# How do I prepare a walnut slice for end table?



## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

I got a slice of walnut a couple of inches thick and a couple of feet in diameter yesterday when the woodsmen cut down the neighbors tree next door. I'd like to make an end table for my mother so I'd like to know how to prepare the wood as to keep it from cracking. I was told by the woodman I needed to sand it and poly it pretty fast or it'd crack but I I'm afraid it's too wet to sand very well. I'd also like to take the bark off and router the edge making it look more finished.

How do you think I should handle this?

Bryan


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

is the wood still green???
is it all end grain???


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

Stick486 said:


> is the wood still green???
> is it all end grain???


 Yes and yes. It was a healthy growing tree. It is all end grain, a cross cut slice of the trunk.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

let it dry for 3 or 4 years and get back to us if it isn't all split and checked..


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Bryan; I think what Stick was trying to say, in his unique style ( ; ), was that the wood is going to shrink, you can't stop it from doing that. Moisture travels vertically in the tree through almost microscopic channels; very little can move outwards towards the bark.
Prevailing wisdom has been, for logs at least, to get the bark off as soon as possible to prevent insect damage and rot. In the case of a round section the bark isn't going to prevent shrinkage, so for the bug and rot reasons, personally I'd strip the bark off...way easier when it's 'green'. As for slowing down the rapid drying through the end grain, sealing it with one of the products made specifically for the purpose is worth a try. I think the way it's stored is going to be hugely important.
Because the wood will lose moisture from both end grain faces, I think it's going to dry way faster than a plank would.

Lee Valley End Sealer for Logs - Lee Valley Tools

Oh! And before I forget, the new Lee Valley catalogue is out!! 

Lee Valley Tools - Online Catalog


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

url=http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,190,42942&p=20099]Lee Valley End Sealer for Logs - Lee Valley Tools[/url]

Oh! And before I forget, the new Lee Valley catalogue is out!! 

Lee Valley Tools - Online Catalog[/QUOTE]


Dan,

So do you think I should remove the bark, buy sealer and seal both top and bottom then leave it in my cool dry basement shop garage for the period of a few years until it's dry, then I can sand it down to size and fashion it into a piece of fine furniture? 
I can do that, at least the first few parts of that question.

I'll order the sealer right away.
Thank you.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Bryan; I'm the wrong guy to give you a definitive answer but if it were me that's exactly what I'd do. I think I'd make sure there was air flow across both faces, ie not lay it flat on the concrete. Put some narrow strips under the bottom face.
(concrete doesn't like wood! Bad s**t happens when they're in close contact.)

I'd be pretty surprised if it wasn't below 20% moisture content in a year. It's not thick and the exposed face area is enormous relative to the cubic volume of wood. What's the moisture content at right now?
Keep a record; maybe check once a month(?). I think everyone would be interested in how it's working out. 
At the very least you'll have some nice Walnut for end grain cutting boards. 
http://www.swst.org/edu/teach/teach1/structure1.pdf


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

> I'll order the sealer right away.
> Thank you.


so far so good..
use wax on the end grain only... bee or canning wax but not generic candle wax...

...


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

Stick486 said:


> so far so good..
> use wax on the end grain only... bee or canning wax but not generic candle wax...
> 
> ...


Not so good yet, I can't order this item from Lee Valley according to Lee Valley. It says I have to purchase from my local dealer but I have no local dealer. (I contacted customer support via email)
That person wrote

"
Thank you for your inquiry. The End Sealer is only available at our retail store locations. Unfortunately, we cannot ship it to the US as it is a consumer’s commodity and we do not have the required labelling. We searched the Internet and found the following Websites which may be of interest to you: "

http://uccoatings.com/products/anchorseal/
Canadian Log Home Supply - UV BOOST: Stain Additive to Reduce UV Damage to Wood for log homes in Canada.
https://www.permachink.com/wood-finishes/log-end-seal

I need to make another selection on a sealer. What about some other paint sealer I can buy at a Home Depot or Lowes, water base I hope?


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I got some sealer at Rockler, about a 4,000 year supply. Green Wood End Sealer-Select Option - Rockler Woodworking Tools, $17 by the quart.

A few years ago we had a Cottonwood removed (a weed, really) and kept a few of the 3-4 foot sections of trunk. We used a couple for outdoor tables. Stripped of the bark. They have cracked, but it's yard art. Don't be disappointed if yours does the same, even with this stuff on it. 

Were you able to get any logs? Slice and dry those and you could have some nice lunber in a year or two. Even 2 ft long pieces will give you some nice stock for small projects. You guys holding up with the storms?


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

what are you talking about Bryan???
move to the head of the class and use wax....


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

Stick486 said:


> what are you talking about Bryan???
> move to the head of the class and use wax....


You mean Wax it wax it instead of anything else?


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

bryansong said:


> You mean Wax it wax it instead of anything else?


yes...
real wax as in bee wax or canning wax... not paste wax or candles.....
read the PDF...


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Bryan; be careful where you get your beeswax from! No problem with it but some suppliers think it's Royal Jelly or something; waaaay overcharging. It should come in around $8 -$10 for a pkg. the size of a butter brick. Canning wax is even cheaper.
A lot easier to find this time of year as well (canning season).
The nice thing about beeswax is it's so pleasant to work with...nice mild scent as well.
I get mine from a beekeeper but it's not hard to find sources.


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

Great, wax it is. Thank you all.


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## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

Sorry to be a naysayer, but I don't think there's anything you can do to keep such a large piece of end cut from splitting, and badly. The wood must eventually dry to equilibrium with its surroundings no matter how much you slow the process. When it does eventually dry, the wood shrinks in the tangential direction about twice as much as it does in the radial direction. That's just too much shrinkage to be accommodated without cracking an end cut much larger than an iced tea coaster.


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

Just go pay and have it kiln dried.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Our local kiln dry guy burnt his kiln down.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

use the cracks, splits and fissures as character accents...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

use a dehumidifier and kiln dry it yourself...


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

Look into the polyethylene glycol products.

As pointed out, the problem is, you need it dry and drying is its enemy.

If you can replace moisture that is lost as it's lost, you win. That's where the glycol can help. However, it can fight with some finishes.

You can also experiment. Thin some motor oil and apply it, as the wood dries. Be religious about it. The oil swells the wood, just as water does.

Start out with about a 30% thin. When the wood seems to have stabilized, seal it with a poly.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Dejure said:


> Look into the polyethylene glycol products.
> 
> As pointed out, the problem is, you need it dry and drying is its enemy.
> 
> ...


You serious???


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

Last night I ordered some canning wax from Amazon (because it's easy to get that way) and I will be applying wax to both sides of my piece of walnut. I'll stash it in an out of the way place and let it sit, and if it does crack up I probably will still use it, as been mentioned here it'll add character. Or it would make nice cutting board pieces (also mention).

What I don't want it to become is an obstacle that I have to keep moving from place to place because it's in the way so I'll have to find a good out of the way place.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Maybe someone can offer some V.o. E. advice, but how about storing it on edge? Still not in direct contact with concrete though.


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## mark greenbaum (Sep 26, 2010)

If that end cut has the pith in it - it will craCK, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. Sealing the ends with even latex paint can slow it down, and AnchorSeal is probably the best OTC sealer out there. Expensive. Paraffin or canning wax can help, but with the center of the tree still on the end cut, sorry - you will have at least a very pronounced crack radiating from the pith outwards. As a woodturner of fresh cut locally salvaged wood, I've learned the hard way. It really pithes me off sometimes .


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## Bob Adams (Jul 5, 2014)

bryansong said:


> Last night I ordered some canning wax from Amazon (because it's easy to get that way) and I will be applying wax to both sides of my piece of walnut. I'll stash it in an out of the way place and let it sit, and if it does crack up I probably will still use it, as been mentioned here it'll add character. Or it would make nice cutting board pieces (also mention).
> 
> What I don't want it to become is an obstacle that I have to keep moving from place to place because it's in the way so I'll have to find a good out of the way place.


I have never heard of the motor oil thing, but I have used PEG. It is a wood stabilizer and will replace the moisture. All you need is a container big enough for the wood, and PEG. Rockler sells it in granular form. Its safe, it will help keep the piece from checking, splitting etc., and it will be ready to use in a relatively short time period. Soak it in the PEG and your ready to go. The pdf I attached is from 1972, but is the best instructional I have ever seen on the process. I have never used it on a large piece but there is no reason it won't work.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

bryansong said:


> Last night I ordered some canning wax from Amazon (because it's easy to get that way) and I will be applying wax to both sides of my piece of walnut. I'll stash it in an out of the way place and let it sit, and if it does crack up I probably will still use it, as been mentioned here it'll add character. Or it would make nice cutting board pieces (also mention).
> 
> What I don't want it to become is an obstacle that I have to keep moving from place to place because it's in the way so I'll have to find a good out of the way place.


make sure you store it flat, solidly stickered/supported.....
also give it a goodly amount of all around air flow....


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

Bob Adams said:


> I have never heard of the motor oil thing, but I have used PEG. It is a wood stabilizer and will replace the moisture. All you need is a container big enough for the wood, and PEG. Rockler sells it in granular form. Its safe, it will help keep the piece from checking, splitting etc., and it will be ready to use in a relatively short time period. Soak it in the PEG and your ready to go. The pdf I attached is from 1972, but is the best instructional I have ever seen on the process. I have never used it on a large piece but there is no reason it won't work.


Bob, thanks, I'll check into it.

Bryan


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

Bob Adams said:


> I have never heard of the motor oil thing, but I have used PEG. It is a wood stabilizer and will replace the moisture. All you need is a container big enough for the wood, and PEG. Rockler sells it in granular form. Its safe, it will help keep the piece from checking, splitting etc., and it will be ready to use in a relatively short time period. Soak it in the PEG and your ready to go. The pdf I attached is from 1972, but is the best instructional I have ever seen on the process. I have never used it on a large piece but there is no reason it won't work.



Bob, that looks like quite a bit to deal with on this project. I'm just going to wax it and take whatever I get.

Thanks


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

bryansong said:


> Bob, thanks, I'll check into it.
> 
> Bryan


careful...
no sense square dancing in a mine field...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

bryansong said:


> Bob, that looks like quite a bit to deal with on this project. I'm just going to wax it and take whatever I get.
> 
> Thanks


better plan...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

*P.s.*

make sure you weight down your slab...
the more the merrier...
sticker the weight.. don't lay it directly on the slab...


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

There shouldn't be any curl on a round(?) all the fibres are parallel and drying more or less at the same rate. I could be wrong but a round warping is contrary to all the explanations of why _slabs_ warp and twist.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

DaninVan said:


> There shouldn't be any curl on a round(?) all the fibres are parallel and drying more or less at the same rate. I could be wrong but a round warping is contrary to all the explanations of why _slabs_ warp and twist.


but it happens...
tries to become a bowl...


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

The World works in mysterious ways!
SWMBOJr e-mailed me a couple of hours ago; she'd like a couple of rounds to use as serving platters at a baby shower.
What was the chance of that???


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

Stick486 said:


> make sure you weight down your slab...
> the more the merrier...
> sticker the weight.. don't lay it directly on the slab...



What does mean?


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

DaninVan said:


> The World works in mysterious ways!
> SWMBOJr e-mailed me a couple of hours ago; she'd like a couple of rounds to use as serving platters at a baby shower.
> What was the chance of that???


Karma's a beatch...


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

"Quote:
Originally Posted by Stick486 View Post
make sure you weight down your slab...
the more the merrier...
sticker the weight.. don't lay it directly on the slab...

What does mean?"
--Bryan


Stick's coming over to your place; he's gonna lay down on it!  
---in this case, between the round and the concrete. Airspace and _out of contact with the cement_. Always. Always. Always.
Just means putting something (Stick) between the pieces.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

..


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

bryansong said:


> What does mean?


stickers...
you need moving air across and around the wood all the while it's drying...
a fan is a wonderful way to accomplish this...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

bryansong said:


> What does mean?


here ya go.. 
wood (in your case a slab) and weight stickered w/ airflow too....

..


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

Stick486 said:


> ..



Made me laugh, I'm still grinning.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Bryan; got my four rounds sawn off a piece of Hemlock that I'd put aside. Too many knots...no way was I even going to try splitting it for firewood!
It's been sitting out in the open (in shade) all Spring and Summer and much to my amazement, _no splits or checks!_ *Happy dance!*
Used my Granburg Chainsaw mill to cut the rounds...less than 15 minutes to cut four. Great little accessory tool.


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

I was. I've only read about PEG and such. Fill me in.

My technique, in the past, was to fill the wood with thinned oil based product, replacing lost moisture. But the pieces were much larger. It "might" have worked, since one sat in front a well used wood burner for decades and didn't gain or lose moisture enough to cause any cracking and splitting.

The ONLY problem he has to deal with is, drying. From that comes splitting and cracking, as the wood shrinks. If he can replace lost moisture, as it is lost, he wins.

Anyway, want to finish your answer?



Stick486 said:


> You serious???


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

sure.. I can finish my statement...
1st.. I found your advice very risky and not applicable to Bryan's project...

w/ oil base SEALERS Bryan runs a strong risk of ruining or seriously interfering w/ his finishing/staining/clear coats Bryan wants to do... he would not be able to completely remove it from the grain and bleeding/fish eyes/cloudiness would happen... why create problems or more work???
this slab is to become furniture...right now it's green and and he wants a low MC before work commences... not retain what's there now......
Bryan does not have the experience to deal/fix any issues which could possibly turn the slab into scrap....

I see (read) that you sealed your slab and never did anything more w/ it, you just let it set, in Bryan's case that isn't going to happen...


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## Tonto1 (Nov 10, 2016)

This thread is way too long for no pics! Please post a few shots of your slab! I'm dying already!!!


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

Tonto1 said:


> This thread is way too long for no pics! Please post a few shots of your slab! I'm dying already!!!


Quenten, I'll try to remember to do that this weekend.


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

It's more than a little possible I was off base on the suggestions for Bryan's slab. It depends not only on how "green" it is, but on the moisture content.

It's true oils, hardening and, maybe, non hardening, can interfere with some finishes. It has not been my experience that it compromises oil based finishes, if the non hardening oil is not puddled or "damp" on the surface.

I've added oil based poly to oils to create a penetrating, sealing finish numerous times, and I've put poly over the top of coats of oil. Of course, if the oil was resting on the top or oozing, I'd wipe the surface with thinner before applying a seal coat of poly.

The oil does soften the seal coat of poly, but, once hard, future coats are less soft, since the oil is sealed.

I did mention the PEG could interfere with finishes.

If I wanted to save a special green slab, I'd have to be willing to stand on it, so to speak, and be there to try to replace lost moisture as it's lost. 

Meanwhile, maybe a turner's trick would do for him - wrap it in construction paper (turners use a paper bag) to slow drying over months.




Stick486 said:


> sure.. I can finish my statement...
> 1st.. I found your advice very risky and not applicable to Bryan's project...
> 
> w/ oil base SEALERS Bryan runs a strong risk of ruining or seriously interfering w/ his finishing/staining/clear coats Bryan wants to do... he would not be able to completely remove it from the grain and bleeding/fish eyes/cloudiness would happen... why create problems or more work???
> ...


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

Don't forget that you can fill cracks with epoxy and they can add to the beauty of the slab, when dried and shrunk.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Dejure said:


> It's more than a little possible I was off base on the suggestions for Bryan's slab. It depends not only on how "green" it is, but on the moisture content.
> 
> It's true oils, hardening and, maybe, non hardening, can interfere with some finishes. It has not been my experience that it compromises oil based finishes, if the non hardening oil is not puddled or "damp" on the surface.
> 
> ...


this is not the time to begin w/ risky business.. one mistake and all he'll have is firewood....
if the oil *SOAKS* into the slab the failure door could be thrown open and the welcome mat laid out... removing risk(s) before he even gets started is a good plan for him...
the whole point is to have Bryan *NOT* use oil to seal his slab to avoid/remove the risk of something going wrong come finishing time..
he could accelerate the slab drying using DNA to but as you see it isn't suggested...
just trying to stay w/ in his expertise..
his best bet is still to LA plane the slab to get rid heavy roughness and to wax seal the slab on the edge grain only...


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

I'm sorry to say I haven't completed the waxing job yet but plan for this week. I need to get to the store and get some disposable brushes.
I do want to talk with the neighbor and see if I can get some more pieces. I see he does have several smaller logs left after the woodsman took the trunk.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

bryansong said:


> I'm sorry to say I haven't completed the waxing job yet but plan for this week. *I need to get to the store and get some disposable brushes.*
> I do want to talk with the neighbor and see if I can get some more pieces. I see he does have several smaller logs left after the woodsman took the trunk.


brushes for??? the wax??? 
you can squeegee it on...
make sure you sorta smooth the slab before you wax... LA plane or 60/80 paper...


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

Stick486 said:


> brushes for??? the wax???
> you can squeegee it on...
> make sure you sorta smooth the slab before you wax... LA plane or 60/80 paper...


That makes it easy, thanks.


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