Milling Juniper

[StephenA]

The son brought home a few 4' sticks from a job site. He figured I would just cut them into firewood. Two of these are some variety of juniper. (There are 67 variety's according to wikipedia!) When I cut the first piece, the sawdust and cut end of the round was this amazing purple. I grabbed the small log mill and strapped it to the MS250 and slabbed off a piece.

View attachment 242509

After taking a picture, I had to go trim a broken hoof on one of the horses and when I get back, the board had faded to a dull brown color. This was only about an hour.

I'm sure I'm not the first to see this. What would happen if I coat it with a clear polyurethane right away? Think it would preserve the color before it fades? If that works, I think I might make a small foot locker type box.

I'd hate to destroy such a interesting piece of wood. thoughts? comments?

 

[lone wolf]

The son brought home a few 4' sticks from a job site. He figured I would just cut them into firewood. Two of these are some variety of juniper. (There are 67 variety's according to wikipedia!) When I cut the first piece, the sawdust and cut end of the round was this amazing purple. I grabbed the small log mill and strapped it to the MS250 and slabbed off a piece.

View attachment 242509

After taking a picture, I had to go trim a broken hoof on one of the horses and when I get back, the board had faded to a dull brown color. This was only about an hour.

I'm sure I'm not the first to see this. What would happen if I coat it with a clear polyurethane right away? Think it would preserve the color before it fades? If that works, I think I might make a small foot locker type box.

I'd hate to destroy such a interesting piece of wood. thoughts? comments?

Its not a big rush to seal it right away. Once you make what you want out of it then seal it right after you sand it. Sanding will bring the color back up you will never get the original purple color it will be red.

 

[Ax-man]

You are correct it is a Juniper. The common name for that tree is Red Cedar. That shouldn't have faded that quick but anything can happen when it comes to nmilling. Let it dry a bit, sand it down and apply a good finish on it and it will look sharp.

I use that wood to make what I call mini benches. I'll take a small diameter log and saw it in half and stick some legs on it and make a small bench . They are really eye catching when they are sanded and finished.

 

[StephenA]

Very good advice, thank you both.
I have a planer on order for these projects. When I get something built, I'll post it!

 

[Ax-man]

You can make a bench out what you have now similar to this one. This one isn't finished for the picture. I was checking it to make sure the bench sat level so it didn't rock or wobble if someone were to sit on it.

 

[Cody Colston]

Based on your location, that is probably Juniperus Occidentalis ...Western Juniper. What we call Eastern Redcedar is Juniperus Virginiana.

The purple-red color of ERC will fade also with time but certainly not in an hour. I've found that finishing with boiled linseed oil followed by a clear topcoat will help preserve the red color although it will turn the sapwood amber.

 

[lone wolf]

You can make a bench out what you have now similar to this one. This one isn't finished for the picture. I was checking it to make sure the bench sat level so it didn't rock or wobble if someone were to sit on it.

How did you cut the grooves for the legs? Did you use any dowels or glue?

 

[lone wolf]

You are correct it is a Juniper. The common name for that tree is Red Cedar. That shouldn't have faded that quick but anything can happen when it comes to nmilling. Let it dry a bit, sand it down and apply a good finish on it and it will look sharp.

I use that wood to make what I call mini benches. I'll take a small diameter log and saw it in half and stick some legs on it and make a small bench . They are really eye catching when they are sanded and finished.

 

[Ax-man]

How did you cut the grooves for the legs? Did you use any dowels or glue?

I bought a nice new varible speed plunge router for the dado joint(?) or grooves and this was the first time using it. Much much better than the one I picked up at a garage sale. No dowels. I made them with a nice snug fit. I thought of dowels but knowing my luck and skill level I would have screwed it up. The legs are glued with an outdoor glue. I think it is called Woodbond ?? or something similar. Good stuff. That cross piece is glued in also , I had to do alot of rasping by hand to get it fit good.

The half log bench with the crooked legs is mortise and tennon with wood screws. I litterally hand cut and shaped the tennon with a hatchet and rasp. The mortise was drilled with a big auger bit. I should have used the glue but it was too cold in the shed at that time for the glue to work.

One thing I found out if your milling your own wood for this log furniture you might just as well throw out the book when it comes carpentry. You have to wing it because nothing is really square or planed level.

 

[lone wolf]

One of mine

View attachment 242660

 

[lone wolf]

Another

View attachment 242661

 

[marti384]

View attachment 242660

How did you get the clock to not crack? Whenever I try to dry rounds for things like that, they always get at least one crack.

 

[Ax-man]

Those are cool, Lone Wolf. I was wondering the same thing about the clock not cracking.

That walnut bench looks good . I have some Walnut stashed away for a bench like that. It will give me a good idea about how it will look:msp_thumbsup::msp_thumbsup:

 

[lone wolf]

How did you get the clock to not crack? Whenever I try to dry rounds for things like that, they always get at least one crack.

Let the cedar dry out a while slowly in a cool area of a shed or shop with no heat. Then when you make it put polyurethane on both sides let dry do about 7 coats to seal it real good. Sometimes it will crack I make lots of them half the time they will not crack so you have to keep trying.

 

[lone wolf]

View attachment 242693

Lots of polyurethane both side over the bark and all.

 

[StephenA]

So, It would match the rest of the cabin. Excellent!

Gotta love the clocks. That is great work.

 

[john taliaferro]

the minwax water based polly keeps the white color from turning brown , I think its called polyarilic .

 

[StephenA]

Sometimes its amazing how things change quickly. I was doing a solar power demo yesterday for an open farm. One of the guests was talking about his retirement and he now has a large wood shop. After hearing this, I asked him about juniper, and he nearly came unglued on me. "You have juniper!? how much do you have?" I got grilled on the stuff. All we needed was a hard chair and a spotlight in my eyes!

So turns out he really wants the wood far more than I do. So the next time I run into town, I'm going to drop it off at his house. Bowls and plates are made from larger pieces, while the branches can be made into candle sticks and pens.
So its going to a good home. He things he has some stuff to trade in return. I wasn't asking for anything as i would have just given it to him, but if he wants to trade, I'm good with that.

Its a small town. It would have come around eventually anyway. Either in trade goods or simply word of mouth reputation.

So that's the end of my brief foray in to milling juniper. Seeing as there is no juniper here on the mountain, its unlikely I'll get my hands on more.So thanks for all the replies guys. it was fun.