A month and 1/2 ago I posted Preface to my Wood Gloat where I blogged about some maple wood that I got from a sawmill in Delaware.
I showed these logs that I saw in the sawmill back in Feb 2007.
I asked the sawmill owner to cut of those logs for me. He said no he was going to keep them.
Well today I got a phone call from the sawmill owner. He stated that he has closed the mill down and was going to go back to working masonry. I think that the economy and the lack of getting logs has put him in this bind.
Anyway he asked if there was any wood that I wanted. I told him I’d like the maple that he had stashed away from the above logs. He said that he’d deliver it in an hour.
I guess the money crunch was hitting home for him. He brought over about 140 bd ft of this maple.
Not the cedar on the bottom. i got that about 3 weeks ago.
I planed down a board and this is what is underneath the surface.
Some of the boards are like this. Maybe 10 or so.
And some are like this. I don’t know what a board with this figure would cost, if you could find it.
Of course like a salesman he also brought over some more wood. Some 3 X 3 cherry, some 2” cherry 2” walnut, 1” walnut, 1” Osage Orange.
He wanted $300.00 for the wood. He said he thought there was about 350 Bd Ft of wood.
He also told me that someone stole about 2000 bd ft of cedar and cherry from the property, before he got up some cables across the road. No insurance.
His wife was with him when he delivered the wood and he said that he was going to have me make something for his wife from the burly maple. She said, “Don’t say anything, I’m going to cry.” She didn’t want him to get rid of the wood.
So I guess I’ll need to make her something so she has something to remember. I just don’t want it to be a “What if moment”.
-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Appomattox Virginia [email protected] †
38 comments so far
jeffthewoodwacker
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603 posts in 5265 days
#1 posted 06-08-2009 12:40 AM
Wow! You could send me that big slab and I could turn several nice platters out of it. Looks absolutely stunning.
-- Those that say it can't be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.
a1Jim
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118321 posts in 5038 days
#2 posted 06-08-2009 12:41 AM
Hey Karson
that’s some outrageously cool wood great figure.Can’t wait to see what you make out of it.
-- https://www.artisticwoodstudio.com/videos
John Ormsby
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1288 posts in 5198 days
#3 posted 06-08-2009 12:46 AM
Karson, You did very well indeed. I have about 6,500 BF of wild grained Big Leaf maple that looks similar to your maple. You are going to have some fun. Make sure you seal the ends ASAP.
-- Oldworld, Fair Oaks, Ca
Dan'um Style
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14193 posts in 5444 days
#4 posted 06-08-2009 12:47 AM
Karson
I’m thinking to myself … I’m wondering what Karson is going to make with all the lumber he owns and will he ever use it all >>>grin<< ... To bad your’e about a hundred-thousand miles away …
Regards
DAN
-- keeping myself entertained ... Humor and fun lubricate the brain
cabinetmaster
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10872 posts in 5019 days
#5 posted 06-08-2009 12:49 AM
Geeze Karson. You robbed the man. Remember that next Sunday is father’s day and I am sending you your fathers day card…......................LOL What do I get in return?
I guess I am going to have to make a short LJ’s tour to vist Karson andd see if I can get some of that wood. Can’t be more than 6 or 7 hours up there from here.
-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps
Chris Wright
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541 posts in 4942 days
#6 posted 06-08-2009 01:11 AM
I wish I could be that lucky to get that kind of wood for that price. Can’t wait to see the finished products.
-- "At its best, life is completely unpredictable." - Christopher Walken
Karson
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35300 posts in 5862 days
#7 posted 06-08-2009 01:50 AM
Well I moved the burly maple pile inside the shop, If I paid the full $300.00 for the maple I think I got a great deal and the other wood was just thrown in.
Dan you are right my wife is asking me all the time What am I going to make. I hope that I stay alive long enough to use every last piece (other than those that I give away)
I can just go out to the shop and look at this wood and praise the Lord for the blessings I’ve had and the friends that I’ve met. Many of my friends are in my computer.
John what are you going to make with your Burly Big Leaf Maple?
-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Appomattox Virginia [email protected] †
Edward E Nock II
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111 posts in 5605 days
#8 posted 06-08-2009 02:02 AM
Karson…....The burls look interesting. I was asked to turn a bowl for a classmate during my 55 yr HS renion. do you have any burls left. That looks like what I’m looking for.
ED
-- ED NOCK
Daren Nelson
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767 posts in 5367 days
#9 posted 06-08-2009 02:03 AM
Oh my, that is nice stock.
Karson
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35300 posts in 5862 days
#10 posted 06-08-2009 02:14 AM
Ed: This whole thing was cut into planks, as jeff said it would make a nice platter. The wood is about 1 1/8” thick and has air dried for 2 years inside an open building. I didn’t check the moisture content. I do have a couple of crotch pieces that I picked up at the sawmill a while back. Like the one that I showed at the last meeting.
-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Appomattox Virginia [email protected] †
PurpLev
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8654 posts in 5110 days
#11 posted 06-08-2009 02:31 AM
wow $350… I’d take 2 of those loads :) nice score. definitely worth making the guy’s wife somethin’
-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
Julian
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884 posts in 4987 days
#12 posted 06-08-2009 02:36 AM
Beautiful stuff you have there! I hate hearing the sad story behind it though. I feel for the guy.
-- Julian, Homewood, IL
Gary
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1551 posts in 5785 days
#13 posted 06-08-2009 02:41 AM
That’s an amazing haul. When I saw the 1st pic, I knew you were looking at highly figured maple.
You did well. Too bad for the sawyer he didn’t ask for anything near what the wood is worth.
First someone steals from his property, then he robs himself of true value.
-- Gary, Florida
Rj
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1047 posts in 5092 days
#14 posted 06-08-2009 03:11 AM
Wow Karson you scored on that load of wood, Its going to make some Great projects.
Wish I had some of it….{;o)
-- Rj's Woodworks,San Jose & Weed Ca,
flcopper169
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187 posts in 4801 days
#15 posted 06-08-2009 03:40 AM
Great deal Karson…. Beautiful wood…
-- Happy and safe woodworking, [email protected]
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