Meet Jack, The Traveling Slab Salesman

2011 - Volume #35, Issue #6, Page #08

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“I love taking an old log, splitting it open and finding the beauty inside,” says Jack Pectol. “I love the wood and get a kick out of pleasing the public.”
  That’s exactly what he’s done for the past 31 years as he’s traveled throughout the U.S. with his pickup and trailer filled with wood slabs. Except for a few trees cut at a sawmill, he cuts most of the slabs himself with his trusty old chainsaws fitted with bars from 3 to 6 1/2 ft. long.
  Pectol buys black walnut, Cyprus, red cedar, oak, and other standing timber, and then cuts down each tree and slabs it up on site, since he doesn’t have equipment to haul logs. He makes a variety of sizes. Smaller pieces for end tables might be cut almost straight across the diameter. Most pieces are cut like French bread at 45, 50 or 60-degree angles, 2 1/2 to 3 in. thick.
  “I don’t use guides. It’s all freehand chainsaw cuts,” Pectol says. “You have to make sure the teeth are the right length, angle and depth.”
  He uses a Dremel-type handheld sharpener that hooks to his truck’s battery. It sharpens chains fast and accurately. His old 090 Stihl saws are still his favorite, but it’s hard to find parts so he purchased a 3120 Husqvarna recently.
  Pectol is away from his Heber City, Utah, home about half of his life. He “follows the radiator cap” to Northern states in the summer and Southern states in the winter. He’s learned which states require permits and asks private property owners permission to set up along busy highways. The best locations are near affluent resort areas. But his prices are reasonable for the general public starting at $5 to $20 for clock faces to $25 to $100 for end table and headboard size pieces to $300 for museum quality pieces.
  He tells customers to store their slab on its edge inside a building where it can dry slowly with good air circulation and no sunlight. When dry, sand the slab with a angle grinder, then follow up with a belt sander for a smooth finish.
  Pectol has photos of beautiful furniture he has built with slabs to show customers what they can do with the wood. Through the years he’s cut all kinds of wood, from 6-ft. diameter poplars planted by Mormon pioneers in Utah to willows in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Currently he buys most of his wood in Arkansas.
  Besides selling retail, he sells loads wholesale to furniture makers, taxidermists and other individuals at up to 40 percent off his retail price.
  “Call and specify what wood you want,” Pectol says.
  Although Pectol seems to spend nearly half of his life away from home with his work, he has a driven passion toward his wife and nine children (25 grandchildren); and toward his Mormon faith.      Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jack Pectol, 430 Southfield Rd., Heber City, Utah 84032 (ph 435 840-8311).

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Meet Jack The Traveling Slab Salesman WOODLOT EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous “I love taking an old log splitting it open and finding the beauty inside ” says Jack Pectol “I love the wood and get a kick out of pleasing the public ” That’s exactly what he’s done for the past 31 years as he’s traveled throughout the U S with his pickup and trailer filled with wood slabs Except for a few trees cut at a sawmill he cuts most of the slabs himself with his trusty old chainsaws fitted with bars from 3 to 6 1/2 ft long Pectol buys black walnut Cyprus red cedar oak and other standing timber and then cuts down each tree and slabs it up on site since he doesn’t have equipment to haul logs He makes a variety of sizes Smaller pieces for end tables might be cut almost straight across the diameter Most pieces are cut like French bread at 45 50 or 60-degree angles 2 1/2 to 3 in thick “I don’t use guides It’s all freehand chainsaw cuts ” Pectol says “You have to make sure the teeth are the right length angle and depth ” He uses a Dremel-type handheld sharpener that hooks to his truck’s battery It sharpens chains fast and accurately His old 090 Stihl saws are still his favorite but it’s hard to find parts so he purchased a 3120 Husqvarna recently Pectol is away from his Heber City Utah home about half of his life He “follows the radiator cap” to Northern states in the summer and Southern states in the winter He’s learned which states require permits and asks private property owners permission to set up along busy highways The best locations are near affluent resort areas But his prices are reasonable for the general public starting at $5 to $20 for clock faces to $25 to $100 for end table and headboard size pieces to $300 for museum quality pieces He tells customers to store their slab on its edge inside a building where it can dry slowly with good air circulation and no sunlight When dry sand the slab with a angle grinder then follow up with a belt sander for a smooth finish Pectol has photos of beautiful furniture he has built with slabs to show customers what they can do with the wood Through the years he’s cut all kinds of wood from 6-ft diameter poplars planted by Mormon pioneers in Utah to willows in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley Currently he buys most of his wood in Arkansas Besides selling retail he sells loads wholesale to furniture makers taxidermists and other individuals at up to 40 percent off his retail price “Call and specify what wood you want ” Pectol says Although Pectol seems to spend nearly half of his life away from home with his work he has a driven passion toward his wife and nine children 25 grandchildren ; and toward his Mormon faith Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Jack Pectol 430 Southfield Rd Heber City Utah 84032 ph 435 840-8311

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