become firewood. 
Quinton
So Many Toys...So Little Time  WM LT28 , 15 trailers, Case 450 Dozer, John Deere 110 TLB, Peterson WPF 10",  AIM Grapple, Kubota 2501 :D

Den Socling

This has been discussed many times but the bottom line is this. They are going to shrink in two directions. One is from the bark side toward the pith. The other is along the arc created by the rings. That arc is going to shrink roughly twice as much as the straight line between the bark and the pith. The result? Cracks.

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

I wrote an article about this in Sawmill & Woodlot a few years ago. My favorite is to cut from bark to pith on three disks in different spot on each.  After drying cut #1 and 3 making a pie wedge shaped piece that includes the main split. Then when dry cut the #2 disk into pie wedge pieces that will be repair pieces for the pie-shaped wedges you cut from #1 & 3.  By aligning the grain from the piece from #2, the repair will be almost invisible. etc.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

Qweaver

I read a lot on the net and there are several suggestions.  I decided to cut a 2.5" hole at the center and 2 coats of ethylene glycol.  We will see I guess.
So Many Toys...So Little Time  WM LT28 , 15 trailers, Case 450 Dozer, John Deere 110 TLB, Peterson WPF 10",  AIM Grapple, Kubota 2501 :D

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

DO NOT USE ETHYLENE GLYCOL.  The correct chemical is polyethylene glycol 300, or PEG 1000.  Due to the poisonous nature of ethylene glycol, the wood treated with ethylene glycol cannot be used safely.  Further, ethylene glycol is dangerous to the applicator.  The information you found on the Internet is dangerously incorrect.  The author confused ethylene glycol with polyethylene glycol.  Note that PEG 1000 and various other molecule sizes is safe and is often included in medicines, but ethylene glycol can cause serious health issues and even death.  Further, ethylene glycol does not bulk the wood and stop shrinkage, and therefore stop cracking, like PEG 300 or PEG 1000.

Further, even PEG does not work with white oak, as the chemical cannot diffuse through and through the entire disk.

A large hole does indeed help, but such a hole that is 2-1/2" for a 2' to 3' white oak disk is considerably too small.

Your best bet is to use kerfs and use one disk as the source of repair pieces for the adjacent disks.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

WV Sawmiller

Qweaver & Doc,

   Thanks for a very helpful and timely article. I have a customer who is interested in having me cut some large cookies for him to use a bench/stool tops for an outside table project. I was thinking white oak because of the outside application.

    What would normal drying time be for 3" thick white oak cookies? Is this the same for ovals or do they dry differently? Should they be coated with anchorseal or something else?
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Den Socling

I've seen more success with ovals.



 

Ianab

White Oak is also one of the worst woods to try this with. Because it has high shrinkage and is rather hard it's almost certain to crack as it's drying.

Something like a Cedar, with it's lower shrinkage and softer wood that can deform rather than cracking might work better, and it's also durable.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Den Socling

Here's another one that worked.



 

DDW_OR

"let the machines do the work"

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