A wire wheel on a walnut round throws more dust than you’d expect. I spent an afternoon peeling the bark off a big round I’d been sitting on, and by the end the shop looked like it had snowed. Worth it, though — under that rough outer layer was clean walnut ready for the next step.
That next step was flattening it, and it’s the one I’d been putting off. Rounds like this never come off the tree flat. Mine had a twist to it, high on one side and low on the other, and there’s no getting a good finish on a surface like that without leveling it first. I built a router sled a while back for exactly this reason and never had a piece worth testing it on until now.
The setup is simple: two rails clamped level on either side of the round, a sled that rides across them, and a router mounted to the sled taking passes back and forth until the whole surface is flat. This was the first time I’d used it start to finish, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. It worked amazingly well. A few passes in one direction, rotate the round, a few more, and the high spots came down clean and even. I was genuinely surprised — and glad I finally put the sled to use.
What’s left is a flat walnut round with real character, headed toward becoming a sign, a serving board, or something along those lines once it’s dried and settled.
If you’ve got a slab or round that needs this kind of work — or you want something custom made from one — reach out. I’d love to help.