I cut down a dead walnut tree last week, English grafted onto black walnut rootstock. The tree had been dead about a year and was in a front yard. From the growth rings it looks like it was well watered.
I’m not sure what do it with it at this point. It’s going to get cut up into small pieces eventually, pieces for handles, tops, maybe a bowl or two. The narrowest dimension across the bottom is 23′ and the height of the black walnut is about 14″ at the shortest. I’ve got both ends painted with anchorseal right now.
I’m a couple hours from my shop, but I might be able to find somebody with a bandsaw. I tried cutting the round down the center with my chainsaw. But I gave up quickly-I don’t have a ripping chain for my saw.
Jase–Is there a better way?
Edited 11/13/2008 11:13 am by jase
Replies
Jase,
What you need is...
A BIG LATHE - chuck that chunk on the lathe and turn 'er into a bowl!
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
That would be fun.I haven't turned very many things yet. I've been wanting some black walnut that I can glue up with some maple for turning blanks. I've got several projects in mind for Christmas presents.There is plenty of wood to make a couple large bowls, say 20" fruit bowl type of dishes. I can get the wood out of it for that and have leftovers for the rest of what I need. I've got a 2 hp lathe I can turn the stuff on. I could turn something this big on the outboard side if I could figure out how to reverse the motor direction and bolt the lathe to the floor.So should I cut into smaller, rough size pieces now, and seal the endgrain? I'd really like to get somethings made before the holidays. I can't imagine waiting for this thing to air dry to start using it.On the attached pic: I made these when I had nothing better to do at the time. I didn't have profiles for either, just made them out of my head. The goblet is incense cedar, which gave me a respiratory reaction that lasted about a week. I was a basso profundo for a few days. The spoon is redwood. I wanted to make something that used some heartwood and sapwood. Both pieces came from trees from dad's and brother's property. The only other things I've turned are some table legs for my kitchen table.There is an alder tree at my dad's house that i've been thinking of bringing down. It's been dead for several years and I don't know what condition it might be in, being right next to a creek. I don't know how fast they rot.
Edited 11/13/2008 6:24 pm by jase
Jase,
My first thought when I opened the image was that the stem and base looked awfully thick. Keep in mind that this is coming from a guy who likes to turn side walls to a thickness of less that 3/16". I make my goblets about 8" long, 2-1/2 to 3" diameter, with a ~1/4" stem. These are more decorational than functional. The stem on yours would have no trouble enduring. The second thing I noticed (and liked) were the details cut into the goblet, presumably with a parting tool or skew.
In the spoon, it is hard to differentiate the heartwood from sapwood. The subtle colour variation between the left and right side could easily be written off as grain. The handle looks comfortable.
Okay, enough of that.
Yes, if you want to use that walnut is this lifetime, you'd better cut it into smaller, usable pieces. If you want to use it for Christmas projects, I think that you'll be limited to making bowls from green wood unless you've got access to a kiln. So cut it up with a chain saw and seal the end grain. Turn what you can now.
If you're lucky, the alder will be spalted and still solid. If you're not, you've got a rotten tree to clean up. Fingers crossed...Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Thanks for your input, Chris. I'll have to find a way to get this cut. That's funny! I just checked out your blog and saw the screwdrivers. That's exactly why I wanted some walnut!On the goblet, I did want to make the stem thinner. But I felt it would have been top heavy if I had taken it down any more. In my mind I thought it should only be about 1/2" in diameter. It boils down to fear and lack of experience. The cup wall is about 3/8" at its base so it probably has too much mass, and therefore too much weight. Thanks again. Now I'm off to find a ripping chain.Jase--Is there a better way?
You can cut it with an ordinary chain (I've done such many times). Just adjust your cut so that the shavings don't get too long (when they do they clog the chain). Usually cutting at about a 45 degree angle to the grain direction is about right. It's hard wood and interlocked grain so it will take some patience but you can make that cut. Start with a sharp chain and you'll have lathe mountable chunks in an afternoon. Turn it so that your chain never hits the ground as you cut. It is better to cut downhill on the grain as your chain may grab dangerously if you are cutting uphill. Use your bucking spike!
I'll echo what bigfoot says. You should be able to rip it easily with a regular chain as long as its sharp. If you set the block on end and try to rip down through it, then even a ripping chain will not cut well, however if you lay the block on it's side and cut down through at an angle it will cut easily. You will need to stop and clear chips often as they will be long and stringy rather than the short chips you normally see. The more parallel the saws bar is to the grain direction the longer the chips will be.
RichThe Professional Termite
Bigfoot and Rich,I was up late last night looking for ripping chain online and I read where another person said to just use a regular chain at a 45. So today after work my wife and I got the stump up on some sawhorses and got it cut into four pieces. I touched up the blade before attacking the stump and it did just fine. The pieces are manageable now so I can transport them to the shop.The appearance of the wood makes me wonder. It all looks a bit creamy except for the outer rings, which have a reddish brown tint. When I first liberated the stump from the ground I was disappointed because of this. However, with the anchorseal on the endgrain it takes on the brownish-purple coloring I'm familiar with. Is this normal?This stuff is going to make some beautiful things. The first thing I'm going to turn is a pair of nested boxes from one of the chunks.Jase--Is there a better way?
I've never had a piece like that to work myself but I have seen photos of them and the work made from them. The grain at such joints is often mixed up looking and with much more contrast than you'd normally see from solid logs of either species. It tends to be dramatic and sometimes VERY pretty. You may run into more difficulty keeping your cuts going with the grain than on normal woods... treat it more like a burl.
I am glad to hear that the cutting-up went well. Good luck with your turning!
I was making carving knives today. I found a new technique for efficiently carving the deerfoot style handles. I had some very satisfying results!
Searching the web I only see real deer feet as the handles of knives. You are carving the handles? Any pics?Jase--Is there a better way?
Jase,
I'm kind of the other way - I'd sooner turn my stuff so thin that I turn through than stop while I still have a solid bowl. Always pushing the limits...Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Here are a couple of the pieces. The lower piece is planned for nested boxes. The upper piece has an inclusion at the graft line about 2" deep.
The graft line is clearly visible across the upper piece.
Jase--Is there a better way?
That's some pretty nice looking walnut you've got yourself there, Jase!Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
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