The Greenhorn's initial sawing season 2019-20

[Old Greenhorn]

Just checking in. I lost a few evenings this week and not a lot of progress to show. Lots of sanding. The temps have been on a warming trend so the shop is heating quicker, easier, and is more comfortable working. Last night I spent time refitting those pegs and broke one and made a replacement. I am rethinking my choice of Ash for the pegs and may just start over with oak. But the fit-up is getting better and with the pegs tapped in the table is again rock solid with no shake. I am pleased about that. Today I need to whack 5" off the bottom of the legs to bring the height to about 19" which seems about right for a coffee table. Then I guess I will work toward finishing it in earnest. I have added a good rubbed in coat of Danish oil and want to do it once or twice more before the urethane. It brings up a nice shine and makes the details pop. I also have too go back and do one more tiny pour on a crack that keeps widening. I don't seem to be getting the epoxy to adhere well on one wall and it's a small crack.



 

 Beginning to look toward the next few projects. I may begin on some simple slabs benches like i made last summer, but this time for sale. I have a cookie sitting in the shop that I should work on, and I have some bench leg stock that should be planed before I return that planer. Hoping to make a trip up to my buddies cabinet shop next weekend with those corner shelf pieces to plane down. He is still recovering from his heart attack, but looking to at least get in the shop and direct somebody else doing some work. I really should start making a list. Tomorrow I have a tentative date with another FF member to go cruise hi place and mark some trees for TSI work, then next week or two we will get them down and I can get a few logs for the loft build. So things are happening, just slowly.

[ManjiSann]

OG looking good! I really appreciate you sharing the coffee table build and what's working and what you'd do different. I have some ideas beginning to take root in my mind of what I want to do with the wood I'm milling and your coffee table build and some of the other things you're working on are helping me in planning my builds. So again my friend thank you

I may use the peg idea on the bench I'm building for the missus for the table. I think it'd make it look really nice and from what you're reporting it'd be very solid

Keep up the good work  8)

By the way what is TSI?

Brandon 

[WDH]

Looks like your wood is not totally dry, still shrinking, therefore the persistent cracks. 

[terrifictimbersllc]

so now I now have to learn how to polish wood.

If you're not familar, have a look at Beall wood buffing system. Very easy. I look forward to using it whenever I can.  Here

[Old Greenhorn]

Just came in for a last cup of coffee, so some quick responses.
TT: fine finishing has always been my worst skill so it is something I continue to works on. I have looked at that buffing system and would like to try it as soon as I can sell a few things and make some money. Curious as to how much labor is involved in a small table.

WDH I had thought there was some of that going on too, so I checked it again and get 9% MC. Just worked on those cracks again and now see that they are not really opening up, I did not do a good job of getting the epoxy down into the crack. This time I poked it in with a toothpick and really saw how bad my previous pours were. Had to keep going back as it settled into the crack. I think I may have it this time. It is hard to get the epoxy to flow into those small cracks even with added heat.

Brandon, from me you should be learning things to avoid! :D ;D Some of these are one-offs and some require further development.
 TSI stands for Timber Stand Improvement. It's selective cutting to release better trees to grow. This member has 40 acres and has done a lot of work in a short period to improve his property, but it is an ongoing thing and he is ready for another round.

 Well, back at it, much to do and I have to work the chores in somewhere too. Later folks.

[Old Greenhorn]

Pretty good 9 hour day, but I am pooped. Got the legs trimmed on the coffee table and refinished the ends. Did the last (i hope) tiny epoxy fill done. I made about 10 more of those device stands, sanded and oiled them. I pulled out that old cookie, it's pretty pithy and spalted. I think I would have to use a bunch of epoxy just to make it stable. Probably can't do this as a specific project so I will work on it in small pieces between other jobs. My common sense tells me to just toss it, but I want to give it a try anyway. It will likely be a failure, but an education.
 Then I went out to the slab pile and grabbed some slabs that I will make into benches, mostly 4 feet long, one 5 footer, and one that I would like to try a stool out of. I cut and put about 6 of them in the shop to get started on. I also planed some leg stock up, but I need more. Then I cleaned and oiled up the planer to get it ready to go back to it's owner next weekend.
 I had hoped to get back out there tonight and sharpen my chainsaw and mix some fresh gas, but I am too pooped out. Tomorrow I head over the NYBHH's place and the plan is to mark some trees. None the less, I will throw some gear in the truck just in case we decide to do more.
 Moving along.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Curious as to how much labor is involved in a small table.

I wouldnt have thought of using it for a table.  I like it for small items that I can hold up to it while it is spinning.  But I see they suggest that it can be used for small furniture.  

I use it mounted in my lathe.  They do mention using it in a hand held polisher though cant see this demonstrated in their instructions.  They also say that wood is best sealed first with sanding sealer or oil like Watco but not linseed oil. I havent ever done that.  Just after turning a small item I can use the poisher on the lathe to have it finished within 15 minutes or so. 

Full instructions are here: Beall Instruction page

[Old Greenhorn]

Well it was a really nice day. I didn't get much accomplished, but had a really nice day. Sometimes you just have to do that. Headed over to NYBHH's place first thing this morning, and it seems when we get together the yacking starts and the clock spins. WOW, what a job he has done at his place since I was last there. I will let him tell the story if he has time, but he surely puts me to shame. He is going to have one heck of a nice shop in pretty short order at the rate it is going. When I was last there, they had a guest house on that spot with serious issues and since then it is gone and there is all new construction from below grade on up. He also put a complete new roof on his barn while he was resting, I guess. Then between all that other stuff he built himself a gorgeous 8' woodworking bench.
We did some cruising and found the 2 ash trees he needs out soon, one is in a tricky spot that will have to drop across his driveway and the logs will like be too heavy for his tractor grapple to lift, but we think we figured it out. AT any rate it's the kind of tree most of us would want a partner on. Felling it will require a spotter, and all the bucking and cleaning up is a lot of work. Further out in the woods we measured a couple of white pines that will fit with his tree/land/future plans and will help me out with my last loft. He asked me a couple of times if it would cover my needs and I was embarrassed to admit I was pretty sure we were good, but I didn't have the numbers with me. I had not reviewed them yesterday as planned and I did all the math weeks ago. When I got home I checked and there is more than enough for the task. So we have a plan for next weekend.
As we were walking and yacking we came across this tree with deep furrowed bark, neither of us knew for sure what it was.


 

But then we realized that the winter had not eradicated the leaves, so I took a photo of that.


 
I was thinking this was beech, but in consulting my references, it could be Elm. What do y'all think?

We walked and talked and then talked some more, then we said goodbye and talked some more. By the time I left it was 1pm. I had a great time just relaxing hearing and asking about his projects and seeing the beautiful work he is getting done.
One of the pines we found that we thought about taking down had this:


 

It was about 12' above the stump. But we decided to let it be for a habitat tree. We also saw a fisher cat right in this same area, which we both thought weird. Also saw a hawk hard on the hunt and pretty vocal, maybe looking for her/his mate? Anyway, a most enjoyable morning.
I got home around 2, had lunch and started going through my gear for next weekend because I haven't dropped any trees since the fall. Made up some new gas and just checked everything else over. I need to dig out my chains and binders still.
I emailed a guy on CL with a 12-1/2" Delta planer, and have an appointment to go see/buy it Tuesday at noon. Turns out he is 2 blocks from my workplace. Good price and it will do the stuff I need except for the big boards. I didn't want to spend the money at this time, but it's a newer one, lightly used from what I can see, and the seller does not sound like a nut job (rare around here, buyers too).
The weather was so nice that I did one of those 'walk around assessments' looking at the trees, my messes around the yard, and making some mental plans for going forward. I checked out back behind the shop where there is a mess of trees hanging that have needed cleaning up for a while. I avoided it because they won't hurt anything when/if they fall and they were mostly rotted junk. Well, on closer inspection it turns out some of them are not rotten and I figure there is at least one cord of firewood in there and a couple of logs I would like to throw on the mill before I decide to burn them. Since I will be burning in the shop next winter, this comes as a bit of a windfall (pun intended). I also see some vertical trees that should be dropped that are about half firewood and half usable logs. Once again, these are not on my property, but the landowner not only said I could "cut 'em all down" but thanked me for doing it. The trees I looked at are only 200' from the back door of my shop, so I figure transport won't be too much trouble. ;D
Anyway, as I said, not much work done today, but some planning and re-assessment which was in order anyway was done. I am still pretty pooped from yesterday and the time change is messing with my head a bit. There is no sense in pushing it when you are tired and all afternoon I was tired.

[WDH]

The tree is chestnut oak, Quercus montana.

[ManjiSann]

Looking good!

Wonder what caused that weird hole in the tree, looks man made to me.

Wish I lived closer, I'd be offering to help fell trees with you though I'm sure we'd end up talking more than working which can be just as good 

I may learn a few things not to do from your posts but I also learn a lot of what I'd like to try and the positive peer pressure to stop watching TV and actually do something useful! So for that I thank you my friend and say Keep On Keeping On  8)

Brandon 

[Old Greenhorn]

That there hole was done by a pilliated woodpecker. We have some large and highly motivated ones around here. They can hear the bugs and grubs inside a tree and just go for it.
 Yes, WDH is of course correct, it's a Chestnut oak. Rare around here and it wasn't on the top of my thinking list.
 Also, a correction, that was a mink we saw run past us, not a fisher cat. My identification skills were pretty poor yesterday. ;D :D

[WV Sawmiller]

  I have a spruce on my place the pileated woodpeckers have attacked that looks a lot like your picture. They knock off chips 2-3 inches long and bigger than kitchen matches. I have a number on my property and they are one of my favorite birds. One lit in a tree about 20' from me last week while I was working on my new shed but flew before I could get his picture. 

   That oak tree probably has acorns twice the size of marbles and a deer stand near it might be a good idea as they love those big acorns which are a type of white oak. I have many on my place and years ago I had a climbing stand and was bowhunting on a ridge among them and I'd keep hearing the leaves behind me rustle, stop, munching on acorns, repeat. I was about to go crazy not being able to see but knowing it was a huge buck coming straight to me. When he finally got in sight out of the corner of my eye he turned out to be a big fat groundhog with a stubby tail that looked like an old barbers shaving brush. I let him go and saw him several more times over the next couple weeks. 

[Old Greenhorn]

I can't tell you the number of times I shouldered the gun in anticipation of what was 'obviously' a large browsing buck only to see a fat happy squirrel come out of the Laurel.  ;D :D
 I will check for the acorns when we are cutting this weekend.

[Old Greenhorn]

OK, I have to share this, it can't wait. So I found this delta lunchbox planer on CL for 200 bucks that looked fairly 'not too old' and lightly used and made arrangements to see it today at lunchtime. The seller was a nice fella, had it ready and plugged in with a board for me to try it out on. Try as I might could not get the board to feed, let alone throw chips, just dust coming out with me leaning on the board to feed it. The guys says, 'OH, you really have to crank that handle down to make it feed and cut, look here, I did all these boards with that planer." Well I have it cranked down to where I consider the board jammed, he reaches over and gives it another half turn and the board reluctantly start to feed, but just dust coming out. I unplug it and reach in and feel the blades. Seem like they should be sharper. Then he grabs one of his "planed boards" and shows me how it was cutting. At this point it all became clear.

 Me: 'You planed THIS board on THAT planer?!'
Him: 'sure did! I did all of these."
Me: 'Well I see the problem'
Him: 'Where?'
me: [points to board] 'you see all these dots? Those are nails, there must be 30 of them in this board alone.'
Him: [smiles] 'yup, like I said, it planed all those boards'
Me: [shakes head, looks at the ground] 'planers don't cut nails, the nail wins that fight every time.'
him: 'OH'
silence for a bit
Him: 'Then I guess I shouldn't run any boards with nails through that newer planer either (12" Grizzly)?'
Me: "no, you should not, in fact maybe you should give me that one for safe keeping.' :D
 We both laughed, he knocked off 25 bucks, I will have to go over this whole thing, but it will do the small stuff I need until I can afford to graduate up.

 Geez, some folks just shouldn't operate machinery. He was a very nice fella though, asked for my card to maybe get some wood from me down the road.

[Bandmill Bandit]

The only planer that guy is qualified to use is a manual block planer and I am not even sure about that.

[ManjiSann]

The only planer that guy is qualified to use is a manual block planer and I am not even sure about that.

Being a fan of hand planes and old planes I'm not sure I'd want to see one subjected to whatever this polite but misguided fellow might do to it  :'( :'( :'(
OG, you're a good man. I'm not sure the look of "How did you not know this??" wouldn't have showed so loudly on my face that I'd have offended the gentleman. Sometimes I'm a little full of myself and forget that I've done some rather silly things because I didn't know better at the time and some nice person educated me in a kind way. Of course life then usually gives me a quick lesson in humility to remedy that lapse in manners on my part  ;)
Glad you got a good deal and with luck the only thing really wrong with the planer is the need for a new set of blades
Brandon 

[Nebraska]

It takes all types,  :. Oh well a few new blades and a little time and you're good. I bet you'll even sell him lumber without the nails in it. 8)

[Bandmill Bandit]

I am going to assume that the lumber he destroyed the blades on the planer with was reclaim lumber from an old building and NOT lumber he milled himself? Or is there a deeper story here? 

[Old Greenhorn]

Yeah bandit, it was reclaimed (mostly ;D) lumber. He could not fathom running a saw mill. Read below for the rest of it.

Nebraska, I wouldn't be surprised if I sell him something. I'll have to remember to ask if he wants nails added. :D

Brandon, he was (is) a good guy, has a sense of humor and also very clearly knew he was hacking his way through things. No offense taken or offered.

SO I got the planer, then got a call from my son to look at a simple tree job, just drop them. A simple 4 tree cluster of dead hickory.


 
That's a pump house, fixed in the ground with a water pump and pressure tank in it. And yes, it's 4 trees, not three. Each one is tricky. Not so easy to move and reset that little shed either. There is also some ornamentation on the one tree to be dealt with. The drop zone contains a footbridge that will have to be moved. Trying to from dropping them in the pond or whacking the corner of the pump house. It is park like grounds, so no skidders or useful equipment can be moved in. Golf carts are pretty much it. Also there is a dead ash with a big crook in it aimed at the bridge, so that bridge has gotta move, not taking a chance.

 So anyway, get home with the planer (I had already ordered a pair of blades for it this afternoon). After dinner went out and opened it up. HOLY COW SWEET MARTHA! The edges were so far gone off the blades that the blade clamps were beating against the stock. You can see the blade and clamp in the left side of the photo but as you move right, they become one.



 

Here's the blade itself:


 

These are the original blades with the Delta stamp on them, and of course, the second side was never used! Pristine. I stoned off the bumps and galls to make them flat again and flipped the blades. Put it all back together threw in a piece of 8/4 oak and went at it. It cuts like a dream and you could not ask for a better finish.
 Of course, this is a light duty lunch box planer, no illusions about that, but with a little patience it does a great job and that's what I hoped for and expected. Now I have to figure out some way to suck the chips out of it. ;D

[Bandmill Bandit]

My used blades would cut like razor blades compared to those.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well I hadn't planned on it, but I decided to change projects tonight. The last few days at work have been rough and I have not really done much out there in the evenings. Gonna hit the rack early tonight too, another stressful day for tomorrow on the block.
 Anyway, I am getting a little tired of working on that coffee table every night and that's usually when I get sloppy and hasty. So I picked something else to change things up. I had this simple idea for a desktop bookshelf, the kind that would only hold a small set of books but be easy to move around. There is one on my desk here that my Pop made when he was killing time on the transport ship to the Philippines during WWII and he had it on the desk in his Sub Chaser. Said it kept things in order.
 I found a piece of spalted ash that I milled over a year ago and it has been in the shop for a year. It's dry and was about 7/8 thick (here and there :D). I used the new planer and took it to an even 5/8" then cut the parts on the table saw and made dado joints where the sides meet the bottom. The plan is to glue and screw it with brass screws after final shaping and sanding. I have to think about how I want to add some shape to the tops of the end pieces before I go further and I also need to pick up screws. The planer worked well, the table saw worked well and so far I have not screwed this thing up. But I have time yet. ;D
 I did a little work on listing my inventory of supplies. Trying to coordinate a shared spreadsheet between my phone and desktop because I am loosing track of what grits of sanding belts and disks I have and buying the wrong ones when I am in the store and take a guess. I use the phone to record things I need as it occurs to me. I also keep spreadsheets to track the time I spend on projects and another to list projects that I want to do or have done. I figure it may help with pricing later on. Maybe not. It's a work in progress.
 There is a local surplus place (a real one, think: army/navy store meets industrial commercial junk clearance) and they just put up a photo yesterday of these cases of table legs, probably pine, maybe maple. 1-1/8 diameter by 14" long for a buck a piece. I am going to run over at lunchtime tomorrow and see what kind of a deal I can get on 50 of them. It's real easy to drill a hole with a forstener bit and glue in a turned leg. I figure I can make some stools and short benches with them. Seems too good to pass up. We shall see.

[Old Greenhorn]

SO I ran out at lunchtime and checked out those 14" spindles. Wound up buying a box of about 46pcs for 35 bucks or .76/ea, not bad I thought. Also, they had some zip up hooded sweatshirts and I have been looking for a lighter weight one to keep and wear in the shop. Brand new, 5 bucks, how could I go wrong. They also had a barrel full of handsaws that could probably be pretty nice with a little cleanup, but I didn't let myself get sucked in. The longer I stay there, the more I spend, so I got in and out in 10 minutes, including dickering time. ;D


 


So, what do you think? Did I do good? I have no specific idea what I will use these for. They appear and feel like maple to me. They were bought and surplussed by a company here that makes quality toys and mobility aids for disabled children and adults. Brand new, not sure why they dumped them.

[doc henderson]

they would be fine for legs, and or num-chuks.  also a rolling pin that puts lines in the dough.  

[Old Greenhorn]

Turns out they are Maple Doc, turned out by a shop up in Maine. WIsh they didn't have the finish on them. Not sure how to get that off easily.
 Got out there tonight for a bit and worked on the little bookshelf. Got it glued and screwed and put on a layer of Danish Oil.


 

Maybe I made it a bit long, dunno. Have to go back and do a little more fine sanding that showed up after the oil was on. No biggie. I don't know that anyone besides me would have an interest or need for them, but it was an idea I wanted to try.
 I tried to find an 1-1/8" bit in my shop, but I jump from 1" to 1 1/4" in just about every bit type I have. Back to the store again. ;D I did want to try out those legs and start messing with them. It will have to wait a bit.

[doc henderson]

do you have a lathe to spin them on, and hit with sandpaper.  or does your radial arm saw have a chuck opposite the blade like my Dad's did.  could rig a support for the other end like a live center,  chuck it up with a screw into it or something.