[Scott Daw]

does anyone have or had made a footstool or table from a tree? I want to use a slice of the tree that fell in my yard to make a small table for my daughter or atleast for decoration for the deck. sand it down & lacquer it up good to bring out the growth rings. But I dont know how to attach the legs. Got any pics? advise. Long story short. Saturday we got bad winds/rain. poplar tree in front of kitchen window thought it was a kite but fell like a domino and took out another one on the way down, narrowly missing my shed & the neighbors house. I was with out utilities from saturday until yesterday. Sat & sunday we stayed in a hotel but then got to borrow electric from a neighbor to run the pellet stove & chest freezer so we can stay home. Now I want a suvenier. Forgot to mention that my wife had a front row seat as she was washing dishes when the tree, only a few feet away from the kitchen window fell the other way while I was in the nursery at the front of the mobile home trying to put Cassie down for the night.

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[willcat]

Man that was a huge tree, glad it missed ur house. That was too close for comfort right there. Cant answer ur question though I think someone will be on here shortly

 

[CJ21]

Thats tree will make good lumber.

 

[Nanny_cat]

Scott, that is the most amazing thing I have seen. The Lord put that tree just in the right place to keep it from tearing up either house or killing someone. You and your family are very blessed buddy.

Scott, the hardest thing will be drying the top to keep it from splitting. It takes about two months per inch of thickness to dry and it is very rare that a piece of wood sliced across grain, like you want to do, not split or crack. If I were going to do what you want to do I would cut a section about 4 foot long and let that log dry and dry good. Then I would cut out the slice from the center and as soon as I cut it sand and seal it to keep it from drying any more, and even then there is no guarantee that it would not split on you later on.

I don't blame you for wanting to make a souvenir out of that lucky tree. As for the legs, maybe you can find a limb that is small enough to make the legs from. Don't be surprised if the legs don't split also though.

I just thought of one more thing you may want to try. There is a product called "Peg" that you can soak green lumber in to keep it from cracking. I have never used this product but I have read that it does good if the directions are followed. Check it out online and see what you can come up with.

 

[Netmanjack]

Ditto Jim, cracking will be the biggest issue. And a slice that big around will have a big gap at the edge running all the way to the center.

Scott,while it is still wet see if you can get some one to put a barrel hoop or a wagon wheel rim around it before you cut.

 

[Mike81]

:big_smile:Whew, glad your family is ok, that's too close for comfort. Someone was watchin out for you.

Yeh, I'd cut about a 6 foot piece and them let it dry a good long time. The ends will crack some but hopefully you can cut some solid pieces out of the middle after it dries. If you decide to dry a piece make sure you get it off the ground so the bottom doesn't start to rot on you. Cut a wide V in a few 2 foot pieces of treated 4x4 and use them to cradle it off the ground. Good Luck

 

[beetle]

Scott one other thing you might try is check to see if someone in your area has a portable sawmill that might come to your house and saw you up some planks out of part of the tree and let them have the rest. You still will need to either air dry the wood or take it to a mill that could dry it for you quicker.

 

[Graywolf]

Scott, that was a close call!! We lived in a trailer for about twelve years and when a storm came through we went to the church basement that was a mile away. Sure glad we are in a house the last two years. Looks to me some one was on their knees for you. Glad everyone is OK.

 

[Lynne]

Scott,

I can't give you any better answers to your question than you have already been given.

I'm glad that tree didn't hit you house.

 

[Slick Skin]

Spent some time with a bower once making long bow's and I'm a carpenter....If you don't want the lumber to crack out[this is called checking] on the end grain.paint the end's ..the checking happen's at the end's because the wood dry's the fastest there so if you slow down the drying time it shouldn't check out to much...hope this help's dont be afraid to coat the end's real thick..your going to cut those off any way when you square up your lumber...