Firewood or Lumber ?

[21incher]

 Yesterday I started cutting firewood for the winter after next and started thinking about a issue that arose after buying a mill. Which is more valuable to me, firewood or lumber. I usually figure about 16 inches and under or bent and twisted trees become firewood and everything larger goes on the mill. Used to be a lot quicker and easier before the mill when everything went into my wood pile.



 

[4x4American]

That is a problem!

[Peter Drouin]

Firewood.

[r.man]

Cut lots of lumber and burn slabwood.

[thecfarm]

I just cut down the ugly ones and the crooked ones. I know some members can make money on what I cut up for firewood,but not in this area.  :( I leave all the good looking trees.

[21incher]

I just cut down the ugly ones and the crooked ones. I know some members can make money on what I cut up for firewood,but not in this area.  :( I leave all the good looking trees.

The problem is all of my good looking trees are large ash that are dying off. I usually take (2) 10'-6" logs off the bottom to saw and everything else goes in the stove. I now have enough ash lumber for a lifetime of projects. I was thinking about trying to sell some of the lumber on craigslist but by the time I was done adding in the sawing costs and having to buy firewood I think the logs are worth more as firewood.  I guess I will continue sawing the logs and only keeping the highest grade lumber then burn the rest.

[thecfarm]

Sounds like a plan. 

[red]

How long will Ash Logs still be good Sawmill Logs.?
I think they will be Fine for a few years

[Straightgrain]

Both; heating first.

Once you have enough fire wood; send the quality logs to the mill, then you could burn the cull as firewood too.

[kensfarm]

Logs saved for the mill can always become firewood..  I get more firewood then I can burn just getting logs.. plus the slabwood.  If I get better logs then some may get moved to the bucking pile.  You can get some nice lumber out of that ash. 

[AnthonyW]

Cut lots of lumber and burn slabwood.

Ditto. My sawmill is a 24' log splitter. It splits the logs first and cut to length for the fire place (opposed to cut first and split second).

[bandmiller2]

Depends what you need at the time. I would save a good sawlog or two then cut the rest up for the stove. Slab heavy, easier to cut than split those big chunks. Frank C.

[beenthere]

Cutting my ash trees for firewood.
This stack on Jan. 30
 

Pulled out these sawlogs.
 

24 pallets stacked for drying and burning fall of 2016.


Empty woodlot.

[lopet]

I am glad I only have about 25 % ash in my wood lot. Looks like they all gonna die  sooner or later.
Do you have any left ? 

[Warped]

I struggle with the same question. I often think of slabbing heavy, just cut the biggest square out of the log. Then again, milled stacks very nice. Then again, I have a problem bucking dimensional lumber with a chainsaw..............that's why I use a 12" DeWalt.... :D

[21incher]

Nice stacks of firewood beenthere. Some day I will wizen up and start to use pallets like you. I wind up stacking moving and restacking way to many times. 

[sandsawmill14]

Cut lots of lumber and burn slabwood.

x2   I only cut 1 pickup load of wood this past winter the rest was slabs of the mill ;D

[brianJ]

One perspective to consider is your sawn boards are a savings account.   If you "have more ash than a lifetime of projects" or other species for that matter your inventory will go up in value over the years.    That is assuming a good place for storage.    In that perspective saw any of those better logs you find.

[bullsram]

I'm in the same situation as you. I've got some trees that are dead and need taken down but I don't know if I should have them milled or just make firewood out of it. There all red oak , smallest is about 20in in diameter  bigger ones might be 30in or so.