# BIG walnut log



## AndyR (Oct 4, 2008)

Hey guys,

I finally got my courage up and started in on the big walnut log that's been sitting in my Driveway since mid-May (it used to shade the driveway). I decided to freehand rip the log to get it into manageable pieces. It's a bit sloppy but it did the job. I didn't get very far today. I made two cants and have half the log left for two more. I plan on milling more tomorrow (I kind of have to now .

It's a bowl of soup for me and off to bed.


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## excess650 (Oct 4, 2008)

I'm envious.....haven't been able to hook up with walnut as of yet. I was milling hemlock today, and its more beautiful every time I see it. 

Walnut is my favorite wood to look at. It varies considerably depending upon where its grown, but can be just stunning. In my basement I have what would be considered to be American black walnut, Oregon black walnut, Claro walnut, Bastogne, English walnut, and a piece or two of Turkish walnut. I suspect that the JP Sauer sporting rifle in my safe has Circassian walnut for the stock.

Perfectly quarter sawn with good color, color variation, and figure adds up to a desireable, expensive piece of gunstock wood.


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## Adkpk (Oct 4, 2008)

Freehand? Are you using ripping chain? Looks good from here. That one cant looks like you already sanded it. And then another cant looks like your chain hit a car fender or something before going into the log. Do you have a pic of the saw?


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## woodshop (Oct 4, 2008)

Beautiful chunk of walnut... I've got less than 800 ft of it stashed away as of that last walnut found on Craigs list and I don't turn down chance to mill a walnut. As much as I love looking at the wood and working with it though, I've been told by other woodworkers, and have seen this for myself at my shows, that walnut furniture doesn't sell nearly as well as cherry or oak these days. Careful milling that stuff... in the summer when I wore only a T-shirt the fine walnut dust mixed with my perseration on my arms and neck gave me a nasty itchy rash that took couple days to go away. I've been told by others this also.


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## slabmaster (Oct 4, 2008)

Walnut is nice wood.I milled alot of it last fall.It about filled up a portagarage.It was one of the hardest woods i've done.It worked my saw real hard.I did it with a modded 394 husky.These trees were fresh cut as i milled them.Here's a pic of them stickered in the porta-garage.


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## AndyR (Oct 4, 2008)

Adkpk said:


> Freehand? Are you using ripping chain? Looks good from here. That one cant looks like you already sanded it. And then another cant looks like your chain hit a car fender or something before going into the log. Do you have a pic of the saw?



I slabbed the top off w/the 395xp and the Alaskan mill but my bar (36") wasn't nearly long enough to go again from the top. I snapped a chalkline down the center and tried to follow that freehand. The chain was Oregon 75JGX. Yeah, it is rough and I might have lost a board by doing it this way but its what I had to work with. Tomorrow I get to cut boards with the RipSaw .


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## slabmaster (Oct 4, 2008)

When the log is too big like that,i just make a top cut then two side cuts then go back to the top side which is narrower and finish the rest of the log.


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## carvinmark (Oct 5, 2008)

slabmaster said:


> When the log is too big like that,i just make a top cut then two side cuts then go back to the top side which is narrower and finish the rest of the log.



+1


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## AndyR (Oct 5, 2008)

slabmaster said:


> When the log is too big like that,i just make a top cut then two side cuts then go back to the top side which is narrower and finish the rest of the log.



Yeah, I see your point, I probably should have done it that way. If the log was on the ground I might have tried rolling it but with it propped up on another log I though it would be easier to approach it this way. I'd really like to get a mini mill. 

Here's another pic of my butchery, it's actually fairly straight. At the end of the log I turned the saw and cut downwards-lots of long curly shavings and a nice smooth cut.


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## Adkpk (Oct 5, 2008)

AndyR said:


> Yeah, I see your point, I probably should have done it that way. If the log was on the ground I might have tried rolling it but with it propped up on another log I though it would be easier to approach it this way. I'd really like to get a mini mill.
> 
> Here's another pic of my butchery, it's actually fairly straight. At the end of the log I turned the saw and cut downwards-lots of long curly shavings and a nice smooth cut.



Very straight for freehand, ugly but straight.


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## slabmaster (Oct 5, 2008)

*mini mill*

These are the ticket for doing the big stuff.I will be using it to make some beams this winter.They save you from having to roll the log.


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## oldsaw (Oct 5, 2008)

On walnut, try to get as much figure as you can. Q-sawn walnut is a bit boring, but the color is nice. You would have been better freehanding one edge and then throughsawing since it was too big to roll. I've got a picture of a big one somewhere that was over 36" DBH. I got two of the most perfect 2"x34"x10' slabs you ever saw. Absolutely stunning. Then we put it on the bandmill when I got the size down enough.

I don't break out with it, I guess I'm immune. Fantastic wood to work with though. Machines nicely, dries very stable and quickly.

Mark


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## dustytools (Oct 5, 2008)

Nice job Andy. I love Walnut!


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## excess650 (Oct 5, 2008)

I had bought a Haddon Lumbermaker(uses a 2x4 or 2x6 as a guide) about the same time that I bought my Alaskan mill. I finally got a chance to try it today. After milling the larger parts of dead, half dry, hemlock there was a 13' section left, but I couldn't get excited about cutting smaller boards out of it. One of the guys helping commented that someone had hit his mailbox and needed a new post, so that planted the seed. I cut to 10' length, made top and bottom cuts with the Alaskan, and then used the Haddon to make the side cuts. The Alaskan cuts more smoothly in that the bar is captive, but the Haddon did OK, and especially considering that I was using it on Husqvarna 353. It was a pretty nice 6x6!

For bigger wood I think the Granberg Mini Mill might be a better choice. Likewise, if you don't mind rolling the big logs multiple times, the Alaskan does fine work. For a quick, easy job, especially on smaller stuff, the Haddon should fit the bill.


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## AndyR (Oct 5, 2008)

*results from todays work*

Here's what I was able to accomplish today. I sawed boards out of the two cants that I cut yesyerday. I've got a fair amount of boards and that's only half of one butt log. I put a big slab on top of the other half to try to protect it from the sun/rain-I don't know if I'll get back to it next weekend or not.

I like seeing the color change. This stuff looks about the color of tulip poplar when first cut. In one of the pics there's a board that had one face cut yesterday stacked next to a fresly cut one. The last pic is the total for today-still need to cut some of the slabs up, there's a lot of good wood left in them.

Having fun is HARD WORK!
Andy


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## dustytools (Oct 5, 2008)

AndyR said:


> Here's what I was able to accomplish today. I sawed boards out of the two cants that I cut yesyerday. I've got a fair amount of boards and that's only half of one butt log. I put a big slab on top of the other half to try to protect it from the sun/rain-I don't know if I'll get back to it next weekend or not.
> 
> I like seeing the color change. This stuff looks about the color of tulip poplar when first cut. In one of the pics there's a board that had one face cut yesterday stacked next to a fresly cut one. The last pic is the total for today-still need to cut some of the slabs up, there's a lot of good wood left in them.
> 
> ...



SWEET! Very nice looking wood there Andy. It sure is hard work but standing back looking at the stacks somehow seems to make it worth it.


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## slabmaster (Oct 6, 2008)

Nice job Andy! You got some nice looking boards there.They sure are heavy when wet aren't they?Can't wait to see the rest when you get at them.


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## AndyR (Oct 6, 2008)

Yeah, I cut a variety of thicknesses up to 3" and man those (2) 3" x 13" x 11.5' boards were really heavy. I got them in the garage and got them stickered ok, but by the end of the day the 1.5" thick boards felt almost as bad.


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## woodshop (Oct 6, 2008)

Very nice... beautiful walnut boards. Nice to see somebody else use the the csm/Ripsaw combo.


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## Adkpk (Oct 7, 2008)

Well that job turned out nice. 

Nice setup.


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## Burlhunter13 (Oct 8, 2008)

woodshop said:


> Beautiful chunk of walnut... I've got less than 800 ft of it stashed away as of that last walnut found on Craigs list and I don't turn down chance to mill a walnut. As much as I love looking at the wood and working with it though, I've been told by other woodworkers, and have seen this for myself at my shows, that walnut furniture doesn't sell nearly as well as cherry or oak these days. Careful milling that stuff... in the summer when I wore only a T-shirt the fine walnut dust mixed with my perseration on my arms and neck gave me a nasty itchy rash that took couple days to go away. I've been told by others this also.




I get the rash from the dust too. Itches like hell. Doesn't stop me from cutting the stuff, its my favorite's to mill, I love the smell.....one of the best smelling when freshly milled (sure beats box elder :censored: lol). 

That is some beautiful stock you got there! Grest color contrasts, one of the nice things about walnut, some folks hate the sapwood....I think it gives it character. 
Anyway, good deal and nice story! You posted a thread about this log being removed right? I think I read that one earlier this year, nice to hear a resolution !

Cheers!
Jim


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## woodshop (Oct 8, 2008)

Burlhunter13 said:


> ...That is some beautiful stock you got there! Grest color contrasts, one of the nice things about walnut, some folks hate the sapwood....I think it gives it character.
> Anyway, good deal and nice story! You posted a thread about this log being removed right? I think I read that one earlier this year, nice to hear a resolution !
> 
> Cheers!
> Jim



I did post a while back milling a walnut, but not this one. Andy owns this beauty, not me.


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## AndyR (Oct 8, 2008)

I did post about these tree being taken down a while back.
here: 
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=69162

I did get a lot of good advice too.

I like the smell too.

The day they took them down I had several big branch pieces that I was cutting up. It was mid-May and pretty warm. I guess I walked around with dust and chips on my leg for a good while because I got a rash and my left shin was orange for a couple of weeks. Didn't have a problem this time around.

I want to finish this log but this weekend looks bad-other obligations...


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## Zodiac45 (Oct 9, 2008)

Well done Andy,

You learn as you go and take that knowledge with you next time out. The ripsawn boards look fantastic! I wondered when you'd get it powered up and sawing. Beautiful wood! Nice job.


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## AndyR (Oct 19, 2008)

*Milled the rest of the butt log today.*

The other half of this log was sitting under a tarp for the past 2 weeks and was starting to get some surface checking. So I decided to mill up the rest of it today. It was a long day, after wrestling with the half-log for a couple of hours to get it positioned where I wanted it I cut mostly 5/4 boards, ran out of stickers (thought I would have enough), and broke the blade on the ripsaw on the last cut. Still kinda fun though. 

I didn't take any pics during the milling, just a couple of the stack. I did get some really nice boards today. Though I did cut a mix, I'm finding that I really like the straight grain of the rift/quartersawn wood.

Anyway, thanks for the kind words and support.


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## excess650 (Oct 20, 2008)

looks like some beautiful grain there...


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## woodshop (Oct 20, 2008)

Again Andy, nice looking lumber and nice stack of wood ya got there. In fact... TO nice, where is the messy shop?  

Good job


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## slabmaster (Oct 21, 2008)

Looks like a nice stack of lumber Andy! Any ideas for what you're going to use it for? I milled some nice walnut today as well from some stumps i had left over from last fall.I'll use them for guitar sets as there weren't any knots in them.They were 34" long and 14'' wide.I got 16 nice boards out of it.


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## AndyR (Oct 21, 2008)

Slabmaster, shame I'm not closer to you. You seem like a pretty cool guy to hang out with. I started building a violin years ago but put it aside. I'd like to go back to that sometime.

Well....I'm hoping to build an arts and crafts style trestle table & chairs for the dining room. We need a coffee table and end tables + corner TV stand. I'd like to have a little bench by the front door with a seat that lifts up for gloves and hats etc. (we have almost no closet space in this old 1920's bungalow). I want to make the vanity cabinet and medicine cabinet for our upcoming and sorely needed bathroom remodel. We also need a bigger dresser in the bedroom...That's a pretty good start I think, though I'm sure I'll find some other things too.

Driving home from work today I passed our big park in town. There was an arborist truck parked there. Looks like they're taking down a couple of big old hard maples. I'd love to get in touch with them and try to get a couple of logs of that (for a butcher block countertop-for one section in our sorely needed kitchen remodel & my planned woodworking workbench) but I just don't have the time or energy right now. It's tough to see good logs being possibly wasted but I guess I'd better get used to it.

As for milling shorts. Our local landscape recycling center only takes log sections of 3-4 ft. or less. But there are usually a number of them. You can make a whole lot of stuff with 3 ft. boards. I asked about it last time I was over there and they said you can cut on-site and take what you want. There were a few nice ash shorts the last time I was there...But then I still have 2 walnut logs, 1 cherry log and 2 ailanthus logs yet to mill in my own backyard 

Woodshop-
I moved all of the stuff, where the lumber is now stacked, to the other side of the garage-just out of the picture .

How long does this stuff need to air dry before I can stack it flat (no stickers) or is that a bad idea? My plan is, once it's air dried, to rough cut and plane all the parts for the table (walnut) and bring it inside for a few months. I think I may try to pick up a pinless moisture meter-have to watch the auctions.

The other 2 walnut logs are under and behind this "cant" in this pic. The big one has some damage in it, it's branchy and there may be some good figure in it.


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## woodshop (Oct 22, 2008)

AndyR said:


> How long does this stuff need to air dry before I can stack it flat (no stickers) or is that a bad idea? My plan is, once it's air dried, to rough cut and plane all the parts for the table (walnut) and bring it inside for a few months. I think I may try to pick up a pinless moisture meter-have to watch the auctions.



How long it takes to air dry is very variable... depending on how thick you milled them mostly, but other factors enter into it. WHERE you dry them has a lot to do with how fast they will lose that moisture. General rule, most of my 5/4 hardwood (oak/ash/cherry/walnut) stickered outside, one side against barn or shed, other open to elements but protected from direct Sun and rain on top takes anywhere from 3 to 7 months to get down to 15-20% MC. drying during the moderate temperature months. Poplar, pine and redcedar all take less than that. My 4/4 or 5/4 poplar is usually down to less than 20%MC in 1 1/2 to 2 months. Back to hardwoods, the thicker stuff like 8/4 might take a whole year... real thick stuff like 10/4 or 12/4 even longer.

From a woodworking standpoint as per your table you are talking about, bring them into the shop from outside and if you want you can run them through the planer a few passes, but don't dimension them all the way yet. Let them acclimate in your woodshop for couple weeks... and THEN jointer/planer/table saw them to S4S dimensioned lumber. This is even more important in the winter, when outside relative humidity is low and you then you bring them into a warm house where it will likely be even lower. Even then after they have acclimated to your shop/house, I can tell you from experience that you don't really want to dimension those boards dead on until you are ready to use them... I mean that day or the next. This is more important with longer wider stock than shorter thinner of course. The above is why I invensted in my pinless meter. It's the easiest way to know what you've got to work with and how fast is't drying or not. 

Good luck


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## excess650 (Oct 22, 2008)

Walnut gunstock wood is best air dried, and the general rule of thumb is one year per inch of thickness.

I know that wood in my basement will dry more quickly than this due to airconditioning in the summer, a dehumidifier most of the year, and the coal stove in the cooler weather.


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