# Newbie here to Learn



## Austin (May 9, 2008)

Hi guys, 

I am new to all of this, but I use to be pretty handy in woodshop back in highschool, I have just fell out of it since I had no time. 

But i have been reading and reading on here and you guys have some pretty cool stuff, I just realized that myrtle wood is the same as pepperwood and bay laurel, when I was younger I worked with myrtle wood and it seemed to be easy to work with, and produced good results. 

Also I plan on building a house in the next few years and I want to get a nice stock pile of cool wood that I could use to make my cabnets, and anything else that would make my house unique. 

I have been reading and reading some more on Splated myrtle and how to increase the growth of the white rot. I was just wonding if anybody had any first hand expirence. 

I have read alot of how Daren has been using urban logging to get some awesome wood.

but what should I look for, I am in the Pacific Northwest of California, in the middle of no where, my girlfriends dad is a logger has a mill and all that stuff. 

There is lots of wood on the property where I plan to build, Plot of 40 acres, heavily wooded with... Madrone... Black Oak... Pepperwood... Maple.... Doug Fir.... and probably more.

I hear Madrone is really pretty when finished, but i also hear it is a pain in the ass to keep straight while drying, 

I have tons of questions when the situations come up, but i thought i would start here and glad to get to know you all..

Austin


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Austin said:


> my girlfriends dad is a logger has a mill and all that stuff.
> 
> There is lots of wood on the property where I plan to build, Plot of 40 acres, heavily wooded with... Madrone... Black Oak... Pepperwood... Maple.... Doug Fir.... and probably more.


Sounds like a good start for sure. I don't have any personal experience with any of the wood you mentioned except maple and black oak. One thing I can say that black oak (if they have any size to them) is about the prettiest of the oaks when it is 1/4 sawn. It has huge ray flecks.


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## Austin (May 9, 2008)

This wood up here is pretty big. For example we just went and looked at a madrone tree that was 18 feet around the base. 

i would say the black oak is about 3-4 feet in diameter in some spots, and same for fir.

the myrtle wood is something that im interested in.

oh and I forgot to mention Alder, there is tons and tons of alder.

I would like to learn how to make wood Spalted, I really like that look, and would like to maybe make some cabinets out of it.

Austin



Daren said:


> Sounds like a good start for sure. I don't have any personal experience with any of the wood you mentioned except maple and black oak. One thing I can say that black oak (if they have any size to them) is about the prettiest of the oaks when it is 1/4 sawn. It has huge ray flecks.


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## Austin (May 9, 2008)

once i knew what spalted wood is i found it, pepperwood myrtle




















Austin


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## Austin (May 9, 2008)

I thought for sure I would get some respoonse with the picture.

Austin


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Austin, I don't know about anyone else, but I can't see your picture. There are a lot of posts people make with pictures that I can't see the pictures. I assume it is hosted somewhere other than on the woodworkingtalk site, because some pictures I can see.

FrankP


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

That's odd Frank I can see the pictures. Can anyone else not ?

Austin. I have been kinda busy and not had much time to visit. Yep, it looks like you are on the spalted wood trail. On that acreage you speak of I can only imagine there to be truck loads of fallen stuff that mother nature has already done the work for you. You may be pleasantly surprised at the jewels you find just laying around.


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## Austin (May 9, 2008)

put some pictures in my album.

Austin



Daren said:


> That's odd Frank I can see the pictures. Can anyone else not ?
> 
> Austin. I have been kinda busy and not had much time to visit. Yep, it looks like you are on the spalted wood trail. On that acreage you speak of I can only imagine there to be truck loads of fallen stuff that mother nature has already done the work for you. You may be pleasantly surprised at the jewels you find just laying around.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Austin said:


> put some pictures in my album.
> 
> Austin


Man, those are some beauties.


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## leejb (Feb 16, 2008)

The wood in the pics look like alder.
Out here where I live there is a hell of a lot of alder.


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## Austin (May 9, 2008)

leejb said:


> The wood in the pics look like alder.
> Out here where I live there is a hell of a lot of alder.


 
There is a lot of alder here too, I am in the top left corner of Cali, but those are pepperwood (myrtle). I turned some down today and they look pretty cool, i will get some pics.

Austin


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## Austin (May 9, 2008)

http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b18/Tacomanova/?action=view&current=Peppergrinder1.jpg










PepperMill Made from that spalted myrtle I found

Austin


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