Anyone in here make furniture out of logs?

Site Notices

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Anyone in here make furniture out of logs?

Posted: 3/22/2017 11:05:56 AM EDT

I am looking at making some "easy" benches and stools and a nightstand table out of downed logs. Just wondering if anyone here has done this and what tools, and problems came up. I am looking at using legs around 3-4" diameter and using a tenon cutter on those, and boring out a hole on a stump and using a electric handheld planer to smooth it out. Finish with linseed or tung oil. Just thinking out loud and seeking some general direction or advice

Posted: 3/22/2017 11:08:37 AM EDT

[#1]

I'm interested as well.

Posted: 3/22/2017 11:14:14 AM EDT

[#2]

That's what I do for the furniture at the firepit.

Posted: 3/22/2017 11:15:14 AM EDT

[#3]

looking at this cutter

and this electric planer

to make something like this

or this

I figure i can use an axe on the ends of the big log for the rustic look, maybe keep it more traditional. Bow saw if i need it. Id like to use a sledge and splitting wedges to split the log in half to retain the rustic look, see if its worth leaving in the rough if it splits cool? I haven't done wood working in a very long time but this seems like a fun and rewarding way to jump back in to it

Posted: 3/22/2017 11:21:34 AM EDT

[#4]

Sorry, I was thinking of something much more primative. Mine are not nice like that.

Posted: 3/22/2017 11:23:36 AM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
Sorry, I was thinking of something much more primative. Mine are not nice like that.

View Quote

Do you just stand the stump on end and square it off? How do you finish it? Any issues with them splitting when drying?

Posted: 3/22/2017 12:17:53 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:

Do you just stand the stump on end and square it off? How do you finish it? Any issues with them splitting when drying?

View Quote

Most wood, if cut when when it has a high moisture content, will split or check if it dries too fast. Coating the ends with paint or wax while it dries will slow the moisture loss and help stabilize it. Some types of wood are worse than others.

Posted: 3/22/2017 12:29:09 PM EDT

[#7]

Depending on the size on the tenons you want, you can also use one of these.

Attached File

Posted: 3/22/2017 1:58:59 PM EDT

[#8]

So should I look for wood that's been down a while? This might be a struggle on the ground sitting in the woods, but there's hundreds of acres of woods to pick from where I'm heading.

Or (at the risk of sounding dumb with this idea) could you put said stump in a plastic mattress storage bag made of plastic, in theory a sealed air tight environment and monitor the relative humidity a while before putting it out in the summer sun?

Posted: 3/22/2017 4:04:42 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
So should I look for wood that's been down a while? This might be a struggle on the ground sitting in the woods, but there's hundreds of acres of woods to pick from where I'm heading.

Or (at the risk of sounding dumb with this idea) could you put said stump in a plastic mattress storage bag made of plastic, in theory a sealed air tight environment and monitor the relative humidity a while before putting it out in the summer sun?

View Quote

You would likely get fungus rot if the wood had a very high moisture content. It would also take a long time to dry. Sealing the ends with paint is sufficient for most purposes.

Posted: 3/22/2017 7:48:38 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
Do you just stand the stump on end and square it off? How do you finish it? Any issues with them splitting when drying?

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Sorry, I was thinking of something much more primative. Mine are not nice like that.

Do you just stand the stump on end and square it off? How do you finish it? Any issues with them splitting when drying?

i don't even take the bark off... they last several years and I burn em.. make new ones in a half hour.

Posted: 3/25/2017 10:16:25 AM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
I'm interested as well.

View Quote

Same here. I have two pieces of Black Gum planks that I want to make a simple bench for our fire ring. One plank would be the seat, the other would be the back rest. I figured I'd use 2x6s treated to hold it together and for the legs.

What I don't want is screw heads showing from the back or seat side, so I'm sorta stuck on how to fasten it all together.

Posted: 3/25/2017 12:26:57 PM EDT

[#12]

I'm working on making a bunkbed with the boys for them.
My oldest peeled the logs last summer with a drawknife, the youngest is now ready for a big bed, so it's time to get to work.

I am not spending $250 on a tenon cutter for one project.
I'm planning on rectangular tenons, cut rough with a sawzall and finished with a chisel. Mortises will be done with a spade bit and chisel.
Another option for tenons is to use a hole saw and taper the log end with a hatchet and drawknife or your power planer.

Posted: 3/25/2017 1:06:35 PM EDT

[#13]

Splitting with wedges and a froe is great if you have fairly straight grain. For twisty stuff I'd get a ripping chain, tack a board to the log as a straight edge, and cut it with a chainsaw.

I'd probably use a scrub plane and a belt sander over that Harbor Freight plane, but I have no firsthand experience with it.

Posted: 3/25/2017 5:50:56 PM EDT

[#14]

You can do most of this work with a good router.... Make sled for your router to machine the surface flat...You can also make a jig to hold legs, and use a router to make the tenons, or doweled ends...

Posted: 4/13/2017 9:51:29 AM EDT

[#15]

I have thought about log furniture building also. I think I have settled on this type of tenon cutter. Logman X Mainly because it would be easier cutting tenons for exact level plane on very curvy pieces. And easy to cut different tenon thicknesses. Check out all the videos on YouTube to get some good examples of cutting the tenons with it.

Posted: 4/13/2017 8:46:48 PM EDT

[#16]

Green woodworking. Get a copy of "Make a Chair From a Tree" by John Alexander, although she doesn't go by John anymore, so that ought to make him very popular with the GD crowd.
https://www.amazon.com/Make-Chair-Tree-Introduction-Working/dp/0918804019?tag=vglnk-c102-20
But I thought the book has been reprinted, and would be a little less expensive, even used.

But this book explains how you need to orient pieces of green wood for your legs and stretchers if you are making a chair or table, that will take advantage of wood movement to help lock in the joint as the wood dries.

And Lee Valley has a nice assortment of tenon cutters, that you can use with a hand brace or electric drill. Also drills.
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=45539&cat=1,180,42288&ap=1

Posted: 4/13/2017 8:56:54 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
So should I look for wood that's been down a while? This might be a struggle on the ground sitting in the woods, but there's hundreds of acres of woods to pick from where I'm heading.

Or (at the risk of sounding dumb with this idea) could you put said stump in a plastic mattress storage bag made of plastic, in theory a sealed air tight environment and monitor the relative humidity a while before putting it out in the summer sun?

View Quote

That may result in an awesome piece of spalted wood. Woodturners will pay nice money for good solid spalted wood.

Seal the end grain, so the wood can lose moisture slowly though the edges, instead of fast through end grain. It will probably still end up checking, and you will probably tire of waiting for a big section of green wood to dry like this anyway. Face the fact that it will check and use it anyways.

Besides "Make a Chair From a Tree", there are a couple other books about green woodworking you might want to get and read. Drew Langsner also has a Book that I think is called "Green Woodworking"

Posted: 4/17/2017 11:28:40 PM EDT

[#18]

It's been a while since I have been back in. Thanks for the great replies. Working on cutting some stuff to manageable size and going from there!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Anyone in here make furniture out of logs?

General » Do It Yourself

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us