What We're Making

[pjigar]

There's enough roof area to mount enough solar panels to run that small window AC.

Sorry, but I have been obsessed with solar panels. No matter where I go, I look for places to mount them.

I hear you but I am already over budget on weight of the house! And besides I would not like to drill holes on a standing seam roof (in progress).

PS: Did you know metal r panels are lighter than wood siding? I am obsessed with building material weights.

 

[Tetto]

Nemo, Did she use a stencil for the tree? I use to stencil every bread I baked and then forgot about it.

Exit2024, Tell your wife those are beautiful.
Tetto, Are there any inclusions in your river?

By inclusions do you mean particulate in suspension or air bubbles/voids? I had a few voids, I do use the propane torch to eliminate the bubbles as they pop up. It seems to happen regardless. Still learning the peculiarities of the epoxy.

 

[pacergal]

So much talent from members here. I love seeing all of the pictures!

 

[splitwdw]

By inclusions do you mean particulate in suspension or air bubbles/voids? I had a few voids, I do use the propane torch to eliminate the bubbles as they pop up. It seems to happen regardless. Still learning the peculiarities of the epoxy.

Tetto, Particulates. One of my classmates put a "river" of epoxy through his live edge coffee table and he placed glass shards in the epoxy river. I work on a much smaller scale of epoxy pieces, jewelry, ornaments, bookmarks. I have taken a couple of classes on epoxy work and have quite a few books. If you are really interested Smooth-On has classes. I buy some supplies from them.

https://www.smooth-on.com/

 

[Moemg]

Love all the amazing cookies ,bread and other crafts .

 

[Tetto]

Tetto, Particulates. One of my classmates put a "river" of epoxy through his live edge coffee table and he placed glass shards in the epoxy river. I work on a much smaller scale of epoxy pieces, jewelry, ornaments, bookmarks. I have taken a couple of classes on epoxy work and have quite a few books. If you are really interested Smooth-On has classes. I buy some supplies from them.

https://www.smooth-on.com/

Thanks for the link. So far I’ve only been using a mica based colorant in my epoxy pours. It only takes a little bit to make a big color effect. The only suspended bits in my pieces are the mica bits giving a glittery effect as seen in this photo. I’d love to see some of the things you make, I do enjoy jewelry.

 

[Jerry1]

Tetto,
After you feel comfortable with your epoxy skills, try a live edge. Your river will look a lot better with a live edge versus being cut out. For example: (not my work)

 

[Tetto]

Tetto,
After you feel comfortable with your epoxy skills, try a live edge. Your river will look a lot better with a live edge versus being cut out. For example: (not my work)

Oh yeah, that’s beautiful! I’ll get to that point, but it’s VERY expensive for acquisition of wood (I like walnut) and the epoxy ain’t cheap either. I need to really hone the skills before I can make something fit to sell for top dollar.

 

[pdxgal]

Very cool! Is it on a trailer base (kinda looks like it)? Love that metallic siding.

 

[Ronstar]

Had a photo of DW and I taken in the oval office replica at the George W. Bush presidential library. BIL gave me a hickory log from his property. So I made a simple photo frame from the log.

 

[street]

Ronstar >>> that is absolutely beautiful! Thanks for sharing your talents and workmanship.

 

[Koogie]

Had a photo of DW and I taken in the oval office replica at the George W. Bush presidential library. BIL gave me a hickory log from his property. So I made a simple photo frame from the log.

You milled the stock straight from the hickory log ? Isn't the moisture content to high or did you dry it somehow ?

Asking as I have some really nice red elm logs sitting behind the garage.

 

[MRG]

You milled the stock straight from the hickory log ? Isn't the moisture content to high or did you dry it somehow ?

Asking as I have some really nice red elm logs sitting behind the garage.

Logs don't dry well.[emoji848] Mill the logs, allow air circulation, keep the rough lumber covered from weather. Depending upon the humidity in a couple years you will have air dried lumber that's stable.

 

[Koogie]

Logs don't dry well.[emoji848] Mill the logs, allow air circulation, keep the rough lumber covered from weather. Depending upon the humidity in a couple years you will have air dried lumber that's stable.

That I understand. Ronstars posting made it seem like he went straight from log to picture frame though...

 

[Ronstar]

You milled the stock straight from the hickory log ? Isn't the moisture content to high or did you dry it somehow ?

Asking as I have some really nice red elm logs sitting behind the garage.

Logs don't dry well.[emoji848] Mill the logs, allow air circulation, keep the rough lumber covered from weather. Depending upon the humidity in a couple years you will have air dried lumber that's stable.

That I understand. Ronstars posting made it seem like he went straight from log to picture frame though...

I think I got lucky with this one. I did mill it straight from the hickory log. The log (only 8" diameter x 16" long) has been sitting in my heated garage for more than a year. And I believe the tree was dead when my BIL cut it up. That said, I had a tiny bit of cracking in the end grain and had to cut back several inches off each end.

I got it to boards using a jointer and band saw.


I didn't get so lucky on the billy club that I recently turned on the lathe. Cherry log felled 1.5 years ago and sitting outside since then. Painted the log ends with latex paint when we took the tree down to hold back checking.

I brought the 6" cherry log (about 2' long) in a few days ago and trimmed it lengthwise so that it was about 2" square with the center of the log(pith) in the center of the finished square.

Then I turned the billy club to 1.5" diameter. It cracked significantly. But the outer pieces of the log that I cut off have no cracking.

I read several woodworking articles that no woodworking pieces should include the pith or else it will crack. I've read others that said that it is ok if dry enough. Mine was definitely not dry enough.

I have some more cherry logs sitting in my workshop for another try.

 

[Koogie]

Thanks for letting us know. As per what MRG posted, I am going to bring those elm logs inside over the winter and let them dry. God knows the house is dry enough to get the job done and I'm going to buy a cheap Harbor Freight moisture meter to make sure.

Unfortunately I gave away my old bandsaw and won't be able to mill them right away. I've tried a couple other methods but the elm is just to darn hard.

 

[MRG]

I think I got lucky with this one. I did mill it straight from the hickory log. The log (only 8" diameter x 16" long) has been sitting in my heated garage for more than a year. And I believe the tree was dead when my BIL cut it up. That said, I had a tiny bit of cracking in the end grain and had to cut back several inches off each end.

I got it to boards using a jointer and band saw.


I didn't get so lucky on the billy club that I recently turned on the lathe. Cherry log felled 1.5 years ago and sitting outside since then. Painted the log ends with latex paint when we took the tree down to hold back checking.

I brought the 6" cherry log (about 2' long) in a few days ago and trimmed it lengthwise so that it was about 2" square with the center of the log(pith) in the center of the finished square.

Then I turned the billy club to 1.5" diameter. It cracked significantly. But the outer pieces of the log that I cut off have no cracking.

I read several woodworking articles that no woodworking pieces should include the pith or else it will crack. I've read others that said that it is ok if dry enough. Mine was definitely not dry enough.

I have some more cherry logs sitting in my workshop for another try.

Pith, the soft core at the structural center of a log, is funny. When we sawed railroad ties, and other structural pieces, the buyers always wanted to see a "boxed heart", the pith enclosed in the piece. Of course on a 6"×8" or larger tie that was ok.

I think the problem with the pith for smaller items is the closer you get to it, the more likely massive season checks open up from the internal stress of the core. The peice in your photos is a great example of that. Did that occur post turning?

It's amazing how many pressure can be in the internals of a log. I can recall sawing "shaky" logs, where the annual growth rings separate. Some boards or flitches would just fall apart, others would compress on the saw and you couldn't saw them without overheating the saw.

ETA: I remember a former co-w*rker explaining to me that the most drying occurs from the ends of the piece. He was talking about sawn lumber in this conversation. I imagine shorter pieces as you folks are sawing probably dries faster than 16 foot logs.

 

[Ronstar]

Thanks for letting us know. As per what MRG posted, I am going to bring those elm logs inside over the winter and let them dry. God knows the house is dry enough to get the job done and I'm going to buy a cheap Harbor Freight moisture meter to make sure.

Unfortunately I gave away my old bandsaw and won't be able to mill them right away. I've tried a couple other methods but the elm is just to darn hard.

Yep bring those logs in. That elm will be tough.

I just cut up a small cherry log into small boards. Some of those measured up to 40% moisture. I brought this log in the workshop yesterday.

The cherry I brought in about a week ago that I turned the billy club from measures 24%

Another hickory log that has been inside for 2 years is measuring 7%

 

[Ronstar]

Pith, the soft core at the structural center of a log, is funny. When we sawed railroad ties, and other structural pieces, the buyers always wanted to see a "boxed heart", the pith enclosed in the piece. Of course on a 6"×8" or larger tie that was ok.

I think the problem with the pith for smaller items is the closer you get to it, the more likely massive season checks open up from the internal stress of the core. The peice in your photos is a great example of that. Did that occur post turning?

It's amazing how many pressure can be in the internals of a log. I can recall sawing "shaky" logs, where the annual growth rings separate. Some boards or flitches would just fall apart, others would compress on the saw and you couldn't saw them without overheating the saw.

ETA: I remember a former co-w*rker explaining to me that the most drying occurs from the ends of the piece. He was talking about sawn lumber in this conversation. I imagine shorter pieces as you folks are sawing probably dries faster than 16 foot logs.

Yes all of the cracking happened post turning. But I think it may have been around 25% moisture when I cut it and turned it. Way to wet.

 

[harley]

Yes all of the cracking happened post turning. But I think it may have been around 25% moisture when I cut it and turned it. Way to wet.

Still, you should be able to get one solid whack out of the billy club before it breaks, and then you can stab the (assailant? vampire?) with the broken pieces. I'd keep it.

 

[aja8888]

Still, you should be able to get one solid whack out of the billy club before it breaks, and then you can stab the (assailant? vampire?) with the broken pieces. I'd keep it.

After all that work, I would fill the cracks with epoxy, sand them smooth and paint the club gloss black!

 

[splitwdw]

Still, you should be able to get one solid whack out of the billy club before it breaks, and then you can stab the (assailant? vampire?) with the broken pieces. I'd keep it.

OMG, Harley, I loved this response!

 

[Ronstar]

Yes all of the cracking happened post turning. But I think it may have been around 25% moisture when I cut it and turned it. Way to wet.

Still, you should be able to get one solid whack out of the billy club before it breaks, and then you can stab the (assailant? vampire?) with the broken pieces. I'd keep it.

Even though it's got some big cracks, I don't think a solid whack will break it. So stabbing probably won't be possible. I'll just have to defend myself by whacking.

After all that work, I would fill the cracks with epoxy, sand them smooth and paint the club gloss black!

Oh I'm keeping it for sure. DW wants me to fill the cracks with turquoise. Given the size of the cracks, that would cost a bundle. I'm thinking epoxy. See how it looks. But I'll probably end up painting black like you suggested so that the cracks can't be seen.

 

[harley]

Even though it's got some big cracks, I don't think a solid whack will break it. So stabbing probably won't be possible. I'll just have to defend myself by whacking.



Oh I'm keeping it for sure. DW wants me to fill the cracks with turquoise. Given the size of the cracks, that would cost a bundle. I'm thinking epoxy. See how it looks. But I'll probably end up painting black like you suggested so that the cracks can't be seen.

You could fill the cracks with epoxy, then route it down a tad and fill with a turquoise or other inlay. It would look pretty cool. But so would black.

 

[Ronstar]

^ good idea. I have enough turquoise to do a partial fill. An initial partial fill of epoxy could give it a little more strength to resist cracking and the final turquoise fill would be good for looks.