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Silver Birch logs, worth saving?

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Silver Birch logs, worth saving?

Postby Andyp » 07 Mar 2018, 13:41

I have just had a silver birch pruned and there a few logs of 6" to 7" diameter. Do you think that they are worth saving for the lathe? How best should I cut them before storing?

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I have tried to store in the past but was left with very spongy wood. Should I strip off the bark?

After last years messy experience of tuning wet beech I would rather not turn them until at least a little drier.

I do have chestnut end seal for the ends.
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Andy
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Re: Silver Birch logs, worth saving?

Postby Mike G » 07 Mar 2018, 15:59

You may as well cut the rest of the tree down, Andy. Silver birch hate being pruned. I hear that some turners turn the wood, but it is no good for furniture, and no good for use outside (it's non-durable). I'd set it aside for next winter's fire if i were you.
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Re: Silver Birch logs, worth saving?

Postby Andyp » 07 Mar 2018, 16:24

Your are probably right Mike. My NHS guide recommends pruning at the beginning of winter rather than the end. There is no visible sap oosing out so I hope to get away with it. If is does suffer it is no big deal as the tree is only still standing because it holds one end of a hammock up.

I know it's uses are limited but I must at least try and salvage something.
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Re: Silver Birch logs, worth saving?

Postby selectortone » 07 Mar 2018, 17:32

Silver birch is prone to spalting, so if you like spalted wood it's worth saving. I would coat the cut ends in PVA to reduce splitting and leave them for a few months. The "rule" I've heard is an inch a year for seasoning turning blanks but I believe silver birch is prone to rotting (hence the tendency to spalt) so it probably needs checking more regularly than that.

A friend at my woodturning club buried a trunk and left it for a couple of years then dug it up and it was beautifully spalted (and rotten in places). He turned some very nice bowls out of it and didn't seem to have any trouble with it on the lathe.
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Re: Silver Birch logs, worth saving?

Postby Dalboy » 07 Mar 2018, 18:11

Leave it as long as you can and seal the ends. Put some in a sheltered place which is damp and let it spalt keeping an eye on it the rest put under cover in stick so you have good air flow and let it dry. Being a plain wood when not spalted it is ideal for turned items which you want to decorate.
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Re: Silver Birch logs, worth saving?

Postby Andyp » 07 Mar 2018, 18:58

Derek should I cut them in any way first, if so how?
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Re: Silver Birch logs, worth saving?

Postby Dalboy » 07 Mar 2018, 21:33

Andyp wrote:Derek should I cut them in any way first, if so how?


Normally I would cut through the pith but some of those are such a small diameter that they would only make 4" to 6" at most. If you want some for spindle work then yes right through the centre length ways. But leave some as full diamter and you will need to take a chance they don't split
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Re: Silver Birch logs, worth saving?

Postby Woodbloke » 11 Mar 2018, 18:18

Andyp wrote:I know it's uses are limited but I must at least try and salvage something.

Don't throw ANY of that away!...maybe the small bits :D I did a very short afternoon course with Mark Sanger a while ago and he said that Silver Birch is fandabbydozi to turn. He gave me a lump to try and it is... fantastic stuff on the lathe - Rob
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