Ordered my first Anchorseal. Best application method?

[Dave Shepard]

I splurged for the extra $3 and got the green. ;D What's the best way to put this stuff on? Will it go in a sprayer? What is the shelf life once I open the bucket? It may be too late, but I have some cherry and ash logs that I need to seal. The cherry logs are longer than they need to be, so I can live with a little checking, but I'd like to slow it down as much as possible.

[Magicman]

 

 
I watched WDH apply it to Sycamore logs with a brush.

[Dan_Shade]

I've used a 5 gallon bucket with a few inches poured in the bottom, a roller, and the grate thing that fits in a paint tray to get the excess paint off of your roller.

This works pretty good.  using a brush is maddening for me!

[WDH]

Don't wear it home, like I do.  I always have used a brush, but that is probably the Neanderthal Method.

You probably perfectly cut your log ends with the chainsaw, like Dan Shade, (unlike me), so that the end of the log is perfectly even and smooth so you could use a roller (Cro-Magnon Method). 

Unfortunatley, I have to use the brush to get the stuff in all the nooks and crannies that I created.  Never sprayed any, but it looks awful thick for spraying.  I would probably wear even more of it home it I could spray it.  You could really create a ruckus with spraying. 

[NMFP]

Brush it on.  I have brushed thousands' of logs in the years and its the least expensive way.  You can use other end sealers that are less expensive and easier to spray but only have about 1/2 the life of Anchorseal.

When I was sawing and drying lumber main business wise, brushing saved as much money as possible.  We didn't brush all logs, just species prone to checking as logs that were brought in were sawed to rotate inventory in the log yard.  We didn't wait till we have 200m of red oak in the yard to saw it.  If we have 20m, we sawed it and got it on sticks so we always had options for kiln charges and loads.  Don't think we ever lost any logs because they laid around too long.  Now, I have that problem here at my personal mill as I don't have the time to saw everything as fast as it shows up!

[Gary_C]

I've put it on with a backpack sprayer and cleaned up the sprayer with a hose with good pressure and hot water. Works good.

I've applied a lot of red Anchorseal on a job in the state forest where I discovered the DNR is flying over the state forest at times to check for poachers. One day the conservation officer insisted on driving back to a remote landing and checking out my red Anchorseal bucket and sprayer sitting by my log pile. I don't know if he was relieved or dissappointed when he found out what that red stuff was around my log piles.  :D

[WmFritz]

using a brush is maddening for me!

Me too Dan, but instead of a roller... I use one of those big heavy bristle brushes that's used for roof coating. Just slap it on.

WDH... your painting technique would pass my wife's high standards.
I can schedule you in to paint the kitchen the Monday following the Pig Roast.  ;D

[WDH]

Yeah, go ahead and do that.  I will be there bright and early  smiley_bouncing_pinky. 

[YellowHammer]

Brushing is also what I do, biggest sloppiest brush I can find.  Slap it on, spread it around and move to the next log.   I don't even clean the brush because the stuff never dries real hard, I just dip the brush in the can and before long it loosens back up.
YH

[Dave Shepard]

I ordered a five gallon pail. Should I get a one gallon paint can with a lid and keep a small amount of it in there with the brush submerged for storage?

[Dan_Shade]

I found a few inches in a 5 gallon bucket worked fine.  I just put a removable lid on the bucket to keep it from drying out.

It's wax coating, not working on a switch watch

[WDH]

I do the same as Yellowhammer and Dan.  Leave the brush in a smaller "application" pail and do not clean it up after brushing.

[Jim_Rogers]

I bought the sprayer, and tried it. I didn't like it and went back to the brush method.

Jim Rogers

[GAB]

I have found that pouring some anchor seal in a clean planters dry roasted  peanut (34.5 oz) container works great for me.  The opening is roughly 4" in diameter and the container has depressions on one side for easy gripping.
That way I do not have to lug a 5 gallon pail around.  Also I do not normally do many logs at one time.
WDH question: where oe wher do you purchase the elbow grease need to apply that material?
Gerald

[Larry]

Another guy that uses an old big brush.

I don't like the colored...too hard to see the log.  Sometimes not an issue but I think really important when quarter sawing white oak.

I used to brush it on every log, but now only on select logs or when I know the logs will lay around for a while.  With fresh lumber I've found the checking stops at the first stick most of the time.  Sometimes I get a bit of snipe from the planer also...easier to just waste 3" of material.  When I do use it, I apply it twice.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

If you ever get the chance to watch The Andy Griffith Show when Don Rickles was on there painting the front door of the court house.......this is Danny (WDH) painting Anchor Seal on his logs.  :D :D :D :D

[scsmith42]

If you do a lot of application and want to minimize your labor costs, in my experience a backpack sprayer is the best way to go.  You need to use the nozzle tip that is large enough to let it flow well.

For just doing a few logs, brushing works well (and you don't have to worry about the sprayer nozzle getting clogged).

[WDH]

Poston,

Your nozzle is clogged. 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Poston,

Your nozzle is clogged.

:D

[Nomad]

Poston,

Your nozzle is clogged.

:D

     Glad I read that tonight.  If I'd waited 'til morning and had a mouthful of coffee it'd be coming out my nose. :D

[Magicman]

Poston,

Your nozzle is clogged.

I saw it too.   :D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Poston,

Your nozzle is clogged.

I saw it too.   :D

I'll show y'all a clogged nozzle.....  smiley_old_guy

[Brucer]

I tried a brush and found it too slow for production sawing. So I switched to a sprayer. I spent half the time covering the ends of the logs -- and 3 times as long cleaning the &^%*#& nozzle.

When I need to endseal, I'm back to the brush.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I use a roller.....and thats it. 

[scsmith42]

I tried a brush and found it too slow for production sawing. So I switched to a sprayer. I spent half the time covering the ends of the logs -- and 3 times as long cleaning the &^%*#& nozzle.

When I need to endseal, I'm back to the brush.

The trick that I found to the nozzle is to be very careful to keep the anchorseal clean when it goes into the unit, and to take the brass nozzle and hold it under a hot water stream in a sink for 30 seconds or so to clean it out.  You can do this right after you get done using it and you're good to go for the next time, or just do it when you're ready to start spraying again.