iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Cookie question ?

Started by dustyhat, May 29, 2018, 10:44:11 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

dustyhat

Had a gal stop in and wanted me to cut her some cookies , and i have never did this , how do you keep them from splitting ? Whats the best wood for this? are there tricks to keeping the bark on? looked at the pentacryl online but its not going to get here and cure before she needs them. should i just tell her to keep them wet until she uses them ? this is all new to me.

Southside

Does she want them for an event or just to have?  If it's for an event the advice is usually to cut them as close to the event as possible to reduce splitting.  Wood that is awful to split with a maul is the best stuff for cookies.  @WDH and @YellowHammer have a fair bit of experience with cookies and hopefully can chime in.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

WDH

Without expensive treatment like pentacryl, they almost all crack to some extent.  Some species are worse than others.  Oak and cherry are particularly prone to splitting.  Walnut does pretty good.  I have had pretty good results with sweetgum because of the spiral grain.  Eastern red cedar is one species that seems to do best. 

The only way to keep the bark on is to cut the cookies when the tree is dormant, i.e. not actively growing in the winter.  Otherwise, the bark is very likely to come off.  I have had my best results when I stickered the cookies like boards which creates more even drying and keeps the humidity up between the layers.  Cover the top layer in the stack with some nurse boards.  And then, keep your fingers crossed. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Joed

The last cookies I cut, I packed in sawdust. Kept them for two months ( July & Aug). Then took them out, none cracked or split. Put them back in the sawdust and gave them to the customer. They were at a wedding a week later.
Valley Big Green Monster

Rhodemont

Just had a very helpful thread on cookies in the Drying and Processing section.  
Decorative Live Edge Disks Splitting While Drying
Woodmizer LT35HD    JD4720 with Norse350 winch
Stihl 362, 039, Echo CS-2511T,  CS-361P and now a CSA 300 C-O

Just Right

Joed.  What was the species of the cookies and size.  Did you do a follow up to see if they still haven't cracked?
If you are enjoying what you are doing,  is it still work?

YellowHammer

You basically have two strategies, cut them early and try to preserve them to last forever at additional effort and expense, or cut them just before the ceremony date and consider them as a time sensitive perishable product.  I prefer the second in most cases as they may only be used once, for a couple hours, and thrown away.  

As others have said, and other threads indicate, some species are good some are not.  There are good ways to up the odds of success.

My usual strategy is to ask the cusotmer to come over, pick out the logs they like, cut a sample with a chainsaw, come to an agreement on quantity and length, and explain the perishability issue and that you will have them ready for the event a couple days prior.   Then set up an appointment for when they are to pick them up. No different than a bakery with a wedding cake or a florist with the flowers.  This method keeps the stress off both parties.  

Cut them as per the plan, and don't screw the order up.    
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

dustyhat

Thanks to everyone, i have gum , i will experiment , i found the thread that was mentioned and all this is very helpful. must be a little market for this stuff, because word of mouth done sent someone else here,lol. big thanks guys.

YellowHammer

There is a good market for cookies, and we sell a great many during wedding season, and starting the fall holidays for decorations.  Contact wedding venues, coordinators, photographers, planners, etc and give them a few to show around.  Put a few pictures on your webpage, Facebook and Instagram pages.  

I don't cut them anymore on the mill, I do them all with the chainsaw.  After awhile, you can get pretty good cutting slices and hold the dimensions.  Most of the customers say they actually like the story of "These were hand cut with a chainsaw".  We have found cutting and selling cookies is a very good way to get rid of log ends.  $5 to $10 per 2 inch cookie, maybe 4 or 5 cookies per foot, means it's easy money.

See, I figure this is an excuse for me to upgrade my chainsaw to one of these.  Think how many cookies these guys could make!
Stihl Timbersports Hotsaw 2011 Finals - YouTube

YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Joed

Just Right

 They were oak, 5 to 10 inches. They wanted them for coasters. I have not checked to see how they are now. If they even still have them. They were fine at the time of the wedding. I know someone who was there.
Valley Big Green Monster

YellowHammer

Joed, when you packed them in sawdust, was it the dry sawdust/brown paper bag technique wood turner's use or something different?  I've got a decent sized cookie or two I'd like to experiment on.   ;D


YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Andries

ahhhh, yeah.
Yellowhammer, please post a picture when you get that 1500 pounder in a paper bag, k?
:D
LT40G25
Ford 545D loader
Stihl chainsaws

WDH

Going to need a whack of sawdust and a DanG big paper bag ;D. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Just Right

YH you beat me to it.  I was going to ask the same question.  LOL
If you are enjoying what you are doing,  is it still work?

kelLOGg

I haven't had much luck in drying cookies, so when I cut down a dead RO my wife wanted to use it as cookies in the garden. I laid them out temporarily on landscape timbers 9 months ago expecting to find 21 examples of Pacman within weeks. They have small cracks but no gaping ones. They measure from 6" to 16". What did I do right?
Bob

<
br>

 

 

 
Cook's MP-32, 20HP, 20' (modified w/ power feed, up/down, loader/turner)
DH kiln, CatClaw setter and sharpener, tandem trailer, log arch, tractor, thumb tacks

Joed

YellowHammer

I packed the cookies in a cardboard box, then used sawdust from the mill. It was not dried dust. It was a pile sitting outside. It had not rained for several days.
I put dust under and in between rows.
Valley Big Green Monster

Andries

I'll bet that any cookie that hasn't cracked is still wet or green.
Packed in damp sawdust, on the ground/mulch, piled up on top of each other, etc.
When it finally dries, Momma Nature will have her way . . . .
I've got a 'speriment underway with some super secret ;) and economical (compared to PEG) fluid to prevent checking in Bur Oak cookies.
Oak normally checks badly when drying, but fingers crossed, there's minimal checking in my samples after four months of drying in a 35% RH shop.

I'll reveal all in a few more weeks - complete with photos....
LT40G25
Ford 545D loader
Stihl chainsaws

Just Right

Andries. . . I'll trade you some of my Georgia super secret clear drink,  for some of your secret recipe!  
If you are enjoying what you are doing,  is it still work?

Andries

Ahhh, you Southern Gentlemen know how to swing a deal. 
Very persuasive....
Hang on a minute, I'll check with my 'consigliere' team: @WDH@YellowHammer and maybe @POSTON WIDEHEAD 
Hey guys: is this a good deal?
LT40G25
Ford 545D loader
Stihl chainsaws

Magicman

Quote from: kelLOGg on May 31, 2018, 08:02:07 AMWhat did I do right? Bob
Bob, much drying has already taken place.  I have had the best results from completely dead/dry trees.  I have about a dozen Walnut cookies that I occasionally loan out for weddings, etc.  None are cracked.

Here are three Cypress cookies that I intend to use for small tables, etc.


 
The two smaller ~18" - 26" have minimal/negligible cracks.


 
But the larger 38"+ has a growing crack.  The smaller cookies were sawn from a much more seasoned log.

Furby has the mate to both of these examples.  I wonder how his are doing?  ;D
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

YellowHammer

Quote from: Andries on May 31, 2018, 11:14:28 AM
Ahhh, you Southern Gentlemen know how to swing a deal.
Very persuasive....
Hang on a minute, I'll check with my 'consigliere' team: @WDH, @YellowHammer and maybe @POSTON WIDEHEAD
Hey guys: is this a good deal?
Only one way to tell is to shake the jar and check the bubbles! 
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

POSTON WIDEHEAD

The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

WDH

Andries,

Beware of Greeks bearing horses. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

POSTON WIDEHEAD

The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Andries

The "Consigliere Crew" has spoken - sorry JustRight.
But that was a mighty fine offer.
Whatcha think, we could take up YellowHammer's advice to look for bubbles - at the next Georgia Project?
LT40G25
Ford 545D loader
Stihl chainsaws

Thank You Sponsors!