Three major wood gloats!!!

[Nathan Hawkes]

So, I'm fully in the vortex now, and apparently I've done enough good in the world to get some very good luck in the past month. My next door neighbor cut down a couple cherry trees that had been struck by lightning, but miraculously weren't damaged inside; the lightning traveled down the outside of the trunks, and didn't split the inside at all. A third tree, a 28" red oak, did not get away so easily. It was pretty splintered and split inside, but will make excellent firewood this winter. Anyway, here's what was too crooked to mill into lumber for fla*work. The pic is deceptive; there's a lot more wood there than it looks. Also, one of my microbiology classmates had to have a dying oak taken out; the giant pile of wood--close to a 2/3cord VOLUME wise--not split--probably 1 1/2 cords if split, anyway, lots of old tight grained white oak. I counted 125 rings before they got too close to count in the sapwood. The upper part of the tree had died, and the center was soft in some places, but there's a lot of good wood for bowls there. It's all sealed for now, and I'll slowly cut it all into blanks. Third, and greatest, I found on craigslist of all places. A lady in the next county had a giant maple fall on her shed, and the tree service left the largest pieces for the neighbor as firewood, who didn't want it. Well, it all ended up being curly!!!!!! There's some rot in a few pieces, but mostly its very solid, beautiful wood!!! I think the woman was surprised when I wanted it ALL!! The wood under the maple is a bunch of big poplar 8" wide cants that will be siding for my drying shed that I have no time to work on. I have a growing lumber pile....another story. Well, all in all, I made two trips in the Tacoma with a completely full (overloaded) bed for the maple, and three for the oak. I've got enough wood to last me a year or more!! Oak is pretty common around here, but 125+ year old, tight grained white oak is NOT common. I would've gotten another trip, but the sprocket tip of the chainsaw bar disintegrated when I was on the last load, and I only had one bar with me. The next door neighbor had already been there with a logsplitter between my trips, and I called it enough at that point. The rest of the pieces were all cut at 15" long or shorter, anyway.

Everything is at the least sealed on the endgrain, and all the crotch and figured pieces are completely sealed. I've sawed up a lot into blanks since I took the pics this afternoon, but it'll take me weeks to get it all processed!! :cool::cool::cool::D:D:D



http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=86904&stc=1&d=1208762728


http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=86905&stc=1&d=1208762745

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http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=86907&stc=1&d=1208762773

[Scott Hubl]

Nice haul there Nathan.

Congrats.

[Terry Quiram]

Holy cow thats a lot of work. The Maple is going to make some very nice bowls. Nice find.

[Bruce Pennell]

Nice haul, makes my mouth water...we only have cactus out here in Arizona! But I was surprised yesterday when turning a small mallet handle I found wormy mesquite in a pile of trimmings out back. Made a pretty handle, wish we had oak, walnut, ect.... out here it get costly. Have lots of fun and good turning. Bruce:D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Nice haul!

Let us know if that lightning struck wood seems extremely hard. I once tried to cut down a tall stump for my FIL. I have a good chain saw and 30 years ago when heating with wood, I could sharpen a chain fast and easily. My chain saw would not cut that lightning struck wood regardless of how often I stopped and sharpened that chain. Of course, it might have just been the type of wood too but wow...it cut hard. I believe it was sycamore.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Congrats on all your new wood! Lots of beautiful stuff there! Looking forward to seeing what you turn out of it!

[Nathan Hawkes]

Nice haul!

Let us know if that lightning struck wood seems extremely hard. I once tried to cut down a tall stump for my FIL. I have a good chain saw and 30 years ago when heating with wood, I could sharpen a chain fast and easily. My chain saw would not cut that lightning struck wood regardless of how often I stopped and sharpened that chain. Of course, it might have just been the type of wood too but wow...it cut hard. I believe it was sycamore.

Thanks for the kind words, fellas. I was so incredibly pleased to come across this wood! I'll be turning this for quite a while!!!!! I've already turned a couple pieces. It seems just fine hardness wise. I was quite surprised, actually, that it didn't have any major cracks going up the center. I removed about an inch and a half of pith by cutting just to the side of the center of each log. Near the lightning scar, there was a split that went almost to the pith, but it didn't "spider web" out at all. Apparently, the spot they were growing in--2 cherries and a big oak, is very unlucky---they were hit a month or two apart by different storms!! I think the oak was hit by the brunt of the bolt both times, and a little side-feeder hit the two black cherries. Lucky for me!!! I have a great saw as well; huge, actually. Husqvarna 394XP. I bought a chinese knockoff grinder a year ago from Northern that copies an Oregon model, and love it. I have milled with it, and hated sharpening 32 & 42" bars, so I bought the grinder! I can still sharpen a chain fast on the fly in the field, but sharpening 135 links of chain got old fast!!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Congrats Nathan. That should keep you off the streets for a day or two.