A time to noodle — for the fun of it

[OldLumberKid]

I love noodling trees.....did these big white oaks in March up at our scout camp for benches around the campfire.

Ended up with around a 55 gallon drum of noodles. Saved them up, they make fantastic tinder and firestarters when dried out good.....

View attachment 101621 View attachment 101622 View attachment 101623

Now would you look at that -- freaking noodle benches, wassup with that for a campfire treat.

Had to be some kind of workout moving those bad boys (270# apiece?) around.

 

[ScotO]

Now would you look at that -- freaking noodle benches, wassup with that for a campfire treat.

Had to be some kind of workout moving those bad boys around.

Oh, we do have some video of that.....I'll have to get it off of my cousin's husband, it's on his phone. We skidded them out of the woods with my GMC 2500......and the kids had a blast with that!!

 

[OldLumberKid]

Oh, we do have some video of that.....I'll have to get it off of my cousin's husband, it's on his phone. We skidded them out of the woods with my GMC 2500......and the kids had a blast with that!!

Which saw(s) had the pleasure of slicing those monsters — 372 XP? and how long did it take for each log -- or were you having too much fun and the time just flew?

 

[Thistle]

While we're on the subject..... 20" x 6 ft Black Walnut blowdown stump at edge of wooded 2.5 acres/steep ravine behind parsonage at parent's church.Turned it into a bench for the front yard September 2012.Ended up with 3-4 small turning blocks & 1 heaping wheelbarrow of fuel from the scraps.

 

[jdp1152]

Thanks for the ID.
This is what it looked like inside (in the shadows) after the round was part-noodled then split after about 6 months lying around (hence the discoloration on the end). In the sunlight it would have been blinding bright. 103# 16x18" round begged to be furniture.

I want more if I can find it. Don't see too many trees around here with bark that fine so should be easy to spot. Especially now I know what to look for in the leaf shape.

Easiest way to id Norway is to break a small limb. The sap is like milk. The stump will keep oozing it and feed all kinds if nasty fungus growth if you don't hit it with brush killer. Good looking trees that just don't belong here.

 

[fishingpol]

Ever come across any Alder ?... makes a good Fender guitar body. I'm curious though how long they need to season that (bird's eye?) Maple to get a good solid neck that won't warp.

But the spalted wood -- that would make a very nice natural guitar body.

Never seen alder before. My FIl has a Fender Strat from the mid 1960's. They probably kiln dry lumber to get it stable.

Spalted maple in its' early stages can be nice and strong, but the stock I have is a little past what I like it to be.

 

[ScotO]

Which saw(s) had the pleasure of slicing those monsters — 372 XP? and how long did it take for each log -- or were you having too much fun and the time just flew?

I used both the 372XP and my trusty 041
AV Super. The XP with the 20" bar ate through that white oak like nobody's business....the 041 with the 28" bar finished them off..

 

[OldLumberKid]

While we're on the subject..... 20" x 6 ft Black Walnut blowdown stump at edge of wooded 2.5 acres/steep ravine behind parsonage at parent's church.Turned it into a bench for the front yard September 2012.Ended up with 3-4 small turning blocks & 1 heaping wheelbarrow of fuel from the scraps.

Alright I think you and Scotty have given me two blueprints for a bench, more excuses to noodle.
Now I gotta find the good wood.

 

[OldLumberKid]

Never seen alder before. My FIl has a Fender Strat from the mid 1960's. They probably kiln dry lumber to get it stable.

Spalted maple in its' early stages can be nice and strong, but the stock I have is a little past what I like it to be.

With the price of guitars today it makes one wonder.... but then there's that tricky business of frets and neck angles.