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I'm brand new at this, and I'm trying to "start from scratch"
One, for the experience, two, because I like the idea of making something from nothing.
So far I've "rough plained" 6 blocks (1 persimmon, 3 walnut and 2 oak)
My only problem is a major one; the heart of tree keeps cracking. How can I prevent this?
I've considered cutting it slower, but I believe it's splitting while it's drying rather than while I'm sectioning the timbers.
I'm letting the timbers dry for roughly 1-3 weeks before planing and sectioning. Is that too long? I plan to try my next timber all in one go; fell it, rough plain it (with chainsaw), and section it while it's still tender. Or will this produce the adverse effect?
I'm far from a woodsmen, but I do have a genuine love for wood working and a willingness to learn.
And I'm not harvesting trees specifically for pipe making, I'm actually thinning out my woods to keep some of my more monsterous oak and Walnut trees healthy and fruitful.
This process is off to a fun start, some

Ordinarily, cracking occurs when wood dries, especially if it dries fast and uncontrolled. There are products out there, stabilizers which reduce the amount of water the wood can lose (some lumber comes with the ends dipped in wax), or even kind of impregnate the cells (PEG).

Keeping the fresh piece in a bag will slow down the drying quite a bit.

Okay, thanks!
What's really irritating me is that the heart of the wood keeps cracking. The heart is what I'm hoping to use for my pipes.
Although the oak I expected to crack, because it was dead before I fell it. Really just hoped I'd get lucky, lol.
Thanks again!

The heartwood especially prone, and is the source of all the cracks. Either seal up the ends with a wax, or bag it in a plastic bag with small holes in it.

Ok, thanks!
I'm glad there's a simple solution for this, I was afraid my lack of expertise would prove to be an early failure if I couldn't get past it.
I'll give bagging it a try asap.
Thanks again

I've had good success with putting a piece of green wood in the shower stall, usually on the soap dish. That way it's exposed to heated moisture each day. Over a period of months it dries without cracking. bob gilbert

Hmm... never would have thought of that. I may give that a whirl. Thanks!

staffwalker wrote:I've had good success with putting a piece of green wood in the shower stall, usually on the soap dish. That way it's exposed to heated moisture each day. Over a period of months it dries without cracking. bob gilbert

That would require regular showering, wouldn't it....?

Naw, nothing different than my usual, about twice per week.

Wood shrinks as moisture leaves it. Even if you dry it well, it can absorb moisture and lose moisture and change size and shape in the process. Unless you have a known method for a known wood, you are best off avoiding intact rings. Even ideal processing method, it has a good chance of busting with the change of season, after it has been seasoned perfectly and slowly for three years.

Here is a method I got from a Japanese craftsman. He would take a log, and make a lengthwise cut from end to end, with the cut reaching the center of the log. This way, as it shrunk, a wedge opened up in the log making a packman shape in the cross section. He also covered the log to slow the process. With enough experience, a woodworker can judge how dry the log has become, by the size of the open gap.

Persimmon is a rather nifty wood, the only true ebony native to North America. Very dense at the core. A lot of very dense woods, with do worse than crack, they can form fractures throughout the wood and checker on the surfaces.

Bob

Thanks for the tips!
Sadly though, I've abandoned the idea of drying this wood for use. I tried the "put it in a bag" method and the result was a mold factory. May have done something wrong, either way I believe I'll just sell off my timber and but new. Let someone else haggle with the rest as I have far too many irons in the fire as is.
Thanks again!