# Flame box elder



## chriskoww (Jun 6, 2011)

So a box elder tree fell down and we noticed it had beautiful red streaks. I cut a bunch of sections to make bowl blanks, but the main trunk is still on the ground. We have a guy who will mill it down for cheap but I have a few questions. 

1 - what should we mill it down too? 1 inch slabs for now? We were thinking 6x6 and well cut it down later 

2 - do we seal just the ends or the entire board? We heard if you don't seal the entire board the flame will go away when drying? 

3 - any tips or tricks to think about? 

Thanks!


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

That's some pretty stuff. Can't wait to see you cut it open. I'd say seal the end grain, mill it, sticker and stack. I've never heard of sealing the surface, but don't think it would hurt. As far as loosing its color? I don't know that.


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## del schisler (Nov 5, 2009)

chriskoww said:


> So a box elder tree fell down and we noticed it had beautiful red streaks. I cut a bunch of sections to make bowl blanks, but the main trunk is still on the ground. We have a guy who will mill it down for cheap but I have a few questions.
> 
> 1 - what should we mill it down too? 1 inch slabs for now? We were thinking 6x6 and well cut it down later
> 
> ...


If it were mine i would have it just sawed into 1 1/4 board's and stack of get them into a kiln. Those would be nice i can tell by the end of the log. I would just put it up on the saw and just cut all the way across and make them book matched. Of course you can cut it any way you want. Than i would cut off the bark to keep any bug's than may be in the bark . good luck on the wood. if you cant saw it up for a long time seal the end's.


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## PSDkevin (Dec 18, 2010)

I had a nice run of FBE last year. I experimented with a lot of it. I can tell you that none of mine lost color due to not sealing the entire surface. It will sort of fade as it dries. But it comes right back when sanded or cut. I have some scraps out in my fire pit pile and from time to time I cut into it and I'm amazed just as red and purdy as the day it was felled. I did coat the entire surface of some of it after someone on here (I think it was texas timbers. Maybe not, can't remember) gave me a tip about the gold-colored portions. That stuff collapses pretty good. I was able to save some but none of the uncoated stuff survived very well. I would seal the ends imediately. If when you saw it there are highly figured/spalted or really gold colored pieces I would coat them completely. It will make drying take a long time but what good is a piece of dry wood if it's cracked to hell. Just my $.02


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