The word for your shed is "drafty", my friend 😇 We have lots of Hazel here in Oregon, USA as it's a major cash crop and grows really well in our climate. The bark seasons to a lovely silver/gold shimmer if you let it dry really slowly, and the wood is strong as hell.
Thank you, this is just what I was looking for. I Just cut a very nice bit of blackthorn today, sealed the ends with wood glue... now i guess ill hang it in the barn for 3 years. 😅 good thing i have a lot of other projects laying around...
For anyone thinking of stick making and who lacks a bit of patience I’d suggest buying a moisture meter to help gauge when the stick is dry enough to work. They start at about £20 on Amazon- mine is called Dr Meter and it works fine. On any new cut timber you can expect it to be about 40-50% water depending on species and time if year. After a good few months in a warmish dry environment (airing cupboard, under the spare bed, a greenhouse or even the rafters of a shed or garage) the moisture content will be approaching half that (20% is good enough for firewood). Month by month it will drop and when it gets to 12% it’s as dry as joinery quality timber and if it’s good enough for windows and furniture it’s good enough for a stick in my opinion.
Francis what's your take on car jack stands to use to straighten? Reason I ask you is because you've made beautiful shillelaghs for many years an learned from knowledged an skilled family members. Anyways car jack stands have a slight curve where the stick would rest nicely but are they good to use? Plus 1 more question if I put a rag to cushion the joint where it doesn't mark the shillelagh would it be ok just hope rag won't get hot an catch fire as I'd heat stick to bend it. I haven't straighten sticks yet few more things I need to get tools to build stick straightener
Francis, just a thought, when I put my sticks away for seasoning, I give them a good rub with neem oil, insects hate the smell of it and keep well away 👍
@@goldenhands7024 I'm going to harvest some now . Was thinking of dipping them in black ecosote . Stop any chance of insect or fungus and get some black into it straight away . What you think ?
@@avancalledrupert5130 I would think that as long as it allows the wood to breathe and loose it's moisture over the course of at least one year it should be fine, and don't forget to either paint or wax the freshly cut ends otherwise the ends would dry too quickly and would crack, enjoy the outdoors😁👍🏻
Wikipedia: Prunus spinosa, called blackthorn or sloe, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. The species is native to Europe, western Asia, and regionally in northwest Africa. It is locally naturalized in New Zealand, Tasmania, and the Pacific Northwest and New England regions of the United States.
I’ve just had a knee replacement surgery and I’ll probably be using a walking stick , not necessarily for support but more for piece of mind. If I’m gonna have one, it might as well be something that looks good as well as reliable!
The word for your shed is "drafty", my friend 😇 We have lots of Hazel here in Oregon, USA as it's a major cash crop and grows really well in our climate. The bark seasons to a lovely silver/gold shimmer if you let it dry really slowly, and the wood is strong as hell.
I do enjoy your posts please stay safe and well from Australia
Thanks for the info I'll be doing some from apple hope it goes well
Thank you, this is just what I was looking for. I Just cut a very nice bit of blackthorn today, sealed the ends with wood glue... now i guess ill hang it in the barn for 3 years. 😅 good thing i have a lot of other projects laying around...
Patience is key
what kind of catty do you have
Thanks for this info 👍
For anyone thinking of stick making and who lacks a bit of patience I’d suggest buying a moisture meter to help gauge when the stick is dry enough to work. They start at about £20 on Amazon- mine is called Dr Meter and it works fine. On any new cut timber you can expect it to be about 40-50% water depending on species and time if year. After a good few months in a warmish dry environment (airing cupboard, under the spare bed, a greenhouse or even the rafters of a shed or garage) the moisture content will be approaching half that (20% is good enough for firewood). Month by month it will drop and when it gets to 12% it’s as dry as joinery quality timber and if it’s good enough for windows and furniture it’s good enough for a stick in my opinion.
🤣
Francis what's your take on car jack stands to use to straighten? Reason I ask you is because you've made beautiful shillelaghs for many years an learned from knowledged an skilled family members. Anyways car jack stands have a slight curve where the stick would rest nicely but are they good to use? Plus 1 more question if I put a rag to cushion the joint where it doesn't mark the shillelagh would it be ok just hope rag won't get hot an catch fire as I'd heat stick to bend it. I haven't straighten sticks yet few more things I need to get tools to build stick straightener
Perhaps it's because the sap is naturally retracting towards the base which is usually the thickest end.
Francis, just a thought, when I put my sticks away for seasoning, I give them a good rub with neem oil, insects hate the smell of it and keep well away 👍
I used neem oil when I was in Africa kept the insects off me well then.
@@FrancisMcCaffrey5 great minds think alike 😊👍
@@goldenhands7024 I'm going to harvest some now .
Was thinking of dipping them in black ecosote . Stop any chance of insect or fungus and get some black into it straight away . What you think ?
@@avancalledrupert5130 I would think that as long as it allows the wood to breathe and loose it's moisture over the course of at least one year it should be fine, and don't forget to either paint or wax the freshly cut ends otherwise the ends would dry too quickly and would crack, enjoy the outdoors😁👍🏻
I wonder how long would you season a rowan staff. 6ft tall by 3in thick at the top.
A few years if that thick
How to you get a lovely glass gloss shine on your sticks?
Buy a high quality finish.
3 generations. Very cool.
have you shown a Blackthorn being cut? I hope you don't thing I'm being rude, but does Blackthorn grow in America?
Many times on this channel
Wikipedia: Prunus spinosa, called blackthorn or sloe, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. The species is native to Europe, western Asia, and regionally in northwest Africa. It is locally naturalized in New Zealand, Tasmania, and the Pacific Northwest and New England regions of the United States.
Do you paint the cut ends the same day they are cut.
You can
I’ve just had a knee replacement surgery and I’ll probably be using a walking stick , not necessarily for support but more for piece of mind. If I’m gonna have one, it might as well be something that looks good as well as reliable!
Just back from vacation need a week or too to build up my stock again as a lot sold while I was away
@@FrancisMcCaffrey5 please let me know when you are ready and we’ll get down to business
@@lazysob2328 just off to sleep. Keep watching this UA-cam channel as I make most announcements here on new sticks.
@@FrancisMcCaffrey5 ok, l get it. Thanks anyway. Have a good day.
Why not just show pictures or videos of your sheds and seasoning processes? You could get the idea across much more simply with less explanation.
I have done this in some videos