# Reuse of old popular logs



## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

As many here know my love for sawing old logs,,,125 yr old....150 yr old.....????? hand hewn and riven poplar logs from an restored house. These logs averaged 6"x 14" with NO heart/pithe and little white with tight growth rings...NO knots...sounds like virgin forest material. These are part logs from when owner moved and restored this history and made smaller window into a picture window....later we removed picture window and installed door and sidelights. This project is a 3 plank (approx 42" wide) trestle table i commissioned to build from their salvaged logs.

The basic layout is to be simple and matching to original logs. I split the logs for top at 10 qtr. The top's eating surface will be the smooth sawed side of these qtr sawn logs with the original hewn side down. The trestle bases will be 6"w x 7" h....trestle top pieces will be 5"w x 3 1/2" h....the end uprights and bar will be 2 3/4" thick x 14" wide.
Will keep pics coming in:

Have a Blessed and Prosperous evening in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Sounds interesting as usual with you Tim.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Here's more pics


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## Treeoflifestairs.com (Jan 9, 2012)

I think you mean poplar, right?


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Thanks treeoflife....corrected spelling...that's what happens at midnight trying to finish up...kept dozing off and didn't proof read.

Got my lengths cut and top back reliefs. Ok'd the top's joint spacing(es) to keep as rustic as possible. Work on boring mortises tomorrow and cutting tenons. 

Local historic bridge having new concrete floor poured tomorrow....may go take pics for future documentation...YEA sonny, I was there in 2012 seeing it rebuilt,,,that was the GOOD OLE DAYS:laughing::laughing::laughing:.

Rechecked my old log structure today that I was planning on moving and resetting back up....but on further inspection, TOO many deteriorated logs to restore back BUT I'm going to recycle into furniture, flooring, mantels, benches, etc., etc....maybe it will clean up to recut a small timber frame and not lose full building.

Have a Blessed and Prosperous day in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

nice logs


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Busy day, this build seperates the degrees of levels in a build....MAXED OUT the thinker today.......NOTHING square, flat, smooth....That's my kinda build...CHALLENGING:thumbsup::thumbsup::yes::wallbash::wallbash::laughing::laughing: ....to make parts and lines appear straight....but OOOHHHH the character this one has. I'm posting a pic showing how tight the grain is...best I can tell without magnifying glass is 10-12+ rings per inch, 15 inch wide and NO pithe. THIS would be old growth VIRGIN timber. I got the mortises aligned and bored, part of the tenons cut.

Have a Blessed and Prosperous day in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

more pics...


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Looks rustic Tim. My eyes are on this.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Dominick said:


> Looks rustic Tim. My eyes are on this.


Maybe just a LITTLE RUSTIC:laughing::laughing: somewhere on it:blink::shifty::shifty:

I got the rough out done and dry fitted....now comes the fun....I'm going to build a jig for my router so I can recess the upright end's pockets into the uneven base and top bars. The only exposed bandsaw marks will be the top, inside uprights and the sides of the crossbar. I added Roman numerals to all parts for more aged look.

Several new pics.

Have a Blessed and Prosperous day in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

A few more... as you'll notice under the top the original finish that was on the interior of logs when in house.


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

That is totally cool. Great job!


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Nice looking table Tim. 
That's got to weigh a ton. Are putting some kind if finish on it? Because I like the look of it like that.


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

thats really cool


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

that really is neat tim:thumbsup:


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Thanks Dom,

Actually it doesn't wiegh nowhere near what an oak one would. Finish...the customer is going to finish....this one looks so well without a finish it's sad it would require one for the top as it is going to be used as dining...once all the pocketing and draw pegs are done, it would be BEAUTIFUL just wire brushed and the age of build would be hard to determine. Didn't get to work on today...Blessed with a LARGE red oak (pics on sawing thread)

Everyone have a Blessed and Prosperous weekend in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Tennessee Tim said:


> Thanks Dom,
> 
> Actually it doesn't wiegh nowhere near what an oak one would. Finish...the customer is going to finish....this one looks so well without a finish it's sad it would require one for the top as it is going to be used as dining...once all the pocketing and draw pegs are done, it would be BEAUTIFUL just wire brushed and the age of build would be hard to determine. Didn't get to work on today...Blessed with a LARGE red oak (pics on sawing thread)
> 
> ...


I agree. The look and the aged wood will probably withstand any finish they put on it. 
But if that's what they want? Than not much you can say. Keep it up Tim.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Yeah Dom......You know we have to wiegh out what's going to be best in the long run and how we're going to use a piece......This would be a tough wiegh due to the bare beauty ....but here's the wieghts: 

NO FINISH = bare beauty, (as table) many stains and rings on top, micro-organisms on top surface from not being able to clean properly due to porous wood....Glass wood be an good option but semi-expensive 43" x 80" BUT is do-able and floaters (not touching wood, disc pads etc.)

FINISH: everything is protected, could stain (not recommended) differ color, easier dusting

I never thought I'd fall in love with a bare (unfinished/no coating)piece......I'd lean towards the glass top and no finish if it would fit into the budget 

Have a Blessed and Prosperous day in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Yea I can understand a finish for the top, but maybe the rest should be bare. I don't know? 
It's quite attractive as it sits.


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## Ted Tolstad (Feb 20, 2011)

Very nice.....


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Been a while , Just finished up on the table. Built a jig for the router to cut pockets at a constant depth/plane. This project took more thinking and calculating due to as much as possible of the exposed sides were left in original form and not being straight or square. Another obstacle was the draw pegging with dry pins and dry wood I had to be more exact on pin size not to split the aged timbers. My understanding of the last decision the owners had on the top was to put a coat or 3 on the top and the underside and leave the trestle natural and NO finish. As you'll notice the owners wanted the base and top on trestle angled back some. I nylon brushed all the original edges and 120 sanded the sawn areas leaving the deeper saw marks as detail. I built custom wedges for trestle brace. I cut tenons with a round ends to match bored holes. This table is all draw pinned or wedged Except top is anchored by counter boring from bottomside the top trestle part and using 5/16" x 4" anchor screws.

Please enjoy and have a Blessed and Prosperous evening in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

That is so nice. Makes me want one.


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

makes me wanna get my buddy to slab some wood for me and build me one of my own.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Stopped in and checked the table owners progress on table. They decided to seal the top first and are thinking of sealing/finishing the rest of table due to large contrast between finished and unfinished. He used Sikkens satin door and window split at 50/50 with turpentine. It actually is hard and sanded very easily on the test spot shown. The color and look this finish had reminded me of the old oil rubbed floors to keep dust down. 

Here's an update pic and will post more as they finish the table.

Have a Blessed and Prosperous day in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Looks great. That finish really made that top pop. 
Happy customers?


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Thanks....Yeah...looks like it had an old oil had been applied years ago. I was really surprised, just made it look like it was finished years ago:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:. Can't wait to see the rest finished, hope it looks aged.

Have a Blessed and Prosperous evening in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

*They Gotter DOOONNNNEEE!!!!!*

They gotter done......and in the house and using it. Right now it's just the top (and underside) with a finish and it's mellowed down and looks GREAT:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:. Still deciding on rather to put a finish on the trestle. I think it looks fine this way with the top protected.

Here's a few pics in the house......apple anyone????

Have a Blessed and Prosperous day in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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