Majestic Olive in 2 x large round blanks cut today!

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robutacion

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Joined
Aug 6, 2009
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6,514
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Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
Hi everyone,

I know that, showing these 2 large round blanks, can look a bit of tease, not intentional but expected...!

With my right hand far from being back to normal, I looked at some large logs I got from my storage paddock last Sunday (day that I heart my hand...!:mad:), as I was getting short of olive wood under cover at home so, I got the trailer on my quad and picked up (with the wife's help) 4 big chunks (logs) of the bloody heavy olive wood. When at home I dropped them on the area were I normally slice them up, ready for the bandsaw, but by then my hand was the size of a melon and I knew that I wasn't going to be able to touch them for a few days.:mad:

Yes, I was mad, and the weather was turning into some nasty storm so, I got a tarp and covered them up. We had a few showers but nothing to worry too much about it, and the same weather has been like that all week. I knew that the logs were out of the rain but, I kept looking at them and wondering...! Wondering what I would find inside, as these babies had some serious old cracks and external flaws, together with some large branches joints that looked promising. A couple of these were in within some of the largest logs in diameter, which for a Olive tree is rare to find.

Today, and after yesterday spending the day in the shed, catching up the best I could, I looked at the logs, looked at my swelled, rapped hand, look up to the sky and thought...! Hummmm, doesn't seem that is going to rain today so, bugger it, I'm going to chew those logs today..., can't wait any longer...!:redface:

So, once again, my offsider (wife:biggrin:) was called to assist, and while she got her self sorted out, I got everything I needed at hand, ready for attack!
Being middle morning and a Saturday, I decided to get my 36" bar chainsaw N70 out as the logs were a little too big for the electric saw I normally use and I needed to make straight cuts in one go so, the big "mama" was the answer!

With both of us ready, I got the chainsaw ready to be started but not by me this time, I wasn't in the condition to even try so, me sweet heart that is a lot younger than me and stronger than most blokes I know (she done heavy lifting for most of her working life), she manage to start the big machine after 3 hard pulls...!:bulgy-eyes:

I struggle to hold on to the big sucker but, I got the logs sliced quick and straight, lots of machine power and a well sharped chain, do wonders...!
Got my circle marker and got the rounds marked on both slabs so after some lifting to the bandsaw, the rounds were cut. After I have them done I decided to put them in the lathe, clean then a bit and balance them at the same time. After that was waxing the end grain (all around), weigh and mark then, not forgetting the compulsory set of pics, off-course.

All the other slabs were cut for now in 4"x4", 3"x3" and 2"x2", anything else was put a side for pen blanks, when I get to it! Tomorrow I will trim the ends of the square blanks and wax them, while the timber put a side for pen blanks will be done after that, maybe Monday...?:confused: I saw at least 5 *gems* and a fair few A1++ blanks among that lot, about 50kg of wood or so to go through!:rolleyes:

I've got already lots of Olive bowls and other stuff, rough turned and drying so, I didn't wanted to turn these ones but instead, put them in the drying rack, maybe someone will want a blank of this "caliber" and weight!:eek:
Impossible to tell how much they will move and crack, over what they already have but, we will see... just looking at them every day in my storage display shed is good enough for me, for now!:cool:

I can smell the olive at home, and the shed is about 20 meters back from it, so no need to spray the house with perfume, the Olive will do us nicelly, than you very much!:biggrin:

So, without further a due, here they are...! (look how small a full pen blank look, next to it...!:eek::biggrin:

Enjoy... and drool...! :hypnotized::devil:

Cheers
George



timberpreparation1545.jpg
 
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Gofer

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Aug 16, 2009
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597
Location
Morinville, Alberta, Canada
Hi George,

The blanks look great but take it easy with your health, don't want to hurt yourself too badly.

By the way I know where those blanks can go:glasses-cool:

Bruce
 

Woodlvr

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Joined
Feb 2, 2006
Messages
3,086
Location
Midvale, Ut,
I hope that your hand get better soon. I have started having restless leg syndrome and it is painful, so I do not dare try to turn too much wood. But I would love to have a couple of them around my shop to help offset the smell that forms
when the water level goes down the Great Salt Lake Great Salt Lake .
 

robutacion

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
6,514
Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
Hi George,

The blanks look great but take it easy with your health, don't want to hurt yourself too badly.

By the way I know where those blanks can go:glasses-cool:

Bruce

Thanks guys,

My hand is getting better slowly, maybe would get better faster if I stop using it and getting "knocked" on bloody everything, and that my friends, does hurt like S#!@...!:mad: No need to physio tough, the fingers are getting plenty of "exercise"...!:eek::biggrin:

I've heard you Bruce, I've heard you laud and clear..., 2 more goodies to your "treasure vault" huh???:biggrin: Oh... the wishing list...!!! is like the wife's duties list for the husbands/boyfriends/partners/friends, etc, etc..:eek::wink:, one thing gets marked off, 2 more get marked in...!:frown::tongue:

These 2 beauties are laying/resting beside me on the computer room, under one of the bench's, at the house so, who said that I don't treat my wood right...?????:cool::biggrin:

And the smell... hummmm... sorry mate, you get top enjoy them later, now its my turn, before they leave me forever...!:frown::)

No, I'm no "mad", just like "me" woods" and what nature gives us, the good stuff I mean...!:)

Cheers
George
 
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