Very rare ERC

[okmulch]

An order came in to cedarman for 4 eastern red cedar beams 11 inches by 16 inches by 20 foot long. With all the logs he gets in at his mill he didn't have any that big. Who would? That's a tall order to fill, it would take a 20 inch diameter log at 20 foot to saw these out. Are there even ERC trees out there that big, that are sound, straight and have no major defects.  As luck would have it i had a job site in western Oklahoma that we had cut last august and still had a lot of big trees not cut to length yet and we were still grinding mulch on. (In another thread I had pictures of these logs going to a sawmill in Kansas to make 8 inch wide tongue and groove.)
I had 6 possible candidates for this order but could only fit 5 on my trailer to bring home. 

 


 
This was about all this trailer wanted. A few of these logs are 25 foot long and would need trimmed to fit on the LT 40. 
When trimming one of the logs it turned out to have rot in it so now I am down to 4 logs at the mill. 

 


 
So far so good! All logs came out solid and the size we needed. 

 


 
I have sawed and ground into mulch millions of eastern red cedar trees in my lifetime and never have come across 4 trees on one property that would saw out beams this big, let alone 1 log on the hundreds of properties I have cleared to make a beam this size. This is truly a once in a lifetime find and order to fill with eastern red cedar. 
I also have several 2x16x 20 foot long jacket boards. 

 
It took me and my boys and one other helper 2 hours to saw all four logs on a non hydraulic LT40. We did encounter 3 scorpions under the bark of the last log but everything else went as planned. I wish everyone could see these in person because the pics do not do them justice! 

[Magicman]

Congratulations.  Those are truly beauties and yes, rare indeed!!!  8)

[Southside]

Just curious if you were able to get an idea on the age of those monsters. Were they woods or open grown? That is amazing for sure.

[Old Greenhorn]

Holy Cow! I never really would have though that was even possible. Tall order indeed, as I read along I thought 'yeah, nice logs but when they open them they will find the usual ERC conditions' but you guys pulled it of. That's amazing. Those jacket boards should bring a heck of a premium too! Wish I could afford one, I'd love to work with it.

[Resonator]

And solid wood... no rot!  

[Jeff]

Wow!!

[okmulch]

Southside these are most likely pre Land run trees. They were in a long valley with some large mixed hardwoods. This is the picture of after we took all the cedar out of an area. Not many fires ever reached this area to damage old trees. There is an old cabin in this valley that had been built out of cedar logs that is still used by owner today that was used long ago for cattle drive. Also a small creek runs through this bottom that is spring fed and is why the cabin is there. More water is now flowing since all of the cedars are gone now.  

 
This area was solid,  with all sizes of cedar trees before we started you couldn't see through it all. This place was cut with a tigercat feller a grapple skidder pulled them up the hill and our front end loader stacked them in rows to dry so we could come back and grind them.  

[moodnacreek]

I have never seen them that big. Once I got 4 8' fat and sound the butt log was 24" small end. Another time I got 4 16 footers around 16" diameter. I planked those at 2" round edge, put on sticks for a few years and sold them for over $1000 last year.    I have a saying; I never loose money on cedar or walnut.

[caveman]

Thank you for sharing the pictures and the story on those beams.  I like cedar trees but that area out in Oklahoma looks a lot more like it is supposed to after y'all do your thing.  

We may have encountered one cedar log that would have made one of those beams.  It came from a plantation north of Eufaula, Alabama.  We cut it along a wooded fence line near the remnants of an old slave house.  

[thecfarm]

I am glad I checked this thread out.

[Nebraska]

Wow I can't remember ever seeing  Red Cedars  anywhere close to that big.  Made the few I cut last last week look like tooth picks.

[SawyerTed]

Wow!  I've only seen a handful of cedars near that size   

[customsawyer]

Those are sure enough some of best of the best. If I was asked for those timbers I would have had to switched the customer to cypress.

[Magicman]

Or Oak or SYP.  It's rare for me to see many 20' logs that are 20"+ on the top end.

[Southside]

Honestly I would have suggested Sweet Gum as the likely only contender around here, and that's not a good thing. 

[barbender]

That's funny, I was just thinking that Sweetgum would've made you a good username.

[Southside]

Ok Bartender.  :D

[never finished]

 I guess I have not been truthful when I've told people that's just not possible. Now I wish I hadn't seen this post. 

[okmulch]

I guess I have not been truthful when I've told people that's just not possible. Now I wish I hadn't seen this post.

I am sorry I made a liar out of you.   
I know I have told customers the same thing many times also,  ERC just doesn't get that big without defects and rot. 

[moodnacreek]

Back when the Southern Lumberman was in print I read it because it was all about sawmills. In the back each month was a page '100 years ago this month'.  One month they had an article about e.r.c. [100 years back]. It said that the red cedar in western Tenn. was growing back. The writer, he must of been an old man, described the original growth and how there was so much they used it as if it was common framing lumber. I presume where this was true that was what they had growing where needed. While not a strong wood it's lack of shrinkage and longevity make it very special.

[TimW]

I felt special getting a 24 inch butt ERC that long.  But WOWSERS......................5 from the same place?
That is epic!
           hugs,  Brandi

[doc henderson]

Well my buddy Mike and I got to see the beams and operation first hand, here in Stillwater, OK.  Thanks Aaron for the tour and hospitality.  We got to wash red clay off our boots after seeing his fantastic operation.  



 

 

 

 

[dairyguy]

Those are some impressive sized beams considering the typical OK rainfall.

[sealark37]

The remarkable thing is that the owner paid you to get rid go these logs.  My customer would have said, "I really didn't want any white wood on my beams."

[okmulch]

Doc Henderson glad you and Mike could stop by and see a little of what we do! Wish we could have fired the grinder up and ran a few trees through and made some mulch but Mother Nature hasn't been cooperating much this last week. (This would be where the red clay came from). Next time you are down we will have to road-trip to Oklahoma City and tour our production facility and  warehouse. That is where most of the magic happens with the hammer mills and bagging lines. 

[Brad_bb]

Those are something else.  Given that they don't typically grow to make good beams that big, as the framer I would have talked them into switching to something else for those, which I assume are tie beams.  Maybe Western red cedar or doug fir.

[okmulch]

As of right now, I believe they are going to the Omaha zoo. I will find out more specifics when the customer picks them up this week. 
They are also taking 20-13 in diameter 12 foot logs with the beams. The pic Doc Henderson took of the logs on the trailer are some of them. 

[Cedarman]

I have been supplying this contractor for quite a few years.  Normally I would have suggested he use WRC. Since I knew we had these big logs and they were sound and we were waiting for the right application,  I said we could make them along with other materials he wanted.

[okmulch]

Well the beams were picked up this afternoon along with a load of logs to be made into columns using a lathe-mizer. 


 
The final resting place will be at the Omaha zoo for the orangutan exhibit. These rare ERC beams will be in a great place for many to enjoy! We are working towards having a plaque installed explaining how rare the beams are for their size and species and a little history where they came from. We are glad to be a small part in this adventure and glad that these trees will make it to a good home. 

[barbender]

I'm glad to hear you'll be making a plaque that points out the rarity of the timber in this species. Also that they will be on display with orangutans hanging off of them!😊

[Walnut Beast]

Excellent and nice job! Top zoo in the world! Exactly what Barbender said! Totally agree. 

[okmulch]

Here is a picture of some of the exhibit the beams and logs were used in at the Omaha zoo. They are still finishing up the orangutan exhibit. Should be completed next week.



 


 

[Nebraska]

Geez now I'm gonna have to run down there and look now that I know the story on those.

[customsawyer]

It's always cool when you get to see where your product is used.

[doc henderson]

I knew them before they were famous!   8) 8) 8)

[WV Sawmiller]

   And here I was wondering what they'd look like after the buyer painted them. :D