Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[KiwiBro]

Sorry, I posted more detail on another forum.

Everything is glued together with Loctite PL Premium (3X). It does not match the wood color, but is very strong.

In addition, about every 6" on the board seams I drill a small pocket hole (5/16) and angle in a 2" deck screw. The screws hold things in place, as PL Premium will expand when it dries (24 hrs), and you don't want it pushing things a part. PL Premium alone is strong enough to hold everything, but the cross pieces are very important to keep the wood from cupping. (The one piece pedestals also help with that). This wood was not quarter sawn, and wants to cup on the center line.

I flattened both of the end pieces by cutting the back 3/4 through with the circular saw, glueing (with PL Premium), clamping, then screwing (same procedure as seams). Worked very well. Just monitor for "flat" as you tighten the clamps. (see pic)

Pedestals and cross braces are also glued with the PL Premium, and fastened with 3" deck screws.

Thanks for that extra info Mike. There was a very good write-up comparing almost all of the commonly available modern glues, in a woodworking magazine a while back. Can't put my mouse on it now but essentially all were stronger than the wood fibres. I couldn't tell on my phone the other day but I see squeeze out of the PL glue on my computer now. Like you say, colour is neither here nor there under the table where nobody is going to see.

Your table looks even better on the computer screen compared to my phone. The pedestals are a clean look. It's going to be great to learn if the wood fibres around the glue are strong enough to resist the ongoing cupping forces not to mention the seasonal dimension variations. The epoxy will help shed water but that's one big block of laminated wood and the rain that falls in the middle is unlikely to shed off the ends/sides. Honestly, I don't know, just suspect it may not handle it in the long run. I hope I'm wrong. It's not like there'll ever be a catastrophic failure given the way you've rebated/tenon-ed the connections, but just that I've never seen anything glued cross-grain in that fashion not go it's own way in the long run. I spy a learning opportunity for me so hopefully we can get some anniversary updates as the years roll by.

Was it a conscious decision to lay all the boards with the rings orientated so the heart was pointing down? I've always done it the other way around, trying to reduce cupping. The way I remember is to let the timber smile (rings form a smile rather than a frown). Obviously provided there is no punky heart/pith wood that's going to rot if exposed to the weather.

 

[Ryan A]

View attachment 746752 Think ford learned something about keeping a trans cool between 7.3 and 6.0 trucks. Stock cooler was very much clogged. Trans stays under 140 with new cooler unless I'm crawling in stop and go traffic.

James, whats the update on the trans? Diagnosis? Rebuild or replace??

 

[farmer steve]

James, whats the update on the trans? Diagnosis? Rebuild or replace??

How's the scrounging going in this neighbor? Looks like you've been getting some rain.

 

[Multifaceted]

A buddy and I dropped an old, tired Black Locust. Not the biggest I've seen, but pretty big. Still living, but barely hanging on. Lots of dead branches, maybe 80' tall. Counted the growth rings at around 58-65, so close to the end of its lifespan. Some of it near the top is a little punky, but got a fair amount of firewood plus bases for to use as anvil mounts for the both of us!

 

[Ryan A]

How's the scrounging going in this neighbor? Looks like you've been getting some rain.

Steve, LOTS of rain for sure here in the Philadelphia area. Next week it looks like even more rain as the remnants of Barry move North and soak us for three days.

I’ve been busy with the start of teaching summer school and the demolition of our 16x31 20,000 gallon in-ground pool that was built in the 70’s.

As far as scrounging, not a ton going on. I have a fellow in a neighboring town two miles away in a half million dollar plus home who is going to give me a cord of seasoned wood when I remove two brush piles for him. He also has a fallen cherry tree that I can cut and take as well. Easy flip for me as I sell all the wood I scrounge.

 

[James Miller]

James, whats the update on the trans? Diagnosis? Rebuild or replace??

Still don't think its 100%. But keeping it cool will help me keep it together while I save up for a replacement down the road. Not having to replace it right now leaves me with the funds to still make the tail of the dragon/Randies GTG in October. Thought I was going to have to scrap the trip till next year.

 

[Ryan A]

Still don't think its 100%. But keeping it cool will help me keep it together while I save up for a replacement down the road. Not having to replace it right now leaves me with the funds to still make the tail of the dragon/Randies GTG in October. Thought I was going to have to scrap the trip till next year.

Any help from the previous owner?

 

[James Miller]

Any help from the previous owner?

Nope.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

Oh to have a bandsaw mill and the support equipment to run it.

 

[Ryan A]

Nope.

Karma goes full circle. For someone to sell a vehicle with a known problem and be totally unresponsive to you after you reach out is terrible. You are a good person James.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

Wife saw the shape of one of the “rounds” and wanted a couple 2” thick slabs to burn a mural into them. Any tips for storing and drying them? Told her it would be a minimum of a year before she could start finishing them.

 

[MustangMike]

The epoxy will help shed water but that's one big block of laminated wood and the rain that falls in the middle is unlikely to shed off the ends/sides.

This is going to be an indoor table, if it were going outside I would have spaced the boards like a picnic table.

I have seen ones with the live edge the other way, but I thought this way looked better, and if the wood stays stable (and I think it will now that it is built) it won't really matter.

I will keep you posted how it holds up over time, but obviously being inside will help.

I did a similar work bench for my Step Son almost a year ago (2 piece Black Oak) and it is holding up just fine so far. (re post of pics). I has a semi transparent stain instead of epoxy.

 

[KiwiBro]

Ha, somewhere along the line I assumed it was going outside. My mistake.

 

[MustangMike]

I would put something flat and a weight on them to keep them from warping, but don't know if extensive checking can be stopped. Maybe just fill in the checks after?

I am toying with doing some White Oak and Elm rounds, but have not yet played with them.

 

[James Miller]

View attachment 746837 Wife saw the shape of one of the “rounds” and wanted a couple 2” thick slabs to burn a mural into them. Any tips for storing and drying them? Told her it would be a minimum of a year before she could start finishing them.

I cut a few 2" or so pieces off a big white oak for my brother. They cracked up real bad after a year in his adic. Wish i knew how to stop it. They would have made nice table tops for the deck at the cabin.

 

[svk]

I cut a few 2" or so pieces off a big white oak for my brother. They cracked up real bad after a year in his adic. Wish i knew how to stop it. They would have made nice table tops for the deck at the cabin.

I think you need to cut them much thicker, paint the ends then let them fully dry before resawing.

 

[KiwiBro]

Can't seem to get an angle that shows how much these things sparkle. You'll have to take my word that it's goosebumply good.

 

[Benjo]

View attachment 746837 Wife saw the shape of one of the “rounds” and wanted a couple 2” thick slabs to burn a mural into them. Any tips for storing and drying them? Told her it would be a minimum of a year before she could start finishing them.

It's tough to keep them from cracking, but there's plenty of info available online. The most accepted method is to use pentacryl, but adding end sealer (anchorseal etc.) is also sometimes recommended. Perhaps most important is to dry them SLOWLY, meaning in a cool basement with no sun, no air movement, not a lot of space around them, perhaps with cardboard taped onto both sides. Smaller pieces can be put in a cardboard box to help slow down drying. The pentacryl instruction specifically state that wood stabilized with pentacryl can be burned, so no worries there.

I just made a few 22"eastern red cedar cookies today that looked neat, so I have one in a trash bag soaking in a gallon of pentacryl for around 4 days (or longer, doesn't hurt anything to soak for a long while)

Eastern red cedar has been pretty stable in my experience, I made a heap of cookies for my neighbor who was making a walkway his wife saw in pinterest and used various species. Spruce cracked like pac-man, as did red and white oaks. most of the red and sugar maples did better, elm and beech too. Didn't have any ash but I assume it would do well. The crazier the grain the less they cracked, but some kinda ended up like potato chips.

Matt Cremona has a good video on his experiments with pentacryl and/or anchor seal: https://www.mattcremona.com/urban-logging/sawing/cutting-and-drying-cookies?cntxt=date

 

[MustangMike]

They look just great!!! Hate to think of all the time that goes into one of them!

My big table is a much cruder production, and it just seemed to steal my time!

Luckily, I mixed just the right amount of epoxy when I did the top (a rare thing), but I was very stressed that I would not have quite enough, or that it would become unworkable before I was done.

The top surface itself isn't that bad, but doing the 4 sides, especially the live edge ones, can really stress you out!

The little plastic squeegee type thing they give you seemed to be the only tool to use, and using that on the non horizontal surfaces is a challenge.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

I don't have s stool to sit on...yet, but I did finally hang a 2 step step-stool on the side of the PU rack. Age needs some adjustments to do things.

even with the steps out of mine, I did a test run with it this afternoon now that I have realigned its purpose. instead of it being used to go up... I think it will be just dandy... for me to use it to sit down... on it! lol. I have a couple bleacher seats. prob will try out as to if they can add any useable utility...


age: I agree with you tk ~