Comments on: A Cedar Slab Conundrum

By: carlgrover

carlgrover — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:17:14 +0000

Put 4 stout legs on that slab of cedar and use it as a sitting bench outside your friendly local Stuckey’s store on the interstate.

I wouldn’t consider using cedar for a workbench top even on a dare.

By: dodzig

dodzig — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:53:19 +0000

How about a Nakashima style picnic table.

By: Megan Fitzpatrick

Megan Fitzpatrick — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:34:23 +0000

I’ll pass your note re the order to our online product manager.

And yup, its perhaps a bit soft for a work surface …but my bench at home is white pine — talk about soft! (but you know what? It works just fine).

By: GunnyGene

GunnyGene — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:01:32 +0000

Nice looking chunk of eastern red. I have it growing wild on my property here, and enjoy working with it. Have a couple large (> 16″ dia) pieces I’m going to sculpt one of these days. Outside it will, of course, turn grey over time. Really no need to put a finish on it unless you want to retain the color, and even then you’ll have to restore it every couple years.

By: dannobe1

dannobe1 — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:52:13 +0000

Off topic and I apologize in advance but PLEASE consider reversing the order of these posts for convenience of following the entire threads.

And isn’t this beautiful piece of cedar a bit on the soft side for a work surface? If you booked it, imagine what a great entrance door it might become. Letting in some heavy ash bars in the hinge and lock positions might also keep it flat.

By: Steve_OH

Steve_OH — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:47:03 +0000

The effectiveness of cedar as a moth repellent is overrated. In high enough concentrations, the chemicals in the fumes do kill moths, but the wood releases them so slowly that the concentration never really gets high enough.

I think the most effective moth-proofing is a physical barrier. My mother kept her kimonos inside what was effectively a large rectangular metal can with a tight-fitting lid. Something like that, plus some pieces of cedar or other fragrant wood to keep the contents smelling reasonably fresh, is probably the best approach.

-Steve

By: PurringtonLooms

PurringtonLooms — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:12:11 +0000

As the owner of a 5′x8′ ShopBot CNC router, I agree with drirot, it would make an awsome signpost for your new digs.

I suggest mounting it narrow figured end down with the Popular Woodworking and F+W Media corporate logos, in additions to the 911 approved street address carved into the wider, top end.

Illuminated at night with a solar powered spotlight, of course.

By: woodman30

woodman30 — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:20:40 +0000

You could use the leftover chunks for duck decoys. Oldtimers did and they didn’t rot after being in and out of the water many times.

By: Megan Fitzpatrick

Megan Fitzpatrick — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:09:18 +0000

And I could store my shop sweaters in it to keep the moths away! (though actually, I have a cedar sweater chest at home…and some of my sweaters have moth holes)

By: mtnjak

mtnjak — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:35:11 +0000

You could make a giant cedar “toy box” for the office hand tools.