(Very) Long-term project

[Boot]

Hi,

To save you from reading the whole long post: What is the best project for a 7 foot by 15 inch diameter oak log?

I'm a first time poster.
I've been reading some of the projects on here and love what people are doing. The projects I've seen either make me feel that I'm completely stupid and shouldn't attempt anything at all, or that - you know what, go for it....

My long term project is currently a seven foot long, (roughly) 15 inches diameter oak log with bark, from a tree that was recently chopped down from the back of the garden. Apart from the fact that we now have much more light in the garden, I now reckon I have a couple of years while this lump dries out on the patio, to get some skills to try and turn it into something beautiful.

I don't know what I'm looking at, but it seems quite old and dry already, and I know that other bits that have come off the same ex-tree seem as solid as iron. From what I've read, it's going to take a year or two to dry out completely. I've sealed the ends with a few coats of (quite thin) varnish that I had knocking around, and it's on a patio.

My skills are currently completely "novice but learning". I'm making stuff for the family from WickesTimber - a laptop stand for the missus, a katana for the boy, gym-handstand-blocks for the girl, etc, etc - nothing outstanding, but just learning while I do it.

So my question is - what would you do if you had a 7' oak log?

Thanks,

Andy

 

[RobinBHM]

Welcome to the forum

Your lump of oak needs to be cut into sections close to finished size or it will never dry to a useable moisture content.

Also timber dried tangentially, so it will start splitting quite soon.

If it was me, I would use it to make something rustic in the garden that could be made from green oak and not be ruined by shrinkage. Buy some nice kiln dried hardwood for an interior project.

 

[Boot]

Thanks for the welcome, and the advice.

I shall abandon any plans of creating the next wooden masterpiece then, and chop some lumps off an play with them

 

[AndyT]

There's no need to wait - the whole world of "green woodworking" is open to you. You don't have to wait years for wood to season, you can work it while it's relatively easy to cut and use construction methods that allow for later shrinkage.

If you leave your log whole "in the round" for too long, it will develop splits where you don't need them. If you can halve or quarter it, the wood can dry a bit and move rather than split. You'll need wedges and a big hammer. Also a froe.

There's loads of stuff online about cleaving logs. Have a look for people like Peter Follansbee in the US who makes lovely chests and boxes. Also Roy Underhill in his long running TV series "The Woodright's Shop."

Closer to home, Sheffield Tony has done some very impressive projects on here from green wood.

Lot's of fun in store!

 

[GrahamRounce]

Ah, a froe! Jolly good! #-o

 

[k4wils]

I would split the log into two halves as a minimum. A froe won’t really help with this on a 15” diameter log. I’ve had success on beech and apple of larger diameter than that with wooden wedges and a sledge hammer. More brute force than finesse but it will get the job done. A chain saw is handy to form a cut in the end of the log to start the wedge section off. Of course the wedges do need to be from something dense, steel would be best but I didn’t want to invest in steel wedges for something I might not do again.