furniture wood source low tables & stools benches boxes & chests chairs
"In most cases I use wood from trees that have come to the end of their life."
Usually they are storm damaged and felled by local saw-mills in the Scottish Borders. When a suitable log catches my eye, I've had it cut to length and delivered to my work place. Not shopping for 'planked-timber' means I can be resourceful with nail-impregnated hedge-trees or the occasional lightening struck park-tree. Storm damage and centre-rot are the norm as large trees become more susceptible to losing major limbs.
Usually they are storm damaged and felled by local saw-mills in the Scottish Borders. When a suitable log catches my eye, I've had it cut to length and delivered to my work place. Not shopping for 'planked-timber' means I can be resourceful with nail-impregnated hedge-trees or the occasional lightening struck park-tree. Storm damage and centre-rot are the norm as large trees become more susceptible to losing major limbs.
Gattonside in the Scottish Borders. 2011
This large oak had extensive centre-rot and would normally be earmarked for fire-wood. Cleaving around this area rescued the majority of timber... just wide enough for boxes and small tables I'm making now.
Bigger trees offer the greater possibilities and are generally less wasteful than smaller trees. The radial method I use to split a butt, produces less wedge-like sections if the log diameter is bigger... and consequently more similar to the even thickness of conventional sawn-boards.
The downside could be considered the large amount of timber with characteristics difficult to use, such as heavily spiral grain or hidden knots caused by an old severed limb. So there is always risk and reward and the commercial business might want to side-step the risks and look further afield than their local saw-mill towards veneer grade timber. I've progressed the possibilities as a discovery without a lead from others. Sustainability and exploratory economy has been my guide.
The downside could be considered the large amount of timber with characteristics difficult to use, such as heavily spiral grain or hidden knots caused by an old severed limb. So there is always risk and reward and the commercial business might want to side-step the risks and look further afield than their local saw-mill towards veneer grade timber. I've progressed the possibilities as a discovery without a lead from others. Sustainability and exploratory economy has been my guide.
Marchmont House collection
This 5-boarded oak chest represents some of the widest riven boards I will ever use. In a most unusual way the natural shapes undulate without twisting. I had enough to match one shape against another, like the Lid and Front board.
Approximately 2/3rd radius of a tree log can be be considered the maximum board-width by the radial method of cleaving. So roughly this means shopping for a clean 4 ft. diameter log to make anything like this chest above (or even for a stool if the log has centre-rot).
A lucky find above will probably be my last to split. Felled on the edge of my village because of crown damage... the timber is as good as it gets. I will concentrate now on making and shun-the-fun of splitting.
How you work and joint the wood after splitting is time consuming enough and contrary to popular opinion I use machines wherever they seem best. However, big machines are made for flat wood and riven wood is anything but, so you need to be happy using hand-tools, wedge-and-mallet, a band-saw and the occasional handheld electrical extras.