Went to an auction today

I went to an auction today. They called it a living estate sale.
The guy who's stuff was being sold was an old wood turner.
He was 90 years old but he looked at least 100.
The tools sold for way too much money. But I got some pretty good wood.

Looks like firewood, but it is mesquite, olive and desert ironwood.



Some big chunks of walnut. I am thinking Saya material.



Now I need to sort through to see what I have. There will be a lot of waste, but it is all really old dry wood.
If things don't look so good, then I will have a good batch of exotic firewood.
Won't know for sure till I cut it up.

*wood envy*!

Nice, looks like you will be able to get some pretty good pieces out of it.

First the better stuff. Desert Ironwood. A couple might be something else. Won't know till I cut it.



Next is Mesquite. Most looks bland but there will be some with tight fiddleback.



Then a big pile of Olive. Probably 75 to 80% waste but should get some good blocks.



Finally a pile of mystery wood. Most is really hard heavy stuff. Might be able to figure out what some of it is after I cut it.



I am going to have lots and lots of waste. But if I can get at least 10% good wood it will pay for itself.
Otherwise I will have the most exotic firewood in town.

Mmmhh, some reliably dry olive wa blanks might be interesting...

Stefan

If you have a piece of olive that is not straight, I would be interested in a chunk that I could carve a spoon out of.

Burl Source said:

If things don't look so good, then I will have a good batch of exotic firewood.

Click to expand...

I wonder if any of that would be good for bbqs or smoking (... smoking meat, that is).

I use Mesquite to smoke meat all the time, might be my favorite

was going to say can i buy the off cuts to feed my smoker (olive wood works well for fish)

Folks out here use local kiawe wood = mesquite.

Stefan

l r harner said:

was going to say can i buy the off cuts to feed my smoker (olive wood works well for fish)

Click to expand...

I stopped cutting for a while, but there is going to be lots and lots of cut offs from the olive.
I will try to put together a box for you.