Springtime, 2015

Not a lot of pictures this time. The weather has seemed to finally have warmed a bit. Than again, its Wisconsin, so who knows?

The amount of stock that came out this winter is down from past years. I was up by the mill last week and talked with the owner. I always have known figured wood is rare. How rare is a matter from folks to debate. I can only pass on what I am told by the guys who saw it.
He sawed 75,000 board feet of yellow birch last week. I got 60 feet to bring home. Does that tell you anything?

This winter has been one of the best logging winters in several years. The weather was very cold and not a lot of snow, so the loggers could get into lots of areas that had been hard to get to for several years. The mill yard is full and its been a very slow winter to get figured wood. They have been sawing like mad, but there has been little stock that has been pulled. I have gotten about the equivalent of 2 full loads this winter. I normally run 7 to 10 loads.

Now this spring can still be good, but I am just in a holding pattern. I am getting a small load in today.
But I have gotten some really nice stuff this winter. It will be a year or so before the 4/4 and 5/4 stock is ready. 8/4 and thicker takes years. Just can't rush it.

I have gotten some wonderful birdseye, flame and curly. Like I sad, not a lot of pictures this time, but then again, I do have a few. Let me know if I can help with any of your needs.I always have material in all thicknesses. Just got a nice load of 6/4 birdseye and tiger maple out of the kiln. It is pretty.

 rough sawn birdseye, you know its good figure when you see it in the rough.

 Piles of thick birdseye, 8/4 and 12/4.

 A nice crotch piece of cherry, I have a few like this. All 8/4.

Walnut crotches. Really nice book matched sets.

Birdseye maple flooring, it took a year to get the material and have it made, but it turned out beautiful!

A day for dyeing....

Today was the day I dyed the lower case of the tiger maple stepback cupboard I am working on. Got all the grain raising and sanding out of the way. Got the coat of oil on and then the 1st coat of sealer. It is looking really nice. This is some incredible tiger maple I am using.

Tomorrow will be sanding and cleaning and starting with the finish coats. The weather has been just wonderful. It was almost 80 today with low humidity. Sounds like this might last for almost another week. Sure makes time in the shop go fast with the doors open and the sun shining.

Thanks for looking in. Hope to have some stories of some of the folks I deal with coming . They are pretty interesting people, at least to me. Hope you all have a great week!

First time jitters

Well, here it is. Having never been known as a blogger, writer,talker, I am taking the first steps. I am a custom furniture maker. I love what I do and have a great wife who supports what I do. Can't ask for any more then that. I am a blessed man.

I wanted to start this out by some simple explaining about what it is I do. How I build and find the right material. The stories about folks I meet and what I see. Its not a story many might find interesting, but I just thought I could share some.

The title of this blog is kind of what I do in my business. I buy and sell figured wood and build custom furniture. The wood finding is one of the fun thing I get to do. My wife goes along at times while I search out small mills and the interesting folks who run them. I hope to share some stories with you about that process. I know that I find the sawmill folks some of the most kind and honest folks I deal with. It goes the same with loggers. Honest, down to earth kind folks. I will share more of these folks with you as time goes on.

Its a beautiful October morning as I write this. It was a big weekend for Wisconsin sports. Packers Badgers and Brewers all won. Life is good on the farm. Hope you all have a wonderful day and I will write more later. bob