Almost a wood gloat, aka(what to do with firewood length Walnut)

[Alan Schell]

Recently, a couple living in a house built in 1853, about 35 miles away offered up free wood. Turns out they were having a Walnut tree cut down that was very close to an outbuilding. This couple is the 5th generation to own the house. The women says, with authority, that the tree is 75 years old. LOML replied, and we showed up with our trailer in tow with great expectations. We discussed, at great length, with the tree trimmers "anything greater than 10 inches PLEASE leave at 8' length. They got started trimming the outer limbs and seemed to get what we were after. They told us they wouldn't get to the trunk until the following day. Having other fish to fry, LOML and I unhitched the trailer and took off. When we returned the next morning there it was, my trailer stacked with 8' length limbs, and the trunk, 30" across, cut to firewood length rolled over to the burn pile:eek:



So, now that i have hauled it all home (two 18ft trailer loads), i have a dilema. How do I best go about preserving it? I was going to take it to a local mill and have it cut in 8/4 & 4/4... Some of it will be used for turning(LOML really likes her lathe), but I still want to rough cut it to 8/4 & 4/4 for future projects. Would it be best to rip with a bow saw or would it be possible to use a froe? I have never seen a froe used with anything thicker than shingles. Would using wedges and split it be an option? I really don't want to hack at it with a chain saw, but that is an option, i guess.

Anyway, it is already checkering some, so i am guessing that this weekend will be my last window of opportunity.

I kinda invision stickering this stuff in the corner and have it available when i build up the courage to use it for future project, say a Sam Maloof style chair. I know that i have alot of learning curves to get their, but without putting up material now i know i will never be able to accomplish any of my goals.

[Jim Koepke]

Hopefully, someone who knows more about this will answer.

I think the checking can be lessened by sealing the ends of the logs.

The ends are drying, but the middle is not. I think debarking can also cause checking along the length.

It might be a good time to do a lot of Googleing.

jim

[Tom Wiarda]

I just finished building a rocking chair from a walnut tree cut in a neighbor's yard. I split out the pieces by hand with wedges and a froe and did most of the rest of the work with drawknife and spokeshave. I found the green walnut splits a little harder than oak but it works nicely with hand tools. It steam bent nicely. The chair is a design by Brian Boggs I found in an old issue of Fine Woodworking. The chair is finished and I am working on the hickory bark seat. I will post a picture when it is finished.

[Casey Gooding]

Keep an eye on this stuff. Wood from branches and limbs tends to not be as stable as from the trunk. If could end up too twisted and warped to be of any real use.
On the other hand, it may turn out fine.
Good luck with it!!!

[Dave Lehnert]

Keep an eye on this stuff. Wood from branches and limbs tends to not be as stable as from the trunk. If could end up too twisted and warped to be of any real use.
On the other hand, it may turn out fine.
Good luck with it!!!
What I was going to say. Wood from branches has always been considered not very usable. Only wood from the trunk.

[Wilbur Pan]

Don't know if you would be interested in this, or if you already have other plans, but you could cut 8/4 quartersawn blanks from your trunk sections, and set them aside for making wooden planes in the future. It sounds like you have the material to make a complete set of hollows and rounds, although some would argue whether walnut is the perfect wood for this application. Maple and beech are traditional choices, but a matching set of wooden planes made from walnut would look very nice.

[Graham Wilson]

When we returned the next morning there it was, my trailer stacked with 8' length limbs, and the trunk, 30" across, cut to firewood length rolled over to the burn pile

Fine Woodworking has some articles on harvesting and drying wood. They've collected a few of them and put together a collection (http://www.amazon.com/Wood-How-Dry-Fine-Woodworking/dp/091880454X) of older (but relevant) articles. The basics are contained here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?zqryymbdnzi
http://www.mediafire.com/?nomlej01zvf

If you have access to a large bandsaw, you can make yourself a support sled and process some of this wood yourself. Alternatively, look for a band mill in your area.

http://www.mediafire.com/?jcm32wmndxl

Keep in mind that limbs tend to be full of reaction wood and will bend, twist, warp in the most unnatural of ways when they dry. It is disappointing that they chopped up the trunk. For the moment, seal the ends of the logs using a few coats of latex paint to buy yourself some time. You should be able to make bowl/lathe blanks from the firewood sized trunk. Depending on the length of the pieces, you may also be able to get lumber for cabinet panels, boxes and other small projects. Again, this isn't too difficult if you have a large bandsaw and a re-sawing blade. Note that it can take 2-5 years for the larger blanks to air dry.

[Alan Schell]

Thanks for the input. I believe that i will give it a go with the froe. I haven't done anything with my froe since I got it from my Grandpa. He used it to display how to make shingles at Frontier Day's in Jeff, Illinois back in the 70's & early 80's. I also ended up with one of his cross cut saws. They always had a team competition. My Dad & Grandpa won on several occassions. It confounded alot of people how those two could win (Grandpa was nearly 70 at the time). Grandpa taught me a life lesson out of it. He spent 3 day's sharpening his saw, he would look at me with that are you listening look and say "preparation is everything", and then laugh a laugh like no one else.

i sure do miss Dad and Grandpa...

[Graham Wilson]

Ripping the logs by hand is an option but it is tough work. This was traditionally done using a pitsaw (http://www.timmerdraget.org/wc/wooden/pdf/pitsaw.pdf). I've only ever used a froe for splitting cedar shingles. I've quartered birch using a pair of splitting mauls. It was fun to do once, but I hire a bandmill now.

NB: There's plenty of info on cross-cut saws and sharpening them, here (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/fspubs/index.htm).

[Paul Johnstone]

If it were me, I'd paint the ends of the trunk sections and just use them for turning. Those pieces are probably too short to make it worthwhile to cut up and use for furniture, IMO, if they are firewood length.

[harry strasil]

from past experience, on large firewood pieces, Start with the froe then use several splitting wedges in the froe cut and just hit them in succession, paint the ends and stack and sticker them in a shaded area out of the way in an outbuilding or your garage. Sprinkle some Seven bug stuff on the floor before stacking.

[Alan Schell]

I tried what you said Harry and that worked out pretty well, but it raises another question. How sharp should i keep my froe?

[harry strasil]

A froe is not an edge tool, its a splitting tool, it should have a chisel edge similar to a metal cold chisel .

[Alan Schell]

I was able to get a few boards to a nominal 4/4. I stickered them in the shop after waxing the ends. The humidity stays around 30. Within a week the boards had dried alot and split. Do you think that they dried too fast? I do have an open bay building that i could put it in. Would it be better to keep in there?

[Jim Nardi]

I'd make some turning blanks and completely cover with wax. Limb stock would make great lumber for cutting boards.