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Thread: Wood from my own back yard
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8th September 2012, 07:29 PM #1Intermediate Member
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Wood from my own back yard
I bought myself a lovely draw knife today. I was up in Castlemaine and I went out looking for fallen branches, on our property, that were in good condition to hopefully use for making furniture for the house. So begins the journey into understanding how to work with this timber.
The draw knife is the latest addition to my collection, and I suspect it will play an important part, if not the most enjoyable. I have been collecting tools for a few months now and slowly experimenting with them but the main goal has always been to use wood I can salvage from our property. I have obtained a 21" carbatec bandsaw, a 6" jointer, a small table saw (not sure of the blade size, I'll post later) and a carbatec 12" thicknesser. Along with planes and other hand tools I feel very well set up.
So... This log of mine. Its really a branch fallen from some type of gum. It's only 70mm in diameter and I want to keep it in log form for the project I have in mind. I have found other logs that would be better suited for planking so I do want to be able to do both. We have a shed that is made from logs found on the property, would they have been allowed to dry or did they put it all together and just expect it to move around whilst they dried?
Do I need to let the log dry? If I remove all of the bark with the draw knife and seal the ends will this log dry to the point where I can work with it? Would this take a long time? I suppose I should get a moisture meter but this log does not feel very green, but I understand it is probably holding a bit of water.
With planking I think I'm well set up to get the log into planks, then it's just a matter of sealing the ends, stickers and patients. (I've read many articles on different methods so I wont go into that here).
I'll leave it there for now, my head is boiling over with ideas and questions but I am still perplexed as to my best options to utilising this beautiful timber I'm finding on my own property.
Thank you!
James.
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8th September 2012 07:29 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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9th September 2012, 07:07 AM #2
Devery,
You say you have a project in mind but don't say what.
Draw-knives are normally used for rough shaping cleft timber into shapes suitable for onward work with finer tools.
Cleft timber being riven 'green' from a length of trunk. So if you want to use the draw-knife on the branch, now is the time.
Slightly curved versions all the way up to 'Scorps' have more specialised uses, from bellying barrel staves when coopering through to shaping Windsor chair seats to fit the buttocks.Dragonfly
No-one suspects the dragonfly!
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9th September 2012, 11:05 AM #3Intermediate Member
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I see. The knife did feel great on the green timber, I could imagine that it wouldn't be so easy when dry. So I will do all my rough shaping at this stage.
I guess my question was too broad, so I will refine. How do I dry timber in log form?
My project is a coffee table using the natural shape of the tree as its legs.
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9th September 2012, 12:47 PM #4
A log that size should be dry in about a year and a bit but no gurantee it will not split. Small logs like that have a reasonable chance of making it however if kept in a cool dry place with the ends sealed. I would dry more than you need as some will split. You could have a look and ask some questions on the Green Woodworking section. It may be easiest to construct the base while green using round tenons as in chair making.
Regards
John
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9th September 2012, 05:43 PM #5Intermediate Member
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Good tip, I will collect more than I need. I actually think I have done that so I'm on the right track. I'll just collect, seal the ends and store. I'll get myself a moisture meter and go from there.
Now, what about these buildings that use logs for the frame work? Would it be common practice to use the timber while green? My shed has been constructed using logs not much thicker for the uprights and about the same diameter surrounding it then clad in iron. Where the timbers join they simply use a lap joint and bolt it together. This is another project I would like to do some day, so I want to know if I should season the wood before use.
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11th September 2012, 07:04 AM #6
There is a long history of using Green Timber in building projects. Orientating the grain such that when it shrinks (through drying) it grips (or is gripped) tightly whatever it is jointed around.
Take for example the stretchers and legs of an old Windsor chair. The stretchers are cut from a cleft blank, turned and then orientated into the holes in the legs such that they shrink more top to bottom than side to side. The legs are oriented opposite so they shrink side to side and hence grip the stretchers without glue.
On a much larger scale, log cabins of the early pioneers were made from green logs, readily available and easier to work. Seasoned logs were hard to come by.
So go for it, use what you have and be prepared to make good later as some small amount of failure (twisting or warping) will occur.
There is probably a book or two in a local library or other members can suggest on using Green Timber in building projects, do a little research, it will pay off.Dragonfly
No-one suspects the dragonfly!
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