Sequoia rounds - what to do with 'em?

[Greg Peterson]

So we had the local electric utility cut down this sequoia that the power line runs through. I had to go to work and left them a note to leave me four foot sections of the trunk. They left me a five foot stump and about eight or nine rounds ranging from 18" to 30" thick. The diameter is close to about 40".

I'm thinking about slicing these into thinner rounds and turning them into tables.

I've had some offers for them ranging from charging me $100 to haul them away to $40 each.

Any thoughts on what would be a reasonable price?

Any thoughts on what you would do with these?

381190

I would rather makes something out of this, I just can't think of anything other than tables.

[Jim Becker]

The issue with rounds/"cookies" is that they are nearly impossible to keep from splitting unless you band them with metal.

'Sad they didn't follow your wishes for longer sections that could have been slabbed, etc.

[Tom Bain]

I made a table top with a large white oak round. It will split and check on you pretty significantly. I used butterfly splines across the the larger cracks to keep it from ripping itself apart. It’s a somehwat rustic look, so that may or may not be what you are looking for. Flattening these things is also a fun task — router sled, lots of patience, and lots of sawdust :-)

381205

[James Baker SD]

I kept a 6" inch thick disk from a dead Monterrey pine, about 3' in diameter. I coated both sides with a very fluid epoxy intended to repair, or at least slow down, rot in wood structures, figuring it would dry slowly through the bark and hopefully split less. Been drying about 4 years now (health has limited my woodworking these last few years) and so far no splits, so I am hopeful.

[John K Jordan]

So we had the local electric utility cut down this sequoia that the power line runs through. I had to go to work and left them a note to leave me four foot sections of the trunk. They left me a five foot stump and about eight or nine rounds ranging from 18" to 30" thick.


When someone else is cutting a tree or log for me I've learned to mark where I want each cut. I use fluorescent marking paint and spray rings around the tree or at least on the upper side if the tree is on the ground. In your case it might have required a ladder...

I haven't had any but I understand redwood is good for woodturning. The sizes you have would be great for that, cut up into blocks.

JKJ

[Pat Barry]

I made a table top with a large white oak round. It will split and check on you pretty significantly. I used butterfly splines across the the larger cracks to keep it from ripping itself apart. It’s a somehwat rustic look, so that may or may not be what you are looking for. Flattening these things is also a fun task — router sled, lots of patience, and lots of sawdust :-)

381205

Nice table!

[Ole Anderson]

I saved a 6" thick round from a big cottonwood cut on my property. Surprisingly little cracking/checking after 3 years. Likely end up turning it into firewood.

[Greg Peterson]

Thank you gentlemen. The splitting was my biggest concern and short of steel banding and storing for how knows how long, it's probably something that is virtually impossible to avoid. Nature of the material.

Turning blocks is a good idea.

If there's anyone in the Columbia county area, come on over and I'll give you some of this.

[Joe Jensen]

If you read about how wood shrinks different radially versus tangentially you will see how it's nearly impossible to prevent disc cracks Steel bands as far as I know just hold it mechanically but do not change the forces in the wood once dry. I am fairly certain that once the strap is removed the slice would soon crack, maybe violently. The book "Understanding Wood" is in my opinion a must read for any serious woodworker. In the book you will find tables and you can accurately predict how much the slab will crack if you measure the before and after moisture content