Sawmill

[RTM]

I was gonna guess poplar, no idea if it has two lips or not. Not kissing it to find out.

 

[fourjeepin]

I wish!

Is magnolia a desirable wood for milling? Tons of it around me.

 

[RivennHewn]

Is magnolia a desirable wood for milling? Tons of it around me.

It can be, if you have some that’s big enough.

Nice colors and interesting grain.

Turns on the lathe nicely too.

(Image ripped from the interwebs)

 

[RivennHewn]

The wood is the dreaded cottonwood, a close relative to Poplar.

The off-putting smell goes away when it’s dry.

I cut this up to build the loading door of the kiln because it’s so much lighter than Douglass Fir.

The frame of the door will be the cottonwood with 3/8” plywood on either side. The “stud bays” will be filled with 2” ridgid insulation.

The outside of the door will have the same Cedar siding as the exterior side of the wall.

 

[RTM]

I cut this up to build the loading door of the kiln because it’s so much lighter than Douglass Fir.

The frame of the door will be the cottonwood with 3/8” plywood on either side. The “stud bays” will be filled with 2” ridgid insulation.

Remember to allow for season expansion when you build that.

 

[RickP]

The wood is the dreaded cottonwood, a close relative to Poplar.

The off-putting smell goes away when it’s dry.

I cut this up to build the loading door of the kiln because it’s so much lighter than Douglass Fir.

I'm not sure if I've ever seen cottonwood before. Hope the heat doesn't make the smell come back...

I didn't realize it was closely related to poplar -- I use that a lot because it's so lightweight (and it grows like a weed here).

That insulation should be just about right for the kiln door.

 

[RivennHewn]

It took dragging out a bunch of tools, but I got the loading door built. Forgot to take pics of the inside.

I’m now thinking I’m not going to hang it on hinges. It’s going to be a removable panel.

It’ll only need to be removed when I’m loading/unloading. I can grab it and set it aside, and not fight a door flopping around in the wind.

I’ll set it in place, and pac the gap with backer rod.

 

[Toolfool]

It took dragging out a bunch of tools, but I got the loading door built. Forgot to take pics of the inside.

I’m now thinking I’m not going to hang it on hinges. It’s going to be a removable panel.

It’ll only need to be removed when I’m loading/unloading. I can grab it and set it aside, and not fight a door flopping around in the wind.

I’ll set it in place, and pac the gap with backer rod.

GAP !?!! What is this "GAP" you speak of ? Wasn't this custom made ?

 

[RivennHewn]

GAP !?!! What is this "GAP" you speak of ? Wasn't this custom made ?

Once I install the threshold, it’ll be a friction fit.

Any tighter would just be a pain to remove it




I did find a magic bullet for the remaining smell.

Smells great in there now. The wife is sitting in there today, reading a book. It’s 40 degrees outside, and a comfortable 77 (and climbing) inside.

 

[Jayman17]

You might have to start a day spa business for soggy PNW’ers during the winter months.
For those without the time or money for a tropical vacation.

Jay

 

[Treeman]

The wood is the dreaded cottonwood, a close relative to Poplar.

The off-putting smell goes away when it’s dry.

Not to nitpick.......ok, lets nitpick, LOL. Be careful of the nomenclature. There is tulip poplar (yellow poplar) that is in the Magnolia family. Tulip poplar is somewhat hard and is used in cabinet making. And there is the willow family that contains lots of species under the populus genus: cottonwood, aspens, balsam poplar (bam) - these are quite soft, high moisture, and yes very stinky (paper mills). In the lake states it is not uncommon for loggers to lump these together and call them poplar or popples.

 

[RivennHewn]

Not to nitpick.......ok, lets nitpick, LOL. Be careful of the nomenclature. There is tulip poplar (yellow poplar) that is in the Magnolia family. Tulip poplar is somewhat hard and is used in cabinet making. And there is the willow family that contains lots of species under the populus genus: cottonwood, aspens, balsam poplar (bam) - these are quite soft, high moisture, and yes very stinky (paper mills). In the lake states it is not uncommon for loggers to lump these together and call them poplar or popples.

Treeman,
Always appreciative of info. Feel free correct me anytime.

We have cottonwood and poplar here, but I misstated the Tulip part, as they are a more Southern tree.

There is one Tulip Poplar here in Skagit Valley, that may well be the oldest living thing in the greater Skagit area (Mount Vernon, Wa.) Brought here by a pioneer of the area.

Tales From the Magic Skagit: A Tulip Poplar Grows in Mount Vernon (Pt. 2) - Meyer Sign

In Part 2 of our story about one of the most magnificent trees of the Skagit Valley, we’ll work our way a little deeper into the mists of time in telling its story — and we’ll invite you to help us fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle.

meyersign.com

Younger, but bigger than one planted by George Washington in Mount Vernon, Virginia.

 

[RivennHewn]

This is a “shouldn’t you be a work “ post.

I couldn’t quite make it there today. Needed a play with my toys day, as the weekend was too short.

The “bunch” of trees growing together that I pulled from the channel last week had two similar sized and shaped trunks growing out of the same rootball.

I cut them up, with thoughts that they make a nice pair of table legs. If they all stay intact.
Moisture content is pushing 90%.

I painted the end cuts, and stocked them outside, undercover. I’ll let them air dry awhile before they bake in the kiln.

 

[Treeman]

Treeman,
Always appreciative of info. Feel free correct me anytime.

My intent was more to introduce people to the idea that regional dialect can sometimes be confusing regarding local tree names. It's tough to "correct" a person of your hands-on experience and in-depth knowledge based on real life work. What you are doing is astounding and I love your results. It's what happens when a person has passion.

 

[RivennHewn]

My intent was more to introduce people to the idea that regional dialect can sometimes be confusing regarding local tree names. It's tough to "correct" a person of your hands-on experience and in-depth knowledge based on real life work. What you are doing is astounding and I love your results. It's what happens when a person has passion.

Thanks.

I’m not sure if it’s passion, compulsion, or just a dopamine hit, but I love the revealing of that which is in these ugly logs I find.

Kinda like fishing, ya never really know what your going to find.

Today’s catch was Alder.

 

[Jayman17]

Riv, are all these cut up slabs eating up all the floor space in your shop? You must have a pretty big pile by now. Hope you have a great Thanksgiving holiday!

Jay

 

[Ton ton]

Happy Thanksgiving, riv & hewn.

 

[RivennHewn]

Riv, are all these cut up slabs eating up all the floor space in your shop? You must have a pretty big pile by now. Hope you have a great Thanksgiving holiday!

Jay

The pile is growing!

Hoping to have some projects to post on my Table thread sometime soon.

Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

 

[RivennHewn]

Happy Thanksgiving, riv & hewn.

And Happy Thanksgiving to you!

 

[RivennHewn]

Temp’d in the cheap little digital thermometer/hygrometer units into a sealed box.

I’ll redo it latter when my siding goes on.

Not sure this is the greatest thing ever, but it’ll do for now.

At least I’ll be able to see the difference in relative humidity/temperature, even if they aren’t the most accurate.

 

[RivennHewn]

I seem to be obsessed with monitoring the kiln temps.

Had an hour before the bird is done, and the wife asked me to leave the kitchen.(nicely)

Gave me a chance to seal up the end grain on the log pile, and stack the little maple(?) logs on the sawbuck. I want them off the ground .

Hope y’all have a great day!

 

[RivennHewn]

A little online shopping yielded a nice accessory for the kiln.

A NOCO thru-wall extension cord port.

With this, I can run power into the kiln w/o having it go thru a door. Just drill a 2” hole and mount it to the exterior wall with the pigtail splitter inside. Air and water tight.

 

[RivennHewn]

First attempt at quarter sawing a log.

Didn’t quite nail the setup, but really close.

Started with a small diameter Douglass Fir to learn on.

They’ll make nice trim boards for some future project.

 

[Ton ton]

First attempt at quarter sawing a log.

Didn’t quite nail the setup, but really close.

Started with a small diameter Douglass Fir to learn on.

They’ll make nice trim boards for some future project.

Very interesting to see how quartersaw @ work.

 

[RivennHewn]

Very interesting to see how quartersaw @ work.

Ton ton,

Here’s a video on the process

 

[RivennHewn]

Woke up to a channel full of logs.

Pulled 3 today.

 

[bulletpruf]

Morning wood FTW!

 

[RivennHewn]

Froze my fingers off, but made a little progress on the kiln loading door.

Lots of Vycor, and got an aluminum threshold cut and installed. Ran out of tyvek, so I wrapped the door with FSK for now.

I cut a little cardboard heat shield/cover for the temperature probe to keep it out of the direct sun.

 

[RivennHewn]

The channel gods left me another mess on the ramp. Just another winter high tide with North wind blowing logs and seaweed right up the ramp.

Took me a couple hours to send it all back where it came from.

 

[RivennHewn]

Slack water between tides, floating 50’ from the ramp.

About as easy as it gets!

 

[RTM]

What? Did you throw your dog in the dryer and he shrunk and got curly?

 

[nadogail]

Free Logs, got to love that.

 

[RivennHewn]

What? Did you throw your dog in the dryer and he shrunk and got curly?

LOL

That’s the wife’s dog, Valentino!

 

[RivennHewn]

Free Logs, got to love that.

Hard to make money if you’re buying them!

It’s my untapped resource.

Hope y’all are keeping my secret

 

[RivennHewn]

Decided to go back for yesterday’s log’s stump.

Hard cranking, but got the ol Ford to start. Got to use the bed crane for its intended purpose.

It’ll be interesting to see what’s inside!

 

[RivennHewn]

Pulled in a 45 footer today, gave it to my neighbor to fill up his firewood shed.

I know what he’ll be burning next Christmas.

 

[RivennHewn]

Started off my morning at 6:30, in the dark.
Kayaked down the channel to help a neighbor who had a large log caught up in his pier. The tidal force on a log that size could do some damage.

I secured it, and went to work. Came home early.

Kayaked back down to the pier with my chainsaw and peavey. Cut the log into thirds, and brought the best part home. The rest was junky, and floated away.

One the way home, I spotted another likely log on the other side. Drug it home as it got dark.

Nice way to start and end my day.

 

[larry4406]

These random floating logs - are they logs from present time logging or ghost logs from the long ago past that have somehow surfaced/become unstuck and found you?

 

[RivennHewn]

These random floating logs - are they logs from present time logging or ghost logs from the long ago past that have somehow surfaced/become unstuck and found you?

Larry,

I wish I knew.

I think the majority of them come from upriver, due to high water rain events or land clearing.

They come down river into the salt water and the prevailing currents bring them past my door.

Along the way, the get stripped of leaves, branches, and bark.

 

[Jayman17]

That one is making a nice looking slab!