Newbie question- how to dry some logs for working

[osp001]

I'm in Arizona, and had some work done to a giant Chilean mesquite; there were some larger pieces that would otherwise go to waste, so I asked for them to be saved so I could use them later. They're pretty good-sized- spray paint can for scale.

Mainly I'd like to turn them in urns for pet cremains. But it's Arizona, it's 110F every day for the next week, they're starting to crack a bit.

Is there some way I should handle or store these to reduce cracking? It's going to be a while before I can turn these; my lathe is just a little silly toy wood lathe, it's really not capable of handling anything near this size, going to be a while before I can get one that can do that.

 

[Mark J]

Well, welcome to the forum, first of all.  

I don't consider myself an expert in processing/drying logs as I buy most of my turning blanks already dry.  And I have no experience with mesquite.  But I think most turners would split those logs in half lengthwise down the pith (some would even go so far as to cut the pith out), then coat the ends heavily with Anchorseal or equivalent.  

[roughsawn]

On 7/9/2023 at 7:11 PM, Mark J said:

Well, welcome to the forum, first of all.   coat the ends heavily with Anchorseal or equivalent.  

And paint on a second coat a day or two later.

[Coop]

I would turn them on end and pour some cheap or leftover latex paint on the ends, letting it seep into the cracks and brushing to cover the ends. Let dry and do the other ends. This should slow down the drying and checking process. 

[osp001]

You guys are so nice to help me out with this. I appreciate all the advice; it's a bittersweet project, making urns from limbs taken from a tree under which our hounds once played, so I keep putting it off and off and off... plus, it's 114F outside today, and probably for the next week, so I'm in no rush.

Thanks for the words of wisdom, and I'll get these logs treated so they don't crack quite so much. Appreciate it!

[Coop]

Good luck bud. I love mesquite trees. Having bird hunted in south Texas for many years where they are prevalent, I planted one here in Houston about 30 years ago and it has done well, believe it or not, in our humidity. 

[osp001]

On 7/11/2023 at 9:02 PM, Coop said:

Good luck bud. I love mesquite trees. Having bird hunted in south Texas for many years where they are prevalent, I planted one here in Houston about 30 years ago and it has done well, believe it or not, in our humidity. 

Chilean hybrid mesquite in south Texas? Interesting; I know there are other species of Prosopis native to the region.

Ours are constantly causing problems with the HOA; they are always dropping SOMETHING, and we're raking up beans, leaves/inflorescences, branches... all the time. It's dry, so it's not like we can just water the lawn and self-compost them with a mower. I had to lop off 6" diameter branches that were impinging on the street, and these big logs are from just one branch that broke off in a storm. The tree itself is so big around that I can't wrap my arms around it at breast height- and it's only been in the ground since 1995! I can't figure out how something that grows this fast is considered to have wood that is supposedly harder and denser than red oak.