Measured out an 18" long section, and proceeded to crosscut a chunk off..

Took a lot of wax on the blade.   I didn't feel like dragging the circular saw down the stairs... 18"  was a bit too much to crosscut on the bandsaw,  Finally

Set the one section aside,  needed to joint one edge square...

The plane has a walnut fence, to help stay square,   Plane is a Stanley No.7c, type 9  Shavings seem to be walnut, also...

A little sap wood.  Needed this board to have a square corner, to make it easier to resaw..

This is from the second board, first one gave me three pieces...

But, at only 15" wide...I needed a fourth one to make a 18" diameter round top....so

That blaack knot will be  heading to the outside, where the cut will be coming around.   Need to start jointing edges, to do a glue up..

One way to hold it.  Plane is a bit too long, about 2" longer than the boards.  I suppose I could drop down a size or two.   Plan right now is to get these four glued up into a panel,  The day after the glue is cure, I can flatten the entire panel, and cut it into a circle.  The leftover slab sitting on the bandsaw will be cut into three curved legs.    Still  have the two shorter planks.....maybe a glue up into a column blank for the lathe?

 

It 's start anyway.....Now, IF I can find that fellow Gumption again, I might just cobble something up?

87 degrees outside, and HUMID.....shop isn't much better...

Good start.  Don't know how you do it.  I was out working in the heat for a few hours today and the water was just pouring out the pores.

 

Dan

Another interesting build. Looking forward to the progress on this one too.

You can get more projects out of a chunk of wood than anyone I know!