Big black walnut

Thats the way you do it.

FINALLY got the big log milled last night! Still have the "gunstock" log to mill but the big boy is now in boards! Enjoy the pics!

Thats Nice stick. Any pic's of the center cuts?

Not on this log, it got too dark to take good pics and I gave most of them to the owner of the mill for doing the job. I'm gonna keep the top log for myself, we'll mill it later this week. I got some center boards I'll post some pics when I stack them in the barn loft this weekend. We did end up hitting two nails in the damm thing, two blades on two cuts! Right in the heart of that trunk!

Hate it when that happens, but thats why they call'em yard birds!

Great looking planks there,the main cant is especially nice.

Beautiful grain Scott. Like boardroom panelling quality.

yeah overall it was a beautiful log, definitely too nice.to hack up for cordwood. That's why I decided to get it milled. I knew a lot of the wood would go to the miller, but I still have around 200 board feet from yesterdays cutting and the entire top log yet to cut. I'm glad that beautiful wood wasn't used up for heat and of will be enjoyed as furniture for generations to come!

What are you going to do with the lumber? Any plans yet? I'm thinking a nice mantle..

I already have a big mantel log from a barn I torn down four years ago, I'm thinking more like a set of nice end tables and a coffee table for our family room (after they dry). I was looking at homemade solar kilns on YouTube today......hhhmmmmmm....lol

We built a solar kiln at Dad's house last year. It was basically a small pole barn sided and roofed with clear plastic and some vents added. He was able to dry several hundred BF of lumber down to about 10% in 30 days.

that seals the deal for me. I will be building one someday.

Here in Michigan I sold five black Walnuts three in the woods two in the yard for $5,000 plus had a ton of fire wood.

I feel good about this walnut we did. Yes we could have tried to sell it, or we could have bucked the whole thing up for firewood. Instead, me and my buddy both made a couple bucks, I ended up with almost 2 cord of good firewood, and I ended up with almost 200 board feet of beautiful lumber. I'm happy with how we made out. I still have the upper log from the tree to mill yet, probably another 100 board feet of curly fiery grain up there. Some for gunstocks, some for a bench or table. There was a guy walking with his wife and he stopped to see us cutting the boards, he said his mother-in-law has a HUGE 100' black walnut and I could have the whole tree! According to him it's a straight drop, no climbing or rigging. I gave him my number and I hope he calls when he's ready!!

Too bad you don't live closer Scotty. One of my best friends about 5 miles away has a portable mill similar to your pics but also has a homemade kiln.

yeah I wish I was closer Locust Post. I would bring them over and pay to have them dried. There are some places around here but from what I was told, those places are a little shady. Don't feel like getting ripped off for all the work I put into these boards. The wife has informed me she likes the wood so much she wants me to build a new kitchen table down the road. So air drying them gives me 4 or 5 years till I have to do that!

One year per one inch of thickness.

If that's the case I may have to build that table next year! I'm telling her it's gonna take longer!

That's the only reason I've owned a Lignomat moisture meter for 17 yrs.Never used it on firewood.

Finally got around to stacking and stickering the walnut boards in my garage today. I ended up (so far) with 10 20" wide, 12 8" wide, and 6 12" wide by 10' 6" long boards! Still have the top log to mill, that will be happening some night this week if all goes well. Some pics of the nicer ones.

SO, what are your plans for the boards?
zap

Zap, she already eyed them up and requested a kitchen table! Probably that and a pair of end tables and coffee table down the road for the living room.

Drool

That boat out there looks lonely off the boat trailer. Very nice wood indeed!

We fired up the forge yesterday to whip up my latest concoction .....a barking spud (bark peeler). Forged it out of an old jeep leafspring, made a long tang on of and the entire spoon (4" x 3") is razor sharp on three sides. Worked like a charm on those 6' walnut slabs (and that bark was 2" thick) made the handle out of a hickory sledgehammer. Enjoy the pics....