More cottonwood slabs

Well, I've been hard at it trying to slab up some cottonwood brought to us from a Denver resident who lost the tree in a windstorm three years ago. Yes, he actually delivered them and gave them to us. I'm hoping he sees this post somehow (lost his name and number) because I intend to make him a wine rack out of one of the rounds.

 

 

What I'm finding is that crosscutting cottonwood is relatively easy because it's such a soft wood. Ripping is a whole other issue. While the wood is soft, these rounds are so big that a 20" bar barely scratches the surface.

As you can see from the first photo above, the cuts don't even reach half of the way through the log. The log on its side is 4'6" high. Somehow, we need to figure out a way to tip it up on the end in the second photo above to be able to go down through the log from both sides. Haven't figured that one out yet, but am working on it.

These last photos are of smaller logs I plan to work on this coming week to slab by ripping them. They're a lot smaller and easier to handle than that big boy above. Should be able to wind up with some pretty nice table tops out of these ripped slabs. Also noted some spalting in a couple of the slabs I've already cut.

The one with the crack in it above will be cut lengthwise along the crack, and will provide two table tops, each set on two pedastals that will be scribed and carved to accommodate them.

The logs in the second photo above haven't really talked to me yet. They each have some pretty significant voids that will affect what they will ultimately become.