Newbie with questions...

[Thorviking]

Greetings from Spokane, Washington,

I trust this is the proper thread to pose my questions. Here goes:

Had a dead Norway maple that I took down myself. The trunk is still standing and the base of it looks to be about 45". The house was built in 1918, and I have no reason to think the trees (there are 2 Norways) aren't as old as that. Had an arborist trim both of the Norways that stood about 10' apart way back in 1996 and he said they are both in decline and would be dead in 10 years. They certainly outlived his estimation and the one that remains still produces leaves. The dead one had a few leaves but it was certainly past its take-down date. Seems like I noticed checking within the same day on the ends of the limbs. I also saw darkened piths and some discoloration that radiated out. 

I have a sentimental attachment to these trees and the one I took down is just begging to be sawn up. I sent emails to sawyers I found on the Wood-Mizer site and I've had no response. My first question: is this tree a good candidate to be sawn up? Are those checks signaling problems? If this is a good tree, what should I do while I figure out how to get them milled? Seal the ends with something? Get them off the ground would seem to be a good idea, as would get them out of the sun. Presumably, it would behoove me to get this milled sooner rather than later. Or can it be assumed that it has been standing dead for awhile and that maybe when it gets milled is not so much of an issue?

Another question: Considering I've had no luck getting a response from sawyers, where can I find someone with wide milling capacity to get live edged planks from this trunk here in eastern Washington? I have a tandem axle trailer and a skid-steer to load it and can take it anywhere. Of course, the further away it is becomes a question, as does the cost to have it sawn up. 

I am also not opposed to buying a mill. I can't say I'd be wanting to be much more than a hobbyist sawyer. I've looked at the lower end saws and notice that many are not in stock (Covid?) and I'm also not looking to nurse along some of the problems that come with a lower price point. Nothing is popping up on the used market, either. The Wood-Mizer LT15WIDE looks nice and would be at the top of what I'd consider investing. It wouldn't let me get a full width cut on my Norway maple trunk but I'd need to draw the line at some point. 

Thanks for your time and consideration. 

Rick

[terrifictimbersllc]

The sawyers on the Woodmizer website are ones that took the steps to sign up to be there. No explanation for their not answering.

But if you instead call Woodmizer, get in the phone tree to the point where it says locate a Sawyer, you will be able to talk to someone who will take your ZIP Code and give you phone numbers to contact. You can ask for a larger radius so you get more numbers. This is the route I would take first. 

[GAB]

Thorviking:
You wrote "The trunk is still standing and the base of it looks to be about 45"".  
I'm thinking you are talking 45" in diameter and not circumference.
Wood-Mizer has some mills that could handle your desires.
You might also try locating someone with a Lucas mill with a slabber attachment.
There might be others that can handle your log and desires, however I'm not aware of one.
GAB

[Thorviking]

Thanks, terrifictimber. And thanks, GAB. Yes, I meant the base of the trunk is about 45" in diameter.

My first concern is the checking. These checks showed up within a day or two of being cut. I have to think this is a result of the tree being dead. Will this checking render this a poor candidate for sawing up? 

 

  

[WV Sawmiller]

   I am distressed the WM pro-sawyers you wrote did not reply. That hurts my feelings. Look under the extras tab here on this forum and type in your state and portable band mills.There is a member listed there in Spokane. I'd contact him. If the log(s) are too big for his equipment he may be able  to refer you to other contacts in the area who can help. Good luck.

[Thorviking]

I was PM'd and encouraged to provide a better idea about my situation. 

The flare of the base of the trunk is, as I'd indicated, about 45". At chest height, the trunk is about 36". The orange wedge you see above the crotch is over 9'. 

You'll forgive me as a newbie that I don't know what you call the major growths that take off from the crotch. Branches? Limbs? You get an idea from the tree that still stands that there are three major "branches/limbs" that grow nearly vertically. In the last photo, you see the "branches/limbs" on the ground that are showing lots of checking. Most of those pieces are in the 14"-20" range with some larger. 

It is the checking that showed up, as I said, within a day or two of taking the tree down that concerns me. Should I be concerned about the checking? Would I be best served to saw it up as soon as I can, or can I wait? Or am I chasing after a bad candidate? As I said, these trees are probably a 100 years old and I've lived here for almost 27 of them. I'd like to turn them into  something more noble than firewood, of course. 


 



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[btulloh]

That helps paint a clearer picture.

The checks could have been minimized if the logs were sealed immediately after taking down.  Sealing now with Anchorseal or a parafin compound (or several heavy coats of latex paint perhaps) could slow down the checking that's moving up through the log.  It sort of is what it is at this point, but doing something about it now would still be worth the effort.

I think WV Sawmiller alluded to this in his post, but your best bet is to get someone with a chainsaw slabber of sufficient size to come saw you some stuff on site.  If it were me and it really had a lot of sentimental value, I'd probably just opt to saw the butt log and get several wide live edge slabs, maybe the rest in 5/4 or 6/4 that could planed or re-sawed later into a little lumber.  I would probably let the rest of it above the crotch keep me warm while I enjoyed my big live-edge bar I made from a slab out the butt log.  That's all a matter of individual preference though.

If you really wanted to get it hauled, sawed, returned as lumber, and store for drying after it comes home, it could get pretty expensive relative to what you get out the tree.  For some people, that's an option they're happy with.  It's a big log, and will need a big sawmill to saw, plus loading and hauling.  Hopefully you'll find some local contacts to give some prices and options and then you can decide.  I'm sure there's someone around there that can saw it, slab it on site, or whatever.  Like WV said, just talking to one of them could lead you to other people even if the first guy didn't want to saw it.

Good luck with it however you proceed.  Keep us posted, 'cause we always like to know the outcome.

[Thorviking]

Thanks, btulloh, all of those ideas are helpful, particularly the one about sealing now. When you talk of a "paraffin compound" what might be in that besides paraffin? 

Rick

[wesdor]

I see that you have several pieces from higher up.  Another option is to contact a WoodTurner in your area.  They may be able to make some excellent items for you.  Perhaps a swap of wood for them and finished items from the tree for you. 

I looked up the club in Spokane and found this link
https://www.inwwoodturners.com/

Good luck on making a keepsake from the tree. 

[Thorviking]

Well, I finally heard back from one of the two guys I found through the Wood-Mizer site who advertise they have "wide" milling capability. He was 100-miles away in Moses Lake and now is 140-miles away in Pasco, Washington. His mill sounds like it will be a bit iffy to get a full width plank from my log. At the least it will take some jockeying. He says it took him 6-hours to mill a 42" x 8' walnut and my log is a tad wider and looks to be an all day job. 

The other sawyer I contacted lives 15-miles away but he hasn't responded. All the other sawyers I saw in my general region do not advertise wide milling capability. 

In addition to the trunk, I want to mill up the limbs. There is a lot of wood there and they have big diameters. As advised, I have applied Anchorseal to most of them and will finish that job later today. If the sawyer from Pasco comes up, he's got a three hour drive plus all day just to saw up the trunk. I have no idea how long it will take to mill up the limbs, but that could be an all day project, too. I'd be paying for two nights in a hotel, as well. And if I brought the trunk to him, I'm going to be staying overnight at a hotel, too. And, I wouldn't be able to bring the limbs. 

Unless another sawyer I don't know about emerges, I am inclined to buy my own sawmill. The Wood-Mizer15WIDE, as I've mentioned, is a consideration. 

[btulloh]

Any reason to buy your own mill is a good reason. Most here will agree. We love to make sawdust and we really like helping someone else spend their money.   :D

You sound like a guy looking for a good "reason". Some have had a hard time getting the wife to understand the many benefits. Others have had encouragement. 

Good luck with your new mill.