Replies

1. 
   wdrudman | Dec 30, 2003 11:03pm | #1

   Here's a really ROUGH sketch (attached).

   
1. 
   ownersrep | Dec 30, 2003 11:38pm | #2

   I'll let someone else tackle number 1. but the moment thing isn't really that difficult.  It's really just a lever and fulcrum.  If you have more weight behind the toe than in front it will stand up.  i.e. if there is more weight to the left of the inside of the "pedestal" than on the right, you should be ok.  Ideally the center of gravity of the whole table should be in the middle third of the pedestal.

   Hope that makes sense,

   Jim

2. 
   10fingers | Dec 31, 2003 01:24am | #3

   Hopefully you have sealed the ends with latex paint or some other sealer to limit splitting.   The average time to wait is one year per inch of thickness.   Check your area for someone that has a kiln and is willing to dry a small amount.   I have two foot sections of walnut with the ends sealed placed on a pallet and covered with a tarp behind my shop.   I cut the crotch section into 1 1/2" sections and thinner in order to dry more quickly.   I hope your project turns out well.

3. 
   BradS | Dec 31, 2003 02:23am | #4

   The bending moment is the force that tends to rotate the object about some fixed point (the right most point in contact with the floor in your case. ie what it would tip on). First off, per your diagram although the catileaver will look good it won't help much in keeping the table from tipping. It will only help in keeping the table top from breaking (assuming it would break before it tipped).

   The moment in ft-lbs or in-lbs is the distance from the "tipping point" to the load.

   Simply put if everything to the left of the "tipping point" weighs 300 lbs and that 300 lbs is evenly distributed (which it is not) to the left a distance of say 20" your moment is 300*20*.5 or 3000 in-lbs. If you cantilever the table 60" you can put a point load of 50 lbs on the end of the table. At 120" 25 lbs. Notice the difference between a point load (distance * wieght) and evenly distributed load (distance * weight * .5 or (weight per inch * distance squared) / 2)

   So you can put a FW on the end of the table just don't sit down to read it.

4. 
   fdampier5 | Dec 31, 2003 03:26am | #5

   1 year per inch of thicknes works up to about three inches thick,, then you start doing multiplication.. I have a 12x12 white oak timber that I was told would take twenty years to dry fully. (who knows,  I'm certainly not ever going to cut it in half to measure) 

     My point is don't bet the farm on that crotch yeilding anything neat,  most don't. It would be terrible to wait a couple of decades only to find out that it's nothing special..  

           

5. 
   DavidxDoud | Dec 31, 2003 04:11am | #6

   I'd debark it now - that will help with the bug situation - - tho bugs should not be a problem if the area it is stored in is not infested - - altho the piece is thick,  it is short and will lose much moisture out the end grain - if it is longer than needed I wouldn't seal the end grain,  just cut off the checked part when you work it - - I'd think it would be close to equalibrium within 2 years-

   I get the impression that you will be removing (sculpting) at least some of the mass - any roughing you can do now will reduce the dry time - my experience with knotty pieces is that they don't split - cracking will be more likely with sealed ends -

   frankly,  if I had a vision and felt inspired,  I'd make the piece now,  and let it dry in place,  well sealed and let it take several years -

   but,  hey,  whadda I know? (apologies to M Smith of Breaktime)

1. 
   wdrudman | Jan 06, 2004 12:22am | #7

   Follow-up:  I went to my local Woodworker's Club to get a draw knife.  I went with the straight Sorby, rather than the curved (even though the curved is supposed to be better at debarking) because I can only afford one $80 knife at a time.

   Set to work on the log.  One hour to 90 minutes later I was drenched in sweat, back aching, hands numb, and only about 1/3 of the way to having the thing debarked.  Loved every minute of it!!

   A wonderful tool (and the guy at the WC helped by showing me how to put a nice edge on it).  I'm a modern-day kind of guy, but sometimes the old ways are the best.  You begin to get a real appreciation for the tree and Nature as you shave away the surface and see what goes into it. 

   Also, to see these large shavings just fly off the tree is a treat.  Sure, some of the bark is stubborn, but it comes off eventually.  Can't wait till I get to carve the thing -- still debating if I should try and save some of the wood by hand-sawing out chunks first, or just see what comes from using the draw knife.  Inspiration will ultimately decide.

1. 
   Steinmetz | Jan 06, 2004 12:32am | #8

   Makin' ,Don't you have a Bark Spud?  

   Great in the spring. Beats a draw shave though.

   Stein.

2. 
   DavidxDoud | Jan 06, 2004 07:19am | #9

   ...still debating if I should try and save some of the wood by hand-sawing out chunks first, or just see what comes from using the draw knife.

   don't let saving a few small chunks get in the way of releasing the form - - lots of hunks of maple out there - dive in and concentrate on what to leave/remove....