My neighbor gave me this 2" oak slab. Its dang nice but the edge has a lot of wet rot. I am comfortable stabilizing the crack with bowties and the knot with epoxy before finishing, but any advice as what to do with this rot at the edge?
Was thinking about taking a flap wheel sander to it. The higher mag pic is after I dug at the edge with a screwdriver.
Ultimate goal is either a coffee table (maybe not this one) or may cut it half and make an interesting shelf.
I think I'd have a go at it by hand, lightly with a spoke shave first. Then finish up with sand paper or your flapper wheel if its not too destructive. Some of those tear aluminum up in a hurry..
I think I'd have a go at it by hand, lightly with a spoke shave first. Then finish up with sand paper or your flapper wheel if its not too destructive. Some of those tear aluminum up in a hurry..
Yeah, I was thinking about hand tooling it first....
Rotten is rotten. Cut it off and proceed as planned.
It'll look great cleaned up lots of cool funky grain going on
You've got a good neighbor ..
Would it be worth ripping it, and joining it together? Cut out the bad wood.
Spokeshave and use sanders to replicate a live edge.
You wouldn't lose much good wood with a tablesaw, but if I was just trying to take the punky wood off, I'ld start with a hatchet. Most people have 1 and they are a lot more useful for hand working wood than people give them credit for. That chopped edge would look more at home on a "rustic" piece than any sander will do.
2 Cents.
You wouldn't lose much good wood with a tablesaw, but if I was just trying to take the punky wood off, I'ld start with a hatchet. Most people have 1 and they are a lot more useful for hand working wood than people give them credit for. That chopped edge would look more at home on a "rustic" piece than any sander will do.
2 Cents.
I hadn't considered that, but might work. Might try it and then move on to spoke shave if I don't like it.....
I'd turn it into BTUs in the fireplace.
I'd turn it into BTUs in the fireplace.
Thats what I do with stuff like that.
I'd turn it into BTUs in the fireplace.
Thats what I do with stuff like that.
That's a consideration, and may happen. But I'm gonna give it a go at rehab.
Draw knife if you have one and a rasp.
What would you like to have in the end?
A little bit of a live edge, realizing that's not reality.
If me dad was alive, he would crap over
The "Live edge" stuff these days.
Slab wood is slab wood.
That stuff used to be a edged off and burnt on the scrap pile.
A decent piece of wood has 4 square edges.
That said, it's cool in a rustic way.
About like 5000 square foot "cabins" in "the mountains".
Rich city folk!💩
I just priced out some live edge bar tops in Ash for a Bar were doing a build out for. The hipster woodworkers are REALLY proud of them for sure.
If me dad was alive, he would crap over
The "Live edge" stuff these days.
Slab wood is slab wood.
That stuff used to be a edged off and burnt on the scrap pile.
A decent piece of wood has 4 square edges.
That said, it's cool in a rustic way.
About like 5000 square foot "cabins" in "the mountains".
Rich city folk!💩
Thanks for the help.
Its a style thing that's all and its sure as hell nothing new, live edge, burls and other rustic stuff was all the deal in the 60s and 70s. Now its in vogue again.
Sure upsets the anal retentive types tho.. haha
Around here that would get burned.
What about doing your stabilizing and finishing in one shot. I would just give the whole slab a coat of pour on self leveling epoxy. Hit up you tube lots of videos doing live edge slabs. You would encapsulate the rot. Which looks pretty cool to me.
Beat the ever loving schit out of it with a chain until it's all solid wood then stain/burn/seal to taste.
Spokeshave and use sanders to replicate a live edge.
^^^this^^^
What about doing your stabilizing and finishing in one shot. I would just give the whole slab a coat of pour on self leveling epoxy. Hit up you tube lots of videos doing live edge slabs. You would encapsulate the rot. Which looks pretty cool to me.
That should have been option 1, but that ship sailed when he dug at it with a screw driver, now we are brainstorming option 2.
However. If he didn't dig at both sides, he might still pull that off and just flip the buggered side down. Only people that would know are the people he tells.
You see a lot of people stabilizing wood on youtube using epoxy and putting it under vacuum, but I don't think that's needed unless it's something that is going to be milled or turned.
I damn sure wouldn't burn it... I might use it for a lot of small projects, but burning would be a shame.
Ask the neighbor for about 30-40 more and you can cook some pork shoulders. lol
Like I do with that stuff.
$15 a bundle 😄
Cheap enough. That bundle here is 100 bucks.
What about doing your stabilizing and finishing in one shot. I would just give the whole slab a coat of pour on self leveling epoxy. Hit up you tube lots of videos doing live edge slabs. You would encapsulate the rot. Which looks pretty cool to me.
That should have been option 1, but that ship sailed when he dug at it with a screw driver, now we are brainstorming option 2.
However. If he didn't dig at both sides, he might still pull that off and just flip the buggered side down. Only people that would know are the people he tells.
You see a lot of people stabilizing wood on youtube using epoxy and putting it under vacuum, but I don't think that's needed unless it's something that is going to be milled or turned.
I damn sure wouldn't burn it... I might use it for a lot of small projects, but burning would be a shame.
Not necessarily. I think I've got some options. Y'all have expanded my thoughts on it.
I got a bunch of tags to notch, but afterwards, maybe February, I'll start this project.
I was going to show a pic of a fireplace mantle we put up out of a similar looking hunk of black walnut (I think from looking. My daughter sourced the plank) 2 inch slab sawn from the middle of a twenty inch tree. One side was ripped square to lay up against the fireplace. The other side is raw with a bit of bark left.
But I absolutely can not get cell phone or camera pics to upload to the 'Fire anymore. They just refuse to go.
I would use a wire wheel on a hand grinder, go with the grain. That would keep the live edge look. Make sure you use a soft wheel, and wear safety glasses! I built lots of burlwood and live edge tables, for waterbed stores in the late sixties and early seventies! Made lots of dollars as a side business! My records show 186 tables in 1970! Mostly redwood burls.
That looks like firewood to me.
Only thing I'd add is I'd find a local shop with a time saver and pay them run it through that. I think it would be a great slab bench or coffee table.
George Nakashima put paid to the notion that cracks, knots, and live edges needed to be eliminated. Were it mine I would hog all the loose stuff off the edges and then burnish what remained with a dead soft wire wheel followed by hand polishing. Fill the knot hole with clear epoxy, and stick a couple bow ties into the seasoning crack as the OP suggested. Flatten the whole works and start varnishing.
Couple more of my stool samples.....
Not far from being a potential coffee table, just needs a wider slab.
Couple more of my stool samples.....
Hey, no one wants to see that
I see what you did there!
Had a guy from the neighborhood ask if he could dump a few big white pines in my hollow a couple of weeks back.
I got to looking at them and thinking.......
Decided to make a couple of benches for the Tenn house.
Going to let them air/sun dry all winter under roof.
Bench seat and first slab for bench with backrest:
I like those!!
You see that on Pinteret and copied dat chit 😄
Put that little walmart saw to work.
I like those!!
You see that on Pinteret and copied dat chit 😄
Cabin we stayed at several years back.....took a pitcher or two...
Family Dollar saw.....
I'd ask for some help but skeered you'd bruise and sue.....
That looks like firewood to me.
That was my first thought too.
Jerry
Couple more of my stool samples.....
Not far from being a potential coffee table, just needs a wider slab.
Come on Dan get creative, that's red cedar you're working with there. You gotta be able to turn out sumtin' more than a stool sample...
Couple more of my stool samples.....
Not far from being a potential coffee table, just needs a wider slab.
Come on Dan get creative, that's red cedar you're working with there. You gotta be able to turn out sumtin' more than a stool sample...
That does not look like red cedar to me...
DigitalDan is a stones throw from me, Red Cedar is one of the most common trees here so I'd say there is a good chance.
It is easy to tell dogwood from all other wood.
You can tell.....
by the BARK!!
This one was a Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola aka Coastal or Southern Red Cedar when I cut it down in my backyard....Looks a lot like Dan's slabs.
I guess it depends on who you are talking to...
A lot of people have seen my wood and seem to enjoy it...
Well, one thing similar with Dan's wood and mine is both can be sat on.
Sparky, you did some fancy carving on that log to be sure. Another wanker in my neighborhood does some similar stuff.
Wood. Use it if you got it.
Couple more of my stool samples.....
Not far from being a potential coffee table, just needs a wider slab.
Come on Dan get creative, that's red cedar you're working with there. You gotta be able to turn out sumtin' more than a stool sample...
That does not look like red cedar to me...
Have your eyes checked. Southern red....
I've heard it's different out where you live.
Sparky, you did some fancy carving on that log to be sure. Another wanker in my neighborhood does some similar stuff.
Wood. Use it if you got it.
Beautiful artwork. I like it.
Sparky, you did some fancy carving on that log to be sure. Another wanker in my neighborhood does some similar stuff.
Wood. Use it if you got it.
If I wanted to carve to sell I'd do those.
That one is nice...they turn a good buck too...
I have access to a few private islands that are loaded with blown over weathered cedar.
Always procrastinating about hauling a load or three outta there one day, seems like a lot of work.
Are you cutting your own slabs?
JB Weld hardener or PC Petrifier. This stuff is used to harden rotten wood under sill rot repairs.
Had my slabs cut following a hurricane some years back. 14 cedars down in the yard and a fair number in the rest of the neighborhood. Salvaged what I could, let them cure for about 18 months. Wound up with a couple thou board feet of 1/2/3" slabs ranging from 12' to about 24" wide. Still have a fair bit. miss the shade. Have one left in the yard that has a butt of about 36".
Great looking stuff. I think I might get something decent out of this slab. We'll see.
34 to 36 is what the one measures that I started carving on. I let it sit elevated for around 3 to 5 years before I messed with it. I had hand peeled all the bark from it before the bugs could get after that first layer.
I took it to a couple of different mills to get it cut up and both times it didn't work out, mill down for maintenance once, guy that ran the other mill was outta town for 5 weeks at the next. It sat around for a while longer then I just decided to turn it into what it is today. It's still a work in progress, I am still cutting on it every now and then.
I been using Teak Oil for my finish with great results. It's not really my first horse race when it comes to outdoor wood finishes. Most everything else times out and goes to hell at some point. With the Teak Oil I just hit it again, hose it on with a cheap pump up sprayer. Just takes a few minutes. In the beginning that cedar soaks up quite a few coats of oil before it's saturated and starts to give me a little gloss but after that it lasts for years with just a refresher now and again.
I've always hed great respect for folks that can carve like that, that is quite something.
I can't draw a stick man without fuggin' it up!
Couple more of my stool samples.....
Not far from being a potential coffee table, just needs a wider slab.
Those are nice Dan, the deep red is sweet!
I'm not much of a carver but have done a little. OTOH I loathe right angles, so mebbe it works out? Learned a fair bit about wood craft restoring vintage wooden yachts many moons ago and have dabbled off and on since. Love hardwoods, particularly persimmon and a few other oddities...worked sales for a millwork shop that did odd things like zebra wood counters in laundry rooms.
I like wood.
In another life I was a genius with polyester and epoxy resins.
Update on this. Its hot as hell for January, so I've been outside with a wire wheel brush and it's cleaned up this rotten edge real nice. Next is sanding the whole thing. Might stabilized the crack with some bowties, just for fun and aesthetics. Then onto finishing.
Wife wants a high table behind leather sofa. Think it will look good there.
Again, thanks for all ideas.
This slab is now behind a couch in my living room. Happy with how it turned out. Ive decided I need a 30" planer.
Thanks for ideas and advice.
Oh yeah, stabilized the crack with bowties but then decided to do an epoxy pour. That leaked all over my shop floor, so re-taped and did it again. Turned out great.
Sealed with Bona HD hardwood floor sealer. Great finish. Bombproof too.
Good news. My shop floor is epoxied now.
This slab is now behind a couch in my living room. Happy with how it turned out. Ive decided I need a 30" planer.
Thanks for ideas and advice.
Absolutely outstanding.
This slab is now behind a couch in my living room. Happy with how it turned out. Ive decided I need a 30" planer.
Thanks for ideas and advice.
Absolutely outstanding.
Thanks. I'm glad I didn't burn it.....
Living Edge furniture is often poorly done... yours is spot on.
Stabilize the rot with Git-Rot.
See it here.
Wire wheel burned it out. I did stabilize crack with epoxy. Used these guys. Great deep pour stuff.
https://www.superepoxysystems.com/liquid-glass-epoxy/
Note a spoke shave but a draw knife. Start off by having the bevel down so you can hog off the bad spots.
Wire wheel burned it out. I did stabilize crack with epoxy. Used these guys. Great deep pour stuff.
https://www.superepoxysystems.com/liquid-glass-epoxy/[/quote
I didn't think to mention it but that was a damn fine job you did on that table.
I'll be going with that stuff on next winters project, If time allows I'm going to make a keepsake Coffee / magazine table and maybe a couple of end tables to go with it.
My neighbor gave me this 2" oak slab. Its dang nice but the edge has a lot of wet rot. I am comfortable stabilizing the crack with bowties and the knot with epoxy before finishing, but any advice as what to do with this rot at the edge?
Was thinking about taking a flap wheel sander to it. The higher mag pic is after I dug at the edge with a screwdriver.
Ultimate goal is either a coffee table (maybe not this one) or may cut it half and make an interesting shelf.
Dimensions?
Couple more of my stool samples.....
Not far from being a potential coffee table, just needs a wider slab.
Come on Dan get creative, that's red cedar you're working with there. You gotta be able to turn out sumtin' more than a stool sample...
That does not look like red cedar to me...
Have your eyes checked. Southern red....
I've heard it's different out where you live.
Yup, our red cedar is actually cedar...
Couple more of my stool samples.....
Not far from being a potential coffee table, just needs a wider slab.
Come on Dan get creative, that's red cedar you're working with there. You gotta be able to turn out sumtin' more than a stool sample...
That does not look like red cedar to me...
Have your eyes checked. Southern red....
I've heard it's different out where you live.
Yup, our red cedar is actually cedar...
Yeah, our's is actually just Cedar...
Couple more of my stool samples.....
Not far from being a potential coffee table, just needs a wider slab.
Come on Dan get creative, that's red cedar you're working with there. You gotta be able to turn out sumtin' more than a stool sample...
That does not look like red cedar to me...
Have your eyes checked. Southern red....
I've heard it's different out where you live.
Yup, our red cedar is actually cedar...
Yeah, our's is actually just Cedar...
I was being facetious, neither are true cedars.
Yours is a juniper and ours is thuja. Both commonly called cedar... The wood you get is far superior to ours.
Yup, our red cedar is actually cedar...
Yeah, our's is actually just Cedar...
I was being facetious,
As was I...
The wood you get is far superior to ours.
Maybe for being purty but we could never get enough straight boards to side a house.
I'd turn it into BTUs in the fireplace.
Me too, oak splits.
This slab is now behind a couch in my living room. Happy with how it turned out. Ive decided I need a 30" planer.
Thanks for ideas and advice.
Very nicely done TimberRunner.
I have a bunch of slabs drying, waiting for me to get to them.
The legs you used look nice, a lot of slab furniture made lately has black pipe for legs. I’m not a big fan of them. Yours came out very nice.
Couple more of my stool samples.....
Not far from being a potential coffee table, just needs a wider slab.
Come on Dan get creative, that's red cedar you're working with there. You gotta be able to turn out sumtin' more than a stool sample...
That does not look like red cedar to me...
Have your eyes checked. Southern red....
I've heard it's different out where you live.
Yup, our red cedar is actually cedar...
Yeah, our's is actually just Cedar...
I was being facetious, neither are true cedars.
Yours is a juniper and ours is thuja. Both commonly called cedar... The wood you get is far superior to ours.
See the third paragraph of the link. Cedar Key is about 15 miles as the crows fly from where the wood in my pictures originates from.
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/red-cedar.html
My neighbor gave me this 2" oak slab. Its dang nice but the edge has a lot of wet rot. I am comfortable stabilizing the crack with bowties and the knot with epoxy before finishing, but any advice as what to do with this rot at the edge?
Was thinking about taking a flap wheel sander to it. The higher mag pic is after I dug at the edge with a screwdriver.
Ultimate goal is either a coffee table (maybe not this one) or may cut it half and make an interesting shelf.
Dimensions?
Finished its cut down to approximately 70" long x 17-26" wide with the live edge.
This slab is now behind a couch in my living room. Happy with how it turned out. Ive decided I need a 30" planer.
Thanks for ideas and advice.
Very nicely done TimberRunner.
I have a bunch of slabs drying, waiting for me to get to them.
The legs you used look nice, a lot of slab furniture made lately has black pipe for legs. I’m not a big fan of them. Yours came out very nice.
Used a fabricator out of Illinois. They did a good job. 2" square.
I get slabs[mostly poplar] and age them a bit by letting them sit under a deck where they get sun but little moisture.
Put them in our vacay rental house.
Have had a few requests to make for folk. I'm like did you even look at it? 2 Hobby Lobby brackets, a piece of slab and about 5 minutes saw work.
My neighbor gave me this 2" oak slab. Its dang nice but the edge has a lot of wet rot. I am comfortable stabilizing the crack with bowties and the knot with epoxy before finishing, but any advice as what to do with this rot at the edge?
Was thinking about taking a flap wheel sander to it. The higher mag pic is after I dug at the edge with a screwdriver.
Ultimate goal is either a coffee table (maybe not this one) or may cut it half and make an interesting shelf.
Dimensions?
Finished its cut down to approximately 70" long x 17-26" wide with the live edge.
Nice coffee table, methinks.
My neighbor gave me this 2" oak slab. Its dang nice but the edge has a lot of wet rot. I am comfortable stabilizing the crack with bowties and the knot with epoxy before finishing, but any advice as what to do with this rot at the edge?
Was thinking about taking a flap wheel sander to it. The higher mag pic is after I dug at the edge with a screwdriver.
Ultimate goal is either a coffee table (maybe not this one) or may cut it half and make an interesting shelf.
Dimensions?
Finished its cut down to approximately 70" long x 17-26" wide with the live edge.
Nice coffee table, methinks.
You missed the final product pic. It's already finished.
This one was a Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola aka Coastal or Southern Red Cedar when I cut it down in my backyard....Looks a lot like Dan's slabs.
That is wild!!!
My neighbor gave me this 2" oak slab. Its dang nice but the edge has a lot of wet rot. I am comfortable stabilizing the crack with bowties and the knot with epoxy before finishing, but any advice as what to do with this rot at the edge?
Was thinking about taking a flap wheel sander to it. The higher mag pic is after I dug at the edge with a screwdriver.
Ultimate goal is either a coffee table (maybe not this one) or may cut it half and make an interesting shelf.
Dimensions?
Finished its cut down to approximately 70" long x 17-26" wide with the live edge.
Nice coffee table, methinks.
You missed the final product pic. It's already finished.
Sure did! Saw the pic behind the couch but didn’t put it together. Probably because I missed the OP date.
Strike three.
Very cool post. I missed it when it back then and really appreciate the history of the area and more so the pencil factory.
The smell of Port Orford Cedar has always been "pencil cedar" but I would prefer the FL cedar...
eta... did not realize it was just posted...
Yup, our red cedar is actually cedar...
Yeah, our's is actually just Cedar...
I was being facetious,
As was I...
The wood you get is far superior to ours.
Maybe for being purty but we could never get enough straight boards to side a house.
But if you could the bugs would hate it...
I got a stack of book-matched eastern red cedar boards that are spectacularly fiddleback most of the way and are over 2' wide and 8' long. Only had them a decade or three and still looking for the right place to use them...
I got a stack of book-matched eastern red cedar boards that are spectacularly fiddleback most of the way and are over 2' wide and 8' long. Only had them a decade or three and still looking for the right place to use them...
The cedar I cut down in the yard made it to the mill twice in five years, I wanted to cut it up into two inch thick boards.
First time he was broke down, second time he was extending the bed on the mill and couldn't run it.
Finally I just started in whittling on it and ended up settling for a nifty 14 foot long garden bench....
I'm sure an idea will come to mind one day if you keep them around a little longer...
This slab is now behind a couch in my living room. Happy with how it turned out. Ive decided I need a 30" planer.
Thanks for ideas and advice.
Very nicely done TimberRunner.
I have a bunch of slabs drying, waiting for me to get to them.
The legs you used look nice, a lot of slab furniture made lately has black pipe for legs. I’m not a big fan of them. Yours came out very nice.
Used a fabricator out of Illinois. They did a good job. 2" square.
A fabricator? So those are steel 2” square tube?
I thought they were square wood legs. Neat
This slab is now behind a couch in my living room. Happy with how it turned out. Ive decided I need a 30" planer.
Thanks for ideas and advice.
Very nicely done TimberRunner.
I have a bunch of slabs drying, waiting for me to get to them.
The legs you used look nice, a lot of slab furniture made lately has black pipe for legs. I’m not a big fan of them. Yours came out very nice.
Used a fabricator out of Illinois. They did a good job. 2" square.
A fabricator? So those are steel 2” square tube?
I thought they were square wood legs. Neat
Yes, steel with an oil rubbed bronze finish.
Timberrunner,
That turned out great. Nice work.
Note a spoke shave but a draw knife. Start off by having the bevel down so you can hog off the bad spots.
That's exactly how most of the poorer examples are done (really over done). Not to say a draw knife can't be used to achieve good results (it's the craftsman, not the tool), but how Timber Runner did it is spot on. It doesn't look contrived or over-worked.
Note a spoke shave but a draw knife. Start off by having the bevel down so you can hog off the bad spots.
That's exactly how most of the poorer examples are done (really over done). Not to say a draw knife can't be used to achieve good results (it's the craftsman, not the tool), but how Timber Runner did it is spot on. It doesn't look contrived or over-worked.
Thanks Brad, but you are giving me too much credit. I just wire wheeled it until my drill started slowing down. I did burn up an old corded drill early on. And an old belt sander working out the cupping. But it was a fun project.