# Live edge, 1/4 round and slab wood shelves



## Cowboy Billy (Jan 6, 2011)

Finally got around to building some shelves in bunk house. Its great to be able to go out to your own woods. Carefully select a tree you want. Cut it down limb it haul it to your own sawmill. Position on the mill and saw it up to get the most out of it. Peel the logs sand it and build something using its natural beauty!!! So much furniture is pressboard junk with no style at all. Its awesome to work with the wood and design something unique working with the natural grains and shape of the tree. And build something special. Using old world craftsmanship!

I built these shelves last summer. I picked out a big white cedar cut three sides off. Then I cut my shelves out of it leaving the live edge for the outside edge and peeled the bark off. I also made a cedar slab big enough to be the end piece and peeled it. The shelves were too big to go through my 12” planer and there was no way to plane the slab. Since I was in a hurry to get it up I put it together rough cut.







Between Christmas and New Years. I finally got around to sanding it out and painting it. There has got to be a better way to sand it out than using a palm sander! I spent over three days sanding it out to where I could clear cote it. I used a water base polyurethane satin finish for the first time. I don’t think its gives as deep as a finish as oil base but its a lot nicer to work with and no smell or fumes. And I will be using it again.
















But thats not all I got done. While I was cutting cedar for the deck I haven’t had time to build yet. I saved some nice shaped slabs that I thought would make good shelves. Then I found a 1/4 round log that I started to cut but couldn’t make a 4x4 out of.











The bark was froze to the wood so I had to put it next to the wood stove to thaw it out. The I peeled the bark off using a bark spud and draw knife. The spent a long time sanding it out. But I sure feel it was worth it!











The grain of the slab turned out fantastic! The 1/4 round had some wonderful blue staining and lines in it. And both had bark bores and holes in it that I was able to save and it gave it a lot of character.

Billy


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## Cowboy Billy (Jan 6, 2011)

Then it was time to put it up. I used some of the 1/4 round to make the shelf end pieces. I free hand cut the ends of the shelf with a chainsaw and got a little off but I had just eyeballed it and cut didn’t mark it at all.






And shaped a old 2x6 I had laying around for center supports. I was going to change it with logs but think it looks good now.






Now I have both shelves up around the window
















I think it came out very nice with all the knots in the wood showing.











Getting the shelves up and rearranging the bunk house gave me a lot more room. And its nice to have somewhere to put stuff away. Rather than stacking it on the floor and tripping over it and its great to be able to find what you are looking for too!

I still need to make some small closets so I can put my cloths away out of site when I go UP. But I am really satisfied with what I got done so far!!!! Its a lot of work but it beats going out a buying some boxy ill built thing that has no style that will never look good. Or take some time and built it just the way you want and need!

Billy


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## mtngun (Jan 6, 2011)

Yep, storebought just doesn't compare to homemade.


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## jrr344 (Jan 6, 2011)

That looks real nice.


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## BobL (Jan 6, 2011)

I reckon it's quite hard to get live edge stuff looking good but you seemed to have done it!


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## discounthunter (Jan 6, 2011)

very nice work.


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## 820wards (Jan 7, 2011)

Billy,

Great job on you shelving, they look great!

I always wanted to do something like that with some aspen trees. Don't know if the wood would be good for that.

jerry-


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## Marine5068 (Jan 7, 2011)

Great looking shelves and good ideas.
Now that's my style.
All you need now is to finish off the walls and ceiling....ha,ha.
Maybe some milled pine boards and battens to cover them?
Good use of that wood.
Thanks for sharing.


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## Cowboy Billy (Jan 7, 2011)

Thanks Mtngun

Thanks Jrr

Thanks Bob

I wouldn't say its hard but it takes time. As you can't run it through a planer then finish sand it. But its worth it to me.

Thanks DiscountHunter

Thanks Jerry

Ya never know until you try. Cedar is softer than aspen and I think I am going to have to rely on the polyurethane to keep it from wear.

Thanks Marine

Its in the works. I was going to use pine but my cousin said poplar comes out real white. And its off grid we are running off a battery bank with a diesel generator to charge the battery's back up. So the lighter the inside the less power I have to use to light it. There's a mill about 15 miles from me that will kiln dry and tongue and grove plane it for 40 cents a board foot.

Billy


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## mikeb1079 (Jan 7, 2011)

good stuff. those look great. it's touches like that which make a place like home.


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## Cowboy Billy (Jan 8, 2011)

Thanks Mike

I hope to build a cabin in a year or two. And want to build my own cabinets and stuff so I know what I can do. And get a better idea on how to saw up the wood so my projects are easier.

Billy


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## deeker (Jan 8, 2011)

You have done a great job.

Keep the pics and projects coming.

Enjoy seeing them.

Kevin


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## sachsmo (Jan 9, 2011)

Nice work Billy,

I sure like your set-up, off the grid eh?

You be a Yooper?


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## TraditionalTool (Jan 9, 2011)

Is this an extension on a trailer?

Good prep for your cabin you want to build!


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## Cowboy Billy (Jan 13, 2011)

Thanks Kevin

One of the things about this form I love is everyone doing something different and seeing all the good ideas. And how most have fun and help each other out.

Howdy Sachsmo

Yep off grid and love it! My family is from the UP and I have a lot up there. But I grew up down state but I hope to move UP soon.

Thanks Alan

We built a 12x20 room and hooked it to the trailer in 09. There was no way to keep the trailer warm on propane and when we got wet the cloths wouldn't dry.

Billy


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