Kiln service in West Michigan

[RJV]

I've been reading this forum for several months now and have enjoyed it very much. I've learned a lot and am imprest with the kind, friendly nature of the posts here. I have a hobby wood shop in my barn and build furniture for my home.
I aquired some logs this past summer, a mix of maple, chestnut, black locust, and cherry. I had them sawn in my back yard. I now have a little less than 1000 bdft stickered and stacked on 2 4ft by 10ft pallets air drying since july.
Is there anyone near Grand Haven Michigan that offers Kiln service.

[Furby]

If you look at the find a forester/sawmill link in the upper right hand corner of each page, search MI and look at the details of each company. I know there is one in Rockford listed.
Also you can check with member Hawby.
I'm also probly forgetting someone, so hopefully they will speak up. :

Oh, and welcome!
May I ask who cut your logs? Did you do it yourself? If so, with what? :D

Edit: There is a guy on 37 in the Grant area that I belive has a sign out front. Talk to member johncinquo, as he lives in the area and probly knows more.
I figure you are looking for someone a bit closer then all these, but this is all I know of.

[Gunny]

I, too, hope you're able to locate a drying operation closer to your logs/lumber.  I have a system (I've been drying lumber in this area since about '93) just NE of Lakeview, at Townline Lake, but try to minimize the amount per load dried for others since we have others options available.  If unable to find anyone suitable, reply and we can discuss options.

[RJV]

Furby, Gunny, Thank you for the replies I'm sorry I do not get to respond more quickly, I do not have as much time on the computer as I would like. At this point I'm not in a hurry, I had knee surgery this past friday and will not be able to move the wood right away. I assume a kiln operator tries to schedual well in advance so I should do my research now and get on someones list when I can.
I did do the search as you suggested but was hopeing for something closer.
As fare as who cut the logs, I think I have a little time now I'll try to tell the story. I purchased a logosol chainsaw attatchment at a show. I have a Huskvarna 55 and thought it might be fun to try a small amount of milling. I found some chestnut logs bound for the burning pile. I cut the small ones first and learned my saw was to small even for those. I rented a Husky 395 with ripping chain and finished the large one.
A week later a grounds keeper offered me the maple lokust and cherry logs if I could hall them away. The maple was 32 in. dia. and the chainsaw just wasn't doing it.  A friend was helping me and said he new someone who had built a band mill. I called him, as it turned out he was a retiered coworker of my father's. He came out that afternoon. He sent that and the next afternoon teaching us a lot about his mill and how he built it. It was a great time, I did however feel quite guilty about standing by the controls cuting the logs while he stacked my lumber in the hot sun but he insisted on it. He said he liked building the mill but did not lke operating it. I'm (generaly) quite healthy and 38 years old and as I said earlier he was retired, I assume in his 60's. He is clearly a very intelegent and kind harted person and I hope to meet him again.

[Furby]

Sounds cool! Ya got to play with a couple different methods of cutting. 8) 8) 8)
Both have their place.


If ya hang around a while, maybe someone else will speak up as not everyone has time to visit the forum every day, and even then it can take a while to find a thread or post.
Pull up a chair join in!

[oakiemac]

RJV,

I'm probably 1.5 hours south of you.
Send me a PM or e-mail at Hickoryoak@hotmail.com