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Cypress worth it?

Started by wkf94025, October 28, 2023, 11:43:24 AM

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wkf94025

Is this dead cypress tree worth milling?  It's coming down this week, and I can get a couple trunk logs from the job if I want it.  I've suggested to the property owner, a club I belong to, that I could produce a great conference room table from the tree.  They are excited about the possibilities.  I have no experience with cypress, don't know exactly which species this is, and wonder about this particular tree's condition milling wise.  It's probably 3.5ft to 4ft DBH, so not a small specimen.



 

 

 
Lucas 7-23 swing arm mill, DIY solar kilns (5k BF), Skidsteer T76 w/ log grapple, F350 Powerstroke CCSB 4x4, Big Tex 14LP and Diamond C LPX20 trailers, Stihl saws, Minimax CU300, various Powermatic, Laguna, Oneida, DeWalt, etc.  Focused on Doug Fir, Redwood, white and red oak, Claro walnut.

doc henderson

It is fairly rot resistant.  It may be great on the inside.  no harm in milling and seeing, but I would hold back on promises until it gets opened, or at least the caveat "we will see".  after it is cut, you see the two ends and decide from there.  Was it hit by lightning?  looks like a black streak on the side in one pic.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

Ianab

Once it's on the ground it's a lot easier to judge the internals of the log. The local cypress can develop rot and bugs while still standing and green, so you can never be 100% sure what you will find. Just make sure the arborist knows you intend to mill it, so they leave it as "logs", not easy to carry firewood. Once you can examine the cut ends it will be clearer what you have to work with.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

SawyerTed

+1 on get it on the ground.  From there you can evaluate it.   Looks plenty big enough and in reasonable condition.  

You won't know until you try.  
Woodmizer LT50, WM BMS 250, WM BMT 250, Kubota MX5100, IH McCormick Farmall 140, Husqvarna 372XP, Husqvarna 455 Rancher

wkf94025

Tree Co is not using a crane, and says no way will they cut trunk sections longer than 5 feet.  Pass.  I've got better things to do with my time.
Lucas 7-23 swing arm mill, DIY solar kilns (5k BF), Skidsteer T76 w/ log grapple, F350 Powerstroke CCSB 4x4, Big Tex 14LP and Diamond C LPX20 trailers, Stihl saws, Minimax CU300, various Powermatic, Laguna, Oneida, DeWalt, etc.  Focused on Doug Fir, Redwood, white and red oak, Claro walnut.

Vicb

It's sinful to waste a good cypress tree. I have built three homes with cypress weatherboards(board and batten) no finish required, just natural weathering to soft gray. for myself. I can say that bald cypress species is highly prized in NC. In fact, I built my island and and kitchen cabinets out of pecky cypress in our new timberframe(yellow pine) home here on the Trent River. With swamp oak, walnut, long leaf pine, cypress is my favorite wood. I'm not sure yours is the same species as our beloved bald cypress.

Ianab

That's a pity. Even if they got down to the last 16ft butt log it would surely be less work for them to just tip that over and walk away?

I sawed up a large cypress that was actually in the town reserve. It was standing dead and over a public walkway, so they had to take it down. Only access was through a home owners back yard. so they struck a deal, allow them access and they could keep all the firewood and garden mulch (win - win). Ended up chatting with the homeowner (his daughter was Taylor's teacher), and we asked if they could leave a couple of saw logs. No problem they said and bombed some of the logs down in 8ft  plus sections. Less work than sawing 3ft+ dia logs into firewood rounds which was the original job spec. 

But sometimes it just gets too hard to organise.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

doc henderson

with liability, they often just say no.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

kkcomp

Even at 5 foot I would take it. You can make great outdoor furniture and even inside stuff
Why is there never time to do it right but always time to do it over?
Rework is the bane of my existence
Norwood HD38 Kubota B3300HSU Honda Rancher many Stihl and Echo saws, JCB 1400b Backhoe

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