River/sinker logs.

[firefighter ontheside]

Anybody ever mill logs that have been rescued from a river.  These obviously had current running over them for a long time and have very cool erosion.  One appears to be red oak, but can't tell after that.  I think they would make very unique slabs.  Someone is selling them for $200.

 

[John Bartley]

I have not milled sinkers, but there was an operation where I lived that made a living by mining for submerged logs in rivers that used to be part of the river driving lumber operations here in Ontario.   The lumber they produced is lovely, made iridescent and sparkling by the absorption of minerals.   In my reading about this operation I read that the logs are super hard on saw bands due to the minerals.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Chestnut  dock piers once. And maple logs that floated up on the beach. Both salt water. Unusual colors and stinky.

[firefighter ontheside]

Yeah, I was hoping that the color would be unique, plus the live edge would be neat too.  Not sure what they're worth, but the guy is asking $200.  I'm thinking of offering $150.

[John Bartley]

This is the company in Ottawa that does this type of log retrieval and milling.   I am not affiliated in any way.

Reclaimed Wide Plank & Engineered Hardwood Flooring - Logs End

[moodnacreek]

They appear to be top logs and rather small dia. I would not pay anything unless I could open one up.

[firefighter ontheside]

They say they're 14" diameter.  Not huge.  I offered to cut all three and let them keep one.  They said they had wanted to make a bench.  I'm hoping they'll take that offer.  That way if it's junk I'll only lose a little of my time.

[lxskllr]

I kind of like them as-is. Not sure what I'd do with them though. A quick and dirty bench would be rock cradles, and just lay the log in them.

[firefighter ontheside]

I would be tempted to just cut them in three pieces and try to sell them that way.  I could also make a bench and try to sell it.  I do woodworking along with the mill.

[YellowHammer]

I've had people ask me to pay big money for river logs.  I never could justify it, I tell them I will pay them the same price I'd pay if the logs were dry.   :D

[thecfarm]

I have a saying,I have to try it,to see if I will do it again. :D 

[WDH]

Rustic mantles immediately came to my mind.

[TKehl]

Exactly what I was thinking.  The logs may or may not be cool looking inside, but the surface texture on the outside has value if you can figure out how to use it.

[Ljohnsaw]

I'd think you may want to preserve the outside by doing a @tule peak timber trick and make some hollow mantles to maximize the yield.

[Rob in NC]

They would make good looking posts in a scribe frame if their long enough and you wouldn't even have to cut them.

[firefighter ontheside]

The longest is only 82".  It think marketing them as benches or mantels will be my best option.  Interesting thought about hollowing them so I can sell the outside and the inside separately.

[millwright]

I've done a few white pine logs that have come up during flooding here. They sawed great, pretty smelly though. One had stamps on the ends and appears it was cut around 1910, neat log.  

[Ljohnsaw]

Interesting thought about hollowing them so I can sell the outside and the inside separately.

No, actually, way better than that.  Take 4 cookies off each end.  Take your log and slab off one side such that the slab is a little wider than your target mantle, say a 4" wide?  Fip and do the same.  Then do the other two sides.  Now, with a square cant, make a bunch of boards, say 1" thick.  Now, take two boards and attach one slab on one side.  Add a cookie to each end.  Now you have an open back mantle that is easy to mount on some blocks attached to the wall above a fireplace.  You will have to do some fancy sanding/blending of the cookies on the ends but now you have 4 mantles from one log!  For the benches, just add a flat board to the back.  Makes for a lighter bench, too.  Best part is they won't check, except maybe the cookie.

[firefighter ontheside]

I cut one of the logs yesterday.  The color is a bit dark, but not remarkable.  There are checks, because the log dried so much in a garage for 2 years.  Still, it will make some neat mantels or other such thing.  May cut the big one down the middle and make 2 mantels that are about 7" wide each.


 

[Resonator]

That would look good as a mantle over a stone fireplace.

[moodnacreek]

The outside edge would be attractive to many buyers but the rot [?] no. I bet that defect was there when the log went in.

[firefighter ontheside]

There's no rot, surprisingly.  The dark part in the close end of the picture is a knot.