Simply Resourceful

Simple ways to be more conscious about how we use our resources.

Resawing/Milling Walnut Logs



A few months ago Jon found a large walnut limb that had fallen in the Derecho storm this summer.  It was a dead limb and was completely dry.  Jon was really excited to find wood on the property that was dry and bug-free!  In the second picture Jon is scraping off the bark and some rot with a draw knife.

The logs have been laying on the garage floor for months waiting to be cut into boards. The plan is to use some of this walnut wood with the aspen to make a hutch for the dining room.

Jon feeds the log into the bandsaw and I am on the receiving end making sure the log stays flush along the guide.  Walnut is a hardwood so together we must feed the log at a slow and steady pace through the blade.

The planer was used to smooth out irregularities caused by the blade and uneven thicknesses.

Paul really enjoys playing in the sawdust!

Here is the stack of finished boards that we cut from the walnut logs!  This wood is beautiful---it's dense with very few worm holes.  I'll make another post when the hutch is complete!

4 comments :

Christopher December 27, 2012 at 8:06 PM  

I have to say, that I'm very jealous. I'd love to mill my own hardwood!

Do let us know how the project goes!

Anonymous December 11, 2014 at 8:01 AM  

Hi! I found you because of researching rug twining and your videos on YouTube were very helpful. Today, almost 2 years later, I find your Blog! Anyway, your hutch came out very nice and as I was looking through posts I saw this. Though it is a couple of years late, I just wanted to share with you to NOT use walnut wood shavings/sawdust in mulch as they will kill other plants. Might work well sprinkled in places you never want plant growth but, seeing how thrifty and resourceful you are I cringed to think you might (as I would have) used the sawdust this way and had it lead to loss. I learned this from a wood working friend who lets me take other sawdust for mulching/composting as needed. He keeps the walnut dust separate! Regards, Rachael

Holly December 12, 2014 at 4:22 PM  

Dear Rachael,

Yes, you are totally right that walnut sawdust and shavings are highly toxic to plants. We put the shavings and sawdust in an area where we want to keep the weeds down on a walking path. I experimented putting some of the sawdust around the beehives for mite control but I didn't notice a difference. Besides the walnut shavings, we really enjoy having other sawdust around for use in the barn and garden.

Holly

jonson February 1, 2016 at 3:21 AM  

this is great post.great great great.
I very need it.
Thank you for sharing.

About this blog

A weekly update on our adventures of trying to be more self-sufficient by using resources wisely. We explore a variety of topics that most broadly fit in the "Homesteading" category, i.e. beekeeping, organic gardening, edible landscaping/fruit forest, food preservation/canning, woodworking, soap-making, and environmental stewardship.

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