Author Topic: Should I worry?  (Read 3590 times)

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Offline RDSBandit

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Should I worry?
« on: March 14, 2016, 07:14:56 pm »
So last weekend I chopped down a tree, not sure what it is. Elm, scrub oak maybe. I just don't know. Anyways, I chopped the tree down and cut it into one 6 foot log and one 5 foot log. I smeared Elmers glue on the ends. Well today I went out to my shop and saw there is mold growing on the ends of the logs! Is this a problem!? What should I do?!

Offline DC

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2016, 07:32:03 pm »
Is your shop dry?, heated?

Offline RDSBandit

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2016, 07:34:03 pm »
Dry yes. Heated no.

Offline DC

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2016, 08:00:28 pm »
I would wipe it off, wipe some bleach on it and when it's dry to the touch put some more Elmers on it. I'm suspecting that this time of year maybe the sap was running and the glue was kept too wet to set up. If you have the length you could cut an inch or so off the ends.

Offline RDSBandit

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2016, 08:34:23 pm »
Okay cool. Thank you. I will try that!

Offline Hamish

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2016, 09:37:41 pm »
If the bark is still on it will contribute to a mould loving environment. Split and rough into floor tillered staves. The good news is that this mould will likely only  cause cosmetic bluestain not structural rot.

Offline Pat B

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2016, 10:37:27 pm »
Split the logs in half and seal the ends again. There is moisture in the log and by splitting them you give the moisture somewhere to escape.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Lumberman

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2016, 10:42:42 pm »
Mold is going to come from moisture being present, if you can maybe quarter or halve the log you will get below 35% mc a whole lot quicker. A fungal spray will cover you for a couple weeks and then I would only reapply if it was coming back. Hamish is right about the color stain; in my line of work the word stain is synonymous with mold

Offline RDSBandit

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2016, 06:27:30 am »
I left all the bark still on. I have just held off splitting the logs because I was waiting to get a drawknife first. I can probably go ahead and spit them this morning.

But just to be clear, I split then or quarter them, then apply glue to only the ends? Not all the exposed wood, right?

Offline Pappy

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2016, 06:45:28 am »
Yep that would be correct. :)
 Pappy
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Life is Good

Offline Pat B

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2016, 10:59:55 am »
That exposed wood is where the moisture escapes from. It's the ends and back(after removing the bark)that you don't want checking.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline RDSBandit

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2016, 01:12:32 pm »
I went ahead and split the wood. I tried to quarter the bigger log but it started splitting way to narrow on one side so I stopped and just left it in 2 pieces.

The bark was peeling off easily so I took it all off. Now it is slick in the back where the bark was. Should I apply glue asap? And will that trap the moisture and I'll be in the same shape the ends are in? Or should I wait a day or two to let the backs dry out before I apply glue?

Also, maybe a stupid question, but, should I have them laying on their backs so the moisture will dry upwards towards the front of the wood? Or does it matter?

Offline Pat B

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2016, 01:17:02 pm »
Yes, seal the back, under where the bark was ASAP. It doesn't matter whether the log is on its back or not while drying.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline RDSBandit

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2016, 01:37:30 pm »
Okay. The backs are all glued now.

Offline Lumberman

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Re: Should I worry?
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2016, 03:06:02 pm »
Got a picture of the log? I am sure they'll be able to tell you what it is pretty quick, cross your fingers for elm over scrub oak