From logs to boards - pictures

[Tom Hoffman]

I was very fortunate to have a friend who gave me logs from a black walnut tree he cut down in his back yard. Here are some pictures of me loading the logs, hauling them to another friend who has a sawmill and a drying kiln. I will try to periodically post pictures of the progress as these logs become boards, and the boards become furniture.

[Richard Wolf]

Looks like a nice haul. Lucky guy. Do good with it.

Richard

[Vaughn McMillan]

I''m just sitting here shaking my head, drooling with envy. Sweet haul indeed. I'll be looking foreward to seeing it turn into furniture.

- Vaughn

[Bernie Weishapl]

I am like Vaughn. Drooling with envy. Looking forward to more pictures.

[Jim Becker]

Very nice logs. Suggestion...avoid the kiln, or at least any steaming on that walnut so you preserve the rich, natural coloration. I've been working for some time on walnut off our property and it's such a pleasure to look at!

[Frank Pellow]

You are a lucky guy Tom. Thanks for showing us what you have done with the tree so far, and I look forward to further pictures.

[John Scane]

That's a nice score. I wish I had a friend with a saw mill. Too bad Folsom isn't closer to LA, I could hire him to mill the maple I'm getting.

[Tom Hoffman]

Jim: Can you elaborate on the kiln aspect? Does kiln drying black walnut reduce the quality? What is steaming?

Tom Hoffman

[Jim Becker]

Jim: Can you elaborate on the kiln aspect? Does kiln drying black walnut reduce the quality? What is steaming?

Kiln drying walnut alone should not radically change the quality of the product, but many kiln operators also "steam" walnut to get greater yields--walnut typically is harder to get wider boards from due to more visible sapwood. Steaming will darken the sap and slightly lighten the heart so you get a more even result. Unfortunatly, it also destroys the many wonderful color variations of greens, browns, purples, etc., that exist in black walnut. For this reason, I prefer air dried lumber for walnut and since it's pretty stable stuff, I've not had issue with "weird" movement from using it. (Some species, like oak, really are better kiln dried, IMHO) Regardless, the lumber should be air dried for awhile, anyway, even if it will go into the kiln. It makes for more stable lumber.

[Dan Forman]

You are truly fortunate to have such friends. What a beautiful stash.

Dan

[lou sansone]

as others have said, walnut is a great wood to work with and pretty easy to air dry to about 14% and then you will have to move it into a heated space to bring it down to the 8% range. Interesing mill that you or your friend have. most band mills are horizontal, but from the pictures your is verticle. looking forward to the other picures.
BTW ... I see that you are in CA... is this claro walnut or regular Black Walnut ?

lou

[Tom Hoffman]

Yes, I am very fortunate. Jim and others: thanks for the explanation about the kiln and the drying issues. I think I'll try kiln drying some and air drying some. I should have about 800 bf total.

Here are a few more pictures. The friend who gave me the logs also donated use of his 3/4 ton pickup (which I don't have). A 3/4 ton was required by the rental company where I rented the trailer. I was going to rent a 3/4 ton, but he insisted we use his to haul the logs to the mill. The haul was about 90 miles from flatlands of the Sacramento valley just north or Sacramento, into the mountainous Sierra in Calaveras County at about the 3,500 foot level. Well, we were almost there, pulling a pretty steep grade when we blew a seal on the transmission. Pulled over into a turnout. A good samaritan who was following us pulled over and offered assistance. Turns out he was heading to a birthday party next door to the guy with the sawmill. We unhitched the trailer, hitched it to his pickup and he hauled my logs to the sawmill site! An angel was watching over me that day. Thank goodness my friend with the damaged pickup had AAA Plus which covered transporting his pickup and trailer back down into the valley. I guess the moral of the story is, NEVER borrow tools or trucks.