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Has anyone experimented with creating a circular saw texture on slabs? Live edge slabs, farm tables, and vintage wood trim are very popular now and this circular mill marks are the hardest to come by. So, if we could easily create a similar texture on our milled lumber, it would be an...

This past spring and summer I moved a lot of slabbed product into a hardwood retailer for consignment sales. After coasting along for the summer, I finally got the bug to do some sawmilling. Now my solar kiln and air-dry racks are nearly full :) Back stack in my solar kiln. All elm. Air...

I started milling elm slabs for a hardwood dealer this summer. After a lifetime of thinking elm was 'junk wood', I have been surprised at the rich color and how hard this elm is. It's actually pretty nice for live edge slabs. 100" long slabs against my solar kiln. A second batch. Fresh...

Have you ever thought about it then decided to Not take your trailer load of carvings along on a road trip? If so, that was a bad idea... I recently returned from a 4,200+ mile road trip and we didn't have to use any of the money we set aside for the trip! Carvings sold at gas stations, rest...

I've always been a fan but only lately have been carving more than one Bigfoot / Sasquatch at a time. In 2 weeks the International Bigfoot Conference takes place only 3 miles from my house and I will be there with my wood carvings. Trying to share some photos in the order I carved them...

Here is a bench I've recently finished. Dragonfly and mushroom ends. I've also been carving a few slabs.

Today I milled some more poplar for a neighbor. His father planted the tree and now he's using the lumber from that tree for siding on a storage shed he is building. On his trailer, pulled by a lawnmower, is about 1/3rd of the lumber from his Dad's tree.

I received 3 old bridge timbers and milled off the 'rind' to help sell them. While cleaning up, I decided to try and sell the offal. I roughly cut it all into 2 foot long pieces then listed it on craigslist as "Craft/Art Rustic Slabs" for $3 each in small quantity or $2 each for large...

My name is Butch and I just ordered my third sawmill. LOL I started with a 36" wide Granberg Mk 3. Bought it on ebay with bar, chains, helper handle, oiler, and Husky power head. Having slabs available to make carved benches from really got me hooked :) But it was a lot of work... Next...

I'm milling this piece of silver maple with a crotch at one end. Maximum width is 36". How well do these crotch pieces dry? It is difficult to keep them flat? The log was already down to 20% moisture so I'm hoping there will not be much movement...

I always seem to get bad sticker-stain when drying sycamore slabs :( What's the cure for this? I've been using sycamore stickers which stains a lot less than pine stickers did but the stains are still pretty bad. Does anyone use plastic stickers?

I love dragging home those really big logs and carving with my MS-880 w 41" bar. It would be nice if I was as excited about moving and marketing these big carvings :( This is 8' tall, sycamore which I rough carved at the dump pile before hauling it home. After letting it dry for a month, my...

The "Making a Jarvi bench" video shows that a bandsaw mill can be used for more than just making lumber. Have you built a jig to expand how you use your bandsaw mill? Perhaps something for holding short logs? Holding logs vertical, milling siding, cutting angles or curves? Post pictures...

I'm ready to buy a 72" double ended bar for milling. I was surprised to learn that Granberg is asking quite a bit more money for their 72" bar than Baileys is asking for a Cannon bar of the same size. Is the Granberg bar really better (for the money) than a Cannon bar?

On week remaining before our local Artistry in Wood 2016 show. While many may not consider these local hand carver shows a venue for chainsaw carvers, I've been displaying and carving at our local show for years. It's a great place to make contacts for future carving gigs! I usually have 6...

This Caltalpa log is 32" at the small end and 12' long. The moisture content is reading 22%. No cracks, no rot, only 2 small limbs. After considering how to carve this into a $25,000 sculpture, I decided that I don't have the marketing muscle to sell such a sculpture and my children would be...

Occasionally a wood carving project becomes an adventure. This one taught me lessons in design, joinery, preparation, adhesives, finishing, contracts, customer relations, handling design change requests (demands), and generally to NOT accept any more commissions. :( This was to be an 8 foot...

Yea. I bought an eagle from Bob King and, with his permission, I tried to copy the design. I didn't quite 'nail it' but this may be the best looking eagle I've ever carved. 6 feet tall, sycamore.

The 'official' website for the Rally in the Valley has changed. Carvers Rally in the Valley 2013 September 15th thru September 22nd with Special Guest " The Chainsa

I love scrap carving day :) Even small pieces can make a few extra dollars for the chainsaw artist. Where some see scrap, others see eagles. Notice the big sweeping cut take from the top of these bench ends? I used one of those pieces to carve this face. And while carved...