Wood Huntin'

[John Hart]

Been planning all week to spend today huntin' for wood. Started my day by sharpening and tuning up the chainsaw, then ran out to the walnut sawmill to see if there was anything that I could scrounge. They had just set fire to their scrap pile.:eek: But it hadn't turned into a blaze yet, so I ran over there and rescued a few pieces and filled the truck.
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Here's one of the pieces. It's kind of a burly piece with figure in the sapwood. This piece weighs over 100 pounds. Why does wood have to weigh so much?:rolleyes:
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Also got another one of those giant 8/4 slabs of walnut. The pic turned out too fuzzy so I won't torture you with it.;)

Then the amish fellow that I bought this house from (Raymond) came over while I was unloading the walnut and told me he had a bunch of cherry and apple trees that he just cut down, that I could have if I wanted them. I thought for a moment, then raced out to his new house, hit a bad ice patch and WHAM! slammed the truck into a ditch right in front of Raymonds driveway. Took me over an hour and some of Raymond's neighbors to get the truck out. Sheesh.
Anyway, once I got there, I unpacked the sled and chainsaw and hoofed it out to the woods where the victims lay.
Here's a shot of his house from where I got started.
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Here's some Potential Itty-Bitty Turning Blanks
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I didn't get any this trip though.

<continued>

[John Hart]

Here's a couple of the cherry logs waiting for the kill.
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And here's a shot of a piece of Apple. Man! There's some great color in this wood...and it seems to have the beginnings of spalting too.
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Here's how I hauled it out of the woods. Took about 15 trips
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This is a truckload of cherry
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And this is a truckload of Apple
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[John Hart]

And I'll end this excursion with a few pics of Raymonds new house. He's kinda in the same boat as me.....House half done....waiting for winter to be over.
It's a beautiful house. He built it in the evenings and on weekends with a little help from his family. Sits on 80 acres of woods and fields
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Here's a picture of his woodshop. It's pretty big. My guess is 2500 sq ft.
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And, of course, a three-buggy garage
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Oh....and here's some of the turning blanks I've gotten done so far. About 50 here....and about 300 to go.:eek:

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All in all....a pretty good day. I'm sore.:o :)

[Gary Herrmann]

Quote: "Why does wood have to weigh so much?:rolleyes: "

Will someone drive over to John's house and smack him upside the head? Please?

A truckload of walnut. A truckload of cherry. A truckload of apple?!?


Clearly, I'm gonna have to go out looking for more pear.

Sheesh. :rolleyes:

[John Miliunas]

I"ll bet you're sore! BUT, what a magnificent haul, my friend! :D Good for you. Can't wait to see finished pieces coming out of that wood! :) :cool:

[Pete Jordan]

Don't you have enough wood? You better set up a shop on ebay or somewhere.

Great Gloat! I'm sure you will put that wood to good use.

[Andy Hoyt]

You just flat out make us mere mortals feel crummy.Thanks a pant load.

And what's with the wires leading to the new house? Thought that was a no no.

[John Hart]

And what's with the wires leading to the new house? Thought that was a no no.

Those aren't wires. That's a high rise clothes line. It's mounted on pulleys and they string out about 5000 items from the house to the barn. I guess you get better drying from the jet stream.:D

[Ron Journeau]

You need a bigger sled,John..maybe one that needs a one horsepower powerplant:D

[Dario Octaviano]

What a load! :eek::eek::eek:

Congrats!

[Earl Reid]

Nice bunch of wood John, I like the cherry:)

Earl

[Bernie Weishapl]

John if you had a couple of draft horses with a nice sized sled just think of the wood you could haul and it wouldn't take 15 trips.:eek: :eek: :D :D :p

That is a nice haul of wood John. I just wish I had even 1/4 of the woods you have. I am green with envy buddy. Apple looks really good as does the cherry. Ya gotta be sore after that bunch of wood.

[Bill Boehme]

I thought for a moment, then raced out to his new house, hit a bad ice patch and WHAM! slammed the truck into a ditch right in front of Raymonds driveway.
Well, I am certainly glad to hear that you didn't get in some kind of a big hurry getting over to Raymonds house -- you could have hurt yourself if you had gotten reckless or something.:)

I hear that they are starting a new chapter of Woodturners Anonymous in your area. Maybe you could check them out.

Bill

[Stephen Hibbs]

I have to admit, I don't have too much sympathy for your soreness. I wish I had enough wood to get tired from cutting it all up. That is an amazing haul, and I'm sure you'll be making some great stuff, though if I was you, I'd forget the gathering and get to the latheing. Remember, the wood's not going anywhere, so there's not much hurry.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Congrats on the wood haul John! I'm sure you'll turn some beauties from it!

[Jonathon Spafford]

Nice haul... looks like some cool wood! But if you were using the horses you wouldn't have had to worry about ditching the truck!!! ;)

Oh... make sure we see some turnings here soon! :p

[Johnathan Bussom]

Great find on the wood John, you be one fortunate person to get two hits in one day!

A walnut sawmill???? I went to a small local sawmill here a couple weeks ago to get some 8/4 red oak and the GENTLEMAN sold me a 8/4 8" x 12 for $15 and I was shocked when I got home and cut it, it was walnut! No I didn't take it back but I took a knife with me the next day to make sure he didn't make the same mistake again and paid the price........ this old and still don't know when to keep my mouth shut!

We have alot of Amish around here also but none that I personally know, your friend Raymond must be a real great guy sharing his wood with you, I hope you are able to keep that friendship going!

John in Pa.

[Curt Fuller]

John, living where you live would be like a dream. If those folks are that generous with the wood I can't wait to hear the stories when their gardens all start producing.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Great Haul John! Sorry to hear about the truck I hope it didn't damage it too bad. thank goodness you're OK. I have this sneaking suspicion that there are going to be some new converts to turning in northeastern Ohio, and you'll probably end up at a few Lathe raising's as well as barn raising's.
By the way, I don't know about you needing a larger lathe but you sure need more lathes.:D :)

[Raymond Overman]

Wow, I need to go talk to this Raymond fellow! :eek:

That apple sure does look appetizing. It looks like you're going to be busy for a while with all those blanks. If you need some help, let me know.

[Chris Barton]

John,

Did you get a wood hunting license prior to this adventure? I think walnut may be out of season right now...

[John Hart]

Did you get a wood hunting license prior to this adventure? I think walnut may be out of season right now...
That's all right....deep down, I'm a pirate and a poacher.:D


Thanks all....Well, it was pretty rough getting up this morning. Had some aches that told me to stay in bed all day. But, "seize the day", as they say!!;)

Most of this wood will go into the grab boxes that I'll be selling, but I'll be reserving a few for m'self as well. I'm dying to try out the apple. Never turned it before but the colors and the figure are calling me.


.......Sorry to hear about the truck I hope it didn't damage it too bad. thank goodness you're OK. I have this sneaking suspicion that there are going to be some new converts to turning in northeastern Ohio, and you'll probably end up at a few Lathe raising's as well as barn raising's.....

The truck's ok and I'm fine...thanks. It was just one of those slow moving accidents. No harm done. As far as Turning Converts Chris....I already have a few!! It is so cool. I gave some bowls away as gifts over the past few months, and it's caused a bit of a stir. An amish fellow and his son came over this past Tuesday because they wanted to watch me turn a bowl. I mounted up a chunk of walnut.....roughed it round and demonstrated a few cuts....then I handed the tool to the father. They switched on and off, working on this piece until they had a bowl they could take home. Took about two hours and I would jump in there for a minute or two to show technique. It was a pretty little 6" bowl with a little figure. They were so hooked that now he's going to go find a lathe for his shop and hook it up to the line shaft.;) The vortex reaches far.:D

[Christopher K. Hartley]

John, that is so neat! I'm going to be in Ravenna in the spring, would you mind a visit?:)

[John Hart]

John, that is so neat! I'm going to be in Ravenna in the spring, would you mind a visit?:)

Not at all Chris! I'd be pleased by a visit from you. Right now would be a bad time because we don't really have the house in order, but I figure we'll be in pretty good shape in the spring:) ......that is, if all the planets align.:rolleyes:

[John Hart]

...I hear that they are starting a new chapter of Woodturners Anonymous in your area. Maybe you could check them out.

Bill

Already have Bill! It's a secret society of wood hoarders. Great bunch!!:D

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Not at all Chris! I'd be pleased by a visit from you. Right now would be a bad time because we don't really have the house in order, but I figure we'll be in pretty good shape in the spring:) ......that is, if all the planets align.:rolleyes:Thanks John, I'll let you know closer to the time, it probably won't be until about the first part of April. Just promise me that if it isn't a good time that you'll feel free to say so. I know how that can be.:)

[John Hart]

John, living where you live would be like a dream. If those folks are that generous with the wood I can't wait to hear the stories when their gardens all start producing.

Right now is Hog butchering season. Last night, the neighbors brought over a mountain of boneless pork chops and sausage. Yes...they are generous. Incredibly so.:)

[George Conklin]

Living in the desert has it's advantages. Don't ask me what they are, but I don't think finding wood hauls like yours, John, is one of them.

Color me wet wood green with envy:D

[Bob Noles]

You sure knew what you were doing when you bought that place John. Sounds like a dream come true in more ways than one.

WOW!

[Jim Becker]

Jeepers, John...I can hear it all the way here in eastern PA...

Amish folks: "Hey, that new guy will get rid of all this nasty wood for us. He's easy!"

(Congrats!)

[Brett Baldwin]

I feel your pain George. I scavenged some pine from a neighbor's tree removal but my own grapefruit tree that died split while it was still standing. I managed to get a few pieces out of it but nothing special. Still, free stuff to practice with is never a bad thing.

Since there ain't no such thing as free, I guess the stiff and sore muscles are the price for that haul. And the gallons of sealer.;) Nice haul and even nicer neighbor.

[John Hart]

Oh... make sure we see some turnings here soon! :p

Okie Dokie!!!
I read your post this morning Jonathan, and figured, "hey, why not?". So I went out this morning and grabbed a piece of apple and mounted her up. Ends up that this wood has been down for quite a while. It cut really nice with great curlies, but it wasn't what I would consider green green. I don't even think it's going to move or crack. Pretty cool. Anyway...here it is. 8" diameter, finished with oil and Behlens. Probably wouldn't hurt to lacquer it before I put ice cream in it.:)
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[Jonathon Spafford]

Oh... that is a beautiful bowl. Love the wood! Apple can have some beautiful figure!

[Tom Sherman]

Awsome haul John, couldnt help but notice that poor ole Ken must be preocupied with his knobs, didn't make any comments about horsies.

[Johnathan Bussom]

Absolutely beautiful John, someday I hope to attempt something like that but it will need to wait till summer when I can get on the bigger lathe!

The other Johnathan

[mike fuson]

You really have to figure out if this wood will last you the rest of your life because by the time you get all that turned you might be to old to pull the sled

[George Conklin]

Outstanding!!! That apple sure is pretty.

[Bob Hallowell]

John,
I think it's bout time we met face to face. I only live 2.5 hrs away. Btw if we meet do you think I can have some walnut;) :D


Bob

[Glenn Hodges]

John, I sure enjoy reading and seeing your pictures about your wood hauls.

[Keith Burns]

John, you are killing us here...........................:eek:

Great bowl !!!!!:) :)

[John Hart]

Thanks everyone!!! Don't mean to torture you guys:D

But I think I got it all together so I can share this wood. So, if you want to head over to the SMC manufacturing forums, I got the scoop laid out. The thread is http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=51655