A week ago I went up to the Morris Arboretum to look at what they had that we could make into stools. The oficial Arborist (Andrew Hawks) was very helpful and we picked out some nice walnut that would otherwise just sit there and rot or get cut up for firewood.
Yesterday I went back up to split the bolts (butts?) in half and seal the ends so they wouldn’t dry too much and I brought back a few chunks to work on myself, and I need some stuff to use for the Demo I will be doing there on Arbor day (or the day after?) and I thought having a finished stool from the same wood my students will be using would be a good idea.
so splitting some in my driveway:
a little twist but not too bad. then the next half had a “prize” inside!
we work with what we can get…
the two love birds were cooing and canoodling on the picnic table (mourning doves):
too much sun…
and I thought today I’d get out this one… it hasn’t been used since 2014, it’s bigger than all of my others and has no maker’s mark:
13 3/4″ blade and 22″ between the handles, useful on the wide stock. (it had no handles when I found it.)
and today after 2 hours of chopping and shaving I have 3 stool top blanks roughed out:
the bark seems tightly attached so I’m thinking of leaving it on, still debating that.
(what a mess! I should get one of the apprentices to clean that up! lol)
be well.
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