I'm going to prison

There’s what looks to be an awesome burl on a silver maple at my step son’s new house. I’ve had my eye on it since way before he bought the place. But I’ll probably get to take it down next year now

 

You're all goin' down town...

 

Last cherry I sawed there was no way I could bring myself to buck it.




Glad I didn’t.

 

We’ve all been there, especially if you dabble in woodworking. How many times I’ve been running the splitter and look at a grain pattern and think why did I chop this into small pieces?

Years ago I had a bunch of big gnarly apple splits. Brought them in to burn in the fireplace. One big square chunk never made it into the fire. Kicked around on the floor in the basement for 3 years or so. All the twisted grain had caught my eye so I never picked it up to burn.
Eventually I decided to see what apple was like to work with. Decided I’d make a one piece solid box out of it. I fully expected it to twist and check.
Squared it up, cut off a top and hollowed it all out on my homemade wood shaper. Ground out the walls to about 1/4” thick. Some hinges, a clasp, sanded all smooth and put it on a table upstairs.
That dang thing never twisted or checked at all. The joint on the top always fit like a safe. I was a little shocked by that. Ya just never know.