damaged maple

[bitternut]

I have a 22-24 " sugar maple that had about 1/3 of the crown ripped off in a wind storm. There is also a small split in the remaining crown. It is about 30 to 35 feet up to the split. I am having a bandmiller saw up some other logs and wondered if I would be wise to harvest this maple also or leave it? It is a nice log and I would not like to see it go to waste. What would you do?

[woodmills1]

i cut logs that have splits in them, or that have already split.  the flaws will reduce the amount of lumber that the log will yield, but there is always good wood if the log was good to start with.  on logs with a split, line the split parallel to your blade to minimize the loss.

[Don P]

Alot depends on your feelings about a tree too. We have 2 maples in the front yard, a sugar and a red. They were really racked by Hugo, then a couple of bad ice years. 1/3 of the coppace red fell out, major parts of the sugar are gone. They are dying, and have been for at least 10 or 15 years. Maybe I'll go first :D They got TLC and will stay till they scare me.
The red from the back yard made the master bath cabinets, kind of special too.

[Jeff]

I kinda go along with Don. If for some reason the tree has a sentimental value, do as your heart directs. I think if you leave it, it will eventually go to waste. The broken top could lead to disease and the tree could eventually succumb to that. if it twer me ;D and your going to be milling anyways, utilize it and plant another or 10 or 100!

[bitternut]

Thanks for the input fellows. I guess I will plan on taking the tree down. It will probably only degrade if I leave it. I wasn't very specific about where the tree was located but it is located in my woods quite far back and is a little hard to get to. It has no sentimental value. I just don't like to see good white maple logs go to waste. I am kind of fearful of water causing rot in the split and degrading the log.

Thanks again    Herb

[Don P]

I got to use my new camera 8). This was a nice northern red oak on the backside of the house. We had it taken out today. I guess one other concern around the house is falling limbs, two summers ago Michelle had one do 14 staples worth of damage. The top of this tree was failing fast, don't know why.  :'(
Oh well, whack em and stack em :D
Wish I had more sugar maples...for a coupla reasons.

[Tom]

y'all have got some of the biggest, funniest looking squirrels I have ever seen. :D

[CHARLIE]

Tom, I don't think that's a squirrel, I thinks that's DonP stuck in the crotch of that oak tree. I wonder if his wife brought him his supper..... :D :D :D

[Tom]

 :-[ :-[ Oh-h-h-h

[Don P]

That is one place you will never see me :D.
I offered to lean up my biggest ladder and cable it, then cut it. I was outvoted by a fierce looking majority of one :D.

While pulling it UP and out today we ran across this guy in the wood, don't know if he caused the problem or just seized an opportunity :-/


We're working on a pretty good whack of RO, kinda thinking of killing an old air conditioner ;D

[Tom]

Those rascals bite, did you know that?  When I'm sawing I get sawdust all over me and in layers on the back of my neck.  they think I'm a tree and try to bore in.  You should see me stop what I'm doing and come out of a shirt or pair of trousers. I don't care whose looking, I can disrobe in flash of an eye...........then I get embarrassed. :D

[L. Wakefield]

   Another thing about failing maples- we have a female one in the front yard- well into senescence, and dear to my heart. She's been making babies by the bazillions. I think she knows her time is coming, and she has given her heart to reproduction. All little hard rock maple seedlings everywhere. I should be digging and spreading them. i don't do as well as she does.   lw

[Forester Frank]

I just have to say that this is a great forum. Look at all the input and sincere comments and experiences shared.

Jeff you have definately started something, and I don't know what I have been doing for the last year. ???

Now my goal is to catch up to Ron Scott on the number of posts. Jeff you could help me by letting Ron win one of your contests and the prize could be a trip to Tahiti or someplace. The catch would be that he is not allowed on the forum while he is on the trip. :

[Jeff]

G.P. buying the ticket?