Should I procure some free apple?

[rtwpsom2]

Buddy of mine had a large 12" dia branch fall off one of his apple trees, should I let him smoke something with it or get it for my models?

 

[Bob Cleek]

Buddy of mine had a large 12" dia branch fall off one of his apple trees, should I let him smoke something with it or get it for my models?

Do you need to ask? Grab it! Apple is great modeling wood. It's similar to cherry. If it's "wet," cut it into one- or two-inch-thick pieces and let it air dry indoors for a year per inch of minimum thickness. If drying, paint the end grain with thick latex paint or melted paraffin wax. Tell your friend you'll buy him some applewood chips for smoking. Save the lumber for something worthwhile.

Applewood's color can vary a bit, depending on the tree, but it's beautiful, especially if stained. It shows little grain and is used for the same purposes of boxwood, having all of the desirable qualities of boxwood without any of boxwood's drawbacks. Here's the Wood Database entry for apple which will tell you all you need to know about it: https://www.wood-database.com/apple/

Consider yourself lucky! A foot thick apple branch is a big one! It's usually only available in bits and pieces.

 

[Bob Cleek]

,

 

[paul ron]

large stuff is lumber, everything else goes in the bbq.

what time should we be there for the smoked brisket?

 

[Pepite 1/60]

It depends on whether it broke off all green in a big storm or just so, without any reason. In the first case, keep it for modelling/joinery or whatever else, otherwise it will most probably be too rotten for anything but smoking.

 

[MisterCA]

Buddy of mine had a large 12" dia branch fall off one of his apple trees, should I let him smoke something with it or get it for my models?

Grab it. Put it somewhere secluded from the elements and let it age and dry (slowly and in a controlled environment). In ? years or so pull it out of hiding and cut and mill it into useful lumber for a model ship. It will be the most awesome lumber ever.

 

[Roger Pellett]

If possible, I would split it or get someone who has a log splitter to split it for you. A 12” diameter log is big for apple so split it in quarters. When the time comes to cut it into usable pieces the quartered pieces will be much easier to deal with. Split pieces will also be easier to dry.

Roger

 

[Corsair]

Some of both ! Larger pieces for ship lumber and the smaller stuff for smoking.