Needing to have logs sawn to lumber

[Paddy]

Reg,

You are right, getting true quartering is difficult.
I don't think Cherry and Walnut quarter that well. Oak is the clasic to quarter due to the large medular(sp) rays, the tiger stipe effect. Beach has them but they are real fine. Cherry some but again small. Walnut and Cherry are famus for the burl like mess that forms in the crotches, fine gun stocks.

I hope to get the big crotch special cut, 5' long. It is 29" at the base and has 2 20" dia sisters coming off. I'd like to get 4 good book matched slabs for a large table.

More photos as I get them dragged up. Now back to packing, I have to vacate to 29 days after 27 years!

Patrick T

 

[Willis Fecon Bushhogging]

I'm in the process of selling our home on 20+ ac. As a departure move, I've planned on cutting a few select trees. The lumber will be used as trim/furniture in the new home. The big one, a 35" dia Cherry came down first. This is a crazy big tree. It is 35' to the first branch. At that point it is a perfect "crotch". It is 29" dia at 35'!! The bottom has some rot, but common in old Cherry. I hope the rot is in the first 5', but I'll see...

I have several 20+ dia Walnuts and several 16-18" dia walnuts. So a good pile of saw logs. I may select a few others

What is the going rate in your areas to have lumber sawn these days? I think most of it will be cut to 1x8s. The crotch I'd like to have sawn special if I can.

Patrick T

This is my 2 cents worth, I cleared a lot a few months ago and It was nice pine logs and I plan to build another shop, I decided to have the logs sawed. I have a local guy that saws for us, I have never carried that much to him before, the mistake I made was I should have gotten a firm price, but he had never stuck it to me before. A pile of logs, that I thought would cost $4-500, cost $1000. I really think, I could have bought the same amount from Lowes, for about the same price and wouldnt have to pay to transport and handle the lumber, plus it took him about 6 weeks to saw it and some of logs looked bad.
Sooo get a firm price, before you dive in. A professional sawer, knows how long it will take and what to charge

 

[Reg]

Not to spoil your fun, but it doesn't take very long for cut ends to start drying out and stress creation to start.
Then sawing can become a problem, in some cases a DANGEROUS one.

The IDEAL would have been to have a sawyer lined up and start sawing the day they come down.
Second best; PLEASE coat those cut ends.
Anchor seal is probably worth the cost for what you have, but even a cheap oil based paint would help.

...and of course get 'em properly stacked and stickered straight away so you KEEP the value, but you didn't need me to tell you that (-:

 

[Youare]

To answer your question as to how long logs can set before being cut.

Keep them off the ground and in a dry location out of direct sun as much as possible. You want good air circulation around the logs on all sides. I have milled an oak log that was seven years old and the wood looked good. There was some white pine that was under water for many years that was nice and soild with little staining.

Given the right conditions your logs should hold up well for quite a while. Most of the time the outside wood which would be affected becomes a slab which is discarded.

As far as sources for saw mills your local Extension service may list people who could help you.

Randy