Building with your own trees

Timd · Feb 25, 2002

Not sure if this belongs here or in projects but here goes.

I have a couple of building projects in the works. Just got back from town hall and the inspectors say it's OK for me to frame my detached buildings with rough sawn. Since the site where I plan to build contains lots of 16-24" eastern white pines which have to come down anyway it would be nice and maybe save me some money if I could get my own trees sawn into framing material.

I know that we have several TBNer's who do small scale logging and milling. What are the economics of this...how many trees need to be processed to make it worthwhile to bring in a portable mill?

My primary interest, actually more important than lower cost, is building with better materials. I would much rather use quarter sawn rough 2x4's and 2x6's than the warped crooked bowed stuff so prevalent at home centers.

Timd
Atkinson NH

Boondox · Feb 25, 2002

Ah, Tim, you're stumbling on one of the gems of rural life! My home is 160 years old, built from trees grown on the property. And the repairs and modifications I've done over the years have likewise been made with home grown lumber.

Woody and others will probably have some great advice, but as for pricing it out I'd check with your local mill owners (portable or fixed) and kiln operators to get some rough figures and minimum bf they're willing to handle. The price they charge may be tied to the number of logs you have to process. Also, at least around here, many portable mill owners won't saw logs harvested close to a home out of fear of nails, etc, damaging their blades.

Best of luck!

Pete

njrqs · Feb 25, 2002

Check with Woody but I am sure you'll need to get yourself a "Whack" of wood first !!

Cheers

MarkV · Feb 26, 2002

Tim,

Do a search for “Whack of Wood” and read the thread. Woody talks about the price of milling with a portable mill. Should give you some idea.

MarkV

JeffRey30747 · Feb 26, 2002

The sawyer who cut the lumber for my house would charge me for a blade if he hit a nail in the logs I had cut for him. Since I had the risk on my side, I was extra careful to cull anything that might have had a nail in it.

Jeff

woodmills1 · Feb 26, 2002

hi there, i will cut wood, either a stick or a whack. I charge between 40 and 50 an hour, depending on factors like extra helpers and possibility of repeat business. I am certified to grade #2 construction lumber in NH. i i think of it i have the name of a cutter who is in your area.

Timd · Feb 26, 2002

Neil

By the time I get done chipping the brush from a dozen tall pines I'll be whacked for sure! Maybe I should put in a hot tub before I start on this project. I helped a friend with a similar job a few years back and I was one tired puppy after a weekend of feeding the rental chipper...

Timd

Timd · Feb 26, 2002

Whenever I've had tall pines taken out the tree guys always tell me that nobody wants "house trees" because of the nail risk. I've always wondered why stationary mills running circular saws don't use carbide tipped blades. Guess that isn't an option for portable bandsaw/chainsaw mills. I've heard that you can use metal detectors to sweep the butt log. As a last resort just don't saw the bottom 8 feet of log.

Timd

Timd · Feb 26, 2002

Woody

Just realized you're only 20 miles away from me. Could you email me the contact info for the cutter (email in my profile)? If this project happens I'll be working on it with whoever's involved from tree drop to stacking.

Some questions:

- what is the minimum diameter pine to quarter saw 2x6's

- about what does a 12' long 2' diameter green butt log weigh?

Timd

Timd · Feb 26, 2002

Peter

My house is nearing a hundred. Shingle style, balloon framed. The roof rafters are massive rough sawn hemlock planks, the kind of stuff you just can't buy anymore.

I might be half a dozen years too late for this project to be easy. There's a couple hundred acres of empty forest to my west. On the other side is a sawmill. A few years ago I could have skidded my logs there through the woods.

Haven't bought any rough sawn in a few years. Went over to the mill this morning to talk about sawing and nail risk. Turns out they're out of the sawing business. During the dotcom heyday they couldn't find workers. The saws are all gone and they sold their kiln last month. (Woody, this is Feuer Lumber in Atkinson, they might still have some small stuff left.)

I wonder if 20 years from now everyone will be building HardyHouses?

Timd