I was laboring grimly through a whack of old deteriorating ambrosia maple logs today, wishing I had milled them all up a year or so ago, when who do you suppose popped out of the log? It was a funny little man, and he gave me three wishes. I'm not going to tell you what I wished for, but here is the funny little man.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22845/Ambrosia_maple_old_man.jpg)
Has some resemblance of a baboon. Very unique and one of the many thrills when opening a new "face" on a log.
I think he was a wood gnome. I guess he'd been locked up in there for quite a while and was very grateful to be released.
Quote from: beenthere on March 14, 2012, 02:27:09 AM
Has some resemblance of a baboon. Very unique and one of the many thrills when opening a new "face" on a log.
When I first saw it, I thought it looked like a dog, maybe a Schnauzer or something. I thought I had found some rare "dogs-eye maple"
I hope I can sell this bookmatched pair for more than average.
When finding something neat like this, I find myself marveling over how, if I had just turned the log another 5 degrees one way or the other, or not brought the blade in exactly where I did, I very likely would never have seen this, and been able to share it with everybody. Nothing is by chance, friends. :)
:) Think that might be the addicting part not so much the sawdust but what you find under it 8) I'm Hook line and sinker and am learning what :P book matched is ??? The old man looks a lot like me in the mornings till i shave for spring 8)
8) :Psome could say ts a image of Jesus Christ?? It is a beautiful piece of wood..
Quote from: duke on March 14, 2012, 03:31:33 AM
8) :Psome could say ts a image of Jesus Christ?? It is a beautiful piece of wood..
Well, I can't claim to know exactly what Jesus looks like, but one day I'll know. ;) For now, I'm just supposing it looks like an old man. Those are great eyes, aren't they? They just look at you.
Hey, if folks can sell an image that appears in a piece of toast, no telling what your wooden "Old Man" might bring. :D
I think a couple of them would look great as panels in cabinet doors.
Wonder what it would look like if you ran it through the plainer.?? Frank C.
Quote from: bandmiller2 on March 14, 2012, 07:43:14 AM
Wonder what it would look like if you ran it through the plainer.?? Frank C.
Good point. I better not do that, huh? An eighth of an inch down he might not look the same. Maybe he would come out looking like he'd shaved off his beard! :D
I see him.
I thought that it was me there for a moment. Spalted and everything. :-\
That would probably sell for quite a bit of money!
That is very cool. Were the "eyes" knots?
Yes, two very nicely placed knots.
I like to say that's a million dollar board (not that I would ever get that for it) Keep it for the kids and they will love it! 8) Go Build something !!!
Man.. You've accidentally sawn an Ent!!!
Reminds me of DanG! He's been around long enough maybe he posed for the picture! :D
So DanG is an Ent ???.
I am just wondering if you have a book match to it?
Yes WDH, DanG could be an Ent. He also could be Gandalf himself. He also looks a lot like Dumbeldoor in the Harry Potter books.
Proof trees came frome monkeys.
So, that sly rascal has been an Ent all this time? I guess he Ent-tended to keep this a secret ;D.
Just think if you had rotated the log 30 degrees before cutting, you would have had the image of the Space Shuttle flying overhead while Thomas Jefferson and others were signing the Declaration of Independence.
Opticsguy, you have a good eye ;D.
Quote from: opticsguy on March 17, 2012, 04:59:38 PM
Just think if you had rotated the log 30 degrees before cutting, you would have had the image of the Space Shuttle flying overhead while Thomas Jefferson and others were signing the Declaration of Independence.
I'll keep an eye out for something like that.
Quote from: LarryRB on March 15, 2012, 08:29:48 AM
I am just wondering if you have a book match to it?
I have to go back and look, but actually I think the match may have been an outer slab. :-\
Well, a week or so later, I hope to get back to the whack tomorrow. As long as the mill is not out of whack. :-\ Anyway, I have three more logs to saw (remember this takes me an inordinately long time!). It may take me all afternoon to mill the three logs. Two of them are pretty good size. I need to try some blades that are specifically for hardwood, and maybe they will stay sharp longer. But my offbearing procedure is probably what slows me down the most. I am trying to improve my style, but right now I am lucky if I get 50 bf an hour. Maybe with the larger logs I will do better. But when the maple is done, I have a treat for after that-- HOLLY! American Holly! Four logs, about 8-10" diameter. When I have the holly finished, then I will take the holly and the maple, and the wood gnome, to the kiln. And hopefully the last load I took will be ready-- I need to time milling the holly until I know my wood that's in the kiln is ready, so the holly, hopefully, doesn't spend much time green.
I am still wondering if that was Holly that I sawed a few weeks ago? Maybe I can get in the woods soon and check Holly bark out. ???
Well there are several kinds. I will post pictures. American Holly seems to be the one most likely to achieve millable size. The American Holly is definitely white or ivory color inside (the wood even seems to bleach out a little after it is cut, it is more of a very light yellowy or vanilla color before the surface dries.) . The trick, I've been told, is to get it dried in the kiln immediately after milling, but I am by no means an expert, so we are trying to achieve this as a learning process here.
Oh, and American Holly bark is usually quite smooth and gray, kind of resembles beech bark. Of course there are knots every two inches or so and prickly hard green leaves every two millimeters or so on the twiggy little branches. I will definitely mill any piece 8" and up that appears to be even apologetically straight.
Quote from: Okrafarmer on March 20, 2012, 12:06:43 AMThe trick, I've been told, is to get it dried in the kiln immediately after milling...
You've been told right. You also need to saw it the same day it's felled if you can, especially in warm weather. In cooler weather it may be possible to wait a bit before milling without the lumber staining.
Unfivefortunately, it was cut down about a week ago, or a day or two more. I'm hoping the cut-down time is not nearly as important as the milling-to-kiln time.
The clock is definitely ticking on you with this hot weather.
Yes and unfortunately again, I have just come down with Strep throat. And I am under pressure to help out with some other "urgent" projects. :(
I have a doc appointment in an hour. Mrs. Okra made me say "Ah" and she saw a huge white spot on the back of my throat. Hope that isn't TMI.
Quote from: Okrafarmer on March 20, 2012, 11:02:59 AM
she saw a huge white spot on the back of my throat. Hope that isn't TMI.
GRITS.
Good guess, but I think not. I went to the doc today and they did a test and it came back negative for strep, so it's just a nasty virus. :-\
I milled up two maple logs today, took me four hours. About 200 bf. >:(