Les ELm
Executive Member
Nice looking set of components.
Les
Les
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Yellow Box Burl WASTE OF TIME and KITS
- Thread starter Bammer
- Start date
Penpal
Grand Master
Wish you could see the magestic Yellow Box trees they are beautiful and have abounded in our Capital. Huge following as long lasting high output burning wood grained burled timber is occassional not to be expected hence the premium price for top blanks, counterfeit blanks abound in all varieties.
Peter.
Peter.
billyb_imp
Registered
An update on one of the yellow box burl blanks I bought from the same source as Brad, turned it round so this removed all the wax except at ends, left it for a couple of days until I managed to find my damp meter and it measured 19%
Looking at some of my stored wood, I have found that quite a few blanks that are from Australia are fully dipped in wax, rather than just the ends, is this an Aussie thing.
Looking at some of my stored wood, I have found that quite a few blanks that are from Australia are fully dipped in wax, rather than just the ends, is this an Aussie thing.
GSteer
Registered
Billy - to further my newbie education is 19% bad, mediocre or good? (it sounds like quite high to my uneducated mind)
19% is probably far from ideal to burn in a log burner, so probably too wet to turn a pen from.
Some info here
http://www.peterchild.co.uk/info1/green.htm
Brad
billyb_imp
Registered
I am not certain on this myself but I think any wood you are looking at the condition of the wood is relevant to the surroundings it is in, generally in our centrally heated homes a 12 % / 13 % reading would be considered stable, so I think we are looking around this area.
Either one of the 2 Neils may be able to give a more educated view on this subject.
I've decided to trim each side down then wax the ends, stuff them in the airing cupboard and forget about them for a while. Maybe just a couple of them just in case
Haven't had a reply to my PM
Have you not got an email address for him? I haven't thought about it before, but I think if a member sells something they should give an email address and a phone number where they can be contacted.
Peter
If you need to contact Lee,
Direct from his web site..
Direct from his web site..
generally in our centrally heated homes a 12 % / 13 % reading would be considered stable, so I think we are looking around this area.
Either one of the 2 Neils may be able to give a more educated view on this subject.
I was going to make a comment on this, but I'm trying to give up smoking, and may be very, very offensive (more than usual)!
To be honest brad, ( not with this supplier, to make it clear)
I have seen this problem before, (with other suppliers ) not with this particular species but when they are fully waxed.
I learnt the hard way a few years ago as I had one or two returned which spilt after a week or so with the customer.
I have had them split even with my own wood, so what I do now is bring my wood in to the centrally heated house for a few days before even turning them. especially at this time of year.
Even if the blanks were dried, they would only be as dry as the environment they had been dried and then waxed to cap the moisture in..
I have never used Lee and don't know the guy, but I would use him if him if I needed too. I would even after what you have put up because at least you know your supplier now
I have seen this problem before, (with other suppliers ) not with this particular species but when they are fully waxed.
I learnt the hard way a few years ago as I had one or two returned which spilt after a week or so with the customer.
I have had them split even with my own wood, so what I do now is bring my wood in to the centrally heated house for a few days before even turning them. especially at this time of year.
Even if the blanks were dried, they would only be as dry as the environment they had been dried and then waxed to cap the moisture in..
I have never used Lee and don't know the guy, but I would use him if him if I needed too. I would even after what you have put up because at least you know your supplier now
Penpal
Grand Master
The reason some suppliers from Australia fully wax is to avoid any complications of bark etc a strict no no for customs incoming all answers should be forthcoming from the country of entry in this case the UK. I know the burl getters got to a huge amount of time and effort debarking timbers and normally only do what is required by law. Waxing all over may avoid having to use insecticide. Plenty of importers in the UK ask them.
Peter.
Peter.
A centrally heated house will produce a moisture content in single figures. The ambient moisture content in my workshop in the not too dry west highland of Scotland is 14 to 15% and therefore that is the moisture content on the seasoned wood that is stored there. I have no problem in any sense with turning wood at 15% then bringing it indoors, but I have to say that at 19% I'm afraid I would consider it still wet even though there is only a 4% difference.
To put that in perspective still further, wood that I may have felled perhaps 3 or 4 years ago and is stored outside, which therefore has no sap left in it but still holds water from being outdoors, I would expect to measure 23 to 24%. Still only another 4 or 5% in it, but undoubtedly wet, of the sort of wetness that sprays you when you turn it. So although 4% seems a small amount, it makes a huge difference.
It is difficult to see how a blank that is entirely covered in wax can loose moisture, and my advice would be to turn the blank or plane it to expose the side grain, whilst leaving the end grain still covered. If you have a meter to prove its moisture content, then it then be assessed and if necessary left to continue to season. If you don't have a moisture meter, then you have to either trust to luck or exercise patience. A dense blank still 4% too wet could easily take another year to season in a drying shed or cool workshop.
I seriously doubt that whomever sold the blank in discussion here did so in a deliberate attempt to flog unseasoned wood under false pretenses. It may or may not be true that he or she is guilty of extreme ignorance in completely encasing the blank in wax, but I cannot think it is in any sellers interest to deliberately deceive.
But in summary, to answer the question, yes, 19% is wet wood.
To put that in perspective still further, wood that I may have felled perhaps 3 or 4 years ago and is stored outside, which therefore has no sap left in it but still holds water from being outdoors, I would expect to measure 23 to 24%. Still only another 4 or 5% in it, but undoubtedly wet, of the sort of wetness that sprays you when you turn it. So although 4% seems a small amount, it makes a huge difference.
It is difficult to see how a blank that is entirely covered in wax can loose moisture, and my advice would be to turn the blank or plane it to expose the side grain, whilst leaving the end grain still covered. If you have a meter to prove its moisture content, then it then be assessed and if necessary left to continue to season. If you don't have a moisture meter, then you have to either trust to luck or exercise patience. A dense blank still 4% too wet could easily take another year to season in a drying shed or cool workshop.
I seriously doubt that whomever sold the blank in discussion here did so in a deliberate attempt to flog unseasoned wood under false pretenses. It may or may not be true that he or she is guilty of extreme ignorance in completely encasing the blank in wax, but I cannot think it is in any sellers interest to deliberately deceive.
But in summary, to answer the question, yes, 19% is wet wood.
I doubt that as well Phil, but I certainly won't be throwing good money after bad ...
Lons
Fellow
What hasn't been said is that the seller might well have nothing to do with the blank being fully waxed. Yellow box burr surely isn't common in the UK so possibly bought in and sold on?
It's still wrong imho to castigate the seller in public before contacting him privately for a response even though the frustration is obvious and understandable.
Maybe the seller should stick his head over the parapet now though as this could affect his future sales to other people. A lot of non members lurk around the forums as well remember.
It's still wrong imho to castigate the seller in public before contacting him privately for a response even though the frustration is obvious and understandable.
Maybe the seller should stick his head over the parapet now though as this could affect his future sales to other people.
A lot of non members lurk around the forums as well remember.
Lons
Fellow
Don't believe it Neil it's not in your nature to be offensive, anyway, Ali would kick you where it hurts methinks!
Good luck with the smoking, never smoked but have seen how hard it is to quit.
If you find it difficult to stop then get some Champix from Boots, 3 months worth will cost about £250 but that is cheaper than cigarettes and after about 10 days you get no cravings and is a doddle to stop.
Peter
Lons
Fellow
