Looking for Wood Craftsman to build custom writing desk. Help me.

bigW

Well-Known Member
that is so cool, I just realized that's probably you at your home, thought it was a mill originally from my phone
we had so many maple and oak trees come down in the rear wooded area during Sandy and always wished I could have done some with it instead of firewood

Those logs weigh more than 5,000 lbs, non-trivial to move them or to get them onto a truck.

Winds up being a stressful operation to complete the whole process. The best part is afterwards that I feel better about the value of any hardwood lumber that I need to purchase.

In our climate almost all the drying happens in the warmest six months of the year. Rule of thumb is one year per inch of thickness but for 3 1/4" thick slabs four years is the correct amount of time.

Portable bandsaw mill is the way to go but the max diameter is typically 36" and you need to move the log into the mill.

This time I had it done with an 'Alaskan Chainsaw Mill'. That was a lot of skill, muscle and time. My role was just to pay the bill.


IMG_2104.PNG
At 400 lbs a slab I will be super-human strong or crippled by the time I get them stacked and stickered. At which point I will not be interested in unstacking for a number of years.

- W
 

SmooveP

Well-Known Member
It's on! Worked up a design using Google Sketchup based on a pic that Chris sent me.
Rogers Desk 4.jpg

In a serendipitous (look it up, meatheads) twist, I got a message from forum member PRus about a source of Walnut slabs up in Branchville. Called the lady and went up there to have a look. Nice wood with a story to go with it.
Slabs.jpg
They're around 7-8' long, 18-24" wide, and 2.5" thick. They'll need to sit in the shop for a bit to get the moisture content down. They were at 12% when I got them, already at 10%, but need to get down to 8% before using.

Slab Grain.jpg
Closeup of grain after light sanding and wetted down with some mineral spirits. I love Walnut. We'll be using only the dark heartwood, not the lighter colored sapwood.
 

SmooveP

Well-Known Member
Sawing up the slabs with the tracksaw. It's a really good application for this tool. You can't easily push a slab through the table saw because it doesn't have a good edge to go up against the fence.
Slab 2.jpg

After that, they go to the jointer, the thickness planer and the table saw to square up the edges.
Milled Walnut.jpg
 

jnos

Well-Known Member
Sawing up the slabs with the tracksaw. It's a really good application for this tool. You can't easily push a slab through the table saw because it doesn't have a good edge to go up against the fence.
View attachment 43443

After that, they go to the jointer, the thickness planer and the table saw to square up the edges.
View attachment 43444
I've been wanting a track saw for sometime. Was deciding between Makita and Festool, but think in the end I'll drink the green kool-aid.
 

SmooveP

Well-Known Member
I've been wanting a track saw for sometime. Was deciding between Makita and Festool, but think in the end I'll drink the green kool-aid.
You'll need the big one (TS75) if you want to use it for this kind of work, both for the depth of cut and the motor power. Even at 13 amps, ripping strains the motor.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
does the jointer get used on opposing short edges? or is it jointer then planer?

what is the treatment of the exposed end-grain?

how many of us need to show up to move it in place?

beautiful work!
 

SmooveP

Well-Known Member
does the jointer get used on opposing short edges? or is it jointer then planer?

what is the treatment of the exposed end-grain?

how many of us need to show up to move it in place?

beautiful work!

The sequence goes like this: 1) Joint one face until it's flat. 2) Joint one edge. 3) Plane other face to desired thickness. 4) Rip board to desired width on table saw with jointed edge against fence.

There are commercial products for sealing the end grain, but some people just use latex paint. It's to help control the dying process when air drying.

It's heavy, but 2 people can move it no problem
 

Frank

Sasquatch
Beautiful work Pat, stunning now and should be even better finished!! Are they doweled, biscuited, or tenoned together?
 

SmooveP

Well-Known Member
Beautiful work Pat, stunning now and should be even better finished!! Are they doweled, biscuited, or tenoned together?
For the top, the long boards are biscuited. The breadboard ends are attached with Dominos (9 per end). The 3 middle Dominos are glued on both ends, and the others are glued on one end and left loose on the other. The mortises for the loose ends are also bored wider so there's a little float to allow for seasonal movement.
 
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