Yes, I leave the pillars in. I run the Forstner down the slightly constricted hole and remount on the pin chuck after drying the pieces. Easy and safe way to round the outside and retune the recess. Has an additional unintended benefit in that it keeps things open on the shelves, so they don't mildew as easily. Does take more room, but ease and safety are important to me, and I have tried a lot of other ways that didn't work as well.
The chicken lady is full up with shavings right now. I like her, because they come back after the chickens are done with some high-value innoculants! Musty stuff isn't really favored by the horsey types, and this old maple produces a heavy wine-smell, and molds within a day in the bag. Plus, the stuff just under them is cherry, which the horses tend to chew. Later in summer when I rough, I bag the shavings in cotton sheets and dry them rapidly for bedding and tinder. Don't ever make the mistake of giving away planer shavings with their uniform size and ease of handling. People will turn up their nose at coarse lathe stuff thereafter.
Only one RAKU type in the area, and he's got sawmills for supply.
I was able to mow the home area myself, Gretch, though I'm in T-shirt and short pants by now. Ended up doing the grocery shopping at 8 pm because dry grass waits for no one, while the market's open 24 hours.
