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Started by MbfVA, September 08, 2017, 01:09:43 AM

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MbfVA

To paraphrase the late Art Linkletter, "Trees do the darndest things".

First is a twisted piece of walnut that came out of a "trench silo" before it collapsed during a snowstorm years backup to the roof and out the side.  Look carefully at the 2 90° bends this tree has made to survive.

Is it any good at all in any universe anyone can imagine?   The diameter's a little light, but wasting walnut is not my idea of fun.



 

One late night out of the box thought: if I can manage to saw it somehow, or maybe if I just leave it "natural/live" after a bit of cleanup, it could be a form of "modern/nature art", winding its way up through a two story living room, maybe in largely the same configuration as now?  Much weirder stuff has qualified as "art"  arteest-smiley

Yep, I know, trying pretty hard there.   Sometimes out of the box should go back in the box  smiley_brick hits_hardhat ?

I wonder if I can saw this next one (and its sister in the background to the left).  Perhaps it's a little more promising than #1 above, less extreme & a little bit bigger in diameter?  Maybe a nice quarter circle slab bench top out of the bowed section?  I doubt I can do it with my Peterson swing blade, so I need to measure the max "depth of the arc", to see if it will fit on a 36 inch capacity band mill for example.  Log dogging it will be a very tricky job, won't it?



 

I look forward to  ideas from the more experienced & visionary folks on here, thank you in advance  :P
www.ordinary.com (really)

Ianab

If you only need one live edge slab from a log it's simple with your Peterson.

Line up the log best you can, and start cutting. Make whatever assorted short boards that you can. Should be able to get some legs for your bench seat etc. When you get down past the pith, stop sawing, and flip the rest of the log over.  If possible, just lay it on top of another part sawn log. That way your bottom face is aligned perfectly with the saw, and you should get a straight slab.

That's what I'm doing here.


The bottom slab I had to flip and put it back on the bunks, aligned by eye-o-meter. If came out "near enough". We will probably cut it in 1/2 anyway, simply so we can pick it up  :D Then I've loaded another smaller 2/3 sawn log back on top of the now flat surface. As long as you take you time and make smaller cuts the log doesn't seem to want to move. Of course it helps that it's Sheoak (aka Ironwood), the weight alone is enough to stop it moving.

As long as a log is heavy enough (and sits stable) I don't worry about clamping, just wedge it in place on the notched bunks with some scrap offcuts so it can't roll out of place as you are cutting.

It's not production sawing, but if you want to make something unique, you can putz around and do it.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Don P

I see a couple of naturally Y braced posts, the curved walnut is... curved brace material, the grain follows the curve, strong.



With that do like Ianab said but center the pith. We are whittling out posts and beams that way. One 8x8 white oak post yesterday yielded over a dozen boards on the way down to the boxed heart post as we whittled in, flipped, chocked upright and whittled , then flipped and finished whittling our way in.

Magicman

 

 
Ian, some twisted species can't be flattened as you suggested.   ::)
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

Deese

2004 LT40 Super 51hp w/6' bed extension
Cooks AE4P Edger
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Kubota svl75-2 skidsteer w/grapple, forks, brushcutter
1977 Log Hog Knuckleboom loader/truck

MbfVA

 Now that's what I call a bored feat.

Cut him off, before he saws again.
www.ordinary.com (really)

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