Today is the day I get to cut my first Walnut log, a fresh one too! After getting battery back on arch, dewinterizing the mill, and fresh fuel, it's time. Loaded arch, looked and measured a bit, and made a trim cut to clear the mill.
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Reposition the clamp, and a small wood shim, it's clamped tight.
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Now to the cutting, OMG!!! To you that have done this, you know what I mean. Had to stop after every slab to watch the colors change . Beautiful stuff.
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Made up my mind, yup, Lynn will get some of this log back!! "boomerang" . Good stuff always comes back.
Got it cut in slabs, then some 4/4 stock for good measure. Stickered and anchorsealed ends. Have to take good care of this stuff, cause it's hard to get.
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Now I got to finish the kiln, because my drying shed is full! Maybe I could stack that old Red Oak out under the tree! haha.
You shouldnt have any trouble drying walnut. Its about as easy as it comes. I dont get near enough of it though.
I had a couple of big ones I cut and as you said it amazed me how the color changed when the sun hit it. Great wood to work with just keep animals away from the sawdust. You know he is a good friend when he gives you his most valuable trees.
Nice pile of lumber , I envy you for the walnut. :)
Do you have any more pics of your arch, I need to do some modifications to mine and would like a few different angles to yours, if you don't mind :P
Thanks
Wow! That really does look great. I bet the pictures don't even capture it.
Austin
That does look some nice.
We knew that there would be some crazy figure in that crotchy piece. I am confident that those logs are in very good hands. ;D
Looks good Andy. bg
Looks very crotchety to me.
Quote from: isawlogs on March 21, 2014, 02:25:38 PM
Do you have any more pics of your arch, I need to do some modifications to mine and would like a few different angles to yours, if you don't mind :P
Thanks
Ditto, I am working on one similar and wondering what winch (# rating younger using)
Raym,
The winch on mine is a Warn 3000# utility winch. I mounted a pulley at the end of the arch, and use a snatch block hooked back to the crossbar for lifting. Has never failed yet and I have lifted some 2000# logs with it. Andy
Nice Andy!
Walnut is scarce here and I haven't sawed any in about 7 or 8 yrs.
I like your arch too.
Great way to start the cutting season! Hope it is an omen of good things to come your way the rest of the year. Always enjoy photos of walnut.
Very nice. Every cut is like a work of art.
Finally got back to the point that I can do a little sawing today. After looking at these Mississippi logs for all this time, one JUMPED out at me! Nancy wants a pair of rocking chairs for the front porch, for us to use when we get OLD! I told her it was too late for me. Built a small bridge for the mill bed, because the curved log would not lay flat. Clamped down, and cut a flat on both sides, leaving a 4" thick 42" long arched cant.
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Moved it into the shop, and will watch it closely while it dries. Don't want to dry it too fast. I think with the grain running the length of the rockers, it should make strong rockers. There is another curved log that I will cut like this one, to shape the top rail for the chair back. After this ,I just had fun sawing some plain straight logs.
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I think I have decided which parts of this Walnut tree will become "boomerang" wood,
and go back to Mississippi! I will finish sawing tomorrow, and get this wood in the kiln, cause these chairs will take a while to do! Andy
Keep on posted on the rocking chair build.
If you split the rocking chair cant into two pieces, it will dry much faster and hopefully with less defect.
I love sawing walnut :).
I would be concerned about pith placement in the rockers, you may loose a couple the way it is layed out :-\
Got firewood?? :D
You aint old Andy, its your knees that make you think that. Keep on rocking with the walnut and keep us loaded with photos. bg
What a great looking piece of walnut. I wish we had that nice looking walnut here where I live, instead we have English walnut that looks nothing like yours.
If Andy ever musters up enough courage to come back to Red Lick, we just might load him up again. 8)
Oh I am sure his gears are turning now for sure. bg
Lynn,
The gears are really spinning now!! We will be coming back that way shortly. I don't even need my GPS!!
I will surely take another one of those creek bank Walnut trees. I will be cooking this load tomorrow, and making drawings for a special project to build for a man in Mississippi. Hope to finish it before the pig roast. Will give you time for recovering after you and Pat get back from your trip. So, to the "courage" statement, "I ain't Skeerd" {old saying} 8) 8)
We may need Bill to come and supervise the next project!
That butt log with the ring shake sure did cut nicely. The shake only went about 10" up from the cut. My first Walnut and didn't even find a nail, screw, wire, or bullets. Nothing but very pretty lumber!! Thanks again Andy
Lookin good. Can't wait to see how it turns out!