walnut root table

wood-junkie

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[attachment=1014][attachment=1015][attachment=1016]Walnut root the loggers left behind. I dug it up with a back hoe, the rear support came from roots cut off, and the top came from another stump that I slabbed. Probably 100 hrs +

walnut root craft 1.jpg

walnut root table 1.jpg

walnut root 6.jpg
 

Kevin

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That's really gorgeous. Thanks for showing us. :good:



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Daniel

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Beautiful wood and beautiful work!!!

I have a couple questions about harvesting walnut root:

1) How much stump above ground should there be? If the stump was partially (and extremely poorly) ground down to near dirt level, is it still worth collecting?

2) How far down the roots should be cut? I was considering digging out the roots about a foot away from the stump, cutting those, and then beginning the extraction. Is this reasonable?

3) How massive are the tap roots and what should I expect when I start the intense part of the extraction?

Regardless of my noobish questions... that piece is gorgeous!
 

phinds

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Really terrific project. Thanks for sharing
 

wood-junkie

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Daniel said:
Beautiful wood and beautiful work!!!

I have a couple questions about harvesting walnut root:

1) How much stump above ground should there be? If the stump was partially (and extremely poorly) ground down to near dirt level, is it still worth collecting?

2) How far down the roots should be cut? I was considering digging out the roots about a foot away from the stump, cutting those, and then beginning the extraction. Is this reasonable?

3) How massive are the tap roots and what should I expect when I start the intense part of the extraction?

Regardless of my noobish questions... that piece is gorgeous!
Man I wish I could give yes or no answers. This particular stump about 2 ft above ground and I think the tree must have been standing dead for a long time, 10 + years. When I dug it up, I dug out 10 ft. each side, nothing, there really wasn't much more than what you see, unusual. This stump was in bad shape. I had to use a lot of wood dye and feather the coloring. Would I do it again, probably because I have not got the memo that you are suppose to make money on this stuff. If you have a really short stump (not being personal) at ground level and if it is at least 3 ft. across you still have potential for slabbing, and the prospect for incredible grain. Each root coming into the stump has its own personality, grain statement, I refer to it as Steven King grain, crazy and very difficult, but the reward can be off the chart. You still could get a table base. A small track hoe, rent at Home Depot really fun. You are going to have a really big hole, 4 ft deep, 10-15 ft wide to make sure you get all the roots. That is the right way to do it, but you might only be able to do the best you can do, and that's my goal everyday. The pic is a root i cut off an carved into "Big Foot" for my grandson.

walnut root complow.jpg
 

Kenbo

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Wow, that is some beautiful stuff. Great work.
 

Daniel

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wood-junkie said:
Daniel said:
Beautiful wood and beautiful work!!!

I have a couple questions about harvesting walnut root:

1) How much stump above ground should there be? If the stump was partially (and extremely poorly) ground down to near dirt level, is it still worth collecting?

2) How far down the roots should be cut? I was considering digging out the roots about a foot away from the stump, cutting those, and then beginning the extraction. Is this reasonable?

3) How massive are the tap roots and what should I expect when I start the intense part of the extraction?

Regardless of my noobish questions... that piece is gorgeous!
Man I wish I could give yes or no answers. This particular stump about 2 ft above ground and I think the tree must have been standing dead for a long time, 10 + years. When I dug it up, I dug out 10 ft. each side, nothing, there really wasn't much more than what you see, unusual. This stump was in bad shape. I had to use a lot of wood dye and feather the coloring. Would I do it again, probably because I have not got the memo that you are suppose to make money on this stuff. If you have a really short stump (not being personal) at ground level and if it is at least 3 ft. across you still have potential for slabbing, and the prospect for incredible grain. Each root coming into the stump has its own personality, grain statement, I refer to it as Steven King grain, crazy and very difficult, but the reward can be off the chart. You still could get a table base. A small track hoe, rent at Home Depot really fun. You are going to have a really big hole, 4 ft deep, 10-15 ft wide to make sure you get all the roots. That is the right way to do it, but you might only be able to do the best you can do, and that's my goal everyday. The pic is a root i cut off an carved into "Big Foot" for my grandson.

Thanks so much for the explanation and advice... I really appreciate it. The stump I am ogling is freshly cut quite near the ground, and has been very poorly partially ground. The tree had a diameter at the butt of about 25 inches, and was quite healthy at the time it was cut. It's not on my land, it's on my silly neighbor's land (he's the one who insisted on both cutting the tree and then let me have the logs, making him doubly silly).... so I might have some issues around getting permission to dig a 10 foot diameter, 5 foot deep crater on my neighbor's lawn... maybe I will just do it over a weekend when he's gone. LOL!!! But it cannot hurt to ask, I suppose.

Thanks again for the explanation, and once again, beautiful work!
 

wood-junkie

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txpaulie said:
Wow!

Beautiful table!

I believe that it took every bit of 100 hours to pretty that up...:wacko1:

Worth it, IMHO.:good2:

p
You are saying I am in denial? OH man!
 

txpaulie

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wood-junkie said:
txpaulie said:
Wow!

Beautiful table!

I believe that it took every bit of 100 hours to pretty that up...:wacko1:

Worth it, IMHO.:good2:

p
You are saying I am in denial? OH man!

LOL, Nope...:stop::timeout:

I'm saying yer one of us!

You spent 100+ hours of yer life washing, grinding, sanding, staining, etc on a chunk o' wood you dug up outta the ground!:clapping:

I love you, man.:yes:

p
 

Kevin

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wood-junkie said:
Man I wish I could give yes or no answers. This particular stump about 2 ft above ground and I think the tree must have been standing dead for a long time, 10 + years. When I dug it up, I dug out 10 ft. each side, nothing, there really wasn't much more than what you see, unusual. This stump was in bad shape. I had to use a lot of wood dye and feather the coloring. Would I do it again, probably because I have not got the memo that you are suppose to make money on this stuff. If you have a really short stump (not being personal) at ground level and if it is at least 3 ft. across you still have potential for slabbing, and the prospect for incredible grain. Each root coming into the stump has its own personality, grain statement, I refer to it as Steven King grain, crazy and very difficult, but the reward can be off the chart. You still could get a table base. A small track hoe, rent at Home Depot really fun. You are going to have a really big hole, 4 ft deep, 10-15 ft wide to make sure you get all the roots. That is the right way to do it, but you might only be able to do the best you can do, and that's my goal everyday. The pic is a root i cut off an carved into "Big Foot" for my grandson.

I just read this reply. I love comic relief in what's otherwise expected to be a straight forward technical reply; I especially like it when it's subtle, dry and witty. Funny stuff and great info to boot. You da man.


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woodtickgreg

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What you did with the roots for the legs is very very nice, I love it. But the top is what really grabs me, I love walnut and natural slab table tops and this has both, wow, I truely love it.
 
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