[Tennessee Tim]

I'm starting a build thread!!!! As most know I'm normally sawing.
I've picked the 3 cookies I'm going to use for a table in memory of my wife's uncle.... (original post) http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f26/maple-cookies-42546/

I'm going to make a rustic coffee table from these...using the center (whole) cookie as the top, the right and left one as a pedestal. These are spalted amborosia maple cookies. They've AD almost a year and were drying as thicker cookies almost 2 yrs. I'm building a quickie bug killer tomorrow and make sure there's NO PEST to go with it.

I'll keep the progress updated as I go...it'll be a quikie...got to be finished by the 1st of month for the reunion and her surprise.

 

[Dominick]

I like where this is going. I'll subscribe Tim.
Can't wait to see some more.

 

[tc65]

I'm in for the duration as well.

 

[Ted Tolstad]

Count me in...

 

[SawRdust]

I will be watching as well.

 

[Smith Brother]

I can't wait to TASTE a sample.........Maple flavoring is SOOOOOOOO good.

Dale in Indy

 

[gus1962]

Sweet! I want to have them. Keep us posted! Good luck.

 

[MasterSplinter]

I'm in

 

[jharris2]

Subscribed!!!

 

[Tennessee Tim]

I got my mini bug sterilizer (pink board with heat) put/slapped together today at lunch.....loaded my weather station sender and sealed up....everything was working when I left 87.8 deg...6 hrs later when checking on it the weather station wasn't reconizing the sender. Doing some checking with La Crosse website tonight see if I can trouble shoot. The last recorded temp was 111.6 deg. before it stopped recognizing the sender...batteries full charged.. post more later.
I can't wait to do my cuts....I got 98% decided.....Ya'll know how the other 2% is.....GO WITH THE FLOW!!!

 

[Tennessee Tim]

Pick 3 was almost was a pick nothing.....I updated my heat source that had a small blower/fan on it....it heated good ...ALMOST too good...A limit switch failed and it got ?????hot and the weather sensor had a melt down. The Lord had my spirit feeling a little uneasy so I stayed with the kiln last night while it ran 6 hrs @ 135 deg...I noticed the sensor had quit reading again, but I just associated it with the ???problem the first time. I heard a pop and I thought it was a cookie splitting from the heat so I shut it down for the night and opened this morning to find the sensor had melted and fallen to the floor causing the pop....I had been Blessed by staying and shutting it down last night.
Here's the pics..the melted sensor and melted pink board...the odd thing is there was NO SMELL of the pink board distorting.
BUT the cookies didn't burn or destroy!!!
See next post!!! We're building!!!

 

[Tennessee Tim]

After the close call....we're building!!! I'm sure the bugs got BLASTED!!!
I'm posting the initial crude drawing and some sanding pics.....this is going to look awesome with these colors. I believe it'll have a marble look to it.
Enjoy!!!

 

[Tennessee Tim]

I had to add a few hidden screws in the top cookie piece for 2 loose parts.
The base came out close to drawing....sanding was tricky, end grain lays funny and had to be hand rubbed to feel correct sanding direction...yep sand against the grain!!!! I used pocket screws in hidden areas to anchor together. I never thought placement of top would be so hard...LOTS of walking around..shift...walk again...shift...aahhh too much out here...looks wrong at this angle...and then BAM it pops in place!!!! I left the old chainsaw marks in the wood for accents.

 

[Dominick]

I'm liking the shape of things so far Tim.
As far as all the checks, how are you going to address those?
Almost looks fragile. But I'm guessing not.

 

[Tennessee Tim]

Yeah the checks look mean but are actually firm. I did have 1 small section on each side of the top's check that I put hidden screws into, also the placement of top on base had some to do with supporting the top's check. If plans go as in my mind...tomorrow I'll finish sand and start my finishing lacquer. I can hardly wait to see what APPEARS in this wood grain!!! I left the original chain saw marks. I designed (without knowing her exact placement(surprise)) as a center coffee table BUT laid out the base and top to be able to sit against a wall and look as if it was made just to sit there and not be out of place.

 

[Walleye977]

Thats awesome you do good work. What do cookies like that normally sell for?

 

[Tennessee Tim]

Cookies cost?????? My experience is they're a pain to dry and definitely would drive my selling costs up IF I was to cut and sell them.

Since my last post I've put 2 extra thin deep soaking coats on and 1 filler coat. I'm experimenting with a process of putting a good coat on (This wood DRINKS this up fast being end grain!!) and after letting set a while I take a thinner soaked rag and wipe over everything moving heavier spots to the soaking up spots. I think one more filler coat like this the grain is going to be filled...YEEHAW!!!!! and one more final coat only to come back and hand wax it all. UNFORTUNATELY the bottom pedestal has the most amazing grains...I see some curly and some quilting in this maple. I'm posting some close up of it and the top. Enjoy and God Bless.

 

[rayking49]

Looking awesome. Can't wait to see it done.

 

[Tennessee Tim]

Sorry guys I got behind...had that sinus crud BUT the Lord's got me over it. I was wrong, it took 3 more coats of rubbed lacquer on it today and from the looks one....maybe 2 will finalize this.....that end grain sure soaks it up!! A few more pics.

 

[Tennessee Tim]

A few more..even the quilted pic has a 3D illusion....look at it from different angles on the screen...WOW , I've never seen this much change in a pic on the web.