Preserving bowl blanks

wndopdlr

wally
Senior User
I have an opportunity to get some logs that I will turn into bowl blanks. I have done this before and used latex paint to coat the ends.

I am ready to step up to Anchorseal and hope that it does a better job of keeping the ends from checking.

My question is this:

Would it be better to rough cut the bowl blanks on the band saw and then coat all surfaces with Anchorseal, or just coat the ends as I have done in the past.
 

Mountain City Bill

Mountain City Bill
Corporate Member
I usually get my wood in 4 foot logs. I seal the end of the logs and store it under a tarp until I'm ready to cut it up and make bowls . The wood is still green then rough turn the bowls, lettting them dry in a paper sack.( about a year).
 

SabertoothBunny

SabertoothBunny
Corporate Member
Just storing them to season anchorseal or latex paint on the ends is fine. Once you cut the bowls into blanks, just seal the whole except bark if it is still on. I prefer anchorseal or anchorseal ii as it a wax and easier to clean up/off than paint.

Debate on bowl blanks is just seal the whole thing, ends, or end grain. I just coat the whole blank (except bark for live edge blanks) in anchorseal. Just seems the safest and simplest way to go.
 

bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
Would it be better to rough cut the bowl blanks on the band saw and then coat all surfaces with Anchorseal, or just coat the ends as I have done in the past.

I've tried a lot of ways in the past.
The highest bowl yield from a log will be to rough turn the slugs into bowl blanks. Seal the end grain of the roughed out green bowls with Anchorseal (or whatever works - glue-paint-etc.).

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Rough out slugs on the band saw

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Slugs ready to be turned into bowl blanks
Rough turn as quickly as possible.
If you have to wait, temporarily put the slugs into a big trash can with several gallons of water in the bottom. Throw some old rags in to soak up the water over the slugs. Put a lid on it. You've got maybe less than two weeks this way before things start drying and cracking. A cracked slug is a lot of your time wasted.

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Once the slugs are turned into bowl blanks, let dry for at least five months. Note the weight of the green bowl blank and write it on the blank with grease pencil if you want. Or, write the date and species.

I've tried the bag thing and let dry in chips thing. Both worked to some degree but never giving percent yield I wanted for the effort involved.

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Sometimes no matter what you do, some species are going to go south. Above is dogwood. Apple is another risky one but not as bad as dogwood. Apple can be a whole lot prettier than dogwood also, so that species is worth the risk.
 

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