How to !

[RATHRBCUTN]

Ok guys, I was out cutting some firewood this past weekend with my brother, We were working up a big maple probably about 32" or so. Any ways my brother wants to try and make a table out of a cookie I cut for him about 3" thick. We don't have the slightest clue where to start. Do we need to dry it out, or can we just seal it up. Please help! Searched for the answers but didn't find anything telling us how to from start to finish.

 

[Burlhunter13]

you are definately going to have to dry it out....except because you cut a cookie it is going to crack for sure....and badly at that if you air/kiln dry it. What I would do is cover the cookie in a pile of sawdust after giving it a good spray or two in bleech (keeps the mold from growing on it (it might still grow, but nowhere near as bad). You can skip the bleech if you are cutting a cookie from an already partially dried log....but do it for sure if the log was cut green. Keep the pile of sawdust and cookie on a board some place where it wont be bothered (attic works good because of constant warmth to pull moisture from sawdust, make sure you have sawdust on all sides...about 3+ inches or so thick) ....because the cookie is 3" thick it might take up to 2+ years to dry (check it every 2 months after first 8 or so).....but because of the sawdust it shouldn't crack nearly as much, sometimes not at all on the outer edges id dried correctly. But usually you will have a really small split in the center of the cookie.

This is how you dry burls as well...because burls are so uneven in grain they will split very very easily when dried. The sawdust allows them to dry...but at a much slower rate, allowing for stresses in the wood to even out over the period of time.

Now if you don't care about severe cracks and you think it might add character to the piece then you can "sticker the boards" (google it for more info...air drying will still take around 1 1/2 years to do it right because the piece is so thick) and allow them to air dry. Some of the cookies might crack so badly that they might split in half and or several pieces when you start working with them unless you brace the table from underneath. with other boards. later on.

Or you can try both ways as a learning experience....and hey....if the air dry cookie cracks all to hell in a few months, then tell your brother the'll have a good one in 2 or so years

I'm not an expert on drying cookies...some of the other guys can give good tips too...but that's how I would do it.
Its a pain in the Azz to dry....but best of luck.

Cheers
Jim

 

[aquan8tor]

I've had people telll me to make a single cut to the pith, and all shrinkage will happen there. You still cover it up in shavings & be just as careful, it just cuts the chances of large splits happening other places. When its dry, the "crack" will have separated probably quite a bit, but is easily filled with epoxy. It is better performed with a bandsaw than a chainsaw for sure, but not a lot of people have a bandsaw with a 16" throat opening. I've never tried it, but I've heard it works quite well. Good luck.

 

[carvinmark]

Good answers above, all I can add is that you may try coating it with anti-freeze to slow down the the drying for less checking. I do this with a lot of carvings while in process.

 

[Burlhunter13]

Good answers above, all I can add is that you may try coating it with anti-freeze to slow down the the drying for less checking. I do this with a lot of carvings while in process.

+1
Cool idea! never heard of that one....thanks for the info.

 

[sawyerDave]

Cut the cookie on the diagonal, and it is less likely to crack. Cut it at about 45-60 degrees.:greenchainsaw:

 

[Burlhunter13]

Cut the cookie on the diagonal, and it is less likely to crack. Cut it at about 45-60 degrees.:greenchainsaw:

+1
good point!

 

[Ivan H.]

you are definately going to have to dry it out....except because you cut a cookie it is going to crack for sure....and badly at that if you air/kiln dry it. What I would do is cover the cookie in a pile of sawdust after giving it a good spray or two in bleech (keeps the mold from growing on it (it might still grow, but nowhere near as bad). You can skip the bleech if you are cutting a cookie from an already partially dried log....but do it for sure if the log was cut green. Keep the pile of sawdust and cookie on a board some place where it wont be bothered (attic works good because of constant warmth to pull moisture from sawdust, make sure you have sawdust on all sides...about 3+ inches or so thick) ....because the cookie is 3" thick it might take up to 2+ years to dry (check it every 2 months after first 8 or so).....but because of the sawdust it shouldn't crack nearly as much, sometimes not at all on the outer edges id dried correctly. But usually you will have a really small split in the center of the cookie.

This is how you dry burls as well...because burls are so uneven in grain they will split very very easily when dried. The sawdust allows them to dry...but at a much slower rate, allowing for stresses in the wood to even out over the period of time.

Now if you don't care about severe cracks and you think it might add character to the piece then you can "sticker the boards" (google it for more info...air drying will still take around 1 1/2 years to do it right because the piece is so thick) and allow them to air dry. Some of the cookies might crack so badly that they might split in half and or several pieces when you start working with them unless you brace the table from underneath. with other boards. later on.

Or you can try both ways as a learning experience....and hey....if the air dry cookie cracks all to hell in a few months, then tell your brother the'll have a good one in 2 or so years

I'm not an expert on drying cookies...some of the other guys can give good tips too...but that's how I would do it.
Its a pain in the Azz to dry....but best of luck.

Cheers
Jim

awesome ,I did'nt know that.