1 hour ago, Headhunter said:

That's just the fender of my old beast.  41 Plymouth 2dr sedan.  One of these years I'll get around to putting it back on the road. Presuming I live that long.

 

 Know that feeling well. 46 Dodge PU with a 56 Chrysler "Fire Power" push button "Power Flite".  

 Oh yea, "Sleeper Style". 

 

Edited January 15, 20224 yr by Larry Buskirk

Showed me Missus the picture of the tree, she really liked it! Now I’m in the process of getting enough Walnut to make one  This’ll be the first one that doesn’t get painted. Of course as I explained to me Missus, we can get red kisses and use it for Valentines Day, Green ones for Saint Patrick’s Day, red/white/blue for Independence Day. We can use this tree for most of the year, cause no color coordination is needed for Halloween  

26 minutes ago, Artie said:

 Of course as I explained to me Missus, we can get red kisses and use it for Valentines Day, Green ones for Saint Patrick’s Day, red/white/blue for Independence Day. We can use this tree for most of the year, cause no color coordination is needed for Halloween  

Oh, yeah. Went through that conversation myself.

Hey @Artie As long as you're thinking about walnut, I just checked the prices at Highland Hardwoods in Brentwood NH.  4/4 rgh  $10.10  BF,  4/4 S3S  3/4"      $10.75 BF.  6" Nom lin ft  $10.06, 8" nom $14.65.  Thought you might want to be able to compare prices in the area. If you don't have a thickness planer I have my 10". The  rgf looks like the way to go.

Al,

 

Those prices are about twice what I pay around here. Last order I got was $5.40bf for #1 common 4/4 RWL with one straight edge. I joint and plane it myself. Seem to get better wood that way. If I order more than $300 worth they deliver free. The driver even helps unload it! Guess I'm spoiled.

Edited January 16, 20224 yr by Headhunter

@Headhunter Almost worth the trip to Texas to buy it, except for the price of gas. Too bad shipping costs would be prohibitive

Edited January 16, 20224 yr by Al B

Al, here is where I publicly display my lack of woodworking knowledge. HUH? I believe you’re telling me I can buy bigger pieces of Walnut, and resaw them down to slightly thicker than 1/2 inch and then plane it down to 1/2 inch (my desired thickness). I have a SS bandsaw which will resaw to a height of 5 3/4 inches I believe. I have never resawn, and have not plugged in the planer yet, (I’m fine with expanding my horizons, I mean I do own the planer  ). Cause it’s about $120.00 at Woodcraft for enough 1/2 Walnut for one tree.

Artie,  Look into the cost for rough cut 6/4 or 8/4 walnut and then you could plane it enough to get good faces and then just rip it to 1/2 thick with your tablesaw or bandsaw. You MIGHT be able to get away with this using 4/4 depending on how wide your tree pieces are. The one I made had 1 1/4" wide 'branches' so that method wouldn't work with 4/4.

 

Also look into local sawmills in your area. You should be able to find walnut considerably cheaper than Woodcraft.

@ArtieThe thinner lumber is planed, the more expensive it is because more labor is involved. 3/4" lumber is cheaper than 1/2" has been my experience. How wide are the boards you normally start with for the trees ? The rough sawn is cheaper because there is less labor cost. If you a lucky, at Highland Hardwoods you might find shorts, under 4' long at a discounted price. That is where I normally get my cherry. Cherry is priced about $4.00 cheaper than walnut per bf. It's been awhile since I've been to Brentwood but you can check their prices on the computer.  Just go to Highland Hardwoods. As @Headhunter said, you would have to buy 6/4 material in order to resaw to end up with planed 1/2" boards. I usually go with the 4/4 rough and plane it down . A lot less work 

Edited January 16, 20224 yr by Al B

So I (not knowing better) usually buy 1/2 Poplar say 3 inches x 48 inches. I rip it into 1 1/4 strips then cut them into 4 pieces. i do this until i have the 30-60-90-120 pieces I need depending on how many I am making. I have not made more than 4 at a time. I have also not worked with any wood except for some Cherry, Poplar, and plywood. This is what makes it kinda expensive for me to make 23 and give them away.  

If I understand the terms correctly, 4/4 is 1 inch? 6/4 = 1 1/2, and 8/4 is 2 inch?

@ArtieCheck the prices for 3/4"poplar. Makes a bit more work planing but the savings could be considerable.

Artie do you have a jointer ?

Paul

Al, after seeing the beautiful Walnut one Tony made, I want to make one ( and SWMBO also wants me to make one). Paul, I have a jointer. I used it once when I was setting up the SS.I jointed a piece of 2x4 a couple of times.  

Scamp is happy, his team won, I am unhappy, my team lost, and I am retiring for the evening!  

@Headhunter - That tree in walnut is great!  Now I am headed over to Free for all

@Artie - you have the dimensions correctly for rough cut lumber, 4/4 = 1".  If it is surfaced it will be thinner.  The last S3S I got was 7/8" thick.

 

@Headhunter - That tree in walnut is great!  Now I am headed over to Free for all

@Artie - you have the dimensions correctly for rough cut lumber, 4/4 = 1".  If it is surfaced it will be thinner.  The last S3S I got was 7/8" thick.

 

I found it.

5 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

I found it.

Well, HANG ON TO IT!!!

Thanks @John Morris for saving my butt....again!