# Milling mantles and tops . . .



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Since Daren is champing for some milling pics and it's raining again, figured I'd post some pics of some mantles and tops I milled last week. I had to trim the log a little so the guides would pass. I decided to mill contrary to the way I really wanted to because I didn't want to fool with the CSM. 



I had already started whittling on it before I decided to take pictures. 
























I like the contrast of sapwood and heart. I'll never understand why some people prefer clear, all heart, "defect free" wood. Not knocking them to each his own, but it's all eye candy to me. 








This log didn't turn out to be anything spectacular like I was hoping. I should have broke out the CSM and cut it like I wanted, but just didn't really have the time. Still not a waste . . . . 








It made some nice mantles too. 




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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Once finished this will be fun to look at. The pictures are pretty bad but this piece has plenty to look at. 









I love finding these enclosed voids. This one was full of old pecans, both cracked and stored. At some point when the fork was almost totally enclosed but not quite, a squirrel was using it as home sweet home. Several generations of squirrels I'm sure, before the tree finally closed the door for good. 








I heard on the radio a couple days ago about a **** dog that was found in a tree, way up in the tree, and the dog was actually mummified. In Georgia I think it was. They determined the dog had got trapped up there in the 50s. They had a contest to name the dog, and the only name I remember that was submitted was "Stay". It wasn't the winning submission but I thought that was pretty funny. Poor old hound must have suffocated from his own weight and being trapped in the fork like that. 

Well there I did it, went and hijacked mt own thread again. :laughing:


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## Logger (Nov 26, 2009)

*mantles and tops*

Looks great, and your right theres plenty to look at. Nice pics thanks 4 showing:thumbsup:


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Nice !...and yea "Stay" cracked me up :laughing:. Those walnuts in the background of one of your pics makes me wish I was milling today, I have a few beauts a guy dropped off awhile back. The weather is warming up...but it brought rain...not that if I get to itching too bad I won't mill in the rain


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Daren said:


> ..not that if I get to itching too bad I won't mill in the rain



I did last week before I cut the pecan. Only time I won't mill in the rain (if I feel like it) is if it's lighting too. Not raining now but I have a ton of shopwork to do. Not fun shopwork either. :no:

Oh well, I'll have plenty of time to mill if I decide to procrastinate the have-to stuff. :yes:


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I couldn't resist. Had to look up that mummified **** dawg. Turns out the winning name was "Stuckie". 


The submitter had spelled it "Stuckey" but the museum was worried about trademark infringement - back then Stuckey's was still in business. 





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## Chad (May 10, 2009)

Sweet looking mantles and lumber, someone's really gonna have to hate "defects" to not find something awesome in that. I think the "defects" are the best character myself. More the better.


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