# best way to dry logs



## jded48 (May 23, 2012)

I have a few logs that have been drying for about a year and I would like to find out the best way to dry them. I have heard that you can score the bark and then paint the ends and that will work the best. Any suggestions?


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## BigJoe16 (Feb 20, 2012)

I dry logs to turn bowls. There atmost a foot long and anywhere up to 20 in thick. I cut them in half down the center, from top to bottom, then paint the ends. I dont take the bark off but on some types of wood it just falls off. I dont know if taking it off will help or hurt.
What kind of wood do you have and how big?


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## jded48 (May 23, 2012)

*drying wood*

I have a couple of pieces of chestnut about 3 feet long and 6 inches in diamater. They have been drying for a year and when I turned a couple pieces I found that they were quite wet.


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## NCPaladin (Aug 7, 2010)

I do it a couple of ways depending on the diameter. 
For smaller (9” or less) I leave in log form and just paint the ends with anchor seal. When I want to use some I cut off the piece and paint the new cut.
For larger logs (10”+) I cut to length leaving 2” at each end for cracking/splitting. So a 12” diameter is cut 16” long, a 18” diameter is cut 22” long. These I cut down the pith and seal the ends and about an inch on the flat surface at the ends.
Unless it is falling off I never remove the bark until I am ready to turn.

I have never tried to “dry” the log. I just rough turn and then set it back to dry. A rule-of-thumb is that it takes about a year per inch thickness to dry. I think it takes quite a while less in small diameter such as 2-3” busted out for handles, boxes etc.


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## jded48 (May 23, 2012)

*drying logs*

Thanks for the info. I have turned wood that is wet and then set them aside in a bag with the shavings. This seems to work but I would like to use dryer wood as it takes quite awhile for the blank to dry.


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

there was a guy on here that had used an old freezer or cooler or something like that and a lightbulb and fan to dry turnings.


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## NCPaladin (Aug 7, 2010)

jded48 said:


> Thanks for the info. I have turned wood that is wet and then set them aside in a bag with the shavings. This seems to work but I would like to use dryer wood as it takes quite awhile for the blank to dry.


I think you will find it takes much longer (if ever) for it to dry in log form. It will probably go punky on you before it ever dries. I try to turn mine in six months or less but some has held up for years. The only advise I can give is to keep turning blanks to 10% and use your method for drying.
It does take a while to build up a stash but if you keep feeding it you will always have constant dry blanks ready to finish turn.

I do like others and cut through the pith for storage; this is not to speed drying time but to decrease cracks. It probably helps a little in drying but the drier wood is turned away during rough turning anyway.


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