milling thread

[flushcut]

You guys gonna love this...
New trend for the kiddos....
Natural wooden blocks... I guess they pay big bucks at the kiddo stores for them in the cities

I like um! I doubt very much I'd pay for them but neat!

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

I've thought of making them and selling at pre-holiday craft fairs.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

A man could get rich I tell ya

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Diversify, and of course, advertise. I wonder if the pieces are tumbled for smoothing them. A free craigslist clothing dryer minus the heating element might just work. The ones at Dahlia's preschool are without bark and have some sort of finish. Maybe just some oil.

 

[Magnus]

For turning use, I mostly cut it freehand, since it doesn't matter if it not precise.
I'd hate to run free hand cut boards through a planer, though.

Many years ago I cut Elm boards that was run thru a double sided planer (rikthyvel) and this worked great with exception of the limetid width of 90cm. Would be great if it was 30cm wider.

 

[Bodean]

Here's my first bits of wood craft. Stoked to be learning something. ct

 

[Fiddler]

 

[Reddog]

 

[woodworkingboy]

That's real cool Deva. If I might suggest, removing the bark but leaving what's underneath with the irregular edge surface of the wood and color, can make for a pleasing effect that is more refined than having the bark on. You can wire brush that surface as well to clean it up a bit and make it smoother, or touch it with a little sandpaper to even out rough spots. It makes it comfortable to the touch.

 

[Bodean]

I appreciate any and all input and especially from a Titan as you Sir Jay.

Here's my current project...Monterey Cypress cave man bench.....basically wanna get these 4" slabs out of here.

My question is how to attach them....do i trough the underside of the slab and slot the verticals in and glue (this will hide irregularities ) .....or do i flat face to face with like 3 dowels (gotta be plumb or won't sink) on each leg into the slab with glue.......or just lag it in from the top predrilled and countersunk....(this one seems easiest and least refined)?

 

[woodworkingboy]

Deva, you really don't want to attach it in a way that restricts wood movement. Slotting or tenoning the verticals directly into the top, as you say, is the standard way, so theoretically when the top expands and contracts due to atmospheric changes, the verticals do at the same time. If you don't have the length needed in the verticals to slot them in, I can suggest another way. I think that drilling through the top for lags is kind of a shame, as you mention about least refined. Dowels will work, but I think a second best option to using tenons, in terms of strength. One other way if you don't have the length needed in the legs for tenons, is to glue and screw some cross strips in across the legs, say two or three per, wood or steel. Have them stick out wider than the legs.Then screw the legs to the top through the strips, with slots for the screws, so that the wood can move. Use lags and washers. You probably aren't set up for steel strips to drill, etc, but having thin pieces by way of steel, rather than the thicker wood that would be needed, makes for not seen. Just slot it (tenons) and drop it in using glue, the first method you mention, the most straightforward. A few tenons is better than one long strip. The tenons should be fairly long for that thick top, since there is not a stretcher between the legs. You might want to put one in, it will aid greatly to prevent racking.

 

[Chris E]

I'm doing a bit of research on a commercial venture as sideline to tree work, just wondering if anyone has any comments/previous experience. I have access to a yard with machines and access to a log truck that provides a log removal service generally for crane work. I was thinking of engaging contractors with a portable Lucas Mill to mill hardwood logs and then try to sell the timber. It would be a 50/50 split with the guy owning the yard and machines for handling. Just keen to see if others think it could be a worthwhile thing?? Could the wood be milled and sold unseasoned?

Apologies for the vagueness of my post...

 

[Bodean]

Jay.
I like that cross strip idea in case the legs are short....i could probably make the tenons with a skill saw and chisels? What's the best tool to make that mortise.....and for that matter the tenin? Stretcher....racking.....I'm learning things. Thanks Jay.

this walnut and cherry combo impressed me. I liked the union.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Nice bench there.

On the mortises, the usual way without some mechanical set up to drill square holes, is to mark everything out for the square holes, then drill them out with a regular wood bit on a drill press or by hand with a depth stop of some sort, then chop to your lines with a chisel. I think the best order is to make the tenons first then mark off of them for the mortises, rather than vice versa. Go for a tight initial fit then size down as you need to. Woodwork is all about working down to the right specs, rather than trying to go for a perfect fit right off the bat. Fitting is really the heart of the matter when it comes to nice work. That's where sharp tools make a difference too, being able to shave off small increments. A good fit is tight but not something that you should have to wail on to get together, and too tight during the process of fitting will often lead to cracking when you are only partially where you need to be and have to take it apart by pounding on it.

Tenons, a skill saw and chisels is one way, but accurate work with a skill saw is tough. I think a good hand saw will serve you better on this application, cut outside the lines and pair down with chisels. Do you have a square for marking and checking accuracy? The combination of a small size and larger one is very handy. I don't mean to make it seem complicated, just the standard approach.

If you want to pursue getting sharpening stones for chisels, I can probably advise. Good luck with the project, Deva, anything else I can advise or whatever, don't hesitate.

 

[Bodean]

Thank you, Jay.

You've set me down the road whistling with a plan. Big thank you for the input.

 

[woodworkingboy]

No prob...

I've got some currently not being used squares packed away, I think, and probably some chisels. You can't have too many different sized chisels. Pm me your address please. Chisels will arrive sharp.

 

[Bodean]

I'm not worthy.

but, I will gladly pm you.

 

[Bodean]

Here are the tenons on the legs my dad cut with the skilsaw. Worked pretty good. Now to cut the mortices.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Solid!

 

[Bodean]

Still have some adjusting and staining to do but...here it is so far...rushed and made mistakes. . Need patience...still learning. Tons of fun.

 

[Bodean]

Not sure if it's a coffee table or bench.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Both!

 

[woodworkingboy]

Yeah, I've had people sit down on tables. Nobody yet ate off a chair, that I know of.

 

[Tucker943]

Deva that's a table dude. That thing belongs in the middle of a few chairs on a summer evening with a tiki candle burning on it with a bunch of open beers on it while friends laugh hysterically about an old story everyone forgot about. That's what I see that being awesome for.

 

[stig]

Chris, if you ever tire of treework, you should think about writing for money.