Several years ago I cut down a 36" Red oak for a friend and had about 12 feet of trunk that I took home and waited for a project that would do it justice. A year or so later I bought a rental property that needed a new stairway. I quarter sawed the log with my alaskan mill and 076 Stihl.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16635/3115/IMG_9017.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16635/3115/IMG_9019.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16635/3115/IMG_9016.JPG)
This was a yard tree, at the corner of an old garage so I found nails as expected -26 to be exact. The new chain I used is sharpened almost down to nubbins.
I had Kelvin dry them for me and planed the largest stair treads. My twelve inch planer could handle all but the four largest, pie shape stairs. Those four were twenty inches each.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16635/3114/IMG_0566.JPG)
I didn't have enough nice wood for the risers, so those are just 3/4" oak plywood.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16635/3114/IMG_0568.JPG)
Here are the big pieces - 1 1/2" quartersawn stair treads each from a 60" by 20" board.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16635/3114/IMG_0569.JPG)
The railings and spindles I picked up cheap at the local Habitat reuseable store, otherwise, pretty much all you see was cut from that red oak log.
This is far and away my most ambitious woodworking project to date and inspite of all the minor flaws that I know are there even if they don't show up in pictures, I'm pretty pleased with the end product.
Great job there,
Very nicely done. 8)
And you very well should be pleased with the fruit of your labor. Pity it's in rental property and someone else is enjoying seeing it every day.
Your use certainly did that log justice.
...and you take pride in your rental property. Lucky renters. Kudos for you! 8)
Minor flaws? Hey, you see them, but most others would not, that is the thing about a woodworker, we see our flaws, and some of our friends in wood, but we all make them, and most folks don't notice.
Very good job.
That's a top-rate job!
Beautiful.
Nice job. I would say one chain would not be too much to pay...Tim
WOW-GREAT JOB smiley_clapping
Very nice work.
That is beautiful.
You will not be able to find the flaws yourself in a bit of time.
Great job. If your wife is any thing like mine, she says we are our on worst critics. I tell her sure and she says she likes it so that's over half the battle. Enjoy the fact that you salvaged something some else may have discarded. Have a good one. Chuck
Something really cool about seeing a pic of a log, and then immediately seeing a pic of what that very log was made in to. I thought the log and milling pics looked good but you did really good on those stairs :) I love the look of oak like that , that must be a very nice rental it sure looks like it :)
Looks great!
Maybe make a framed picture cluster of all the steps that log went through to become stairs and hang it at the top of the landing in the stair well. It'll be a nice story for futuire tenants to see on their way to bed each night. :)
Maybe make a framed picture cluster of all the steps that log went through to become stairs and hang it at the top of the landing in the stair well.
That's a great idea!
FYI - I bought the house to rent to my son, daughter in-law and granddaughter. I couldn't stand the thought of them in an apartment building. They lived there two years and then bought a house. Unfortunately, they never got to enjoy the new stairway, because things always take longer than expected.
I am now renting it to a family we know fairly well.
If your wife is any thing like mine, she says we are our on worst critics.
My wife and I take turns on being my worst critic.javascript:void(0);
Hey, you see them, but most others would not, that is the thing about a woodworker, we see our flaws, and some of our friends in wood, but we all make them, and most folks don't notice.
My dad always said the difference between a good carpenter and a great one is how well he hides his mistakes.
(Quotations added)
"Maybe make a framed picture cluster of all the steps that log went through to become stairs and hang it at the top of the landing in the stair well." Metalspinner
That's a great idea!
FYI - I bought the house to rent to my son, daughter in-law and granddaughter. I couldn't stand the thought of them in an apartment building. They lived there two years and then bought a house. Unfortunately, they never got to enjoy the new stairway, because things always take longer than expected.
I am now renting it to a family we know fairly well.
"If your wife is any thing like mine, she says we are our on worst critics." Woodchuck53
My wife and I take turns on being my worst critic. :) :)
"Hey, you see them, but most others would not, that is the thing about a woodworker, we see our flaws, and some of our friends in wood, but we all make them, and most folks don't notice." Texas Ranger
My dad always said the difference between a good carpenter and a great one is how well he hides his mistakes. 8)
What your dad said about being able to hide mistakes that is very true. It sounds tongue in cheek but it is a fact. No matter how good a craftsman a person is there are always mistakes that they will notice, it is this process of being picky which separates the ordinary craftsman from the extraordinary. Just my thoughts about the matter, I like the idea about hanging some pics on the wall of the process to me that is a great idea.
I would be pretty pleased with the job too!
bloody nice job mate 8) great work!!!
IT'S BEAUTIFUL---THATS WHAT IT IS
looks fantastic mate, the log was worth keeping.
There is nothing wrong with what I see in those pics.
Sunrise,stairs like you built are probibly the most difficult thing for a carpenter to build,my scrody old mill hat is off to you sir.Whats next? Frank C.
Quote from: bandmiller2 on December 07, 2010, 07:38:21 AM
Whats next? Frank C.
Not sure. I have a nice hickory that's been drying for a couple of years, nice wide boards. I had Kelvin cut them all into 1" though. I also cut down a locust that seems to have a nice rosy grain, she's sitting out back waiting for me to cut here up. Any suggestions for those?
Probably my most immediate project will be replanking my trailer. I have a nice big ash to take down for another friend and I'll have Kelvin cut that up for me. Not quite as interesting as a finished stairway, but a good feeling when you take a rough log and turn it into something useful.
nicely done, something about red oak that has a warm homey feeling. I think your tenants are blessed, the idea of pictures at the top of the stairs is a good one, I always forget to take the pictures when I'm milling though haha
again excellent job
Steve