Bluish/dark streaks from long gone ferrous metal are seen quite often in very old 'yard trees'' in most places. This was some large White Oak (that originally was growing just a few blocks northeast of me) my tree service contact dumped in my backyard Dec.2013.You can see the streaks/spots that was a reaction to the iron contacting the tannic acid in the wood.Jan 2014 I used my Granberg mill,cut a few wide slabs 2.25" & 3.25 thick,let them sit stickered in the lumber stacks to dry 8+ years,then in June 2022 I used 4 of them to build this smaller cabinetmakers bench.
None of the larger logs my tree service dropped off were over 36" long,they varied from 32" to 36",with diameters around 24" to 36".Anything under 14" diameter that I got (tops & larger branches mainly) was split/stacked for firewood,it was burned in 2016-17.But the decent larger rounds were milled into wood turning blocks (bowl blanks mostly) and some shorter slabs -sold a few on Craigslist a couple years later,but kept most of them for future use.
3 X 3 legs,top is 1.75" thick,with a 4" apron on 3 sides.Its plenty stout even with its smaller size - It has to weigh 125 pounds (empty) found that out bringing back inside the shop after giving it a couple coats of Watco Teak Oil followed by a couple coats of Minwax amber varnish on the top.
Would've prefered a larger bench,even though I already had a larger heavy Doug Fir bench across the shop.But made do with what logs I had at the time. This ''little bench'' gets more use all the time,it may not be ''perfect'' but is perfect for my needs and like a favorite pair of boots,will get more comfortable with age.
Bench is all White Oak from one tree -(except for the 2 Black Cherry tool trays left one removable,right one is attached,and the lower shelf made from salvaged 50+ year old Yellow Birch that wouldve ended up in the dumpster I brought home from a local University dormitory remodel/upgrade in summer 2008.The Black Cherry was some scraps of new millwork from a local hotel remodel/expansion in late 1997,I was lucky there,a bunch of shorter pieces,other stuff up to 4 feet long was my prize those few weeks while there.To the right of bench,there's a few pieces of that thick short White Oak milled years ago that's waiting to be used in the next project.
One thing I miss about being retired almost 5 years now,(obviously besides a greater monthly income & employer paying for your monthly health insurance premiums) was ''dumpster diving'' haha It was different every week,you didnt know what you'd find,but it was often some pretty cool stuff. - even when you were at a larger project for several months up to a couple years in time.....That was one of the ''perks'' that came with the job,anyone could help themselves to the new scrap,plus anything that was demo'd or destined for the dumpster during the normal work day.
