Bench from a slab questions

[coalsmok]

Milled a 6'x20"oak crotch into some slabs for benchs this weekend and now the questions begin.
How long do you wait for them to dry before putting legs under them?
What is the best way to smooth them up from as sawn? It's not rough now but smoother would be nicer.
What type of finish do you prefer for slabs? These should end up outside but may cut some lighter for inside at some point.

I don't have any pics of the slabs yet it was getting late when I cut them and had to deliver a load of truck/trailer decking.

[beenthere]

To dry, probably a couple years or longer. How thick are they?

"smooth" them, depends on how smooth you want. Can use a router on a bridge that can be moved back and forth across the slab to flatten it into one plane. Then go from their with a sander.

Finish??  If outside, why finish it?  Inside, then about any finish that can be sat upon should work, depending on the customer or users' desire.

Look forward to the pic of your slabs.

[low_48]

If you put a taper socket in the slab, and a taper topped dry leg, you can put them in now. You may have to tap them in deeper latter, or have to slightly rework them as the holes go oblong as the slab dries, but that's the beauty of tapered legs. I would either power hand plane, or hand plane, then leave it alone. Card scraper if you need to clean up some marks, no sandpaper needed. Almost no finish will work now, but some thinned spar varnish when the slab is dry. Here's a link to make the tapered reamer. http://www.greenwoodworking.com/SawSteelTaperedReamerPlans

[coalsmok]

 

  

 
Here are two of the three slabs. Had to take pics in the dark due to work. We have had a lot of warm dry wind the last few days and has caused some surface checks to open up.

Low that is a interesting tool. I may have something in my metal shop the will work. Thanks for the link.

[yukon cornelius]

I say make it green. cracks are character  ;D

[shelbycharger400]

I did a few of those,  i hardly ever saw y anymore,  they dont sell. Trying to sell one that cracks,  and custom thinks its gunna split in half, ya know 3-4 down,   they dont.    I nip the short side of the y short and saw em.    The more and more i saw, and do logging , it has been harder to make " bad" lumber.   Time is valuable, as is storage.  With baby jack here i try to manage mill time now. Thicker is better with those.  2 in is more stable than 1 in and will split less

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Oaks, Maple and other hardwoods, I saw 3 inches thick....air dry for 2 years....re-saw down to 2 inches and build.

[Magicman]

I have a White Oak slab that I need to do.  It is only 10 years old, so one of these days I guess.   :

[coalsmok]

One of these is 4" an the other is 5". And there is a third I cut at 3" that I don't have much hope for. It came off the very outside and I am afraid it will cup bad.
  The customer is my wife so if the crack a little she will be ok with it. I like milling the crotches and knoty pieces. Lots of interesting grain in them and if it don't turn out, well we heat with wood as well.

[DansSawmill]

i saw the crooked logs and bad logs 3" thick, cut them 4 foot long, pound tenoned saplings into them and sell them green for about $45. gets rid of the low grade quick and turns a profit... no $300 benches here yet... maybe if i carved one.

[coalsmok]

I haven't sold a $300 anything. I think that Poston is a *DanG good salesman. 

[johnnyllama]

I've made and sold quite a few live edged benches, some simple others not. If your wood isn't dried completely, make sure the slab is drier than the legs. That way the slab will tend to tighten on the legs as it finishes drying. I'm lucky enough to have a 24" wide planer so we run the slabs through that but you can get by with a good sharp handplane and an orbital sander. Depends on the look you want and how rustic. The legs we use are either natural branches or saplings, or sometimes sawn, tapered legs. Sometimes I'll even use a forked branch for a leg. Another nice feature is to inlay a contrasting butterfly/bowtie especially if you have some checks to control. People will pay quite a bit more for the look.

 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I haven't sold a $300 anything. I think that Poston is a *DanG good salesman.

No, I just live close to Charlotte, N.C.  ;D



Very unique bench Johnny. I'm impressed!

[johnnyllama]

Thanks Poston. You also make a good point. Location still plays a part in sales, even with the internet. I'm fotunate to be close to some realatively well off towns and that helps.

[WDH]

That is a stylish and well crafted bench. 

[kevin19343]

If you bring a slab of wood into a heated area too soon after milling it can/will be disastrous, especially with crotch wood.

I am a professional woodworker and I always air dry my slabs for a minimum of 1 year in the barn. After that they get stacked outside for a few months, then into the shop for a few weeks to dry a little more.  Using a moisture meter is a must in these situations.

I've had  improperly dried white oak crotches crack terribly after just a few months indoors.

[coalsmok]

Johnnylama that is a purdy bench you have there.  Mine will be more on the entry level.