Does log sealer "breath"?

[Rob Will]

I've got this crazy idea that difficult to dry wood ie: thick slabs, curly grain, crotches etc. might benefit from a thin coat of log sealer on the ENTIRE board. Obviously this would slow the drying process but that's sort of the whole point. In some situations is not drying slow better?

So, if you put a product like Bailey's log sealer on an entire board can it still dry to some degree? Does this stuff breathe at all?

Back in the spring I did this to some thick walnut and white oak slabs. So far the pieces look very good......it just might take them 100 years to dry. Any other suggestions for slowing the drying process?

Rob

[Ian Abraham]

Very few things are TOTALLY waterproof.

I remember seeing a web page a while back where they tested the drying rate for various end coatings. The wax-emulsion (Anchorseal etc.) stuff performed about the best with approx 10% of the normal water loss through it.

The trade-off is that you do need to dry the wood at some point, and waiting 10 years isn't really practical.

I think your totally coated pieces will dry... eventually.....

Cheers

Ian

[Rob Will]

I remember seeing a web page a while back where they tested the drying rate for various end coatings. The wax-emulsion (Anchorseal etc.) stuff performed about the best with approx 10% of the normal water loss through it.

Thanks Ian, any chance you remember where that web page was located?
BTW: I took your advice on how to cut walnut crotch for veneer earlier this spring. That was my first attempt but it turned out real nice ......now I'm hooked. Another big walnut and a cherry are lined up for cutting this fall.

Rob

[Jim Becker]

Yes...just not as fast as a bare log end will...which is the whole idea!