# Rough Cut on the Shillelagh



## Rad

Here is an update on my future Shillelagh --- I decided to risk some rough cutting and try something that I've heard that those who work on Green Wood do; I baged it after the rough cutting in an attempt to keep it from spliting. I've included some pictures; as soon as I can figure out how to put pictures in the Gallery I will stick them there instead.

Sorry!


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## kevmag

That's a nice shillelagh, i would prefer not to cut until they have seasoned but let me know how it works out for you, i heard freezing the stick or handle stops the handle from splitting but i think i takes a long time in a freezer.


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## Rad

kevmag said:


> That's a nice shillelagh, i would prefer not to cut until they have seasoned but let me know how it works out for you, i heard freezing the stick or handle stops the handle from splitting but i think i takes a long time in a freezer.


The updates will probably be slow in coming, but I will do it as I work on it -- who knows, maybe I'll just end up with a fancy hot dog roasting stick!


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## Rad

Just an update -- I replaced the plastic bag with a paper bag and I've started to apply a lean mix of boiled linseed oil between workings.


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## Sean

Yeah that has the makings of a great stick! Good job so far on it.


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## Rad

Sean said:


> Yeah that has the makings of a great stick! Good job so far on it.


Thank you Sean -- I'm looking forward to working it to its conclusion; even with my rushing it, it will still take some time.


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## Lewey

Nice looking stick!. What kind of wood is that?


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## Rad

Lewey said:


> Nice looking stick!. What kind of wood is that?


It is crab apple -- just an experiment, but thank you! I've decided that even if it does some splitting, I will experiment with some repair types that I've read about.


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## Rad

This whole rough cut while still green project is just an experiment -- so if you hear me waffling, understand I'm just trying to find out what works! Originally I coated the knob with a lean linseed oil mix and placed in a plastic bag -- then I switched to a paper bag, fearing that I might get mold. But, I've switched back to the plastic bag, it was drying out too fast, and I'm coating every day with my lean mixture, so I don't think there is any chance for mold.


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## JJireh

From what I have seen fruit woods are notorious for cracking and checking. I'll be interested to see how it goes.


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## Rad

JJireh said:


> From what I have seen fruit woods are notorious for cracking and checking. I'll be interested to see how it goes.


I know -- like I said -- just an experiment! I'll keep the updates coming as they are available.


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## CAS14

I B watchin' too!


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## Rad

CAS said:


> I B watchin' too!


I'm start'n to feel the pressure!


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## Rad

I've put together a dipping tube for curing sticks.


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## CAS14

That's perfect! The reason that I made the telescoped one is that even a little bend will prevent a stick from going into the 4" PVC. So I use the 4" for very straight sticks and the 4"-6" telescoped version for the bent ones. It is a pain in the rear to pour the liquid gold (Pentacryl) from one to the other so I have begun to use a rubber bucket to transfer the liquid.

I have not yet tried the soap idea.


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## Rad

I ended up soaking the stick in Pentacryl for a week -- I paper bagged it and it's now drying -- we will see how that does! No cracks showing up yet.


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## CAS14

Pentacryl claims that the drying time is typically reduced by 30%, which works out to .7 x 12 mos. per inch of thickness, or about 8 1/2 mos. per inch. Supposedly cracking will be significantly reduced. As I have bought two gallons and a quart already, I hope this proves correct. My beer fund is being seriously depleted!


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## Rad

CAS said:


> As I have bought two gallons and a quart already, I hope this proves correct. My beer fund is being seriously depleted!


We will see, and I know what you mean, I'm not a drinker -- but it does cut into the wallet pretty deep! I've heard that denatured alcohol might work just as well as pentacryl -- I might give it a test with another piece.


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## CAS14

Rad said:


> CAS said:
> 
> 
> 
> As I have bought two gallons and a quart already, I hope this proves correct. My beer fund is being seriously depleted!
> 
> 
> 
> We will see, and I know what you mean, I'm not a drinker -- but it does cut into the wallet pretty deep! I've heard that denatured alcohol might work just as well as pentacryl -- I might give it a test with another piece.
Click to expand...

Interesting! As alcohol is miscible in water it won't replace water but it seems that the concentration gradient would cause the alcohol concentration to increase in the water within the wood. I don't know what effect that would have on shrinkage. Perhaps the organic nature of the alcohol would cause some adhesion to the wood and thus the shrinkage would be less? I wish I knew more about the chemistry and the process, and had the time, similar wood sticks, and money to do some controlled experiments.


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## Rad

CAS said:


> Rad said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CAS said:
> 
> 
> 
> As I have bought two gallons and a quart already, I hope this proves correct. My beer fund is being seriously depleted!
> 
> 
> 
> We will see, and I know what you mean, I'm not a drinker -- but it does cut into the wallet pretty deep! I've heard that denatured alcohol might work just as well as pentacryl -- I might give it a test with another piece.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Interesting! As alcohol is miscible in water it won't replace water but it seems that the concentration gradient would cause the alcohol concentration to increase in the water within the wood. I don't know what effect that would have on shrinkage. Perhaps the organic nature of the alcohol would cause some adhesion to the wood and thus the shrinkage would be less? I wish I knew more about the chemistry and the process, and had the time, similar wood sticks, and money to do some controlled experiments.
Click to expand...

CAS --check out the following concerning DA ---- http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/turning/articles_473.shtml


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## CAS14

Rad said:


> CAS --check out the following concerning DA ---- http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/turning/articles_473.shtml


Great find, Rad! I have purchased denatured ethanol before from a laboratory supply place in Tulsa. At about 1/5 or 1/6 the price of Pentacryl, this is very promising.

I need to re-read the article to see if he mentions evaporation - the vapor pressure of alcohols is a factor in terms of loss of product and in terms of potential hazard in confined spaces. We ought to read the MSDS sheets for any product and assess the potential for explosion where vapors accumulate.

It's easy to cap the PVC dip tubes, and that ought to minimize hazards, if any.

Thanks again, this could save me some bucks.


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## CAS14

Important to read if you plan to use denatured ethanol:

http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9923956


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## Rad

CAS said:


> It's easy to cap the PVC dip tubes, and that ought to minimize hazards, if any.
> 
> Thanks again, this could save me some bucks.


CAS -- My one concern is the flammability of DA.


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## Rad

CAS said:


> Important to read if you plan to use denatured ethanol:
> 
> http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9923956


Thanks for the information CAS!


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## Paul2281

Nice start...I`m VERY impatient in the waiting period...I`ve been using plain ole vegetable oil out of the kitchen cubbard...But I haven`t done anything as far as you have already....Good luck...

I went and bought a BLACKTHORN Shaleigly from Ireland...And as soon as it got to Fl. the knob started to split...Maybe the humidity difference caused it to move...But anyways I sanded off all the coating they had on it and ground down the split and actually looks better now without all that red stain,varnish crap that was on it...I`ll post a pic. of it.Originally the knob was just squared off on the tops.I rounded them off along with the slpit....

...


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## CAS14

Paul, I bought one made by Fashionable Canes in Florida, just to see what Pinus spinosa looks like when properly finished. It was shorter than originally promised, very skinny, and had a very cheap, ugly ferrule tip which I replaced with a brass one. It wasn't expensive but I was very disappointed.

Yesterday I planted a 4-foot blackthorn (Prunus spinosa, sloe) and hope:

1) that it survives the freezes the next two nights, and
2) that I live long enough to be able to use some of the new growth.


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## Paul2281

CAS said:


> Paul, I bought one made by Fashionable Canes in Florida, just to see what Pinus spinosa looks like when properly finished. It was shorter than originally promised, very skinny, and had a very cheap, ugly ferrule tip which I replaced with a brass one. It wasn't expensive but I was very disappointed.
> 
> Yesterday I planted a 4-foot blackthorn (Prunus spinosa, sloe) and hope:
> 
> 1) that it survives the freezes the next two nights, and
> 2) that I live long enough to be able to use some of the new growth.
> 
> Ya I feel you brother...I was very disappointed with one fro Ireland...I didn`t pay too much for it $65.But at least I got something to work with in BLACKTHORN....It is some pretty tough/heavy wood...Nobody does something to your standards but YOU....As you found out from your purchase....At least you were able to salvage it....Good for you....


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## Shawn C

I know this is a late entry, but my comment: to agree with JJireh, the fruitwoods are notorious, however, it has been my experience that crab apple seems to be an exception. It still checks, but not nearly like, say, cherry would. Since this once severla weeks ago, I wonder how its been progressing...


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## Rad

Shawn C said:


> I know this is a late entry, but my comment: to agree with JJireh, the fruitwoods are notorious, however, it has been my experience that crab apple seems to be an exception. It still checks, but not nearly like, say, cherry would. Since this once severla weeks ago, I wonder how its been progressing...


No checking yet! I keep my fingers crossed.


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## JD79

Have any of you worked with stabilized wood before? I'm sending in a piece to have it done. This wood is naturally very yellow. The red of the placemat washes it out some.


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## Rad

JD79 said:


> Have any of you worked with stabilized wood before? I'm sending in a piece to have it done. This wood is naturally very yellow. The red of the placemat washes it out some.


JD79: what exactly do you mean by stabilized wood -- some of us do our own with oils, pentacryl, denatured alcohol and even soap.


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## JD79

I'm talking about resin stabilizing. People do it to burl wood a lot. I'm having it done to that piece so it will be hard as a rock and impervious to the elements.


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## Rad

JD79 said:


> I'm talking about resin stabilizing. People do it to burl wood a lot. I'm having it done to that piece so it will be hard as a rock and impervious to the elements.


Nope! Never done that before -- where do you send it to? I'm going to have to study that one a little.


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## JD79

This is the place I'm sending mine to http://www.knifeandgun.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=71

A local place that sells exotic woods told me they were really good to deal with.


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## Paul2281

I just bought some Cabots pre stain wood conditioner....Never tried it but figured I`d give it a try...Couldn`t find ant Pentacryl at LOWES....


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## Paul2281

JD79 said:


> I'm talking about resin stabilizing. People do it to burl wood a lot. I'm having it done to that piece so it will be hard as a rock and impervious to the elements.


I guess it sokes into the wood to keep it like it is huh...Cool...Keep us updated on it.....


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## JD79

Do a google image search for stabilized wood. They can add dyes to make a very unusual look.


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## Rad

Paul2281 said:


> I just bought some Cabots pre stain wood conditioner....Never tried it but figured I`d give it a try...Couldn`t find ant Pentacryl at LOWES....


Paul2281: you can get Pentacryl through Woodcraft http://www.woodcraft.com/stores/


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## JD79

What do y'all put on the end for tips? I've been putting rubber ends on mine if I put one on at all. I would like to have a metal tip, but not sure where to get them.


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## Paul2281

Rad said:


> Paul2281 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I just bought some Cabots pre stain wood conditioner....Never tried it but figured I`d give it a try...Couldn`t find ant Pentacryl at LOWES....
> 
> 
> 
> Paul2281: you can get Pentacryl through Woodcraft http://www.woodcraft.com/stores/
Click to expand...

Cool cool,gotcha....


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## Paul2281

JD79 said:


> What do y'all put on the end for tips? I've been putting rubber ends on mine if I put one on at all. I would like to have a metal tip, but not sure where to get them.


I`ve actually been putting chair legs tips on the bottoms of mine,I get them a LOWES...Canes tips are good,just a little more cashola....


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## Rad

JD79 said:


> What do y'all put on the end for tips? I've been putting rubber ends on mine if I put one on at all. I would like to have a metal tip, but not sure where to get them.


JD79 -- some of the guys use copper pipe caps, I've not done that yet, but I'm going to give it a try on a cane I'm currently working on for outdoor use. And I think it would look good on a shillelagh I'm working on.


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## JD79

Thanks for the replies. I'll do some looking around to see what I can find. I'm going to try my hand at a shillelagh also.


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## Rad

JD79 said:


> Thanks for the replies. I'll do some looking around to see what I can find. I'm going to try my hand at a shillelagh also.


John Hurley has a good book out called: "The Shillelagh Makers Handbook" it has been very helpful and interesting, especially if you are interested in Irish history.


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## Paul2281

This is what they put on the tip of the Shaleilaly I got from Ireland recently...It`s a coin with a copper collar around it too...Looks cool...He sent a rubber tip to put over all that incase I wanted to take it out for a ride..lol....


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## Rad

Paul2281 said:


> This is what they put on the tip of the Shaleilaly I got from Ireland recently...It`s a coin with a copper collar around it too...Looks cool...He sent a rubber tip to put over all that incase I wanted to take it out for a ride..lol....


Interesting! Is the coin nailed or screwed on? I can't tell in the pic.


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## JD79

Looks to be nailed in. That is a good idea, I think I have a few extra euro laying around here someplace.


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## Paul2281

JD79 said:


> Looks to be nailed in. That is a good idea, I think I have a few extra euro laying around here someplace.


Yes,nailed in...Cool idea....


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