Martin likes big logs too.

Martin likes big logs too.

About a week ago we milled a big Black Oak log for our friend Martin Goebel of Goebel & Co. Furniture. It looks like he has some big plans, and they include a large tabletop for a customer. Our mission was to get at least one good slab, cut at 4" thick, that would stay together through the drying process. The log was stout with a lot of character and a few bad spots, but it was so big that getting some slabs that met the requirement was no problem.

This is the first log that I have milled on the Lucas Mill that required the mill to be jacked up (by about 10") to get started. The mill will cut up to 62" wide with the chainsaw slabber attachment, and we still had to trim both sides of the butt end for the log to fit. We milled the bottom log with the slabber, and Roger Branson of Red Rooster Sawmill cut up the top logs on his Wood-Mizer LT40. In all we got about 1,600 bd. ft. out of the tree, with about 1,000 bd. ft. coming out of the bottom 10' log.

Here are the photos of the event:

Even with the mill jacked up and elevated as high as it would go, the log needed to be trimmed for the mill to work.

Even with the mill jacked up and elevated as high as it would go, the log needed to be trimmed for the mill to work.

After we got a level work surface, it was easier to work on top of the log.

After we got a level work surface, it was easier to work on top of the log.

To speed things up, Scott and Dan pushed the mill through.

This is a manual mill and needs to be pushed through the cut. To speed things up, Scott helped Dan push the mill.

This is the natural-edge slab Martin picked out for the tabletop. It is just over 10' long and 5' wide on the end with the trimmed sides. It was cut 4" thick and will take over a year to dry, even with the help of a kiln. There are a couple of spots that Martin sealed up to help prevent large cracks. Overall, an impressive piece of wood.

This is the natural-edge slab Martin picked out for the tabletop. It is just over 10' long and 5' wide on the end with the trimmed sides. It was cut 4" thick and will take over a year to dry, even with the help of a kiln. There are a couple of spots that Martin sealed up to help prevent large cracks. Overall, an impressive piece of wood.

After the milling we got all of the wood back in the shop and stacked to start drying. It is nutty to know that the lumber is so big that it takes two of us just to slide one end of the slab on to the sticks. Luckily, the stacking is done, and now we wait, with our fingers crossed, in hopes that nothing breaks as it dries.