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Al gave me this...

Started by Jeff, May 07, 2004, 12:52:42 PM

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Jeff

When we was out in Iowa, Al and Linda gave me a peice of wood as a suvenier. It was a 1/2 inch slice off of an ole cherry log. What should I do with it. Itsa kinda special to me. Its not real flat, and not real big. I just have it sitting in here in the office. Its mine and I love it. Theres something else that makes it kinda special and deserving of a special project...

Any idears for my little ole hunk of wood?




Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Tom

It's difficult to tell the size but it may make a good name plate for your desk or a "Brokaw" name plate for the front door.  The good thing about signs is that you have the backside to write a story upon. :)

Jeff

Sure, no ideas for just a plain lonely old scrap of wood. Well I suppose I have to show you it up a little closer and maybe give it a wipe of water.


Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

old3dogg

Id just hang it up just to show it off.
Maybe put a clear coat on it just for protection.
Everyone that comes to your home or office is going to ask about it and then you can tell the story.
just a thought.
Mike.

etat

I'm thinking some kind of picture or artwork.  When I was in boy scouts we finished some pieces of wood, and then took pictures and carefully burnt the edges, then glued it to the wood, then varnished over the whole thing.  One I made had a picture of a coon. I just don't see a  nameplate in that piece of wood.  That'd be to easy.   I'm thinking artwork, high shine, and high polish. I also can't see it being carved on.  Maybe something added too.  Or finished as a backpiece to display something old somehow.  
Old Age and Treachery will outperform Youth and Inexperence. The thing is, getting older is starting to be painful.

Tom

yeah, that second picture kinda takes it out of the "sign" catagory.  Heck, if it were finished it would stand on its own merit.

Haytrader

Wouldn't take that Bailey boy long to figure out sumthin to do with it. I think his first name is Brian or sumthin close to that.

 ;)
Haytrader

old3dogg

Yep!BRAIN could come up with a good use for it! :D

sawwood

Jeff how about a clock or a temperture/humidity gauge
 would look nice.

 Sawwood
Norwood M4 manual mill, Solar Kiln, Woodmaster
18" planer/molder

Rocky_J

It looks kinda like it could be a carving of a bear. I can see the ears and eyes.
 ???

ElectricAl

Hey I remember that piece ;D

Linda and I had to saw over 200,000 feet of Cherry to find that piece :o

Looks like heavy Bird's Eye Maple but it's Iowa Cherry.


I bet it will be on display at the Pig Roast.



It's quite a testament to God's handy work 8)



Sand it to 400 grit, add a UV protected clear ploy.

Instant conversation piece :D



Linda and I custom saw NHLA Grade Lumber, do retail sales, and provide Kiln Services full time.

isawlogs

Well I for one second Sawood , a clock on one side and a little writing to commemorate its origin and how you came to be the proud owner .  :)
  I would put a backing on it to hold the mecanisme and also at the same time it would make it stand out from the wall , put something original instead of numbers , I made one with a cherry slab and used some empty shells that came from my remington riffle that I liked alot and that some %$?%$&?% took from me wile I was at work , lets not go there  >:(, added a piece of apple slab to the front drilled a hole and put a few pieces of barley and oats . It was sanded down with 400 and poly aplied to it. Renée (my wife ) thought it was good anough for the living room ;)
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

Jeff

Really dont need another clock around although the thermometer/barometer idea is not bad. Truth is, that this peice of wood is soooo cool, I dont want to cover up any of it! :)
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

isawlogs

In that case sand it down poly it up and hang it  ;)
  Seeing that it is only 1/2 inch I would put a backing on it maybe a few blocks to make it stand out from the wall ....you could write on the back... ;)
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

CHARLIE

Electric Al, He's gotta go to at least 600 grit on that one. Then put a couple of heavy coats of Watco Danish Oil on it which should make the birdseye pop out and show up real good.  Then when the oil finish is dry, put on a coat of high  gloss varnish and polish it real good.

Jeff, you never did say what size the piece of wood was. That makes a difference ya know.  If it's a chunk that is about 4" X 7", then you could polish it down and make a desk set out of it.
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

Brian_Bailey

Jeff,

I have to go with sawwood's suggestion.

I'd use those miniature guages so you don't lose too much of that birds eye. Then make up a cradle of a contrasting wood for it to set in and then set it where it can be enjoyed  :).
WMLT40HDG35, Nyle L-150 DH Kiln, now all I need is some logs and someone to do the work :)

Jeff

Its about 12 to 14 inches wide by around 2 foot long.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Linda

We still have the chunk your slice came off of.  We can't decide what to do with ours either.

If I could talk ElectricAl into a scroll saw ;)  I'd probably slice it thin and make some kind of pretty edge around it for hanging.  We thought about turning it, but that would waste so much, it would be a crime.
Wood-Mizer 2012 LT50HDE25

ElectricAl

Charlie,


Thanks for the update on the 600 grit.  We have never worked anything with this much crazy grain.
Linda and I custom saw NHLA Grade Lumber, do retail sales, and provide Kiln Services full time.

CHARLIE

A random orbital sander with hook and loop pad would do a fine and fast job of sanding that wood down. Keep changing grits until you get to about 220. Then hand sand from there with the grain. Handsand with 220, then 320, 360, 400 and last 600. It'll be might purty.
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

Duane_Moore

 ??? Hows about some type of Presious stone, or metal in layed,  Diamonds, Gold, Emerals, small and not distracting from the wood, Your Grandmas wedding set? Grandfathers Watch, a Colt 45 engraved,  A Nice Knife.        trying to help.   Duh---Duane
village Idiot---   the cat fixers----  I am not a complete Idiot. some parts missing.

Bigdogpc

I think I'd hafta take a little slice off it and shape it like a blade for a knife, then I'd make the handle slabs of a contrasting wood that was also in the "special" category.  Once I got my wood folding knife made...I'd display it on the remainder of that slab and hang it.  Sure is pretty wood.


rebocardo

Finish it off nice and even on all sides and turn it into a vertical picture frame that you tack pictures onto.

Brian_Bailey

Here's another suggestion.  

How about making a Rittenhouse Hygrometer and center it on your board. It's all made out of wood and I'm quite sure would compliment rather than obscure that pretty cherry  :).

You can either hang the board on the wall or make a cradle so it could free stand.

What's a Rittenhouse Hygrometer  ???

It was invented by David Rittenhouse back in the 1700's  :o.

All it is, is 2 pieces of thin wood about 5" long and 3/4" wide glued together.
One piece the grain runs the lenght of it.
The other is cross grain.
One end of the glued up piece is fixed so it can't move. The other end is free to move.

How it works is, as the moisture in the air changes, the cross grained piece swells (moist air) or contracts (drier air) and causes the free end to swing oneway or another.

Heck, you could even use a small twig in place of the wood strip but I don't think the deflection would be as great.

WMLT40HDG35, Nyle L-150 DH Kiln, now all I need is some logs and someone to do the work :)

Jeff

Brain, that sounds cool. I am having trouble visualizing it though. I'll have to try to research that
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Brian_Bailey

Jeff,

Here's a half @ss'd attempt to show what I'm thinking.



The black line is supposed to be the 2 pieces of thin wood glued together. They will bend as the moisture in the air changes.
The free end will point towards the wet or dry.
The fixed end can be mortised into whatever you want to use as a base.


WMLT40HDG35, Nyle L-150 DH Kiln, now all I need is some logs and someone to do the work :)

Jeff

How about I hire you to build the contraption and I prepair the board for its arrival? ;D

I think its a cool idear
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

ElectricAl

Linda and I custom saw NHLA Grade Lumber, do retail sales, and provide Kiln Services full time.

sawwood

Thats cool Brian, should go great with Jeffs wood.  8)
Norwood M4 manual mill, Solar Kiln, Woodmaster
18" planer/molder

Brian_Bailey

I've been going to make one of these highly accurate moisture sensors for quite awhile.  
This thread got me off my duff and digging thru my wood stash.
I'll post some pics of my version of Mr. Rittenhouse's hygrometer tomorrow after I finish it  :).

Jeff, you might want to reconsider your request after you see it though.  :) :)
WMLT40HDG35, Nyle L-150 DH Kiln, now all I need is some logs and someone to do the work :)

Jeff

Mine will be better. Yours was just practice ;) :D  I've seen your work. I got ever bita confidence in ya. :)
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Jeff

Been sanding with my 1/4 sheet sander. Coarsest stuff I have is 100. I dont think I'll ever get those saw marks out. I got a belt sander but dont want to risk it. This piece is wavy from drying so its gotta be a finish sander I think
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

chet

How's about a big cribbage board ta go wit dat checkerboard and checkers.
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

etat

I've got a craftsman sander that is like a big black and decker mouse.  Comes with lots of different shaped pads and uses hook and loop sandpaper.  I wore one out sanding sheetrock, floors, and stuff.  (the dust finally eat the bearins out of it, and went and bought another.  I'm REAL happy with the way it sands and is the best finish sander I've ever used   I rented a sander to sand the majority of my pine floors, but I sanded most of the upstairs with it before I rented it.  Also I put a scrubby pad on it to go over my floors between coats of finish, (So far 6 coats).  The pad will stick right to the thing. It comes with a round six inch pad, a pad that looks like a iron, and a small pad that sticks out for getting in tight places.  Occasionally running the sandpaper over the sole of a old tennis shoe will knock most of the sawdust off of it so you can usually use the paper until it wears out, not until it gets cloged up.  I bought it from sears but black and decker makes it.  The only one I could find at the box stors were the little bitty versions and I wanted something bigger than that.
Old Age and Treachery will outperform Youth and Inexperence. The thing is, getting older is starting to be painful.

Jeff

QuoteHow's about a big cribbage board ta go wit dat checkerboard and checkers.

Spoken like a true yooper. I tawt dat was an eastern yooper ting doe?
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

chet

Dat's da first ting da kids make in shop class in deese parts.  :)
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

Kevin

They should be making snowshoes.

pasbuild

Da snowshoes are right after da gun rack ;)
If it can't be nailed or glued then screw it

Ianab

Re the sanding...
If it's got sawmarks in it, take to it with the belt sander. Pick the finest grit that will take the sawmarks out in a couple of minutes. A decent belt sander will chew off the waves as well. Then go to a finer grit to take out those marks. Once you got to your finest grit belt then switch to the little orbital sander for a couple more passes. Should come out as smooth as a baby's bottom. I've had to do that with the curly cypress I've been playing with. No way I can get it thru the planer without tearout so I just plane it 1mm oversize then have at it with 60 grit and the Bosch sander :o

Myself... I can see a scrollsaw picture of a Leopard in that piece of wood. The pattern is already there.

Ian

Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Jeff

Our decor is kind of a rustic-eclectic-logging camp-sawshop-flea market type look. Although a leapard would probably be cool, it really dont fit in with my stuff. I need a differnt shape. :)
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Ianab

Fair enough Jeff... it's gotta fit your house  :)
My place is a rustic-eclectic-jungle-computer shop-sawshop-flea market type place  :D
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

SwampDonkey

Bird's eye figures can be found in sugar maple, yellow birch, white ash and black cherry, maybe others. This is the first I've seen it in cherry.  :)

Jeff do you have a project like an end table that you could inlay the piece and polish the surface? Maybe make a table top with a chess board and cribbage board on it, inlay the piece between the two boards. I knew a fellow who made quite a few game tables and gave them away. He would inlay some pieces of birdseye, mohogany or teak or curley into his table tops. Maybe you could inlay the piece into the lid of a hope chest. To me it's an inlay project waiting to happen. :)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

shopteacher

Get yourself a cabinet scraper. I could cut those saw marks out in no time. On the projects at school the lower apron is coved by running the board across the tablesaw blade leaving lots of large saw marks. The kids start out trying to sand ( they think I started yesterday and know nothing of wood working) the marks out. They won't listen, so I let them go a bit and then go and get one of the circular cabinet scrapers. Check to see if it has a good burr on it and proceed to take nice long shavings out of the cove. In a half dozen swipes that piece of wood is finer than frog's hair. Lot less work and much better results.
Proud owner of a LT40HDSE25, Corley Circle mill, JD 450C, JD 8875, MF 1240E
Tilt Bed Truck  and well equipted wood shop.

Fla._Deadheader

  We used to use broken glass to redo our gunstocks.  ;D
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

shopteacher

Scraped a living room floor with glass one time. When the edge gets dull cut off a piece and you got a nice new sharp edge.
Proud owner of a LT40HDSE25, Corley Circle mill, JD 450C, JD 8875, MF 1240E
Tilt Bed Truck  and well equipted wood shop.

Jeff

what does a cabinet scraper look like?
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

shopteacher

Proud owner of a LT40HDSE25, Corley Circle mill, JD 450C, JD 8875, MF 1240E
Tilt Bed Truck  and well equipted wood shop.

sawwood

Shopteacher i use a cabinet scraper on some of my turnings
works great and smooth as a babbys butt. I think Brian idea
is the best, go for it Jeff

 Sawwood
Norwood M4 manual mill, Solar Kiln, Woodmaster
18" planer/molder

isawlogs

  I turn my cant hook handles and use broken glass to finish them , Don't know of a better way to finish them so dats what I do....
  I'm going to paint them blue , this only after reading about how that is the most visible colour , at the moment they are red with green metal ....well actualy the paint is almost all gone they are prety much more camouflage  if you put them down you afta look hard to find um.....
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

CHARLIE

Jeff, when I'm trying to remove saw marks on a nice piece of wood I'll use a scraper. A scraper (not a paint scraper either) will leave a freshly cut glass smooth surface and not fuzzy like when sanded.  Give it a try.

A friend of mine has a hygrometer hanging on his deck. It's just a 6" hickory twig. 1/2 or the branch it was attached to was used to nail it to a post.  It moves way up or way down depending on the moisture in the air. Moves a lot too.
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

Brian_Bailey

Charlie,  

Your friend's twig Hyg. works on the same principle as Rittenhouse's.  
The twig has compression or tension wood in it. That kind of wood absorbs moisture differently than the rest of the twig's wood and causes the twig to bend as the moisture in the air changes.

Speaking of scrapers, we can't overlook the workhorses of the scraper world.
The one on the left is Lie-Neilsen's version of Stanley's #112 Scraper plane.
The one on the right is a Stanley #80.
They're used when a flat surface is essential.


 

WMLT40HDG35, Nyle L-150 DH Kiln, now all I need is some logs and someone to do the work :)

OneWithWood

Jeff,
Just got back on the forum after being off for a bit (working too hard) so I am late to this thread.  I looked at your chunk o' wood and the first thing I saw was the outline of a praire dog, squirrel, weasel, or something like that.  I like Brian's idea but I would mount it 90 deg so the outline of the animal is as if it is on its hind legs.  Maybe you could highligh the outline with a carving chisel or a wood burner.
I am looking forward to seeing what you do with it.
What's cribbage?  Is that something you roll hamburger in? :D
One With Wood
LT40HDG25, Woodmizer DH4000 Kiln

shopteacher

Onewithwood: In Pittsburgh those cribbage rolls are known as "Hunky Handgernades".   :D
Proud owner of a LT40HDSE25, Corley Circle mill, JD 450C, JD 8875, MF 1240E
Tilt Bed Truck  and well equipted wood shop.

Brian_Bailey

My hygrometer project is taking a little longer than I planned on.  
Here's a quick peek, I'll post pictures of the finished project tomorrow  ;D.



WMLT40HDG35, Nyle L-150 DH Kiln, now all I need is some logs and someone to do the work :)

Brian_Bailey

Well, here is my version of a Rittenhouse Hygrometer.

David Rittenhouse, 1732-1796 was known as the Dean of Early American Men of Science.

I've been saving this piece of walnut for about 11 years waiting for the right project.

Since hygrometers measure the absolute or relative amount of moisture in the air, I felt that the walnut board which resembles a whale would be appropriate to use since whales like water.

Also, since Mr. Rittenhouse lived in the 1700's, I felt a whaling scene from the 18th century would be fun to cobble together.

The project started out simple but then became more complex then I had planned on.
It involved making the simple hygrometer part, but then I had to get my chisels and knives out to carve the butternut boat and basswood figures.
Then I had to fashion the oars, harpoon, and tiller out of copper wire.
The figurines looked kinda plain so I gussied them up with some color.

Here is what I came up with.

This picture shows the unit mounted on the wall.



I mounted it with a sliding dovetail so it can be easily removed from the wall.



With the whale fitted to its own base, it can easily sit on a table or shelf.



Here's what the basswood figures looked like before painting.



Well, now all I have to do is calibrate the hygrometer. When that's done I'll have a reliable way of telling if it's humid or dry in my shop  ;D.

Thanks for looking  :).


WMLT40HDG35, Nyle L-150 DH Kiln, now all I need is some logs and someone to do the work :)

Fla._Deadheader

Brian, you constantly amaze me with your talent.  

  We made some nice Pecky strips today. Had to leave early to get our truck. If they haven't been stolen when we get back to camp, I will gather some and send them to you. Lets see what you come up with. ;D  I still have to cut the crown root for Sawwood. I am getting too far behind with my promises.  ::)
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

SwampDonkey

Yup Brian:

You can bet there will be alot of folks takin a peek at your work of art. :)  I've been saving some elm, basswood and butternut bolts in the shop for a fun project. I'll get creative some day.  :)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Jeff

Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

CHARLIE

DanG Brian, you are quite the carver too and really have some very creative ideas too. Very nice.  How do you calibrate that hygrometer?
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

Brian_Bailey

Charlie,

 I haven't done much carving other than sharpening a pencil in quite a few years. Believe it or not, I got lucky and only wood was cut on this project  :D :D.

I need the practice so I bought somemore basswood to play with :D.



Calibrating the hygrometer is just a matter of waiting for the strip of wood to move.  Then checking it with a real hygrometer and make a reference mark.
WMLT40HDG35, Nyle L-150 DH Kiln, now all I need is some logs and someone to do the work :)

Norm

That is cool Brian, like your paneling behind it too. :)

Patty must be a distant relative of yours Brian, everytime I cut something different she says "save that for me". Now I have a shed full of lumber she has saved and won't let me sell. I told her the other day I can't save every darn piece of walnut with feather in it because you like it...oh well guess I can. ;D

Jeff

Its been years since I saw a log truck with the loader mounted right behind the cab used up here. Everybody hauls pups so they put the loader in the back. Back in my wood haulin days the old binder I ran had the loader behind the cab. Pretty handy for changing steer tires.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

shopteacher

Brian that's really a nice piece you produced there.  You have a very talented knack of coming up with great designs.
Proud owner of a LT40HDSE25, Corley Circle mill, JD 450C, JD 8875, MF 1240E
Tilt Bed Truck  and well equipted wood shop.

Brian_Bailey

When I sawed the walnut log that the whale piece came from, I knew right then that it had a future with me.
I just didn't know how I was going to put it to use.
I planned on doing something like sawwood suggested earlier.
I just never seemed to get around to doing it though.
Probably subconsciously, like Jeff, I didn't want to ruin the character of the piece.
So when Jeff started this thread and after reading sawwood's suggestion, my brain switched from survival to creative mode and I finally found a way to use my unusual walnut piece :).
Thanks Guys


WMLT40HDG35, Nyle L-150 DH Kiln, now all I need is some logs and someone to do the work :)

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