White oak table

[Wolfking42084]

hello all,
I took down a 60" dbh white oak yesterday with the new 880. What a job! Anyway, the first 8' had metal somewhere in it, so i cut a 42" log that is 9' long. Got another one from a limb 30" and 8.5' long. I've been wondering how practical it would be to make a table from the center of the large log. It would end up being probably 4" thick and 9' long. Any suggestions? is it possible? Should i let it dry a couple years and then have it cut or do it now and deal with the cracking? thanks logan

 

[mtngun]

I think one of our members, aggiewoodbutcher, was involved in making similar tables, and posted pics somewhere on this forum.

They had to use "butterfly" inserts near the ends of the table to prevent the ends from splitting.

So, it can be done, and it looks unique, but it might be easier to use the conventional woodworking method of quartersawing and gluing up.

In general, it is best to mill the log as soon as it falls, sticker the boards or slabs, and let them dry that way, rather than letting the log dry and then milling.

 

[Juicemang]

I did a 32" white oak about 2 years ago. Only thing I wish I did was put more weight on the slabs. I was smart enough to put my best slabs on the bottom. I have about 5 with zero warp. The 7 or 8 on top of the good ones have some cupping and end splits but I'll re saw them and it will work out fine. Its not like I need 12 bar tops haha. 4" thick seems a little overboard I would go with 3".

 

[slabmaster]

Oak always gives me trouble when seasoning too. It seems to want to cup alot.I do keep weight on it most ends up straight but it still likes to cup.I've noticed that the flat sawn tends to cup more than the quartered stuff.So mabey oak is better quartered when milled. Just my 2 cents on it. Mark

 

[woodshop]

My opinion... cut it asap, don't let it sit. I know from personal experience even a large white oak log can get full of beetles sitting through only one warm summer. Yes it will crack and split if you mill it more than 8 or 10/4... just the way the world works. As was said, lots of ways to deal with that after the fact. In my opinion, it adds to the character of the table. How many huge natural edge slab tables have you seen that did NOT have any defects or cracks here and there? I've never seen one.

 

[excess650]

I would be hesitant to make a table top more than 2" thick. I cut some 2"x30"x7' slabs a little more than a week ago, and they were HEAVY despite being mostly dry.

Waynesville!!! on the west side of the BRP and south of Asheville with one mean SOB lookin' peace officer....

Highland Brewing makes some great beer, and my favorite is the Black Mocha Stout. They generally have it up at Pisgah Lodge.

 

[Wolfking42084]

Thats right excess! Thanks for the input guys. I may drop it down to 3". Now my only problem is loading the big boy. I have a tractor loader that will lift 3000# but it will not come close to lifting this log. Time for block and tackle. You all have many good ideas on milling and many I would not think of. Glad i just take them down and dont mill! thanks again logan

 

[Brmorgan]

I think one of our members, aggiewoodbutcher, was involved in making similar tables, and posted pics somewhere on this forum.

They had to use "butterfly" inserts near the ends of the table to prevent the ends from splitting.

So, it can be done, and it looks unique, but it might be easier to use the conventional woodworking method of quartersawing and gluing up.

In general, it is best to mill the log as soon as it falls, sticker the boards or slabs, and let them dry that way, rather than letting the log dry and then milling.

I think you're talking about THIS TABLE in particular. It's a nice example of a slab table, and oak to boot. And is it just me, or has Aggie not been around here for some time now?

 

[mtngun]

Thanks for finding that old thread, Brmorgan. Yup, that's the one. Let's hope Mr. Aggie returns some day.

 

[Wolfking42084]

I really like the way aggie did his table. I have thought about taking mtn. laurel and making the portion for the slab to sit on. Still pondering how i am going to load the log. Any guesses on the weight of the log?? (42"x9')

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

LOL! My ears were burning... New town and new job don't leave much time for milling and woodworking. I do have a table in the works though. It's just taking longer than usual because I have to share the garage with the wife and kids. I miss my shop.




I use this to help calculate log weight.

http://www.woodweb.com/Resources/RSCalculators.html

5679 lbs.

As others said, mill the log and stack/weight the slabs asap if you want to minimize imperfections.

I've lost as much as half the thickness of a slab when flattening it so keep that in mind. On slabs as wide as we are talking here, I generally mill them 4"-5" thick and hope for 2"-3" finished. If they warp too badly while drying, you can rip them down, flatten the rips and glue them back together.


I have had the best drying results when I bolted the slab stack together with threaded rod (I posted pics of it somewhere). Some slabs will warp no matter how much weight you put on them. I had one on the bottom of a stack lift about 4000 lbs of other slabs and concrete and nearly turn the stack over.

Good luck.

 

[forestryworks]

Oak always gives me trouble when seasoning too. It seems to want to cup alot.I do keep weight on it most ends up straight but it still likes to cup.I've noticed that the flat sawn tends to cup more than the quartered stuff.So mabey oak is better quartered when milled. Just my 2 cents on it. Mark

yep, oak is better quartersawn... at least i've been told

 

[Wolfking42084]

I was wondering about bolting it down somehow. The threaded rods, sounds like a really good idea. Thanks for all the help

 

[woodshop]

I was wondering about bolting it down somehow. The threaded rods, sounds like a really good idea. Thanks for all the help

I've used threaded rod and 2x lumber in the past for certain stacks with good success. Catch is you have to keep tightening those nuts as the stack dries and thus shrinks. In the beginning, I was tightening them every week... and every time I would check they would be loose again (or only a few would be tight). Got to be a pain.