Hidden things in wood

[Roger Chandler]

Well, this wasn't fun! I'm sure that some of you have no doubt found things in wood over the years that give you a bit of heartburn, but this is one that happened to me this morning.

This was from a large, heavy crotch piece, of that Red Maple Burl that I posted the small vase from last week. I knew it had some rot in it, but figured I could salvage enough of that highly figured wood that I could get at least a couple of medium sized platters or perhaps a couple of shallow bowls from it.

This took its toll on a couple of chainsaw chains on two different saws, but on the best chain it was only one cutter tooth that got the brunt of it, and it's fixable with a resharpening. I got some smoke and realized I wasn't cutting wood for some reason! I think this crotch had split many years ago, and someone tried to salvage the tree, which had to come down last year from a neighbors house.

What have you run into when cutting wood? Don't you just love surprises?!!!

 

[Dan Bevilacqua]

 

[Roger Wiegand]

Electric fence porcelain insulators. Dulls a chain real quick!

 

[John Torchick]

That's enough to make a preacher cuss! Nothing like surprises.

 

[Lamar Wright]

Invest in a metal detector!

 

[Don O. Jr.]

Yeah, that'll ruin your day for sure.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Shucks.

 

[Richard Coers]

I didn't take a picture, no cell phones in those days, but I hit a block of concrete in the crotch of an ash log. The bark had completely grown over the feeble attempt to stop the decaying wound. I lost nearly every tooth in the shower of sparks off that chain.

 

[Roger Chandler]

I didn't take a picture, no cell phones in those days, but I hit a block of concrete in the crotch of an ash log. The bark had completely grown over the feeble attempt to stop the decaying wound. I lost nearly every tooth in the shower of sparks off that chain.

Man Richard, I'd sure hate to hit a concrete block with a chainsaw. I got a pretty good jump from my big Husqvarna XP390 when that one tooth hit it, and then my 359 Husky when I changed saws, I did not realize it was as big and long a threaded rod as it was, but at least the 359 had a chain on it that had already gotten it's last resharpening.

I use a professional grinding machine to resharpen the teeth. Can't beat the ease and exact depth and angle settings. Makes it a consistent process that gives one the best resharpen in my opinion.

 

[Roger Chandler]

Invest in a metal detector!

I have one, a lumber wizzard, but did not go and get it, did not think I needed to, so...

 

[Dan Hall]

I've found bullets in split firewood before. Completely grown over and not readily visible from the outside. I've not found one while milling lumber though.

 

[Edward Olson]

Yikes! I'll take hidden ants over bolts any day as a surprise.

 

[Tom Albrecht]

I've found bullets in split firewood before. Completely grown over and not readily visible from the outside. I've not found one while milling lumber though.

I have run into a bullet more than once. In fact one of my finished boxes has a sizable piece of a bullet in the bottom. Fortunately they were lead and not too hard on the tools.

 

[Jerry Wervey]

Golf ball cut right through it without knowing I hit otherwise I might have been tee'd off. Out back I have a really nice elm tree with tree steps someone forgot to take with them when the went to college.
Jerry

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

Back in 1999 I had the high bid in a silent auction for 3 walnut trees that yielded 6 saw logs plus numerous miscellaneous turning blanks. The saw logs I milled with my Wood Mizer band mill and as each of the first 5 logs was loaded onto the mill I checked them with a metal detector. The 6th and largest log I got lazy and just started squaring then about half way through the tone changed and the blade dipped. The culprit was a completely buried steel top hat bracket made of 3/8" x 1 1/2" steel flat.

 

[John Torchick]

Jerry, that is about par for the course.