Madrone and Manzanita INFORMATION Request !

Would like to get any and all information on madrona and manzanita woods ... how to preserve...dry ..ect.. do you know any books or anything that would be helpful ??

Thank you for this wonderful site RON !!!YOU ROCK :)

------

Arbutus Ron here...

Thanks Chris for your kind comments.

Here is how to preserve

Seal the ends of the wood with log seal from Lee Valley Tools.

I like to first process the wood into lumber. For me lumber can be 3x4x12" and up. If you leave it too thick it can crack as it dries even with the log seal on the ends. Making it into lumber I get rid of flaws and cracks etc. The smaller you can go the less cracking there can be.

It is also best to process wood when it is cooler out like winter so the lumber dries slower than in the summer. If the wood comes to me in the summer I always end up with more craked wood as it dries.

Store it the coolest place you can find.

If you are making small things like I do it is even possible to process into finished shapes before it is fully dry.

If you are doing Manzanita wood, the dear branches are best because the wood changes into dark glorious red as it dies and dries out.

Hope this helps!