[Ingersoll444]

Did not realy know where this fit in best, so I posted it here.

I had a few trees cut down a few weeks ago, on one was a REAL streight Oak. Well, I have a log, almost 20' long, and about 2' dia from this tree. I would hate to cut it up for firewood, if there is any value in it. Anyone know what a log like this would be worth to a mill? Is this something they would eaven want, becouse it is just one? I kinda wish I had a mill, and I could just cut it up for a future boat building project, but don't have the time, storage room, OR the equpment.

 

[slipshod]

all the time

I have a sawmill;
My mill is a Simplicity, not related to the tractor brand I don't think.It will saw a 42" diameter log up to 32 feet long.Everything on the mill is manual,from the carriage to thickness adjustment.Not a production machine by any means,but I can cut a few thousand feet of lumber in a day with a decent tailor(sawyer's helper).My saw run an 1 1/4 blade,the drive wheels for it are temporary spare tires,and they work well.If I need more blade tension I add air to the tires.The saw is powered by a 13 horse Honda .
I also have a 20" thickness planer made by Bridgewood.It is a commercial machine approximalely 1950 vintage.Powered by a 5 horse 220 electric motor. The planer rips.
Both of these machines produce very nice lumber. The saw cuts true.and square boards.The planer will smooth boards to a glass like finish.I also have a 12" Dewalt portable planer that i have not used in quite some time.
As to the value of your log.If it is a yard tree you will not get a mill to touch it.The portable guys such as myself will do it,but only one log I would bring to the saw,not bring the saw to the log.If I catch Iron in a log and ruin a blade I am out $20.00 ,worth taking a chance. After running this machine you get a feel for it and most time you feel the metal before ruining the blade. Cost me $6.00 a blade to have them sharpened.

 

[Argee]

There are probably 6 sawmills within a 5 mile radius of me, so owning my own isn't a problem. It's choosing which one I want to use. Paul I bet you have similar circumstances where you live.

 

[jodyand]

Re: all the time

Originally posted by slipshod
As to the value of your log.If it is a yard tree you will not get a mill to touch it.

Why wouldn't a mill touch it:question: What makes it so different from one in the woods:question: I thought an oak tree was a oak tree I'm sure Paul's place was wood at one time or another.

Jody

 

[Argee]

Re: Re: all the time

Originally posted by jodyand
Why wouldn't a mill touch it:question: What makes it so different from one in the woods:question: I thought an oak tree was a oak tree I'm sure Paul's place was wood at one time or another.

Jody

Because a yard tree would be more prone to spikes, nails and screws that would tear up the cutters and the like at a mill.

 

[jodyand]

Re: Re: Re: all the time

Originally posted by Argee
Because a yard tree would be more prone to spikes, nails and screws that would tear up the cutters and the like at a mill.

Yes but a mill has a metal detector that the tree goes across and if there is metal in it they know it. I have worked in lots of stud mills and in paper mill on the conveyor belts that run across the metal detector and they will stop a log with one nail in it. They then set that log aside and use a hand held metal detector to find it. Maybe they do thing different up north but down here if i had some good size trees in my yard i could make a call and they would come cut them down and haul them to the mill.
Jody

 

[slipshod]

Up North

They most deffinately must do it different up here,becuse I sure do get some nice logs from tree services. They just drop them off,and are happy to have a place close.
Worse then metal, glass insulators,they can shatter a tooth on a mill in a heart beat.

 

[Ingersoll444]

Re: Re: all the time

Originally posted by jodyand
Why wouldn't a mill touch it:question: What makes it so different from one in the woods:question: I thought an oak tree was a oak tree I'm sure Paul's place was wood at one time or another.

Jody

Most of it is STILL woods. I have just DOZENS of old 75+' oak trees. Some you can't eaven put your arms around.Most are dead streaght, with few branches. I am sure I could make some bucks if I wanted to clear cut it, but I could never do that.


Here is a shot of some of the smaller ones......

 

[slipshod]

Paul

Where you are those trees don't qualify as yard trees because you put a new house where there was none.The nice thing about oak is they will keep and be worth more the longer you leave them.Cherry on the other hand reaches it's peak and goes down hill quickly.They get red rot.

 

[gwill]

Re: Re: Re: all the time

Originally posted by Argee
Because a yard tree would be more prone to spikes, nails and screws that would tear up the cutters and the like at a mill.

You left out horse shoes and plow points. I've found fence wire wrapped completely around a cherry from the middle of a woods. :furious:

While the oak will make really good firewood, around here it can be more valuable for lumber than walnut. Which oak is it?

 

[slipshod]

gwill

The oaks I see in Pauls pictures are red oaks.On one of my places I have a nice stand of white oaks,the deer sure love them when there is a mast crop. Did not have a single acorn this year.

 

[parts man]

My house is built entirely from lumber from our own ground. We had a portable band saw mill come and mill the lumber for us, he did an excellent job!! I'm finishing the inside in boards, even the ceiling. Pine for the ceiling, maple on the upstairs walls, birch floor, and poplar in the bedrooms, and beech cupboards, all from our own land.
I figure that I should be done almost in time to remodel!

 

[leolav]

My uncle has a mill as well as a kiln. He milled several black walnut trees and numerous ash and oak trees from my property when we were getting ready wo build our house. He stored the wood for me til the house was done and I have gone through most of the good stuff to build furniture. The black walnuts were a shame to cut down as they were pretty nice trees, but they were right where my house now stands.

I still have a few black walnuts trees around our property and more ash than I know what to do with.

 

[Ingersoll444]

Originally posted by leolav
My uncle has a mill as well as a kiln. He milled several black walnut trees and numerous ash and oak trees from my property when we were getting ready wo build our house. He stored the wood for me til the house was done and I have gone through most of the good stuff to build furniture. The black walnuts were a shame to cut down as they were pretty nice trees, but they were right where my house now stands.

I still have a few black walnuts trees around our property and more ash than I know what to do with.

I hear you with the ash. I have a TON. Most of my small, new groth stuff is ash. If nothing else, I will have a stedy suply of fire wood.

 

[leolav]

Thats what I use mine for too.

 

[parts man]

Originally posted by Ingersoll444
I hear you with the ash. I have a TON. Most of my small, new groth stuff is ash. If nothing else, I will have a stedy suply of fire wood.

You guys are gonna make me !!!! Ash make BEAUTIFUL lumber, and if you know any one who makes axe handles or the like, they would LOVE to get good ash.
Course, who doesn't like a good piece of ash! :lmao:

 

[Ingersoll444]

Originally posted by parts man
You guys are gonna make me !!!! Ash make BUAETIFUL lumber, and if you know any one who makes axe handles or the like, they would LOVE to get good ash.
Course, who doesn't like a good piece of ash! :lmao:

Wooo thats REAL bad

I do know about the handles and stuff, but my stuff is all small, and not in great shape.

 

[slipshod]

ash

Ash dries best sticker stacked indoors. If kiln dried it wants to twist. Makes great flooring

 

[Chris]

My house and barn are built from cypress mostly from trees that existed on this property and from the original house on this land some 100+ years ago. You gotta love the large cypress beams.
I have several 150-200 year live oak trees in my front yard and nearly 100 other oaks around the property easily. I have more water oaks and white oaks than live oaks and a few large pines to boot. I could never get rid of any of the large mature trees --- just too beautiful to touch, IMHO.

Andy

 

[Ingersoll444]

Originally posted by admin
My house and barn are built from cypress mostly from trees that existed on this property and from the original house on this land some 100+ years ago. You gotta love the large cypress beams.
I have several 150-200 year live oak trees in my front yard and nearly 100 other oaks around the property easily. I have more water oaks and white oaks than live oaks and a few large pines to boot. I could never get rid of any of the large mature trees --- just too beautiful to touch, IMHO.

Andy

Ohhhhhhhh cypress ohhhhhhh. Would LOVE to have some of THAT for a future boat building project. That stuff NEVER rots.