What free wood did you find today?

JD1137

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Well I shouldn't do it. I should just stay away from the log yard. I managed to abstain from going there this Spring/Summer while I was working on my roof/house. But I did it anyway. Big pile of Walnut. Nothing huge, maybe 16" dia. at the base. If I had a sawmill, of course I'd saw it up. Just not a primo log for a mill. Lot of sapwood too. But as I said, I did it. I brought a load of potential firewood (that's what the rest will end up as) home to cut into blanks. Cut into 32" lengths. Heavy and hard to lift into my truck. Man it was wet. Cursing my putting new shocks on. It sets 6" higher than before. So now I have another pile of project wood setting on my driveway.
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As anyone ever turned Walnut sapwood? Of course I mean attached to heartwood. I think a half and half peppermill would look neat.
I’ve noticed if I leave Walnut stock sitting around after I’ve processed it into say 4x4”x12” length blanks, the sapwood drys/shrinks/cracks pretty quick while the heartwood stays solid. Difference in density and stress of the sapwood as far as I know. Leave in whole logs until you are ready to work (if possible).
 

djg

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I’ve noticed if I leave Walnut stock sitting around after I’ve processed it into say 4x4”x12” length blanks, the sapwood drys/shrinks/cracks pretty quick while the heartwood stays solid. Difference in density and stress of the sapwood as far as I know. Leave in whole logs until you are ready to work (if possible).
Did you seal the ends of the blank? Maybe that's a redundant question to ask a turner. I'd like to cut this batch up this month. I have literally a pickup load or more of logs setting around too long and massive cracks have developed. Firewood now.
 

JD1137

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Did you seal the ends of the blank? Maybe that's a redundant question to ask a turner. I'd like to cut this batch up this month. I have literally a pickup load or more of logs setting around too long and massive cracks have developed. Firewood now.
Yes, I always seal up the ends of logs I leave laying around and any bowl blanks or spindle stock I process. I’m not saying the sapwood “always cracks”, but it’s kinda common depending on the stresses - which you don’t really understand because all trees react a little differently from one another.
As you cut the logs there’s a chance the cracks you see only penetrate a few inches (or more sometimes) It’s common to have to waste 2-6” off the end of a log laying around
 

Mike Hill

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There are just some things you can't "get over" even though you move on and try. Did not find this wood today, but did "find" the photo again today! Two years ago it was taken. The purdy wood was just too big, it would not fit on the plane!!!! I've cried a few tears!!! Look at the price!! Should have bought it and stored it at parents place!!! It was in the shop at my alma mater. I did, however, score a couple pieces that were associated with my favorite prof. A piece of ebony from when he made the mace used at graduation, and a piece of walnut leftover from his large bas relief sculpture of the history of the school. It is a big piece 7 panels 3'x8' and 3 or 4 inches thick.

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His wife helped him carve it. Here is a pic he took while she was carving. They had a deadline for a dedication - and it was tight.

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Mr. Peet

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Well, took down a Carpathian walnut in August that died back in the spring. Cut the big stems in 4' lengths and offered as free. Then I got thinking, the tree is in the flats of the valley with deep rich soils and minimal rocks. So I trenched around it, hooked on my little 8K pound HD 150 and toed a line. Found a broken Old Spice bottle and a gerber jar. Almost no rocks. Been over two months, nobody wanted the wood so it will heat the house. Sad

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Got my brother to use his forks to load it in the truck, I just could not roll it up the ramps. Wife laughed and said "Gitten old sucks". So now it sits at the house in the lawn by the firewood. She wants to drill it and blast it. I'd like it to become something wonderful....
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2feathers Creative Making

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Why not chainsaw @Tony a bunch of rolling pin blanks and maybe a few others some bowl blanks out of the crotch areas. That should look like a sweet treat right there. Should be pretty no matter which way you cut it. Simple 3 inch slices should yield some pretty stuff. I am way to far away from you to grab it but I have sawn up a couple other stumps for fun and they were rather decent.
 

Tony

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Why not chainsaw @Tony a bunch of rolling pin blanks and maybe a few others some bowl blanks out of the crotch areas. That should look like a sweet treat right there. Should be pretty no matter which way you cut it. Simple 3 inch slices should yield some pretty stuff. I am way to far away from you to grab it but I have sawn up a couple other stumps for fun and they were rather decdecent.
I'm not close but I agree that it would make some pretty nice stopper, peppermill etc. blanks at 3 or 4 inch blanks.
 

2feathers Creative Making

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I'm not close but I agree that it would make some pretty nice stopper, peppermill etc. blanks at 3 or 4 inch blanks.
I know neither of us are close. That part of my comment was relative to picking it up whole. The crotch figure rolling pins ,I seem to recall were kinda your thing. The whole crowd likes crotch figure walnut, but you have to catch it in the round to suggest 3 inch slices. Most folks slice it down to 2 inch maximum.
Then everyone does a peppermill challenge and needs 3 inch blanks....
 

JD1137

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Cool looking piece of wood I would definitely tackle. Would probably try and take a 6x6 or 8x8 straight down the center of the whole mess. Would make for an awesome hollowform or vase with crotch figure all over the place….
(maybe :ponder:)
 

barry richardson

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bhatleberg

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Came home today to find a present in the yard. Waiting to get a phone call to tell me who to thank and what kind of tree - my guess is landscape ornamental of some sort.

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Nubsnstubs

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I actually found this about 2 years ago while up in Walnut Grove, where I go for Thanksgiving week every year. I left it with Mary and have now decided to post two pictures of something that some might consider as obscene or pornographic. It's an actual piece of a tree I found and have done nothing to it other than removing it from where it died at least 30 years before. Anyway, here are the pictures. If any mod wants to censor this, please do, but what you're looking at is Nature at it's finest. IMG_5068.jpeg
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Jerry (in Tucson)
 
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