Source
r/woodworking•
rrghost

Beginner looking for help, I have some wood, chisels, some crappy saws, and a general toolbox from my father

My father and I just cut down part of a fir tree in our backyard and I took one of the logs to save and dry for woodworking. It is currently sitting in my very hot and dry attic. Another picture here with paperback for scale. Sorry for the poor quality, it's a blackberry...

The chiselsI have were my grandfathers who never used them. I tried looking for a date on the packaging but couldn't find anything useful for how old they are, they are brand new though. Any idea on what I could do with the wood given the tools I have? I'm just looking for a small project.

I have a thinner piece that I want to cut up into coasters and need help with all things related the stains and coatings, etc.

Thanks preemptively for all the help!

Posted Jun 20, 2014, 9:20 PM UTC

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p2p_editor•

Start watching YouTube woodworking videos. Plenty of good channels linked in the sidebar. Woodworking for Mere Mortals is great for project ideas that can be tackled by a beginner, though you may have to use different techniques if all you have is hand tools. No worries, though; there's nothing you can't do with hand tools.

As well, start looking at your house through the lens of "what could I build that would make this better?" You'll be surprised at what you find. How about a custom drawer organizer for your silverware drawer? That's a pretty easy beginner project, and gives you a better, nicer result than one of those plastic divider trays that slide around all over the place. Or a spice rack. Or a knick-knack shelf for the bathroom.

Mostly, though, just start. Once you start making stuff--even if it's crappy stuff--you'll be amazed at how many opportunities you start seeing around you for things you could make.

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joelav•

Those are actually decent chisels. Take them out and sharpen them up

1
enock999•

If I could suggest getting some ordinary latex paint and paint the ends of the logs. They will slow the drying of the ends and prevent checking of the wood. There are specialist (re expensive) products to do the same but any old latex paint will do the same job.

Also the Chisels are good. Just need a sharpening. Use the scary sharp method!

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rrghostOP•

I'm confused, I thought I wanted the wood to dry?

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bridgerberdel•

get it out of the attic.

you want to mill it into boards before it dries. then dry it, as slowly and gently as possible. then surface it and make stuff.

3
ThatGuyGetsIt•

This guy (or gal) said what I came to say.

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shopdog•

Ditto on this. Split or get sawn into boards. Sticker them (stack them with spacers between the boards to allow for even air flow) and let them dry out.

Old Buck chisels are good steel. Should make good users. That amount of wood might make a nice box.

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KillerSloth•

You do, just not too quickly or unevenly.

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p2p_editor•

...or else it will crack pretty badly on you. Painting the ends will help minimize that.

2