Intoduction, wood gloat, tool gloat....

[Ken Hill]

Hello everyone. I have been reading here non stop for some time and am constantly impressed with your work. I am relatively new to working with wood but have been turning Game calls for awhile now, but havent turned a bowl since highschool.

In the past few months, I have upgrade to a Jet 1220 lathe for the majority of my call work, bought a new Stihl 660 with a 24 inch bar for some advantage over the trees, and yesterday scored 30 walnut logs that range between 14 and 17 inches in diameter and are all 16 feet long or so. Add to this some Maple that I am due to cut in the next few weeks along with living in the middle of my wooded property and I have no problems with wood:D 5 gallons of Anchorseal is on its way as well as a chainsaw mill for some slabbing and a new Jet band saw will soon grace the workshop for some resaw work.

What I do have to ask is what I should be looking for in the walnut and maple. Grain I would imagine, color maybe? The same applies to the maple. Most of the maple will be large (some 20 inch diameter) limbs as we will be trimming some very large and very old trees. What lengths should I be cutting as I know I can not process and or use this wood immediatley. I own 15 acres so room is not an issue.

Thanks in advance for any tips or assistance, I am trying to plan out as much as I can before diving into all this blindly.

Here is one of my calls just so I can join in the fun.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Calls/DSC3905/790393246_bNqbA-M.jpg

[Baxter Smith]

Welcome. Thats an awsome amount of wood. Sounds like an awful lot of gamecalls!

[Ken Hill]

Well, I dont plan on turning it all into blanks:D I have the Tenon cutters so that I can try my hand at making some rustic furniture (man they arent cheap!)

I have a line on the largest local tree service here. I left a deer call for the owner and my card so I am hoping to get first crack at some burls and special wood they run across. I live in nowhere WV so there isnt much competition for this stuff here. Sadly, tons of fine wood gets sent to the fire wood pile.

[Joe Wiliams]

Welcome Ken Hill:) Do I know you from another hobby?

[Ken Hill]

Lord only knows:D

[gary Zimmel]

Welcome to the Creek Ken!
Looking forward to seeing what you do with that ton of wood...
First post and a great gloat....

[Joe Wiliams]

Lord only knows:D
Well... with the name, location and awesome photography....;)

[Ken Hill]

Well... with the name, location and awesome photography....;)


Well since your from the Beaver state it can only be one Joex:D Now if I can do to the calling world what ive done to the pc world i'll be in business:eek:;)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Welcome to Creek Ken. Sounds like you got a supply of wood to keep you turning for some time to come.

[Joe Wiliams]

Well since your from the Beaver state it can only be one Joex:D Now if I can do to the calling world what ive done to the pc world i'll be in business:eek:;)
Quick, everybody duck!:eek: You sure keep yourself busy:cool:

I need to cruise by the other stomping ground soon:o

[John Keeton]

Ken, welcome to the creek, and that is a really neat photo setup with the call you made. You do some nice work!

The walnut logs you have won't produce much in the way of "lumber" due to their limiting size. But, you should get some very nice turning wood, and sounds like you have another interesting use in mind with the rustic furniture. I would look for the crotch pieces in the walnut and maple for bowl blanks, and hopefully, at least one of the maples ends up being curly maple!!

Also, no secrets are allowed here, so you and Joe need to come clean with your other accomplishments!!:D;)

[Roland Martin]

Very well done game call Ken. Welcome to the Creek. Sounds like your new chainsaw will earn its keep.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Ken - Welcome to the Creek! Great looking call and photo! Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

Just so you are warned ahead of time about the vortex - don't be surprised that you find yourself upgrading to a new 'large' lathe to take advantage of those 20" chunks of wood!

Have fun with it!

[Ken Hill]

Thanks Steve, and you nailed it, I have been eyeing up the bowls on this site and will be scouring the auctions and sales to see if I can save a penny or two on a larger lathe.

John, the downfall to the walnut is its all virtually straight. My intentions are to cut it to 6 foot lengths, anchor seal and store for now until I either need it or find a good use for it beyond just call or small turning blanks. I figure if I was to cut it all small and it had no real figure, it would be wasted wood in such short pieces. It could possibly be traded at some point locally for something of better use for my endeavors.

This all has been a learning expeirence for sure. Around here, most everyone outside the largest town burns wood for heat so seeing a tree go down in a yard and then stopping to see if you can score it usually doesnt pay off. I have had success in asking if I could trade some split and seasoned firewood for what they have (ash for cherry, oak for a big crotch piece etc) and after explaining why I want that particuliar wood and why it is a shame to just burn it I am finding some success. Ofcourse with over 4 feet of snow hitting the area it will be later this spring before we are able to do some swapping:eek:

No secrets eh? Well I am nobody special, just a big backwoods hick that has a hand in just about everything. I own my own powdercoating company which keeps me busy. I am paid to travel most weekends from March thru November photographing the world of Pro ATV racing. I shoot for most of the major manufatcures and several magazines along with the largest atv website in the world. I shoot a few weddings (not by choice) and the call work started out just as something to do outside working with the cameras or metal. I sold every call I ever listed so it soon turned into another small profit center that is allowing me to grow but in all honesty I want it to stay a hobby.

An example of my work
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2130/2138647185_9a5ff95720.jpg

And my heart belongs to the outdoors when it comes to the cameras. I geuss im pretty good or I wouldnt be so busy(or im just to stupid and the only one who will do the work!) but I prefer to be alone and in the middle of nowhere shooting wildlife.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/BCK0839/618321614_mLRQX-L.jpg

In my free time I enjoy hunting and fishing with my kids and my dogs. In a perfect world, we here would prefer to live so far from civilization that they would have to pump us in sunshine. Maybe a nice lake side cabin in Alaska!

[Allen Neighbors]

Welcome to the Creek. No wonder your photog. looks so nice!...
You know, Ken?? that walnut is some really blah wood... why don't I just come over and get it out of your way... :D

[David E Keller]

Welcome aboard... Beautiful photo of a beautiful call. The wildlife shot is nice as well. Too bad the wood gloat doesn't count without photo evidence.:p

Looking forward to seeing some future photos of your work, and I'd love to learn a thing or two from you about turning game calls and taking photos of finished work.

[Rob Cunningham]

Welcome to the Creek. I can't wait to see the pictures of all that wood.

[Ken Hill]

Thanks everyone. I looked the wood over on monday and will be going down to get it (the walnut) maybe next week. No rush, it isnt going anywhere. The maple we are figuring on doing in 2 weeks due to my shooting schedule. I will be in N.C.......wonder if they would mind if I grabbed some Hickory:D

[John Keeton]

Ken, neat background info, and that is a fantastic waterfowl shot!! I am impressed!!

With your artistic background, and the woodturning experience you have, this will be a quick slide for you!!:D;) Really looking forward to seeing some great work.

[Joe Wiliams]

...
Also, no secrets are allowed here, so you and Joe need to come clean with your other accomplishments!!:D;)
I've known Ken for a number of years from 'the worlds largest ATV website';) He's one of those guys that what ever he does, he does very very well:cool:

[Jeff Nicol]

Ken, It looks like we will be able to pick your brain on the photo issues that arise from time to time here on the creek! You have a great skill there. I have been sawing lumber for 25 years and have a Woodmizer band saw mill. The thoughts on your black walnut are spot on, sealing the ends and waiting until you need to use it is a great way to keep it around a long time. I have some small logs that are in my shed that are 6-7 years old and are the same as the day I put them there. Keep them off the ground and keep them covered or sheded and you have nothing but future wood or profit. The maple is a different story, it can start to change color and get spalting or mold in it pretty fast. When I get maple of any type I try to cut it up as soon as possible for lumber and I wait a little bit to sticker it. I stand it up and let it dry on both sides in the air so when I stack it there is a lot less surface moisture and sawdust clinging to the boards. If you are going to turn it into blanks sealing the ends and watching it as it begins to dry will let you know what it will do. The highly figured stuff drys at many different rates and will pucker and crack in an instant. Since you have a plenty of storage room you will be able to do what many other cannot, and that is try many things. I know this as I have 10's of thousands bdft of lumber and turning stock plus roughly 50 logs that will be cut up here soon. It has been raining for 4 days here so most of the snow is gone and everything is a muddy mess!

Great gloat and welcome again!

Jeff

[charlie knighton]

welcome to the creek, great gloat

[Mark Norman]

Awesome call and pics!!

Might want to slab the logs into 5/4 planks ans sticker it and cover with a tarp to dry. 6' lengths is fine for your intended purpose but you may conside longer if you plan on doing larger furniture such as bed frames or sofas. Great pic of the geese I might add!
Welcome to the creek and the vortex:)

[Steve Kubien]

I am really disappointed in my fellow creekers. Here you are with a sizeable stash of 14-17" walnut plus (IIRC) some maple of similar size plus your own woodlot plus more chainsaw than most of us know what to do with and only one person has recommended you get a bigger lathe to help you with your quest in making bowls. I'm so ashamed with the lot of you.;)

C'mon guys, we can give a harder push into the vortex than this!

[Ken Glass]

Ken,
Welcome to the Vortex. Amazing pictures and a great looking call. Super finish. Well Done and Welcome!

[Ken Hill]

I can see my wife will hate you all soon:p

Jeff, it sounds like your in my region, melting snow and gobs of rain. Its ankle deep out there. I will listen to your advice as well, infact if it wasnt so messy out I would have taken the tractor to an area to prep it for wood storage already. Im still a newbie on the wood lingo, but I will investigate the 9/4 5/4 stuff....I do know 10-4 but thats for the CB in the truck:D

I did walk my property yesterday (in the downpour) and I have located a few trees that show some interesting things. When the rain lets up I will get some pics and see what you guys think. I am in no rush to drop them, but just for some insight, I have been selectively cutting the property for wildlife managment so removing more is the goal before allowing some areas to reclaim into edge cover and I will turn more areas into food plots. (Did not want to get whipped for cutting down good trees)


I will help all I can with the photography, from what i've already seen most are doing a good job of showing off their work. The use of light tents is good and can help alot. It is very difficult even for me to show the grain in some pieces even when using studio lighting.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Calls/DSC3939/791378131_ocTiX-L.jpg


I am still pumped and looking forward to all of this although it seems it is a lesson in patience. Wait for the weather, wait for equipment, find a deal or two, save the money etc. I have a ton of time invested and havent cut the first peice of wood haha. The cool part is the whole family is getting into it, so much so the kids set aside and firewood they think might be something special! I made this a few weeks ago out of a chunk of Persimmon that was brought to me by my youngest son before it hit teh woodstove. I think it has been my favorite call just because of the personal story behind it.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Calls/DSC3897/788967207_2vJz7-L.jpg

[Jarrod McGehee]

Awesome calls Ken and great score on all the wood. I hope you can get it all taken care of and make great stuff with it.