We need ideas on how to deal with this monster log...

[JSwigga]

We got this enormous oak in 2 months ago from a tree service.  We are thinking about quartering the whole thing.  It won't fit in the slabber.  All they've been good for is a conversation piece.   Any ideas on what we should do with it?  It's about 12 ft long and 75" on butt end and 60" on the small end. oh and its 9 tons

[buzzegray]

You have a problem there. Send it to me and I will take the poor thing off your hands.

[JSwigga]

Hahah.. I'm serious! I have no experience in dealing with something of this size.  (edit by admin)

[fishpharmer]

I would try this...maybe with a bigger jack....
http://youtu.be/OIDLVhGN4eY

[Solomon]

That video is awsome!!!!

[scully]

First I would get a big saw with a big bar and cut a couple table tops off the but end ,then with a real sharp chain start ripping ! That hydrolic jack vid is indeed great ! still need to make a rip pass !

[scully]

Oh and I am in central N.Y. cover my costs and I'll bring the super 40 and my saws .....Just a thought

[hackberry jake]

Perfect log for quarter sawn oak! Can you imagine what a quarter sawn oak board 30" wide would be worth? $$$$

[T Welsh]

JSwigga, Break it down and quarter it! I have done a couple that size and its the only way to get it to size that will fit unto the mill. Very few people have the resources to do this,let along the money to pay us for all the extra work involved. Good Luck. Tim

[dgdrls]

Scale it and market the log to a custom home builder or
commercial builder.   Check with the local wood workers/cabinet makers.

No point in sawing it to have a pile of "wrong lumber"

Would it pay to seal the ends?

Just some thoughts,

DGDrls

[terrifictimbersllc]

What equipment do you have? Who will pay for it?   
Options for milling are
- quarter it with a chain saw, then bandsaw it (you still have to handle the quarters),
- swing mill it (scooting the mill sideways and/or putting it up on blocks if necessary),
- slab it (after shaving it down on the sides and top....again, put the mill on blocks if necessary.....remember you only have to shave it where over the max width, still can get natural edge slabs above and below the center, also, Lucas makes a 6' slabber), or
- blow it up with black powder  :D :D :D

[Leigh Family Farm]

Whatever you figure out, post a video or lots of pictures.

MY initial thought would be to measure the biggest bar I had, lets say 24". Measure in that depth on the butt end, and draw a vertical line. Got to where the line reaches the top of the log, measure down 24", and draw a horizontal line. I would do my best to saw out that 24"x24" corner section and put that on the mill to saw up into boards. Repeat until you get the whole log down to a manageable size. I have no idea if this works, its only a theory, and me  thinking on how I would try to do it.

Good luck!

[loggah]

You could put a 2" auger hole in it and use some black powder and a fuse and split it in half and do it again and quarter it the same way ,quick and easy. We used to do it on big hard maple and elm ,im sure it will work well on straight grained oak. Don

[drobertson]

Big one for sure when you say "got this from"  does that mean you bought it?  and do you want it?  I would think If you do want it then you just have to make it fit your mill,  The splitting technique looked like something worth looking into,,  It has to be at or over 1000bd/ft, so it has value for sure,  have fun, 

[Magicman]

When you split it, pay attention to that heart check.  Any lumber is going to split there anyway, so use it to your advantage.

[Jeff]

You could put a 2" auger hole in it and use some black powder and a fuse and split it in half and do it again and quarter it the same way ,quick and easy. We used to do it on big hard maple and elm ,im sure it will work well on straight grained oak. Don

Just a slot made from your chainsaw kerf will work as well if you don't have an auger.

[scsmith42]

Joshua, I mill logs like that frequently.  Here is how I do it.

First, us a chainsaw to trim off the butt flare, so that the log is somewhat symetrical from end to end.

Next, center the pith in relation to your swingblade mill - both horizontally as well as vertially. 

Next, mill the top 1/3 of the log, with the goal of producing as much vertical grain lumber as possible.  After milling the top third, make a maximum depth cut with your blade vertical down into the pith of the log.

Turn the log over, and repeat this process.  After the new "top 1/3" is milled off, make your second vertical plunge cut so that it intersects with the first one.  You will now have split the center 1/3 of the log into two log sections - one half from each side of the log.

Set these sections up and double cut them - yielding ultra-wide QS.

This milling pattern will yield a lot of 10" QS and RS boards (if you have a 10" WPF swingblade saw), as well as some 20" wide QS boards.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Scott

[dboyt]

Might consider cutting some cookies for round table tops.

Here's a vid of splitting oak with black powder.  Way too much fun!  If you go this route, take pictures (or video)!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG8y5sPOFGM

[Tree Feller]

I would call Customsawyer. Works for WDH!   :D :D :D

[Ocklawahaboy]

Might consider cutting some cookies for round table tops.

Here's a vid of splitting oak with black powder.  Way too much fun!  If you go this route, take pictures (or video)!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG8y5sPOFGM

I thought I was at the pinnacle of fun with the wood mizer.  This gives me something new to aspire to.

[terrifictimbersllc]

.....or a way to expire..... :

[kensfarm]

Hollow it out and sell it as a log home! :)

[terrifictimbersllc]

stand it on end and chainsaw carve it to look like Devil's Tower!    Or Mt. Doom!  Hey maybe Okrafarmer would like it!

[Raider Bill]

I would call Customsawyer. Works for WDH!   :D :D :D

:D :D :D :D

[loggah]

Like Jeff said if you dont have a auger,just plunge cut a long bar in it to put the gunpowder in it. Black powder is a lot cheaper ,and quicker then burning out a chainsaw quartering it. Don

[5quarter]

Wow...that's a great log. the bark looks like pin oak. It will certainly make some great lumber. On one side it looks like it has marks from an old lightning strike. if so, some of the wood surrounding it may or may give some trouble when you dry it. if you have access to a bandsaw, I would opt for breaking it down for wide QS as that is where the most value is. imagine two book matched 24" 6/4 boards for a DR table top. definitely some exciting possibilities. If you only have the Lucas, you can still break it down, but it will involve multiple setups and some turning. Member scsmith has dealt with these size and bigger logs before and can provide some excellent guidance. Oaks of that size can sometimes have compression wood (Quilting) in the lower part of the log. I have cut a couple big ones (not quite that size) where that was the case. beautiful wood no matter how you saw it.

[customsawyer]

Danny and I are ready. Wow what a log. I can hear Danny now, talking me into it using big words. :D

[Compensation]

Score it and get some tannerite.  ;D

[JSwigga]

I don't want to go the black powder way.  I have access to a nice 48" chainsaw.  We will probably just use that to quarter it up.  I have the upper to that tree too. Only thing is, it has a pretty big check in the middle of it already.  But it should fit in my slabber mill.  Quarter one log and slab the other.  Best of both worlds!  oh and yea we did buy it from a local tree service.  He just told me he had a really big oak..he wasn't kidding.
This is a pic of upper and its check  :-[

[fishpharmer]

DonK's big log in the video was first cut vertically down the center (from the top, obviously),  then it was jacked apart into halves.  Then the halves were quartered.  Finally, DonK produced some beautiful quartersawn lumber on his Woodmizer LT40.

I look forward to seeing how your big oak turns out. 8)

[WDH]

I would call Customsawyer. Works for WDH!   :D :D :D

Yes, it is nice to have a Big Log Consultant  :D.

This is going to be a lot of fun to follow!

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

That log would suck up my full 5 gallons of Anchor Seal.   :D

[hackberry jake]

How many rings did that there tree have?

[WDH]

From what I can see in the pic, it is old.  You will be too after you fool around with that thing  .

[NWP]

I want to know how they loaded and unloaded it.  That's heavy.

[Tree Feller]

Perfect log for quarter sawn oak! Can you imagine what a quarter sawn oak board 30" wide would be worth? $$$$

Jake, that's what I keep thinking about every time I look at the pic of that log.

[sigidi]

For my 2c worth, I'd slab the top, roll it 180 deg, slab it again until it was just thinner than my slabber then slab it out in 5' wide slabs

[Finn1903]

Nice you have it delivered, I passed up a big oak a month ago because I would have had to move it from a yard.  I was not set up for 5 tons in a trunk, plus the guy wanted money for the log. 
I would first find out what kind of market you have.  Maybe a couple table tops off the but flare.  Then cut the cants with a chainsaw and then put it on the bandsaw.
Good luck, careful, that looks heavy.

[tyb525]

Approx 18,800 pounds, assuming the middle dbh is 67"

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Approx 18,800 pounds, assuming the middle dbh is 67"

Geeeeeee.......that's a bunch of weight. 

[drobertson]

How many board feet did the two logs scale out to be?  I figured over 1000, but if the weight is what was calculated it comes to over 3000,  I got to know,

[tyb525]

About 2mbf (2000bf) international if you go by the small end. But I bet you could get more out of it than that, especially if you cut shorter boards out of the taper.

[customsawyer]

I sat all day on the deck waiting for this log to be delivered. Needless to say it hasn't showed up yet. I still have high hopes.  :D

[WDH]

Just thinking about it makes my back hurt