Is this pine log worth anything?

[oosik]

The locust I harvested WAS at an old homestead. I've never seen groves of wild locust around here - pretty sure its a non-native species here also. Locust trees and fruit trees - you see them in your travels - pretty certain it involves an old homestead. Some of the very best apples I've ever had were from old homestead apple trees.

 

[M5farms]

if its fat Lighter , It does have some value a bundle of about 2 handfuls will sell between 5 and 10 bucks. There is a little work involved but some money could be made if folks use wood for heat there.

 

[N80]

if its fat Lighter , It does have some value a bundle of about 2 handfuls will sell between 5 and 10 bucks. There is a little work involved but some money could be made if folks use wood for heat there.

It is not common for folks to heat with wood around here but it isn't rare either. I have 4 working fireplaces in my house and we have fires throughout the winter but don't rely on them for heat.

Usually when I get a stash of fat lighter I split it up and give it to people as gifts especially if they heat with wood. Nothing starts a fire better than fat wood. I also use it if I need to burn a brush pile. No need for diesel or kerosene. Just put a chunk of lighter wood with some paper under it up underneath the brush and light it with a match. Good lighter makes heaps of jet black smoke. Looks like you're burning a tire.

 

[M5farms]

It is not common for folks to heat with wood around here but it isn't rare either. I have 4 working fireplaces in my house and we have fires throughout the winter but don't rely on them for heat.

Usually when I get a stash of fat lighter I split it up and give it to people as gifts especially if they heat with wood. Nothing starts a fire better than fat wood. I also use it if I need to burn a brush pile. No need for diesel or kerosene. Just put a chunk of lighter wood with some paper under it up underneath the brush and light it with a match. Good lighter makes heaps of jet black smoke. Looks like you're burning a tire.

I have several fat logs that are very pitchy. a I know where several are that are still standing in the same place they were 40 years ago when I found them and the cat face markings are still visible

 

[timbatrader]

That is the kind of story that tempts me to do something with this tree. Large trees get blown over on my place all the time. Many of them I can't get to. Smaller, accessible hardwood blow downs I cut up for firewood. It just grieves me when I can't get to the more desirable trees. I hate to see them rot. There is a huge, tall, straight white oak, close to 24" in diameter rotting in one of my valleys right now.

My B-I-L neighbor hired a portable saw mill to cut up some huge cedars he had to cut down. For years there was a huge stack of sawn cedar on his place. A lot of it rotted but he got a number of cedar chests made, I used a lot of it to make the counter tops in my cabin and some other uses.

So maybe I'll drag the 12 foot piece out then cut the 25' piece in half and drag them out too. If I don't find use for them I'll make fat lighter out of them or give them away.

I've always wanted a saw mill but don't have any real reason to own one or any way to get a ROI.

In New Zealand Bee keepers love very resinous Pine to make their beehives The hive needs to be made from a timber that will last well out in all weather but can not use chemical treated timber as it kills the bees resinous pine fits the bill

 

[turnkey4099]

The locust I harvested WAS at an old homestead. I've never seen groves of wild locust around here - pretty sure its a non-native species here also. Locust trees and fruit trees - you see them in your travels - pretty certain it involves an old homestead. Some of the very best apples I've ever had were from old homestead apple trees.

Yes, they are non-native and most planted by homesteaders back in the day. Some plantings made later by the descendants. I clear cut several different stands that were dead or dying from the locust borer. Love that stuff, no better firewood in this part of the country. Cuts nice (with a sharp chain), splits easy and weighs almost as much dry as it does green.

 

[MossRoad]

When I cut my black locust(the ones without the thorns), sparks shoot to of the wood frequently. I eat a chain about every two tanks of gas, so I have 5 chains. It's ridiculously hard stuff. Around here, most of it was planted for erosion control because it has a large, shallow root system, and reproduces via suckers off of those roots. It grows very tall and straight as a telephone pole with branches only towards the tops, so it makes for easy felling, easy limbing (usually just crowning), easy hauling out of the woods, easy stacking like poles, and easy measuring for 16" lengths for firewood. The only thing I can't say is easy about the stuff is the actual cutting! Rock hard. :thumbsup:

Robinia pseudoacacia - Wikipedia

 

[MossRoad]

Yes, they are non-native and most planted by homesteaders back in the day. Some plantings made later by the descendants. I clear cut several different stands that were dead or dying from the locust borer. Love that stuff, no better firewood in this part of the country. Cuts nice (with a sharp chain), splits easy and weighs almost as much dry as it does green.

It weighs about 45 pounds per cubic foot.
Robinia pseudoacacia - Wikipedia

 

[N80]

Here is a little update. I finally got around to brining a 5' section of this log up out of the creek bottom. Then I stood that up and cut a slab out of it with the chainsaw. This is a piece from the upper part of the tree. It is not as resin-y as the bottom part by a long shot but it is still hard as a rock. I think I ruined my chain just making two two foot cuts.

Then I took it up on the porch and hit it with an old plane I have as a decoration in the cabin. It was hard to plane but I smoothed out a section and put a little mineral oil on it and this is what it looked like:



I know it just looks like yellow pine (I think it is actually a loblolly) but you wouldn't believe how hard and heavy this stuff is. I know it isn't worth anything but I like it and wouldn't mind having some boards from it. It will cost me to do it but I might do it anyway.

What I really want is a portable sawmill. As mentioned above I cannot justify one. It would not be for profit, just for usable lumber.

I'm toying with the idea of a community saw mill. There are several interested parties in the area (all family for what that's worth). My thinking is that I pay the largest portion of the price so it resides on my place most of the time. Each part owner will have his own blade and can only use his blade. Probably a big waste of money but the timber resources are there: pine, cedar, post oak, white oak.

 

[TomIre]

Have you looked at an "Alaska Sawmill"? Just a hundred bucks or so but perfect for a couple of boards.

 

[N80]

Have you looked at an "Alaska Sawmill"? Just a hundred bucks or so but perfect for a couple of boards.

I have. My son-in-law has one and I think it is fine for fresh soft pine. This pine ruins chainsaw blades.

 

[MossRoad]

Would a ripping chain do any better?

On the subject of shared power tools.... good gravy, it rarely ends well.

 

[N80]

Would a ripping chain do any better?

On the subject of shared power tools.... good gravy, it rarely ends well.

I don't know. Have never tried a ripping chain. I assume it would do better.

Shared equipment is certainly a mine field but the individuals in mind have done it often and worked things out. But that is why I would require each individual to have his own blade.

 

[s219]

Ripping chain would do a lot better, but you can't freehand them -- they should be used in an Alaskan mill only.

 

[N80]

Ripping chain would do a lot better, but you can't freehand them -- they should be used in an Alaskan mill only.

Yep. And I did an AWESOME freehand job with this plank. It is a 2" slab +/- 3/4" here and there. ;-)

 

[s219]

Yep. And I did an AWESOME freehand job with this plank. It is a 2" slab +/- 3/4" here and there. ;-)

Oh, the rustic wavy look, nice. Some people pay extra for that!

 

[CalG]

I just felled a 100 year old hemlock. 90 feet tall it taped all fallen down.

Two sessions to chip up the branches with the MacKissick CS. (it's been hot and muggy)

The 24 foot length butt log and the 20 foot length above both measure 18+ and clear as water.

But there is no market for "clear hemlock" , so it's all likely to go for kindling.

Hemlock has equal heat output as does cherry. Just that a ton of cherry is a lot smaller pile than a ton of dry hemlock.

Still, the number of 2X8s in those logs could build my house over.

 

[PILOON]

Buddy and I both made the attachment to make our chain saws cut planks,
Basically a section of channel that clamps onto your saw and pivots while the channel slides along a nice straight 2 x 4 as a guide.
Naturally a bit of precision welding is involved and the most important (and only cost) was a special ripping chain for the saw.
The chain is designed just for that--ripping and does work very well.

He made a bunch of 4 x 4's while I cut a few boards.
This was just to prove it could be done and was fun but considering the effort I still prefer to buy my wood ready cut and planed.

 

[PILOON]

Would a ripping chain do any better?

On the subject of shared power tools.... good gravy, it rarely ends well.

Absolutely!, been there done that. (above post)

 

[Egon]

There are other chainsaw mills than the Alaskan. Rip chain works better but standard chain will also work.

For Inexpensive look at a Beam machine. If used properly leaves the Alaska Mill in the dust.