• New Woodbarter Hats Are Available!!! Scroll down on the main page to the Member Activities & Site Support, Then click on Wood Barter SCHWAG and go to the topics on hats by Woodtickgreg to order your hat. There's only a limited quanity, so don't wait to get yours.

What free wood did you find today?

The trunk and big crotch are still at my friend's. We dont have the muscle to move it yet, but I will seal the ends today.

The limbs are 5-6" across. Where would I split them? I read to leave the crotches as a "y," for the cool grain, but how much "y" do you typically leave? I added a picture with my guesstimates, but I have no clue what I am doing.

20260503_054508.webp
 
sugarlady1980 said:
The trunk and big crotch are still at my friend's. We dont have the muscle to move it yet, but I will seal the ends today.

The limbs are 5-6" across. Where would I split them? I read to leave the crotches as a "y," for the cool grain, but how much "y" do you typically leave? I added a picture with my guesstimates, but I have no clue what I am doing.

View attachment 288212
Click to expand...
Limbs will warp and crack more while drying but it should work. I like to leave about half a centimeter times the width of the log in centimeters on each side of the crotch to account for cracking. In imperial that would be half and inch for every inch of thickness. Keep the long straight pieces long and straight. Anything curved is nearly useless to anyone who doesn't turn or carve. If you check for local greenwood carvers you will likely find someone willing to take the weird branches off of you. Especially if you can saw them into blanks. (Spoons here)
 
daniscool said:
Limbs will warp and crack more while drying but it should work. I like to leave about half a centimeter times the width of the log in centimeters on each side of the crotch to account for cracking. In imperial that would be half and inch for every inch of thickness. Keep the long straight pieces long and straight. Anything curved is nearly useless to anyone who doesn't turn or carve. If you check for local greenwood carvers you will likely find someone willing to take the weird branches off of you. Especially if you can saw them into blanks. (Spoons here)
Click to expand...
Does it matter which way the curve is configured for spoon blanks or turning blanks? I reckon I should look for resources on milling yard trees.
 
Should be a few references on this site about chainsaw milling and bandsaw milling. Yard trees are generally more crooked. I have a saw yard full of yard trees. You have more short pieces due to crooked logs if you are using a bandmill. The chainsaw mill (CSM) is easier to mill crooked stuff if you want to use the crooked live edge stuff for odd furniture like I do. I have 3 of my 18 logs scheduled to CSM. The bandmill is much faster and cleaner and easier so I predominantly use the bandmill.
Short pieces on the bandmill can present a challenge all their own. That has been the source of multiple conversations here and on forestry.com and on woodweb.com
 
This is great info, thank you all. They left the stump on the tall side, so she was fixing to have it ground down at some point. I wonder if we could dig down a little bit and use a chainsaw? She is semi-interested in woodworking. Maybe I can talk her into getting a lathe for this awesome wood.

20260503_074938.webp
 
Old chain, dig and if possible, spray off with water hose. Then cut in at about 5 degree downward angle toward the center and repeat the cut around the stump so you never cut out the far side. The goal is to have the cuts cross each other inside the stump. That's why the angle. It's also easier to cut close to the ground without dragging the saw in the dirt. A shallow angle often allows you to just pivot around the tree without removing the saw from the cut.
 
sugarlady1980 said:
Does it matter which way the curve is configured for spoon blanks or turning blanks? I reckon I should look for resources on milling yard trees.
Click to expand...
For spoons yes because the grain really matters. For turning, (unless they use a pole lathe) it doesn’t matter. For spoons you want there to be a curve in plane of where the bowl will be. No curve outside of this plane if possible. Also try to avoid knots.
 
For the strongest spoons, spatulas, scoops, etc, crooks and crotches are a good thing, especially on bent ones - meaning the handle and the working end are not on the same plane. The grain is not cut at strategic points - it runs along the bend. And if you're lucky, there could be some figure that you may be able to incorporate into the utensil.
 
Mike Hill said:
For the strongest spoons, spatulas, scoops, etc, crooks and crotches are a good thing, especially on bent ones - meaning the handle and the working end are not on the same plane. The grain is not cut at strategic points - it runs along the bend. And if you're lucky, there could be some figure that you may be able to incorporate into the utensil.
Click to expand...
Yes! It should follow the crank!
 
A long time neighbor passed away last year. He planted a couple of oak trees about 40 years ago and one of them was too close to the house so his widow had it taken down. She felt bad about having to cut Joe's tree so I told her that I would make a few pens for her and the family. I went this morning to get ahead of the firewood guy who will take the remainder. The tree service stacked it nicely so I just found a likely round on top of the pile and milled it on sight. Hopefully I can get some blanks dry for Christmas. IMG_20260528_083428284.jpg IMG_20260528_084016936.jpg
 
Last edited:
sprucegum said:
A long time neighbor passed away last year. He planted a couple of oak trees about 40 years ago and one of them was too close to the house so his widow had it taken down. She felt bad about having to cut Joe's tree so I told her that I would make a few pens for her and the family. I went this morning to get ahead of the firewood guy who will take the remainder. The tree service stacked it nicely so I just found a likely round on top of the pile and milled it on sight. Hopefully I can get some blanks dry for Christmas.View attachment 289110View attachment 289111
Click to expand...
Microwave on pen blanks...?
 
GECKO said:
Well my score yesterday was a couple of some type of plum tree. Very pretty. It is all cut up into boards and stickered. I will set them out in the yard in the sun to dry them out every day while I work. View attachment 289115View attachment 289116View attachment 289117View attachment 289118View attachment 289119View attachment 289120View attachment 289121View attachment 289122
Click to expand...
Congrats! Make sure you seal the ends! I would not put them in the sun. Fruit tree wood is prone to splitting, and intense heat from the sun expedites the drying out process, and thus splitting. Chuck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top