# Turning stock vulture



## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Since I got into this wood thing I am always on the look out for funky logs for the mill, I go so far as to dig through firewood piles for turning stock. It makes my wife laugh sometimes, we will be on a drive in the country and I see a good tree down and I stop and ask about it. We have had to come back to town on more than one "Sunday drive" to hook up the trailer.:laughing: 

Anyway I stopped to visit a guy yesterday and he heats a big tractor shed with wood and has a big pile behind the shed. I was kinda scanning what he had in the pile as we talked and I saw something curly. I picked it up and asked if I could have the chunk and told him that it would make good turning stock for me. He said he was just going to burn it obviously, take anything that I would like.

I didn't have my little utility trailer on back of the van (that's how bad I am, I usually don't leave the house alone without my little trailer "just in case") but there was not much there anyway. I am calling it apple, I am pretty sure that is what it is. It was already cut in small pieces, but I got some bigger trunk pieces and several limbs. I cut some of the limb pieces into pen blanks, they look cool with the sapwood/heart mixed. It is all curly even the limbs, the last picture is of the blanks, you can't really see the curl cause they are fresh cut and wet but it is there for sure.

If someone knows it is something other than apple, feel free to correct me. That is just my best guess (smelled like it)

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=209&cat=500

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=210&cat=500

http://http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=211&cat=500


----------



## JP Sinclair (Nov 13, 2006)

Daren-I love reading your stuff. I show it to my wife to prove I'm not the only wood nut. I actually dug in a buddy's firewood bin because I saw what I thought was curly cherry. Until reading your post I was too embarassed to admit it....


----------



## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

JP Sinclair said:


> Until reading your post I was too embarassed to admit it....


I probably shouldn't fess up most of the things I do to feed my wood habit :laughing:, but you know what they say the first step to overcoming an addiction is to admit you have a problem. I think mine is incurable, oh well.


----------



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

JP,

We are all candidates for some kind of woodish 12-step plan so don't feel as though your affliction is something you have to deal with alone. :no: 


Like most of us, you will learn to cope enough that your friends and family will not ever even know the true extent of your addiction. 
Now, if you start sneaking a block of curly anything to bed and stashing it under your pillow, then your wife has every right send you to counseling at that point. :icon_wink: 

Short of that, "embrace your uniqueness". Uhg! I don't mean THAT way. :laughing:


----------



## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Well the little firewood pile apple blanks seemed to turn out ok.

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=212&cat=500


----------



## Burlkraft (Oct 15, 2006)

Nice pens Daren....

Nuthin' like turning firewood into some killer lookin' pens....:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


----------



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Those are purdy Daren. Very nice. :thumbsup:


----------



## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

OK.... I admit it..... A windstorm took down part of a Cedar on the property line..... I was cutting some of the Limb Crotches into smaller pcs to make some Bases for Figure models / Vignettes....... I admit it... I'm always looking... Whle cleaning up the Cedar I noticed some Damag on the Ash next to it.... Well, Looking closer at the trunk... HMM Looks liek the trunk had a Burl... So down it came... and SUre enough theres a bit of Burl and some Curly lumber..... LOL It sucks whn I go Hunting.... Always Wishing I had a Chainsaw........LOL


----------



## JP Sinclair (Nov 13, 2006)

*Big Beautiful Burls*

My cherry burls arrived on Christmas day. My tree service buddy even worked on Christmas. Amazing how hard he works. Anyway, they are just awaiting a date with the saw now. I like the look even with the rough surface from the chain saw. The trunk of the tree has some cracks but the burls seem solid. I just know I won't be able to resist those when I fire the saw up this weekend. Just have to figure out exactly how I want to slice them. I'll have some display pics when they are done :thumbsup:


----------



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

wow those are going to be some pretty bowls you can tell.


----------



## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Well what do you think ? I was driving by an old "stump" I have been by 100 times this morning and it caught my eye. I hopped out for a closer look, it is real cloudy here today so the curl doesn't show up, but you can kinda see the birdseye. It has real good curl on both sides, the picture of the other side didn't come out and I am not going back and stomp around. If I would have taken the picture from an angle instead of straight on the curl would have shown.
I think the trunk has stood there for at least a year, they just cut it off at the 2 limbs where they could get through it with a saw. It's better that 48" at the base and 7' ? tall.
It is setting in front of an apartment building. I found out who owns it.
It's a nasty/knarly stump... but I bet there is some figured wood in there :thumbsup: and a fair share of metal :thumbdown:.
It's 3 blocks from the house and I have a 34" saw... would you go for it?

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=315&limit=recent
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=314&limit=recent


----------



## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

If I had a saw to handle it...... I Would............ I know I found a but of Burl in the Stump of that Ash I took down in the Front yard.......


----------



## JP Sinclair (Nov 13, 2006)

You know I would buddy. 10 minutes and my buddies trailer and that baby would be headed for the mill. Probably the people would be thrilled to get rid of the rest of it. Just imagine if it has good birdseye and curl....

You better do it, you won't sleep right again until you do--


----------



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

ya gotta. you know you do. :yes:


----------



## Burlkraft (Oct 15, 2006)

Daren....If ya have to ask the question...You already know the answer...:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: 

I'm actually surprised you hesitated at all.....


----------



## pennswoods (Apr 4, 2007)

*Wood Stock Vultures*

Greetings all..
I just joined up and have to say that is how I make my living and support two kids, is running a timber salvage business here in northern Pennsylvania. With all this logging right here in the heart of prime hardwoods you would be surprised with how much waste is left from logging. Also I working as a sales agent for an area sawyer who has bandmill, kiln and the means to do wall panel and flooring.
Any way we can be of help please feel free to ask.
We have a blog of past gem, saw mill, just interesting going ons here.

http://pennzwoodz.spaces.live.com/PersonalSpace.aspx?_c02_owner=1

Thanks
Bill

Penn's Woods​


----------



## JP Sinclair (Nov 13, 2006)

Cool page Bill, I'm a little behind you but the same basic operation. Kiln is going on line in a few months and the re-saw shop afterwards. Best of luck--


----------

