I sawed this 6 foot slab of Maple 2 years ago. I had just got my LT40 about 5 months before and was really proud I had milled this large of a Maple.
I had a stack of slabs stacked up and I was very patient. This Maple slabs number came up to be moved to the shop today. Note the LIVE EDGE is still stable and dried. I never let these slabs get wet or have sun light on them. They got plenty of air flow and was weighted down with Pine Cants.
I'm gonna attempt to make a table of some sort, I have the legs in rough sawn form at the mill. I planed and sanded on this slab for 3 hours today while my Smoker was a working on supper.
This process will take me a while to build since I still work for the Forest Service and run my mill. I do not have a "Cake Walk" job like WDH and MOOSEHERDER where I can build and show my work in 10 days. :o
So be patient with me.
And the truth be known....I may mess this whole project up.....but DanG I'm gonna try. :D
I had 7 more slabs like this, different sizes that I sold for 80 bucks a piece over the last 2 years.
That ain't bad money around here for an old farm tree.
So...here is the Maple Slab.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1408.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1409.JPG)
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That is a beautiful slab of wood! Can't wait to see what you've got planned for it.
That's a mighty nice piece of wood. Were the others as pretty as that one? Banjo
Quote from: Banjo picker on July 04, 2013, 10:22:05 PM
That's a mighty nice piece of wood. Were the others as pretty as that one? Banjo
There were several like this. I kept the best. ;D
Is that a "birds eye" on the end?
Wow :o
Is that beautiful color courtesy of ambrosia beetles? Or something else?
Quote from: lowpolyjoe on July 04, 2013, 10:58:49 PM
Wow :o
Is that beautiful color courtesy of ambrosia beetles? Or something else?
I would say Beetles AND something else. Maybe WDH will enlighten us on the configuration of this slab or anyone else with their theory.
Too bad David spilled his coffee on it. :D
Nice slab.
Quote from: fishpharmer on July 04, 2013, 11:17:14 PM
Too bad David spilled his coffee on it. :D
Nice slab.
Hey that's pretty good!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1449.JPG) ;D
You guys are too funny! :D
Very nice slab, do it proud.
The contrast between the outer bark, the inner bark, and the white wood is especially nice 8). It matches well with the center stain. Looks like it might be the early stages of heart rot before the wood has decayed to the point of being punky. If that it right, then you sawed this tree at the perfect time. Better to be lucky than unlucky :D. Wow, this is inspiring.
(Cake Walk job ??? You got me confused with Cedarman.)
Looks to be red maple with the usual heart rot for a tree that size. The possibilities are endless.
I think David meant cake eating job...
Nice looking slab! The woodpecker head and eye could be worth highlighting. Maybe a bit of hand carving?
Don't spurn the cakewalk jobs. Be quietly jealous. They're rough. I haven't had a weekend in five and a half years! And being responsible 24-7 doing whatever you want (after clearing it with the boss, by which I don't mean Jeff but rather She Who Must Be Obeyed) can be a burden.......
Remember, walk a mile in another man's shoes and you'll be a mile ahead of him and you'll have his shoes! 8) 8)
Gorgeous wood David...I've sawn some silver maple that had some dark staining in the heart (similar but not as interesting as yours). It had a funny, un-maple like smell to it when it was green. I was guessing that it was some type of bacterial infection or perhaps mineral stain. Although Sycamore will get what WDH describes and look very similar to what you have. in any case, there's little you can do to screw that one up, unless of course your wife wants it painted to match the drapes... :D :D
I have learned to love opening up ugly logs. ;) ;D
I really like the "birds head" in the stain. Nice slab.
OK, the clock is ticking. That table done yet ???.
Gonna be pretty!
What is the status?
Quote from: WDH on August 08, 2013, 06:20:29 AM
OK, the clock is ticking. That table done yet ???.
The slab is laying in the same place where it is in the pic in the OP.
I've been busy sawing and selling Oak slabs. You need 1 or 2? $ ;D$
Very nice. How do you like that hand planer? I have never used one.
Quote from: hackberry jake on August 08, 2013, 06:30:34 PM
Very nice. How do you like that hand planer? I have never used one.
An electric hand planer can be very helpful.....but what you take off, you can't put back on.
Hey Dave
I will wait by my mailbox and send you a pic if you want to send that nice looking slab to me to get it out of your way :D
Quote from: Busy Beaver Lumber on August 08, 2013, 07:26:37 PM
Hey Dave
I will wait by my mailbox and send you a pic if you want to send that nice looking slab to me to get it out of your way :D
:o :o :o :o :o
Great looking slab of Maple, David. :)
I went to the shop this morning and started to work a little more on my table. Since WDH was applying the pressure to my work habits. ::)
:o :o :o WAS I SHOCKED ! :o :o :o
The DanG slab had cupped.
So off to the mill I went for a re-saw.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1676.JPG)
I sawed both sides and surprisingly it turned out great.
Took the slab back to the shop. Then sawed and planed my maple boards for the frame the slab will attach to.
2 hours of planing and sanding on the slab. Hand plane, belt sand, orbit sanding and last was hand sanding.
Built the frame.
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But I could not get the frame to flush up to the bottom of the slab. Slab was not PERFECTLY flush on the bottom.
You can see the space between the frame and the slab......drove me crazy. I couldn't even clamp it down. I know it will not be seen, but I will know its there.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1679.JPG)
So I take another Maple board, plane and router the edges. Then I sawed trim molding out of it on the table saw. This will hide the space between the frame and slab plus give this table a little dimension when looking at it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1680.JPG)
I did take my time and got really tight joints. Filled in all my brad wholes with a neutral filler and sanded over all the molding.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1682.JPG)
I did use wood screws, brads and Titebond glue. I did lay a square across the top of the slab. I couldn't slide a playing card under it, so the re-saw helped a lot to get the cup out.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1681.JPG)
Now, or whenever :D.....I'll start on the legs using Maple from the same tree.
Pray for me! :D :D :D
That is sure going to be a nice looking table!
Now that you have it attached to the box, it should not cup. That is a great looking piece.
Nice
Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on August 10, 2013, 07:03:25 PMI couldn't slide a playing card under it.....Pray for me!
I ain't praying for anyone that hides playing cards in cracks under the table. I shoots them. fudd-smiley
Quote from: Magicman on August 10, 2013, 11:03:04 PM
Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on August 10, 2013, 07:03:25 PMI couldn't slide a playing card under it.....Pray for me!
I ain't praying for anyone that hides playing cards in cracks under the table. I shoots them. fudd-smiley
You've been watching to many Westerns. I don't cheats at cards. ::)
Now shut up and deal. :D
My one sister in law used to date a guy that thought he was a professional card player and wanted to get rich taking all the family members money. We always played dealers choice and just passed the deal around the table so everyone got a chance to deal and call the games they wanted. To be honest he was one of the worst card players I ever met.
One night he was particularly obnoxious so i decided to rent some room in his head. Before we began playing, I showed him about a half dozen card tricks that blew his mind. Then said....Lets play and started to deal. He refused to play because he was convinced that i would deal dirty and cheat him out of his money. Have no idea what might give him that impression....just because I pulled 4 aces off the top of a deck that he shuffled 2 minutes earlier? Anyway he refused to play and left, which suited all of us just fine. 8)
Quote from: Busy Beaver Lumber on August 11, 2013, 02:57:02 PMMy one sister in law used to date a guy that thought he was a professional card player
Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on August 10, 2013, 11:10:03 PMNow shut up and deal.
Oh my, your sister in law used to date Poston ?? ???
Good one!
Quote from: Magicman on August 11, 2013, 10:44:55 PM
Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on August 10, 2013, 11:10:03 PMNow shut up and deal.
Oh my, your sister in law used to date Poston ?? ???
Dog gone it! And if I had stuck with her, I could have had a bunch of FREE pens and FIREWOOD by now! :)
We broke up but she said we could still be cousins.
Cool. 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Did someone mention cake? ;D
I finally got it all put together. It rained all day so I spent the day in the shop.
The legs were a little aggravating but I finished them up, glued and screwed them in place.
All I have left now is to do some tweaking by hand sanding and I'll be ready for the Conditioner and then Poly.
I'll probably wait until the humidity drops before starting the finish.
The MC in the wood is now down to 10.3%.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1699.JPG)
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It's beautiful. Can't wait to see it with the poly on it. I bet the pics won't do it justice.
Very nice. Love it.
I see that you were not able to get all that coffee stain off, and you forgot and left the bark on it. ;D.
Very beautiful 8).
That slab is making an awesome piece of furniture. I guess that it could be a bench or a table. :)
Quote from: WDH on August 17, 2013, 08:35:02 PM
I see that you were not able to get all that coffee stain off, and you forgot and left the bark on it. ;D.
Very beautiful 8).
I'll take it off with the chainsaw. :D
I've learned 2 things.
1. Its very easy to erase pencil marks off of Maple. :)
2. I know where the terms "Vintage and Rustic" came from. When your woodworking talents are not as sharp as
the talents of WDH, you just call all your mistakes "Vintage or Rustic". Then it'll sale! :D
From what I hear, natural and rustic are "in". That table would sell for a lot of $. Don't you dare touch that bark! That is what gives it appeal as well as the figure in the top. You cannot find furniture like that.
Quote from: WDH on August 17, 2013, 10:28:29 PM
From what I hear, natural and rustic are "in". That table would sell for a lot of $. Don't you dare touch that bark! That is what gives it appeal as well as the figure in the top. You cannot find furniture like that.
Uh Ooooooooooo.......I better go get the Titebond. ;D
If you bring it out to the desert it will dry down just fine. :o
Nice work with the maple, nice choice of wood as well, should be a keeper! I like your technique on the framework, david, might lay off the java when finishing ;D
Last Pictures....... and I truly thank all of you for your compliments. THE END.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1718.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1717.JPG)
8)
The seat next to the lamp must be your seat. It looks a little more "smooshed" than the others. ;D
You are amazing. Your benches and tables look so organic, like they are alive. I have found some of them looking at me, and I have seen some walking. I call you the "Bench Master". Maybe when you come to see me, some of that "esprit d'animal" will rub off on me. It might be more properly called "Les Esprits Animaux" in french. However, I am not being proper. Maybe Marcell will correct me. This one seems like it is there sitting patiently for you to put stuff on it. I love it!
Oh, I see in that second pic that it looks like some sweetgum has encroached into your living room. I have some stuff that will take care of it, but you might have to spray it twice :) ;D.
Quote from: WDH on August 20, 2013, 08:04:41 PM
I have some stuff that will take care of it, but you might have to spray it twice :) ;D.
And once I spray it....give it to Raider Bill to put in his smoker. :D :D :D
That is an impressive piece of work. 8)
I agree with WDH, you are the Bench Master
YH
:rifle:
Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on August 20, 2013, 10:50:25 AM
Last Pictures....... and I truly thank all of you for your compliments. THE END.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1718.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/IMG_1717.JPG)
8) So you did finish that fine table as you did get the Axe as well I was just thinking you need more room from your pic's and the Axe so maybe you should auction the table off to off set the price of the axe and let Jeff use the proceed's on say a winter sawyer's ball Ice Skating a option He is in Minn.
Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on August 20, 2013, 10:50:25 AM
Last Pictures....... and I truly thank all of you for your compliments. THE END.
Nope, it will not end here. Maybe on this bench, but there certainly will be others, and well it should. Nice David, very nice. :)
That is one beautiful bench :o
My stepfather was a contractor and was also an extremely talented woodworker.
I helped him build a bench out of river birch. We peeled the bark off and cut it into strips, soaked them, and then wove them together to make the backrest and the bottom cushion. I'll see if I can find some pictures...
That turned out amazing. Well done.
WOW! :o
Great work. It really doesn't matter how many projects like this we see on here, it's always nice to see more. Again, nice work.
Allan
Very nice indeed. I trend toward rustic in my furniture as well...and for the same reasons you mention. Danny and others just amaze me with their fine woodworking skills. The table is amazing.