Juniper lumber

R

Robie Gardner

Member
I recently found a gentleman in Kinston, NC who is selling juniper at $1.60 a board foot cut to any dimensions you want. The maximum width at that price is 8". He already has the logs and will cut them at whatever size you request. My question is what would you want cut it you were carving puddle ducks. My last experience was with 8"x8" and they all had the heart in the middle and at least two sides checked after they dried out. If I got all 2"x8" I assume that it wouldn't check and I wouldn't have the heart in all of them. He said that he would not cut out the heart because he would be left with the waste. What would any of you request. Thanks.

Robie Gardner
 
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Depends on the size of the tree. If he won't cut the heartwood out, no matter what the dimesions some peices will be heartwood. I have never priced out juniper but if price is normally comparable to Northern white cedar, I would have him cut it out and pay for the waste.
 
X2 what Bill said. If he won't cut out the heart it's not worth it. It will crack no matter what with the pith in the block.
 
Well I'll just have to talk to him again or just cut out the heart myself. If I cut out the size blocks that I need before the wood fully dries, is it less prone to spliting?

Robie
 
It is always going to split unless you control moisture loss. I seal the ends of any green wood I cut with anchor seal. It's a wax emulsion made specifically for this application.

If your sawyer won't cut out the heart you could cut to block size (actually 6"-8"bigger for loss), remove the heart and coat with anchor seal.

This should get you carvable blocks in a year or so depending on how you plan to dry it, but that's another ball of wax.
 
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Do I seal the ends or the entire block? Will the wood dry out inside a closed shed? I really appreciate your input. Thanks.

Robie
 
Just the ends. It needs airflow to dry. A shed would work but not if it is all closed up. I store anything I need to dry in the lof of my barn with a fan running. Works great in the summertime. You also need to sticker to wood. (1" or so spacers between boards to let air circulate)
 
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I have four sticks of cedar sitting on my stairs landing in the house right now drying... Wife is very understanding. Although I am not sure why.

So keep that in mind. There are lots of ways to dry it.
 
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