Yew tree feld and in yard, what do I do now?

[Oh Yew]

Hello all, I've been turning For about 2 years now and I can't stop collecting wood, I've just felled a 25 ft yew and I could do with help in the best way to store it. Also would like to meet other turners in my area (Market Harborough, Leic ) Thans Eric.

 

[CHJ]

Most important seal the ends of cut logs with old paint or melted wax ASAP.

Keep it in as long a length as possible until you can get round to deciding what you wish to use it for.

If logs are large diameter consider splitting them in half to reduce the risk of core splitting.

Don't cut any logs shorter than about 1/3 longer than the diameter to reduce wastage from any end splitting that may/will occur.

Don't remove Bark, store out of direct sunlight to slow surface drying down, preferably under cover but with good air movement.

If you have facility consider slabbing some of it at about 75mm thick, avoid incorporating core material in slab. Make sure end grain is well sealed, leave side grain unsealed to aid drying.

Edit:
There are some other comments on the subject in the Safety and Help sticky at the top of this forum

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... 839#349839

 

[CHJ]

And Welcome to the forum Old Yew,

 

[rileytoolworks]

Hello Old Yew, welcome to the forum.
I can't answer your questions about storage, but if it helps, I'll take it all off your hands and save you the bother of drying it!!!
I do a bit of turning, but I'm very much a beginner. I work in Market Harborough. I know a few others on here live in the county (Richard Findley for one).
Any pictures of your work?

 

[cornucopia]

hello and welocme

i'm not a million miles away from you-i'm near coalville.

the only thing i'd add to chas's excellent advice is to reduce the airflow in the storage area- as more air flow= faster drying = more splitting.

 

[tekno.mage]

Hello there and welcome to the forum.

I think we all collect wood. I probably have more wood than I will get around to making into things in my lifetime!

I've found yew one of the easier woods to deal with regarding splitting. As has already been suggested keep in as long lengths as practical, seal the cuts ends (I use PVA glue, but old paint, melted candle wax or even the proper stuff sold for the purpose will do) then store the logs somewhere with reasonable ventilation & out of the sunlight until you want to use them. Alternatively, Yew is a nice wood to turn green - one member of my turning club makes lovely thin stemmed goblets out of green yew.

tekno.mage

 

[Bodrighy]

How prone is green yew to splitting? I ask as I have just been asked to go and lop a load of branches from one for someone and have never had green yew before?

pete

 

[big soft moose]

no more so than most wood - tho that said branch wood splits a lot more than trunk wood IME

 

[big soft moose]

Hello all, I've been turning For about 2 years now and I can't stop collecting wood, I've just felled a 25 ft yew and I could do with help in the best way to store it. Also would like to meet other turners in my area (Market Harborough, Leic ) Thans Eric.

with a whole trunk to play with i might be inclined to hire an alaskan mill and plank it then store it in stick with the ends sealed. (depends on the girth tho)

 

[gasmansteve]

Most important seal the ends of cut logs with old paint or melted wax ASAP.

Chas
I`ve some Lime that I painted gloss on the ends about five years ago from 3" to 6" diameter but they all seem to have split (kept in the garage) can `t remember if I sealed them as soon as they were cut down or not :? think they will end up on the wood burner now. Is Lime maybe not the best wood to keep like this?
Cheers
Steve

 

[Oh Yew]

Thanks for all the info, I'm happy to do some swops for different woods. I've got a load of oak, mahogany, cherry and will be felling some large ash soon I will try to post some pictures if I can work out how.

 

[big soft moose]

Thanks for all the info, I'm happy to do some swops for different woods. I've got a load of oak, mahogany, cherry and will be felling some large ash soon I will try to post some pictures if I can work out how.

where in the country are you - there are some kindred spirits in wood collection in these parts (and with my truck and chainsaw i am a very bad influence on them )

for guidance on posting pics see here

 

[CHJ]

Chas
I`ve some Lime that I painted gloss on the ends about five years ago from 3" to 6" diameter but they all seem to have split ...

Sealing ends is no guarantee that there won't be splits.
Sealing end grain just attempts to match moisture loss from the end grain to the same rate as the rest of the sample.

If drying is too rapid from the periphery of the log I.E. quicker than the moisture can migrate from the core splits will occur.

Don't have any experience of drying Lime I'm afraid to no its potential.

 

[wizer]

Welcome Yew.

Storing green wood is an art form in itself and needs practise, trial and error. I uncovered a store of choice logs I'd set aside last autumn for turning this spring and 80% of it had split more than I'd expected\hoped. Green wood is often in abundance, so don't worry too much if it goes wrong. Choose a game plan and then monitor it. If you get failures, try something else.

 

[Paul.J]

Hello and welcome OH Yew

 

[Thomas Hayman]

I would completely break your arm off for that yew if only i were a little closer! :-D

Make a few longbows!