Stumped?

[nn4jw]

I just got a section of a tree that my neighbor had cut down last week. It's hardwood but I'm not sure what type. It's about 24" in length and maybe the same in diameter. It's going to sit outside, on end, on the ground and be used for a pounding surface for things like splitting other wood with a froe. Basically a wooden anvil.

Even though it's just going to be a useful place to beat up other wood I'd like it to last a few years anyway without rotting out. I'm thinking just put a few coats of Thompson's Waterseal on the surface and call it done.

Anyone have any better suggestions?

 

[Mike Davis]

Get some 4 inch solid masonry blocks to set it on.

 

[Roy G]

Take off the bark.

Roy G

 

[Jeff]

Do you have a picture of the bark for a wood id? Remove the bark and set the piece on blocks or bricks.

I have plenty of AnchorSeal if you want to use some of it to "seal" it too. Where are you in Durham?

 

[nn4jw]

Do you have a picture of the bark for a wood id? Remove the bark and set the piece on blocks or bricks.

I have plenty of AnchorSeal if you want to use some of it to "seal" it too. Where are you in Durham?

Thanks, Jeff. I have plenty of Thompson's on hand. What kind of wood it is isn't really important. It's just a piece of a log to pound on and I know it's a hardwood, not pine. I've had to rake up leaves that blew over into my yard from it for many years.

 

[Gofor]

Set it on some paving stones, or better yet a section of concrete (garage floor, etc). If you just set it on the ground, Bess beetles will be in it within weeks, and it will be useless in a year or two.

Taking off the bark is a plus and a minus. If left on out doors, it will speed up the beetle infestation because they love the moist wood under the bark. However, removing the bark will let the outside (sap wood) dry much more quickly than the heart wood, and it will crack as the outside wood shrinks, but the moist inner wood does not. If you put it in the garage, shop, etc, leave the bark on until it dries enough to fall off. By that time the moisture will have equalized enough that any cracking will be much less, if any at all.

I am not going to recommend the old-timey way of insect prevention by saturating the bottom and the ground beneath it with used crankcase oil like my old man did to protect the wooden foundation of the house I grew up in for many years.

 

[Dee2]

Scorch it. With a torch. All over.

 

[Jeff]

Ok. Thompson's Water Seal is not anything like AnchorSeal.

Thanks, Jeff. I have plenty of Thompson's on hand. What kind of wood it is isn't really important. It's just a piece of a log to pound on and I know it's a hardwood, not pine. I've had to rake up leaves that blew over into my yard from it for many years.

 

[Mike Davis]

Getting it off the ground and keeping it as dry as possible will help more than anything. I would throw an old piece of plastic or plywood over it when not using it.

 

[walnutjerry]

Set it on some paving stones, or better yet a section of concrete (garage floor, etc). If you just set it on the ground, Bess beetles will be in it within weeks, and it will be useless in a year or two.

Taking off the bark is a plus and a minus. If left on out doors, it will speed up the beetle infestation because they love the moist wood under the bark. However, removing the bark will let the outside (sap wood) dry much more quickly than the heart wood, and it will crack as the outside wood shrinks, but the moist inner wood does not. If you put it in the garage, shop, etc, leave the bark on until it dries enough to fall off. By that time the moisture will have equalized enough that any cracking will be much less, if any at all.

I am not going to recommend the old-timey way of insect prevention by saturating the bottom and the ground beneath it with used crankcase oil like my old man did to protect the wooden foundation of the house I grew up in for many years.

plus one on the used motor oil

 

[nn4jw]

Ok. Thompson's Water Seal is not anything like AnchorSeal.

Sorry. I misread earlier. I agree that AnchorSeal is a better option for this. I have a couple of cans of it on hand and have now applied a coat. I'll probably go ahead and put on a second coat tomorrow if it's warm enough.

Thanks.

 

[nn4jw]

Think I'll pass on the motor oil. I live in town right beside drainage into the city storm water drainage system. Everything in my yard flows downhill right into it.

 

[nn4jw]

So, in summary, the log is standing on solid concrete 4" concrete blocks, bark will stay on until it loosens up and looks ready to remove, the top surface has the first coat of AnchorSeal 2 applied and after it dries out I'll put a cover on top unless I'm using it. Thanks for all the good ideas.

Next I'll see if my neighbor will let me have a couple of smaller logs (I'm sure he will) and rough turn a couple of large green mallets to become froe bashers. I'll hit the ends after turning with the AnchorSeal. Once they dry enough I'll finish the turnings. The froe is on the way.

As an aside, I visited Highland Woodworking in Atlanta this past weekend for the first time. It really is Disneyland for woodworkers. Bought a few smallish things but passed on either of the froes they had in stock. One was just plain too expensive for my purposes (close to $200). One was more affordable but the handle was really fat and much too big for my hands.

 

[Mike Davis]

I have a smallish one I really should sell...

 

[TENdriver]

Jim, I’ve always had the impression that a small root ball makes a good “beetle” for bashing on your froe.

A friend gave me some locust that I roughed into a small beetle. My beetle is not large enough to really bash with, but the locust has held up to my use.

 

[nn4jw]

I ran across this Lee Valley beetle, http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,41131&p=67230, while searching around. There are also some pics on NCWW of various beetles both large and small.

Anyway, most of my intended use for a froe is splitting off smallish pieces for dowels and such, not major slabs. R.U. I'm not . Looking at the Lee Valley beetle gives me the idea of just finding a used wood baseball bat and turning something similar. Quick, easy and cheap. Still thinking about turning a heavier beetle as well, but for my purposes it's probably going to be hard to beat a baseball bat beetle (pun intended).

 

[Gofor]

Although long grain woods like as, oak, will make a suitable beetle, the fibers crush and start to shred fairly quickly. I have found a wrap or two of duct tape will prolong the usability of these woods. Dogwood trunk makes a fair beetle, but the root ball is supposed to be much longer lasting.

I also have short fingers, but the $52 Lee Valley froe with the 1 3/8" diameter handle isn't too difficult to use. For oak, I have found that starting the split with a hand axe (thinner taper than the froe) speeds things up considerably, and makes it a lot easier. That said, you may find an axe is all you need for small pieces.

Some pics from my gallery using the Lee Valley froe. https://ncwoodworker.net/forums/index.php?media/albums/riving-oak.1628/

and of the green wood stool made from the riven wood. https://ncwoodworker.net/forums/index.php?media/albums/stool.1626/

 

[TENdriver]

I ran across this Lee Valley beetle, http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,41131&p=67230, while searching around. There are also some pics on NCWW of various beetles both large and small.

Anyway, most of my intended use for a froe is splitting off smallish pieces for dowels and such, not major slabs. R.U. I'm not . Looking at the Lee Valley beetle gives me the idea of just finding a used wood baseball bat and turning something similar. Quick, easy and cheap. Still thinking about turning a heavier beetle as well, but for my purposes it's probably going to be hard to beat a baseball bat beetle (pun intended).

Jim, I use hatchets for small pegs etc. I’ve seen Paul Sellers use a tool that looks like a very thick cleaver to split pegs. I think something like that would be great for splitting small pieces.

These are locust. The one on the left split and I had to glue it back together. I guess I should be less critical of glued up mallets that might come apart.

As you can see, I put a lot into the materials and design of these.