# Walnut Stump advice



## Mcpowell (Dec 19, 2015)

I'm slowly digging this stump out and plan to move it to my house, where my greedy hands will then pressure wash and store it until I can make something cool out of it.

Any advice on storing?

How long will it take this to air dry? I don't want to cut it in to small bits, I'd prefer to keep it whole and make an artsy table, etc.










By the way, this is not an easy job. This stump is 75 yards into the woods, no power, no electricity, so I'll be wenching it through some woods to get it to a place where I can load it on a trailer.


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## Snipes (Apr 3, 2012)

> How long will it take this to air dry?
> 
> - Mcpowell


122 yrs


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## Mcpowell (Dec 19, 2015)

> 122 yrs
> 
> - Snipes


That's a little longer than I planned.


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## Toasty (Mar 8, 2019)

Wow! I am envious, and not envious. That is a lot of work. After you get it out of the ground, I would anchor seal any cut ends, and store it in the shade/barn. I have not processed a stump before, but have done it with some logs for turning. Anchor seal is amazing, if done right away, you won's see checking for months left outside, in the round. Since I haven't processed a stump before, I am not sure what the pith is like in a stump. I would cut out the pith, or at least get close to it to relieve some stress. Again, anchor seal at least the end grain.


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## HackFabrication (Mar 11, 2019)

> ...so I'll be wenching it through some woods…












When you're done with the wench, send her to my table, I'm getting thirsty….

Just Kidding (about the wench, not about being thirsty).

That sort of manual labor has lost it's appeal to me many, many years ago.

Probably take a number of years to get that hunk of wood dried out to the point you can do something with it. You might hasten the drying by 'chunking' it out some and sealing the end grain.


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## bndawgs (Oct 21, 2016)

What kind of table are you looking to make with it?


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## Mcpowell (Dec 19, 2015)

> What kind of table are you looking to make with it?
> 
> - Steve


I am up for ideas. I figure I have a lot of time to decide, but something like a large coffee table or even some sort of table that sits at the end of a sofa, or in a hallway.

I liked these that I found on the www.


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## LesB (Dec 21, 2008)

I think you will have better results if you cut it in to slabs and then let them dry. Chances are even if you pressure wash it there will be some rocks or at least pockets of soil in there that will dull your chain saw so be ready for that. If you slab it where it is located you can save the wenches back…...

Do you know what type of walnut is it?


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## bndawgs (Oct 21, 2016)

> I think you will have better results if you cut it in to slabs and then let them dry. Chances are even if you pressure wash it there will be some rocks or at least pockets of soil in there that will dull your chain saw so be ready for that. If you slab it where it is located you can save the wenches back…...
> 
> Do you know what type of walnut is it?
> 
> - LesB


Not knowing what type of table you wanted to build, I was going to recommend getting it slabbed up awhile too. You could also try and find someone with a kiln that would let you stick it in there.

I'd guess quite a few years for that thing to dry out in it's current shape.


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## Mcpowell (Dec 19, 2015)

> I think you will have better results if you cut it in to slabs and then let them dry. Chances are even if you pressure wash it there will be some rocks or at least pockets of soil in there that will dull your chain saw so be ready for that. If you slab it where it is located you can save the wenches back…...
> 
> Do you know what type of walnut is it?
> 
> - LesB


Since the "wench" is me (not looking like Hack's wench, as in bald guy with a gray beard) I'm not trying to save my back. I'll take my time and use my come-along, and save my back hopefully. I'm feeling pretty devoted to getting it out in one piece. And if I burn through a few chain saw blades, it is expected.

I don't know the type of walnut tree. It's in northeast GA, and I can post a picture of the table made with the wood. Or I can take a picture of a neighboring tree that is still standing (no leaves on it at this point). Can it be identified by the bark only?


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## Snipes (Apr 3, 2012)

You can build something with it right now. Just won't be dry. I've built plenty of stump side tables that weren't dry


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

> You can build something with it right now. Just won t be dry. I ve built plenty of stump side tables that weren t dry
> 
> - Snipes


Did you use any finish, seal ends, etc or just leave alone to dry out?


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## mel52 (Sep 4, 2017)

There is nothing you can't move with the proper amount of explosives, and if you are lucky it might even reach the road. LOL. Good luck on getting it out, looks to be a good chunk. Mel


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## Snipes (Apr 3, 2012)

Osu, on most I used pure tongue oil and tried to slow drying. Some linseed oil. Moisture will build on the bottom side, so either shim up or flip once in a while.


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## tomd (Jan 29, 2008)

Build your table now and then let it dry but be ready for some movement and cracks or you might just get lucky.


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## Mcpowell (Dec 19, 2015)

Just updating y'all on the stump status….

I think I'm going to have it milled vertically, so I could possibly have the option of 2 tables. The tap root has a fork in it that you can't see in this picture, but the other half is about the same size as what you see here. It's a little over 4 feet wide at it's widest point (from cut to cut).


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## BobAnderton (Oct 5, 2010)

Yeah, slab it. Some parts will be highly figured. See this. for example.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

> Yeah, slab it. Some parts will be highly figured. See this. for example.
> 
> - BobAnderton


+1. Root balls often have some amazing grain that you won't see unless you cut it lengthwise.


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## Snipes (Apr 3, 2012)

Holy root balls… U need an excavator


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## Mcpowell (Dec 19, 2015)

> Holy root balls… U need an excavator
> 
> - Snipes












It barely lifted the stump from the hole!


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Best. Selfie. Ever.


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## Snipes (Apr 3, 2012)

Haaa


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> There is nothing you can t move with the proper amount of explosives,
> - mel52


That line is a classic. Made me blow snot right outa my nose.

Mcpowell, the wisdom of wood driers is 1 year per 1" of thickness. BUT it has a multiplying factor to each additional inch, so the immediate answer of 122 years is pretty close. HOWEVER you could see problems associated with poor drying as soon as 6 months, some of which could queer the deal with this wood. Not to mention, coming out of the ground, when it gets warm enough your house could become a home for a lot of insect life. On the other hand a lot of folks may call that an abundance of protein.


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

Send the GPS coordinates and I will arrange to get it out for you.
While you sleep that is.
Lucky find!


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

I would use the come along and hoist it up from a tree branch or a tripod made with saplings and use a tarp to make a slanted roof for it. It will season and dry a lot faster in natural environment than in storage. It may not be a bad idea to rough cut it to the shape you want. 3-4 years from now, you may have a road to it.


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

Keep the winch (come-along) handy for moving the table around the living room when you vacuum.


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## Mcpowell (Dec 19, 2015)

I had the stump cut today. 3 slabs at 2.5 inches thick, plus this one below. I hope it loses some weight over the summer while I let it dry. The below section is several hundred pounds.


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## PCDub (Sep 24, 2017)

Wow…


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

That's a lot of bowl blanks. 
Good job I thought you were wasting your time at first.
Good Luck


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I have one at my parents right now that needs to be dug up or ground down, I've thought of digging a 4' diameter reservoir next to it and "digging" it out with my massive pressure washer allowing the muck to be pumped away from the reservoir as it accumulates. I have a chainsaw that will slab it no problem, but I have no where to store it for a year or a decade as it dries.


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## Mcpowell (Dec 19, 2015)

> That's a lot of bowl blanks.
> Good job I thought you were wasting your time at first.
> Good Luck
> 
> - Aj2


Bowl blanks below. I don't have a lathe…..yet.


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## Mcpowell (Dec 19, 2015)

> I have one at my parents right now that needs to be dug up or ground down, I ve thought of digging a 4 diameter reservoir next to it and "digging" it out with my massive pressure washer allowing the muck to be pumped away from the reservoir as it accumulates. I have a chainsaw that will slab it no problem, but I have no where to store it for a year or a decade as it dries.
> 
> - bigblockyeti


Get it while you have the energy and the inclination. I'd figure out a way to store it. This one had been in the ground 5 years after being cut.


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

No Lathe. In my mind that's going to best use for all the wild grain. Live edge tables with odd shapes are horrible imitations of George Nakashima's work. 
Good Luck


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## Mcpowell (Dec 19, 2015)

Just thought I would send an update. I used a right angle grinder to take off the degraded outer wood and bark and have sanded the underside incrementally to 150 grit. I have sanded the top using my belt sander with 80 grit, which took out the saw blade marks. In a few weeks I'll bring it inside to my basement. Current moisture content is ~ 25%. I don't think it will be dry in my lifetime. It's heavy.

My plan is to use it as a coffee table. Dimensions are about 48" x 52".

The underside:










Top:


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

Looks like a bone from a dinosaur. Cool but weird 
Good job seeing it through and posting back to your thread. 
Good Luck


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

That looks very nice, I bet it will be down to 7-8% MC in less than 30 years if left in a conditioned space.


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## Delete (May 19, 2017)

Awesome job and very nice hunk of root stump, should make for some very nice projects.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

Well, I was at my parents this weekend and I took more pictures of the stump waiting for me since I couldn't find those I took last fall. This morning I found out mom has a guy with a stump grinder coming out tomorrow to grind it and a few others into the ground. Now I have to decide if I want to head down there this afternoon or early tomorrow morning with my bigger saw and salvage what I can quickly extract or let it all be mulched.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> No Lathe. In my mind that's going to best use for all the wild grain. Live edge tables with odd shapes are horrible imitations of George Nakashima's work.
> Good Luck
> 
> - Aj2


Especially since no one makes a wood base anymore. Hairpin legs, Yukkkkkk, so NOT George Nakashima. The bite is a lot of his legs were not that complex, but they were wood, and had some functional, yet sometimes interesting joinery.










131 and 250 bux


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> - Mcpowell


Though that one chopped up, is just a shadow of it's entire self. It does kinda scream keep me whole, just please do me right.


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## jacksdvds (Jun 13, 2015)

> I had the stump cut today. 3 slabs at 2.5 inches thick, plus this one below. I hope it loses some weight over the summer while I let it dry. The below section is several hundred pounds.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Mcpowell (Dec 19, 2015)

Last post of pictures unless something dramatic happens. It's about 20% moisture content, and the cracks grow slowly. I have had it in my basement (air conditioned and heated) for about 5 months. I figure I'll give it 5 years or so, and then epoxy the cracks to fill them in.

The underside while still on my workbench in the basement:










The top while on my workbench in the basement:










Finally in the living room:


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## cracknpop (Dec 20, 2011)

That is gorgeous! 
Thanks for sharing the story. This is one of the big reasons I love Lumberjocks. I will never again look at a stump just as something that needs to be ground up and gone.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

Pretty awesome table. For sure not something you'll find at Ikea. I've long thought a nice piece of furniture could start, and hold a conversation. Applies here.


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

Beautiful table. Definitely worth the back aches. Nice job!!!


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## Snipes (Apr 3, 2012)

Awesome!!


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

That is fantastic! Superb use of that stump


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

Definitely better than rotting in the ground. Nice save.


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## jacksdvds (Jun 13, 2015)

That one should give you a tremendous satisfaction knowing it is the only one in the whole wide world.


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

Well that's a pretty cool table. I'd probably knock my shins off it all the time though.


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

Just be aware that stumps can have rock inclusions embedded in them from growing around these rocks. They can break teeth and blades of saws.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

That's beautiful, and a great story.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I'm betting you're looking at five years for drying time. Maybe longer. HOWEVER, a fellow upon Steven's Pass, in Washington, used to dry stumps using salt to speed up the process, without all the cracking and splitting.

Of course, with resins being what they are today, cracks can add to the draw of slabs and stumps.

This is one I did years ago. I dumped about three gallons of Varithane Plastic Oil into it. It helped stabilize the critter. Did it well enough it sat in front of a used fire place for forty years (ex in-laws).


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

Seeing that now makes me kick middlemen harder for not grabbing the one from mom's garden before she had it ground. There is a couple more that she's been thinking need to come down. Even if that's the case, I'm guessing 10 years from right now would be the earliest I could do anything with them.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I went the route of the glass top because no one else was, and I didn't want to produce more of just the same old same old everyone else was.

Just in case anyone is interested, here are a few details about the stump I posted with the etched glass top:

1) I cut out a piece of 3/8" plywood and gave it to the glass shop for the pattern of the tempered glass top.

2) I etched the top using a Craftsman compressor and a siphon blast bucket. It was etched at about 45 PSI. The "resistance," for the etch pattern, was just contact paper. The low pressure allowed that, contrary to some experts I talked to over the years.

3) The glass is resting on used car valves. I just drilled undersized holes and, using a level, pounded the valves in until they were all level to each other. I cut round pieces of rubber, so the glass would have a buffer between it and the valves.

4) To hide the valve stems, I just used PVC pipe. Just a minute or two around the tops with a round rasp put a bevel on the inside of the pipe, which mated with the bevel on the underside of the valves. Once the pipes were the right length for each valve, I ran the pipe into the band saw, so it could be pried open enough to fit over the valve. Once down, they snapped shut and the cuts were invisible. All the pipes were painted black.

In the send, it turned out okay, back around 78. I just saw a picture of another one I did back then. It's a few thousand miles away.

Dried, this thing was heavy, but I carried it myself, so….


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