# Ideas for logs



## Bergman (Mar 8, 2014)

Hey there, new to the forum and don't have much work working experience, but I've always had an interest in it and like playing around with some things. Mostly like working with hand tools, I made an English longbow last year and plan on making multiple primitive bows and playing around with carving and what not. I wasn't sure where to look, this seems like a decent place.

So we recently had a massive maple cut down in our backyard that had been heavily damaged during the ice storm late last year, and I'm looking for some cool ideas of things to do or make with the massive logs that we've ended up with.

I'm pretty sure its a silver maple, or was. Firewood is obviously a big use for it but some of these logs are probably 3' in diameter. I'd like to use a couple for something, and would like to practice some carving/whittling.

I've though of a few ideas. I could probably make some kind of round table, maybe a bowl, plate, utensils, but those aren't that big. I'm amazed at the size of these logs, tree has been there since I've been alive and never really considered the size of the thing.

Anyways, any ideas at all will be helpful, just trying to practice skills and have some fun! Here's some pics of it.





































Oh, and if anyone has any decent plans for their ideas I'd love to see them, or could be forwarded to an area on how to work on wood in certain ways. I have mostly hand tools, but my dad is loaded with power tools, saws and drills.


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## TheGermanJoiner (Dec 1, 2013)

Carve em out and make some planters. Slice em up and make stepping stones Cut em up and make a chisel mallet. Shred em up and make toothpicks ;^)


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Too bad they chopped it up. Should have kept the logs and had them cut into slabs for tables benches and furniture. Pains me to see those type of logs go for firewood.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Forgot,

Welcome to Lumberjocks


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## Bergman (Mar 8, 2014)

Do you think there's a chance some of those longs would cure okay? They are all still fully intact, just not much longer than just over a foot.

I heard they will check pretty badly after a year or two of letting them cure. Is that the case? If not, or if there's a chance that some of them won't check, I'll convince my dad to keep a few of them. Then I can see what I can use them for.

I have no experience in working with and curing green wood, so I'm trying to figure out the best way I could use these, and how I would get to that point.

Planters and stepping stones aren't a bad idea. I'm looking to buy a place out in the country within the next year or two so that could add a personalized rustic look to it.

"Forgot,

Welcome to Lumberjocks"

Thanks


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

TURN TURN TURN my friend you have a good few years of fun sitting beneath you there.So have fun .Alistair


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

Good fire wood.


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## TheGermanJoiner (Dec 1, 2013)

I agree with monte. Kinda short to mill up. I also agree with Scotsman turn it if you have a lathe. Even if you mess it all up. Good way to learn


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## Bergman (Mar 8, 2014)

Sadly, that's probably the only thing we don't have. I'd love to have a lathe!


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## koraile (Nov 7, 2013)

Those thinner longest loggs, splitt them in half afther the core, use a wather thinned white ordinary Wood glue and putt on all the cutt sides, not the barch side. do it a few times during a couple of days so it gets into the Wood a bit and dryes. Take them inside and dry them in a semi warm room for 6 months, and they should be ok to use. You can do this With them Whole and uncut to, but then just use glue on the cutt ends of the logg and fletch the barch of for the drying.

If you want to use them wet, Splitt them or keep them Whole. Get some woodcarving irons and make sculpours or freeformed bowls, play around its fun in wet material, its so soft to carve. When you have it done and ready to do the finish or sand, trow it in a microwave oven and dry the item, you have to test the time for the drying, it might twist a bit, but it Works. take it out sand it or carve the finish, add oil, wax or what you preffer.

You can also take some logg and leave them on the ground, try some of those Slices. Have aplastic or tarp thing to putt ower and around to seal it, leave it ower summer, just keep trowing a few buckets of water on them every week or so, the rott prosess and the fungie growing will give the Wood Incredible and betifull patterns. Take it in in the fall, dry it the glue way, or carve them wet, the colours of the spalted Wood can go green,red,blue,black and white. i always had fun playing around With that prosses.


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