Tom Dunlap
Addicted to ArboristSite
The first slab came off. Nice to be able to mill with an electric motor and be inside too.
Milling blood red box elder
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Tom Dunlap
Addicted to ArboristSite
The first slab came off and we got the first view of the treasure. If you've never done any milling you're missing a real treat.
Tom Dunlap
Addicted to ArboristSite
All of the slabs are lined up on the fence. We hosed them down before bringing them into my front porch to sticker and dry.
Tom Dunlap
Addicted to ArboristSite
A close up.
Tom Dunlap
Addicted to ArboristSite
The rest of the slabs.
Kneejerk Bombas
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What will you do with it?
Tom Dunlap
Addicted to ArboristSite
The first project will be to make a seat out of one of the slab pieces. I have a Y-shaped piece from a double leader spruce that I'll have milled down the middle. That will give me two legs. All I'm going to do is belt sand and then get out the orbital sander to smooth out the slab. I'll coat with Danish [Watco] oil and let it be at that.
I want to be able to see some of the wood right away.
Next year when the rest is dry I'll see what I decide to build. I know that it would make some breath taking cabinet fronts. That would really challenge my wood working skills. I do have a friend who is a cabinet maker. I could apprentice to him during the winter of '04 and redo the cabinets in my kitchen.
RJS,
When I saw the pics I thought they looked like beef halves too.
Tom
I want to be able to see some of the wood right away.
Next year when the rest is dry I'll see what I decide to build. I know that it would make some breath taking cabinet fronts. That would really challenge my wood working skills. I do have a friend who is a cabinet maker. I could apprentice to him during the winter of '04 and redo the cabinets in my kitchen.
RJS,
When I saw the pics I thought they looked like beef halves too.
Tom
SilverBlue
Addicted to ArboristSite
I feel sorry that this one was turned into firewood thanks to Isabel, have to do another one huge one same property this month perhaps the owner would like it milled instead. Will have to show him how nice it looks.
Tom Dunlap
Addicted to ArboristSite
Don't get your hopes up to find the same color inside every BE.
I've been doing tree work for thirty years and have NEVER seen one with color as intense.
The color is from a naturally occuring virus that is in the soil. Undisturbed, woods soils will have more of the virus so you would expect to see better color outside urban areas. This tree came out of an old wood row that has never been disturbed. Well, until now
Tom
I've been doing tree work for thirty years and have NEVER seen one with color as intense.
The color is from a naturally occuring virus that is in the soil. Undisturbed, woods soils will have more of the virus so you would expect to see better color outside urban areas. This tree came out of an old wood row that has never been disturbed. Well, until now
Tom
monkeypuzzle
ArboristSite Guru
WOW!
I was wondering if we have box elder here on the farm...did a google image search. I still don't know...but it has some images of a few small pieces of box elder with some of the coloring:
box elder google images
box elder google images
Koa Man
Kahuna giganticus
If you are going to make cabinets, have the wood veneered. Use baltic birch plywood as a base and you must veneer both sides or cabinet doors will warp. Solid wood doors will most likely bow on you and will be a real waste of some very pretty wood.
Gopher
ArboristSite Operative
color and no color
Thank you for showing to us awesome raw beauty, Tom! Oh, and keep the stuff with "no color" inthe big Minneapple. Oh, that rude white ground cover you used to beautifully contrast your wood slabs with - SNOW!
I agree with Dan - bring the majority of the slabs to a seasoned veteran. Keep one or two for your own wood working hands, but it has a great value.
Last summer I took down a couple of BE's in Oshkosh that had wonderful color, but not solid like yours. The two good chunks were brought to a guy that lathed them into the nicest serving bowls one could ever want.
See you all next week at the top of the USS Constitution!
Gopher
Thank you for showing to us awesome raw beauty, Tom! Oh, and keep the stuff with "no color" inthe big Minneapple. Oh, that rude white ground cover you used to beautifully contrast your wood slabs with - SNOW!
I agree with Dan - bring the majority of the slabs to a seasoned veteran. Keep one or two for your own wood working hands, but it has a great value.
Last summer I took down a couple of BE's in Oshkosh that had wonderful color, but not solid like yours. The two good chunks were brought to a guy that lathed them into the nicest serving bowls one could ever want.
See you all next week at the top of the USS Constitution!
Gopher
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
It's a fungus not a virus. I posted the name on the first thread you labled about the dingo loader.
Che, I'd bet you do have some, it's very common around here. Look around creek beds and bottomlands. The bark is light grey/brown with lighter blotches, kinda ghostly looking sometimes and furrowed like ash, but finer. The trunks tend to be bumpy with lots of sucker sprouts. If you cut any, it will seem like butter compared to your osage orange
TomFromStLouis
New Member
but it might not last
That is some awesome coloration, but it may not last. The red is light sensitive and wll turn a dull tan/brown without UV inhibitors. And even that may not be enough if your bench will be outdoors. Watco alone will not keep the red intensity.
That is some awesome coloration, but it may not last. The red is light sensitive and wll turn a dull tan/brown without UV inhibitors. And even that may not be enough if your bench will be outdoors. Watco alone will not keep the red intensity.
color/fade
Tom was over at the woodweb asking questions about the color and was warned they fade. My own experience tells me it will be tough to keep the reds from fading to tans. Walnut is another one that fades as it dries out. I use marine varnish, spar, on my outdoor benches but the water base finishes are clearer and don't change the color nearly as much as the oil base finishes when applied. www.woodmagazine.com has a forum on finishing wood, I'm no expert on finishes but these guys have some tricks on how to finish wood.
Tom, I see you do your homework first, was surprised to see you were over on the web asking, not everyone is into doing homework (research).
Tom was over at the woodweb asking questions about the color and was warned they fade. My own experience tells me it will be tough to keep the reds from fading to tans. Walnut is another one that fades as it dries out. I use marine varnish, spar, on my outdoor benches but the water base finishes are clearer and don't change the color nearly as much as the oil base finishes when applied. www.woodmagazine.com has a forum on finishing wood, I'm no expert on finishes but these guys have some tricks on how to finish wood.
Tom, I see you do your homework first, was surprised to see you were over on the web asking, not everyone is into doing homework (research).
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
One reason I like hanging around Tom is he is always asking questions.
