Saturday "Free" Cypress Adventure

Ocklawahaboy · December 13, 2014, 09:08:11 PM

I answered an online advert for some free cypress on Friday. Turns out there had been 60+ logs and they were bound and determined to get rid of the rest today. I headed out a daylight. Some of my gear was frozen to the ground. Guess that'll learn me to leave stuff out. They were about 2 hrs south of the house. I had a trip planned for the end of next week to buy a special log about 4 hrs south of the house and I would have passed right be the cypress but it was this morning or never. I showed up and no one was around. There were logs there alright. I sent a text to the nameless person who gave me the address and they said just load up. The logs were in a couple of groups, one of which was accessible on firm ground, for my 2wd half-ton and the other was in and around a pond. You can guess which one I went for.

The work went slowly with my come-alongs, straps, ramps and logrite doing the real work. A couple of hawks kept watch most of the morning. I told them that I wasn't the one that cut down their swamp but they fussed at me anyway. When I was almost done, the folks who posted the ad showed up. They were being paid to clear this property, which used to have a mobile home on it, and get it ready to sell. I had loaded all my truck could tow when the guys showed up with the wood splitter - ughh. Oh well, can can only take what I can take. Most of the logs I took were in the 12-14" range and 10' long. My eyes said keep loading but my brain said I had enough.

The ride home was a strain on the truck but it made it. I had loaded the logs with SCH40 PVC rollers underneath it 2x4s bungeed to the sides to keep the logs from binding themselves in. (Lesson Learned #1: A chainsaw is not the optimal tool for cutting PVC) I had a strap going around the whole thing and the plan was to tie them off and drive out from under them at the house (Lesson Learned #2: When a full load of logs slides to the back of a trailer, it will life the back end of the truck off the ground and you go nowhere.) At that point I had to hook the comealong to the tree and drag them out one at a time. I had visions of a nice neat pile of logs with a strap around it in the front yard. That's not what happened.

All in all, it was a good day, even if I did have to miss dove hunting. This is the closest to a "whack" of logs this hobby sawyer has ever come. These are far from old growth trees but they do have tighter growth rings and more "heart" than I expected. I'm looking forward to milling them. On and the "free" part, I put that in quotes because $35 in gas and a $40 trailer rental makes them a little less free but well worth it.

fishpharmer · December 13, 2014, 09:14:24 PM

Nice whack of cypress! You did good. I have paid dearly for many a free log. Most of them were worth it. When you have some nice cypress boards to work with you will be glad you got them. 8)

Privacyleech · December 13, 2014, 10:05:49 PM

Thanks for the pictures, it really helps to tell the story. . . I can almost see myself in your shoes trying to load them alone

Nice job!

Ocklawahaboy · December 13, 2014, 10:17:05 PM

Weird, pics displayed properly on my PC but not the iPad.

WDH · December 14, 2014, 07:58:16 AM

Good score, for sure.

caveman · December 14, 2014, 08:49:32 AM

Oklawahaboy, I am a little less than two hours south of you in Lakeland. I would have liked to have helped you load that cypress. It looks to be good size, for around here these days. Have fun sawing.
Caveman

slider · December 14, 2014, 09:10:35 AM

Much better than the tooth picks I sawed last week.

Ocklawahaboy · December 14, 2014, 09:21:20 AM

Quote from: caveman on December 14, 2014, 08:49:32 AM
Oklawahaboy, I am a little less than two hours south of you in Lakeland. I would have liked to have helped you load that cypress. It looks to be good size, for around here these days. Have fun sawing.
Caveman

I will keep you in mind if i find anything south of me again. I hesitated to research the forum and look for other folks before I saw it because those "free stuff" ads can be a big dissapointment. This was over in Wesley chapel so I'm guessing an hour for you.

caveman · December 14, 2014, 10:18:19 AM

I was afraid I was headed on a Craig's List goose chase two weeks ago. I was working cleaning weeds out of my pond on a Sunday afternoon when a guy called and wanted to buy an aluminum boat trailer I had advertised. He needed me to deliver it immediately, he would not have the cash until the next day and I had to meet him at a boat ramp on the Alifia River which is about an hour from me. He offered $100 more than I was asking to compensate me for my trouble. Someone had stolen his trailer while he was fishing. It worked out, I hauled his boat to my house and held it until the next day. He brought an extra $100 with him when he came to get his boat. I could not take the extra $100. Sometimes things just work out and other times no good deed goes unpunished.
Caveman

Sixacresand · December 14, 2014, 01:25:12 PM

Good deal on the cypress.

fishpharmer · December 14, 2014, 02:01:38 PM

Caveman, good on you for helping the guy out with the boat trailer.

backwoods sawyer · December 14, 2014, 05:11:03 PM

This is a good opertunity to keep track of what you have into this batch of logs vers what you get out of them in the end ;)

Ocklawahaboy · December 15, 2014, 08:15:53 AM

Im not selling it so I Figured id estimate $2/bf green price and see how I made out. its going to be wall board.

WDH · December 15, 2014, 08:07:43 PM

Actually, cypress is getting harder and harder to get. You did good.

Magicman · December 16, 2014, 07:45:04 AM

Yup, Cypress is a very slow grower. Since there is very little "heartwood" in most of today's Cypress it is better used where it is not exposed to the weather. It will decay/rot if it is constantly exposed to wet conditions.

I used Cypress for all of my door/window casings/facing and other trim in my Cabin Addition project.

NWP · December 16, 2014, 09:01:58 AM

You didn't go more than 45 mph with that trailer did you? :D

Ocklawahaboy · December 16, 2014, 10:23:13 AM

Quote from: NWP on December 16, 2014, 09:01:58 AM
You didn't go more than 45 mph with that trailer did you? :D

This is a new fangled UHaul, it will go 55.

Ocklawahaboy · December 16, 2014, 10:26:51 AM

Quote from: Magicman on December 16, 2014, 07:45:04 AM
Yup, Cypress is a very slow grower. Since there is very little "heartwood" in most of today's Cypress it is better used where it is not exposed to the weather. It will decay/rot if it is constantly exposed to wet conditions.

I used Cypress for all of my door/window casings/facing and other trim in my Cabin Addition project.

I milled one of the short logs and the middle 4 boards were pretty much all heart - and darn purty - but the rest has sapwood. it will look great as B&B if I ever get started on my man cave renovation.

Magicman · December 16, 2014, 11:40:47 AM

OK, there is heartwood, but it is not rich with the pitch/oil that was found in the hundreds of years old Cypress that "Cypress is famous for. I have seen Cypress lumber from ~24" logs used in exposed environments that lasted less than 5 years.

Ocklawahaboy · December 16, 2014, 01:00:42 PM

I know it is nothing like the old stuff. even the low grade sinker logs ive gotten are much better in terms decay resistance. Im just thrilled to get it. Plus the wife likes it so that justifies the time and money spent :)

Magicman · December 16, 2014, 01:17:31 PM

I am not making light of the logs/lumber. I think that it was a terrific find and I would love to access to more Cypress. Just plan where you use it or plan to use some protective sealant.