Anybody need ponderosa pine?

iffy · September 12, 2007, 10:27:25 AM

So the first question is, where is this guy getting ponderosa pine in the middle of Kansas? From a large old cemetery. They have hundreds of mature ponderosa pine, as well as ERC, and some hardwoods. The ponderosas are dying out, and they are felling them when they see the needles starting to turn.
So, to keep a long story long, I've sort of painted myself into a corner. Bought a Linn sawmill last year (the kit you weld together). Also started a new log home. Winter was a little milder than I expected, so got quite a bit of dirt and footing work done over the winter, sawmill set on the pallet.
Spring comes, I have a chance to sell the house I'm living in for what I am asking, so it's move to the camper time. Ordered the logs, started on the basement, and have been burning both ends of the candle since. Sawmill is still on the pallet.
Also, about this time last yr the cemetery manager heard I was looking for saw logs to make t & g flooring for my loft and he called me. We made a deal for me to drop my trailer there and they would call me when it was full. First load was mostly 8' to 10'. I told him to start leaving them long and cut them at the point the trunk gets appreciably smaller or a bundle of branches come out. Now I have some up to 22'.
Sawmill is still on the pallet, logs are piled up on telephone poles and railroad ties.
Yesterday the guy called me and asked me if I wanted some more. Guess I don't have the no word in my vocabulary.
Wife is pretty adamant that I have her moved into the basement before my annual elk hunt in November. Walls are 7' tall now, so looks like I have a good chance of being dried in next month.
Anyway, it looks like the sawmill is going to be on the pallet for some time yet, and the pile of ponderosa is going to get bigger.
Is there anybody in the midwest who would be interested in sawing this stuff on shares? I am 4 miles south of Junction City, Ks on hwy 77. I have over 50 logs right now, smallest is 12", largest is 24". I have a 4020 JD with loader on site and a skid loader also. Skid loader fell over frontwards when I tried to lift the 24" x 19'. Was unloading off the trailer and thought I had it, but the tip of one of the forks was still on the trailer, so got a pretty good ride for a little bit when the tip came off the trailer.
The log in front is the 24".

Another view. Got a few cedars and oaks in there too.

Here is the butt end of the biggest one

iffy · January 06, 2009, 10:55:44 AM

Thought I would bump this back up, as I still have all the ponderosa and still looking for someone with a portable mill to mill it. I had some of it milled to make 2 x 6 t&g for my loft floor, and it is beautiful wood. Lots of figure and character. However, I am in a situation where I have more logs than money, and would like to find someone to do it on shares. I can be there to help. Also can be very generous with the shares. I am 4 miles south of Junction City, Ks on hwy 77.
The guy I had mill up the flooring did a good job and he also kiln dried it and is milling the t&g. However, his mill is about 50 miles from here, and I really don't want to load all the logs once again and haul them, and understandebly he is not interested in shares. I also have some storage room for the milled lumber if that is an issue. If anybody is interested, pm me and I will give you more info.

logwalker · January 06, 2009, 10:39:44 PM

Why don't you fire up the mill? Just wondering. Joe

Meadows Miller · January 07, 2009, 07:32:07 AM

Gday

Iffy those logs would have some dang nice staining in them now It would make some nice random width flooring ;) ;D 8)

Chris

iffy · January 07, 2009, 09:14:17 AM

Joe - 'cause the mill is still in pieces on the pallet, same place it was last yr. I am still building my log home, and can't justify pulling off long enough to build the mill and mill the logs, much as I would like to. Just kinda painted myself into a corner here and don't have enough hours in a day to get out of the corner. I work a 40 hr wk also, so just can't spread thin enough.

iffy · January 07, 2009, 04:43:19 PM

Here is an example of the milled stuff

Haytrader · January 07, 2009, 07:22:24 PM

Would you be interested in selling the logs?

logwalker · January 07, 2009, 07:32:18 PM

What are you using for logs in making your log home? Joe

Kansas · January 07, 2009, 07:49:25 PM

Iffy,
I don't know if he would cut on shares, but there is a guy I know that advertises in grass and grain magazine from Manhattan. He has a woodmizer. If you don't get that magazine, we have them at the mill. I know a guy thats hauling logs in from right in your area to our mill that has a mill. We have been subbing out some cutting to him and he is reasonable. However, I doubt he would cut on shares.

Haytrader, I have turned down quite a few pines in the last few years. I have one tree service out of manhattan that has hauled quite a few in over the years, and has at least a few sitting there now. If he had some sort of market for them, I'm sure more would show up. I know he is getting ready to do a lot of tornado cleanup and I would bet that will involve a fair number of them. Shoot me a message if your interested and I can give you his phone number at work tomorrow.

Haytrader · January 08, 2009, 07:09:08 AM

Thanks Kansas,

I did as you suggested.

We have been cutting some ponderosa pine that has been down a year and getting some nice lumber. We had some big ones so we lengthened the mill 7'. One log yeilded 7 2x12x22 and 3 2x10x22. The bd ft tallies fast but those big buggers are a challenge to turn on a manual mill.
:-\

iffy · January 08, 2009, 08:59:41 AM

Haytrader, I would rather mill them up, but am going to have much more lumber than I need, so I will give it some thought. I know you have trucks going all over the US, so maybe we could think about shipping it all down to you and I get a share of milled lumber back.
Kansas, I read that ad and actually talked to the guy once. Actually I talked to 3 guys from the Manhattan area, you might have been one of them. One guy had a swing mill and the other 2 had bandmills. My memory likes to play tricks, but seems like one of them wasn't interested in any lumber and the other didn't have any storage. I got to thinking about it, and I have plenty of inside storage, so if I can remember which one it was, I might offer to store the lumber for him for a reasonable period.

Haytrader · January 08, 2009, 07:04:45 PM

iffy,

Not all over the place but some distance, yes.. ;)

I might entertain your idea. I would need to get a trailer load to make it work. My trailers are 56' and can haul roughly 50,000# payload.

Haytrader

iffy · January 09, 2009, 11:15:49 AM

Haytrader, I'll try to inventory the pile. Will be mostly estimates as to dia and length if they are in the middle of the pile. I think I have around 50 - 60 logs, so probably can make a load. Will use the calculator in the toolbox to get an approx. wt. Wouldn't want to overload you ;D