Selecting and using plum wood. Need advice.

[FJ de Bruin]

This Monday, my plum tree will removed from my garden (the tree got too big).

I would like to save some wood of this tree for making it into (the handles of) pocket knives. Since I have no expertise in woodworking, I need some advice.

First of all, can this plum wood used for this purpose?

I will not be making the knives myself but I have to select the pieces to keep. What are the best parts? Does it matter I take the stem or better some branches. What minimum size should I aim for? Anything else to look for?

As I might not find the woodworker on short notice, how do I store the wood best?

Hope you can help me.

Frank

[robo hippy]

Plum is beautiful, reds, oranges, pinks, and purples. Cut it into boards as soon as possible. If you leave it in logs, they will crack and split. Take the boards, and stack them some place out of the wind, sun, and heat, but air needs to circulate. Put stickers between the boards. One inch thick boards will dry enough to use in a year or so. robo hippy

[wood_newbie]

Any scraps you have can also be used to smoke meats. I've never tried plum wood myself, but most fruit-bearing trees produce excellent flavors.

If you're interested, ping a guy named Edwin Pawlowski...he's pretty knowledgable about woods to use (and more's the point NOT to use) when it comes to smoking meats.

[fredfighter]

Also seal the engrain as soon as possible, even before you cut it into lumber, and again after. Use melted paraffin, wood glue, or shellac. Do not use latex paint, it is permeable to water vapor.

This will minimized checking.

[wood_newbie]

This will also increase the drying time by a large factor, however.

Like all fruitwoods, plum moves a LOT and is keen on warping. You might try kiln drying it too...this will set the lignin in it and settle it down to some extent.

If you're going to air dry it, sticker it well, then put something very heavy on top to try to keep the boards flat.

Like maybe a Chevy.

[FJ de Bruin]

Robo hippy, Fred, wood_newby

thanks for your tips! I think I would have made a mistake and have the log dried just as is.

The tree was cut down on Monday, before I read your replies and I only kept a small piece, about a meter.

I am going to try and find someone who can cut it into boards for me. I also would have never guessed that it would take a year to dry. The only option to dry it would be my shed. It is dry and out of the sun, but not much air circulation I am afraid.

We'll see how we fare.

Thanks again, Frank