Pecan wood butcher block?

[Altadan]

Hi there experts,

We recently had a "microburst" storm here in Dallas, and among the many trees torn down, one massive, old Pecan tree fell on campus where we live.
A fellow was chainsawing cookie slabs, and he happily gave me one for my use.

I'm excited about it, but honestly I know very little about Pecan wood.
I've read some online [https://www.wood-database.com/pecan/] but still I feel I could use some friendly help.
Specifically, do you think I could turn this into a big chunky butcher block?

If yes, then please tell me what must I do to a fresh-cut cookie slab of live edge Pecan?

Any/all help is appreciated (I'll post a photo soon)

Dan

[JustinP]

Pecan is much harder than maple and other woods typically used for butcher blocks. So it won't be as gentle on your knives for sure.

[delmar]

Yeah. That is pretty high Janka for cutting board. Assuming that a cookie slab means you are end grain, better than edge grain.

End table or coffee table?

[ken123]

Jack O should give you some finer tips.

Nothing to.loose but your labor. Give it a try. Add a few before and after pics here. I have a couple of Chinese chopping blocks - (probably pine) about 6 inches thick that work great. After you flatten and polish it up, coat it with a mix of mineral oil and beeswax.

---
Ken

[Altadan]

So,
I got some time with a power hand-plane, and a monstrous little belt-sander. I was told I should start applying the oil sooner than later, lest it split

*

Rough cut with chainsaw

Roughly sanded and dry

A few hours later (perhaps sooner, idk) oil came out the other side

A few hours later (perhaps sooner, idk) oil came out the other side

-
Also, the Janka scale is indeed very high, but that seems to be a measurement for side grain (floorboards), so, though I'm sure the wood fibers' hardness is expressed also in the edge grain, I expexyot to be mitigated. I'll give it a try, and I'd I notice serious blunting, I'll look into getting some feet/legs and make a table/stool

[stevem627]

It sure is a good looking piece of wood.

[Altadan]

It sure is a good looking piece of wood.

Thanks. That's what I thought too!

It's about 17" at the longest point, and 15" at the widest.
I wondered, in retrospect, if it would have been better at the guy sawed off the piece diagonal, so as to produce longer piece, but keep the nice ~15" width

[polytope]

Pure speculation: The diagonal cut would give you diagonal grain, so you might get unwanted side forces on your edge if it sinks into the wood at all. I guess it depends on the angle of the knife relative to the direction of slant—but since the grain's slant would would run from right to left (or vice versa) most knife strokes would be worst-case.

I think you did the right thing having it sawed perpendicular!

[Altadan]

Pure speculation: The diagonal cut would give you diagonal grain, so you might get unwanted side forces on your edge if it sinks into the wood at all. I guess it depends on the angle of the knife relative to the direction of slant—but since the grain's slant would would run from right to left (or vice versa) most knife strokes would be worst-case.

I think you did the right thing having it sawed perpendicular!

I see what you're saying, Polytope. That sounds valid

[LaVieestBelle]

Too late...but knife handles! One of my favorite handles is pecan.

[Altadan]

Too late...but knife handles! One of my favorite handles is pecan.

Got any photos?
Cause there plenty more timber there. The fallen tree still hasn't been completely cleared, probably due to overload what with all the other trees fallen around town after that "microburst"

[LaVieestBelle]

When daylight comes I will send a photo.

[LaVieestBelle]

The promised images-- Kono with pecan handle...

[Altadan]

The promised images-- Kono with pecan handle...

pecanresize.jpg

pecanresize2.jpg

pecanresize3.jpg

Those are very, very beautiful indeed.
I was gonna say that I'd first have to have a worthy knife, but there is just such a one headed my way, thanks to one of this forum's prime enablers

It's been raining last night and today, and so, I fear the rest of that trunk and big branches will not be very good for anything after that. Hmmm...

[Altadan]

It's not really finished finished, but... I couldn't wait.

A full day of bathing in mineral oil, followed by a layer of beeswax-min-oil-mix, and then some veggies and Tanaka
~

[Drewski]

It's not really finished finished, but... I couldn't wait.

A full day of bathing in mineral oil, followed by a layer of beeswax-min-oil-mix, and then some veggies and Tanaka
~

Awesome!

[Jeff B]

Looks like a nice kitchen decoration with a purposeful use too!

[timos]

sweet project!

[Altadan]

sweet project!

Thanks!

I'm in need of ideas as to how to finish this thing.
I don't have any tools, nor do I have room for them, yet... I need to really flatten this thing if it's gonna be a cutting board (or else wife want to screw legs into it and turn it into a table or stool :\ )

I suppose I could get a second-hand belt-sander, and eyeball it from there... but I wish I could run it through a large planer and be done!
Any idea where I could find a service that would plane a piece like this without exacting a "minimum special milling service" fee in a city like Dallas?

[Jeff B]

You can't plane the face of a piece of wood that is crosscut. It needs to be run through a drum sander.