"From Tree To You"
harvesting wooden gold
My personalized wooden pens begin they’re journey in northern Wisconsin after a tree falls during a storm, or I determine it’s no longer growing, and if left as is, the forest critters will devour the beauty within. Once logged and rough sawn, I mill them to size in the shop, where the careful drying process begins. If done incorrectly, the wood cracks.
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milling into pen blanks
Using the bandsaw to cut the blanks to size (~1-inch x 1-inch x 5-inches)
The drying process
Drying your own rough sawn lumber can be challenging. Wood doesn’t like change, especially rapid change! It will split and crack if not done evenly, and over time. Consequently, it needs to be surrounded by something dry to absorb the moisture, like a giant sponge. Sawdust is an excellent choice–I have plenty of leftovers!
Overnight, the sawdust absorbs the water, and I transfer those pen blanks into a bucket or bag filled with a new batch of fresh, dry sawdust.
A special device is used to test the water content inside the wood throughout the process to ensure it’s done right.
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Eventually, the wood reaches a point where it can be left out to dry, kind of like letting a batch of cookies cool after baked in the oven.
Typically takes 3-4 months to do properly.
