From Logs to Slabs

Wow, great looking lumber!

Looks like that Timber King does a fine job of sawing.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

Better than porn :) but still not as good a as a new tool

-- "so much to learn and so little time"..

A very sneaky way to put a wood gloat in. Now all I have to do is save frantically for a year or two before I
dare ask how much you want for the ones you are willing to part with. The picture of the Timberking with
the slab is just too much temptation for a poor apprentice. Which do I want more? LOL. Thank you for
sharing and giving us something new to strive for

-- As ever, Gus-the 74 yr young apprentice carpenter

This really, really makes me want to get me a mill! looks awesome.

Beautiful wood, I wish I lived close to you I probably try to buy some from you.

-- Tim, Missouri ....Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the heck happened

Agree. Firguring is amazing. What will you make first? Cannot wait to see what is made from these.

-- Someday I will be more than a sawdust wisperer

Very cool. Love the look of the slabs.

-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"

Do you sell any of you wood? That is amazing wood. I also love to use live edge wood in my furniture.

-- donald mee

Mesquiteman,

Congratulations on your sawmill and your walnut! I just bought a Timberking 1220 too. My walnut logs are still on the stump and I’ve got to get a log arch built to move them and a backhoe rented to get the stumps out when I get the logs. Your walnut lumber looks fantastic. So far it’s been freezing, snowing or sleeting ever since I bought the mill. Spring has got to get here soon.

I hope your mesquite business is growing as well. Congratulations again!

-- Hal, Tennessee http://www.first285.com

I appreciate the comments. The timberking is an amazing mill. If you have the ability to get logs, it is a great investment. Most of the furniture I build and consign to local galleries is natural edge. I guess you could say Nakashima inspired. Although, most of the legs or bases I do are much different. Wood is truly amazing, I had a client tell me they wanted a mesquite dining table, so I agreed. Then Half way through the build they wanted it stained walnut to match there cabinets. So intstead of ruining the natural beauty mesquite, I talked him into going with walnut. That is how I ended up getting the logs. So many colors of wood, why have stain?

Those are some awesome slabs. I’ll have a bowl blank out of the last pic right under the bark inclusion. Aww, throw in the inclusion too,haha. I still don’t know what “fiddle back” is describing if anyone wants to enlighten me. Everything I have seen that says “fiddle back” looks like an extremely “curly” figure. Is this pretty accurate or is “fiddle back” something different entirely?

Thanks,

Zeke

-- -Zeke- "I hate to rush off, but I gotta go see a man about a log"

Now that is real sweet lumber.

Did you dry this lumber? If so how, and for how long?

-- Dustin, Central Coast California

Hola, Mesquiteman! —I have been thinking of making a coffee table with a live-edge mesquite slab top, 6/4 to 8/4 thick, at least 44” long, and probably 20” wide (or possibly 2 matched boards if it is too difficult to get a single wide slab). The problem is I would need it shipped to Michigan. Let me know if this is possible …

-- “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

Once the lumber is cut, I sticker each board and air dry for about 8 months to a year per inch thickness. Luckily, Tucson is very dry and hot, similiar to a kiln. I built a dining table for myself out of mesquite that the slabs only had 4 months dry time and they haven’t moved. Mesquite is very dimensionally stable.