Too wide for me

[TimW]

I an not sure if this is the right place to post this.  I'm wide but I ain't this wide.  I am needing someone to help her out.  I got a call from a lady in Huntsville, Texas.  She has a Red Oak that needs to be cut.  It is around 46 inch diameter. 

 If anyone wants to cut it up for her, send me a PM for her contact information.
hugs, Brandi

[doc henderson]

if it is almost 4 foot diameter, how long is it.  the 4 foot logs i have done are split down the middle (chain saw) and then put on the mill.  my cut width is 32 with a gantry width (4 post head) of 36 inches.  does she want boards?  or does she just want it gone.

[doc henderson]

 

 

 

[TimW]

if it is almost 4 foot diameter, how long is it.  the 4 foot logs i have done are split down the middle (chain saw) and then put on the mill.  my cut width is 32 with a gantry width (4 post head) of 36 inches.  does she want boards?  or does she just want it gone.

Doc,
         Looks to be around 40 feet in the photo.  She doesn't know what she wants.  She just wants it cutup.  Don't know if this lady got my number from Woodmizer or my business card.
hugs,  Brandi

[barbender]

The angle of the picture could be fooling me, but using that rake for reference I don't think it is 46". Of course, I've been wrong before😊

[TimW]

The angle of the picture could be fooling me, but using that rake for reference I don't think it is 46". Of course, I've been wrong before😊

Hey, I'm just repeating what she told me when I was grocery shopping yesterday.
Y'all have at it.  I say no to her for my rig.
hugs,  Brandi

[Tacotodd]

Brandi, it'd be great for someone with a firewood fetish. Let the work commence!

[doc henderson]

If i was retired, i would drive down for the fun of it (if my wife would let me)  and bring it home.  how far from you is she?  looks like fun!

[Tacotodd]

Doc, according to "Siri" it's about 394mi.

[TimW]

It's Red Oak.  They are a dime a dozen around here.  Nothing special about it.  When I cut firewood and kindling for Mom and Dad's stove, I loved Red Oak as they split the easiest around here.
Besides, she has no clue how she wants it cut.  But she wants it cut.
hugs,  Brandi

[Magicman]

I would 'jump butt' about 3' off of the butt end and buck it to ~12' such as I did on this log.  LINK

The rest of the log is junk anyway.

[customsawyer]

MM why do you cut the butt ends off?

[Magicman]

To reduce the possibility of metal plus get rid of the root flairs.  (reduce chainsaw work)  Since I am only going to get one 12' log anyway, saw the best and leave the rest.  A 12' X 36" log is already exceeding my loader weight limit by 1K lbs.  Those too heavy logs are also a pain to turn. 

Good Cherrybark Red Oaks usually will be 50' plus to the lower limb, but I very seldom see anything like that with the Water Oaks shown here and in my link above.  They are generally 'one log' trees.

[customsawyer]

I would go about that log a little different. I would leave the butt end on unless I seen mineral stain indicating metal. I would then go for a couple of logs. 8', 10', or 12' long, or any combination of them. If you are reaching the capacity of your mill, weight wise, then make the butt log the shorter one. I do have the advantage of lots of experience in turning over weight logs because of all the 40' timbers I used to make.  I agree that this water oak might be more trouble than it is worth as they tend to produce poorer lumber. Especially when you get up to the larger knots.

[Magicman]

I agree that if you can get two 8's etc, then go for it but based on the picture plus the dimensions that Brandi PM'ed me before she posted this topic, I would buck off 3' and try to make a 12'.

Each log is an individual and will generally tell you how it wants to be sawed.  Here is a 43" butt log that I only squared up:  LINK

[Pepe_Silvia]

I'm with barbender, I don't think it's 46".   I measured the handle on my similar leaf rake and it was 44".

If you get the impression she's willing to pay for it I could drive down from Plano and cut it.  I've got an LT15Wide.  I'll shoot you a PM after I get done posting this.

If she's like the vast majority of my customers she'll just want it flatsawn into slabs.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Each log is an individual and will generally tell you how it wants to be sawed.  Here is a 43" butt log that I only squared up:  LINK

I agree one needs to listen to the log especially big uns.  But more and more I get tired of what I am hearing from them.  : : :

[charles mann]

If she's like the vast majority of my customers she'll just want it flatsawn into slabs.

When i spoke with her, she didnt know what she wanted to do. She said "i want it cut up", which i asked if that meant into rounds/cookies, slabs or dimensional lumber and she said, "i dont know, i just want it cut up"

[btulloh]

That means rounds to me. Sounds like more conversation is needed. Cut up to get it out of the yard?  Cut up to burn herself?  Sawed up for lumber or slabs?  She just needs a little handholding. Probably a very nice woman without a lot of logging experience. 

[charles mann]

That means rounds to me. Sounds like more conversation is needed. Cut up to get it out of the yard?  Cut up to burn herself?  Sawed up for lumber or slabs?  She just needs a little handholding. Probably a very nice woman without a lot of logging experience.

I went over that with her and she still didnt know. I recommended 2 places with saws capable of handling that big of a tree and that offered pick up services. She also didnt know size or lengths of the bucked logs, just know the logs were as big as in the pic. She also sounded like she didnt have time to talk about what her end goal for the wood was except "maybe furniture, but i dont really know". A lot of i dont knows. I even offered to drive down to talk more a few days after i got hm from work, which is today, and she didnt seem interested. All she knew was she wanted it cut up. 

[btulloh]

Well that's a puzzle for sure. Makes it pretty hard to help I reckon. 

[TimW]

She is a handful.  She didn't want to email, just text.  I prefer email.  I texted her that I would come look at it after I get the sawmill fixed.  I am still having rpm fluctuations.  Gonna change the line with the sqeeze bulb on it and leave the squeeze bulb off.
                          hugs,  Brandi

[Old Greenhorn]

I'm certainly no expert, but I have had a few interactions that go like this one seems to be going. First, I don't believe that log is anywhere near 48" diameter unless the rake in the photo has a 5' handle on it. Second, that doesn't look like RO to me, it could be, but sure doesn't look it. I am looking a the ripples that run down the length and thinking it's something else. I would have dropped this 'potential client' about 4 text messages back. She has no idea what she wants, but when it comes to the cost, I bet she has a pretty good idea of how little she expects to pay. But that's just my opinion. Have you thrown her any numbers yet? If not, give her a high/low range and see what she says, assuming you might carry this further for the entertainment value. ;D

[fluidpowerpro]

Reminds me of the lyrics to an old polka. I think it went: "I dont want her, you can have her, she's too wide for me, she's too wide for me".

[TimW]

I'm certainly no expert, but I have had a few interactions that go like this one seems to be going. First, I don't believe that log is anywhere near 48" diameter unless the rake in the photo has a 5' handle on it. Second, that doesn't look like RO to me, it could be, but sure doesn't look it. I am looking a the ripples that run down the length and thinking it's something else. I would have dropped this 'potential client' about 4 text messages back. She has no idea what she wants, but when it comes to the cost, I bet she has a pretty good idea of how little she expects to pay. But that's just my opinion. Have you thrown her any numbers yet? If not, give her a high/low range and see what she says, assuming you might carry this further for the entertainment value. ;D

I don't need the log.  I had told her on the first call she needed to bring it to me to saw it.  Only thing I have promised or told her is I will come look at it when I finally fix my fuel problem.  If she is as difficult in person as on the phone..................It's a firm NO from me.  I don't know what the size really is.  She told me on the phone and I gather some redneck told her the size after he cut it down.  He probably didn't even have a tape measure.
                   hugs,  Brandi

[barbender]

It looks like a good one to just forget about.

[VB-Milling]

It looks like a good one to just forget about.

^this

People like this exist in all types of industries that provide services from lawn care to internet provider.  From the sound of things already, no matter what level of hand holding or quality service you provide, she'll never be happy.  Whatever is suggested, the end product will be wrong.

Seeing that she has no idea what she's going to do with the wood, she's no woodworker and doesn't have a close relationship with any.  My guess is, someone casually suggested the lumber market, top dollar, you could probably sell that, yada yada yada.

[Magicman]

Second, that doesn't look like RO to me, it could be, but sure doesn't look it. I am looking a the ripples that run down the length and thinking it's something else.

The log is Water Oak which is in the Red Oak family.  The heartwood will be grayer than our Cherrybark Oak.

Since it is a 'yard' tree I would not saw the bottom ~3' nor any of the forkey top.  It looks like about 12' of good log and would make plenty of very nice lumber.

Sawing a very similar log:  LINK

[WDH]

It certainly is.  

[Old Greenhorn]

                  hugs,  Brandi

Well you are going a big step further than I would by driving out there. I wish you the best of luck, I really do. But I get the feeling we are watching a slow motion train wreck and we pretty much know how it will turn out. I do hope I'm wrong.
 Keep us in the loop.

[Brad_bb]

Well if she doesn't have a place to air dry it, and the ability to move it later, it's kind of a moot point.  If she does, great.  If not, firewood.  And you really need to have a purpose before cutting.  Either slabs or quartersawn from the butt log if it's good enough.  The good quality is that the log is big dia., which is why I'd say slabs or quartersawn.  I would rather cut smaller logs for flatsawn boards if that's the goal.  If someone knew the market there, they could tell us if it's worth having it sawn into slabs or slabs and qsawn and if they could sell it Green and be ahead?

[Pepe_Silvia]

Second, that doesn't look like RO to me, it could be, but sure doesn't look it. I am looking a the ripples that run down the length and thinking it's something else.

The log is Water Oak which is in the Red Oak family.  The heartwood will be grayer than our Cherrybark Oak.

Since it is a 'yard' tree I would not saw the bottom ~3' nor any of the forkey top.  It looks like about 12' of good log and would make plenty of very nice lumber.

Sawing a very similar log:  LINK

What do you see that makes you think Water Oak?  Hoping to learn something...  I had it pegged as a Shumard Red Oak, primarily because of how prolific they are around here compared to Water Oak.  

[WDH]

Shumard oak bark is generally more deeply fissured and has wider more prominent silver streaks.  Water oak bark is usually tighter and not deeply fissured, and if it has silver streaks, they are thinner and not as prominent.  So, if you had to bet, the bark is more typical of water oak which is very common and prolific in that part of the world.  It is not out of the question that it is shumard, but the best money is on water oak.  

[TimW]

                 hugs,  Brandi

Well you are going a big step further than I would by driving out there. I wish you the best of luck, I really do. But I get the feeling we are watching a slow motion train wreck and we pretty much know how it will turn out. I do hope I'm wrong.
Keep us in the loop.

It's only about a 15 mile drive. I'll pick a nice day.
hugs,  Brandi

[Satamax]

If it was anywhere near me, i wouldn't mind!  :D

I think what i like is cherrybark oak. The guy told me it was red oak. But the branch bark looked like carpinius. I love the banana smell when splitting. 

[burdman_22]

If I was closer I'd have a go at it. Here are a couple pictures of a red oak my dad and I started milling this past weekend. (people make better references than rakes...my dad is 5'8 )




 

[TimW]

I'm going to look at it this afternoon.  I am thinking it is moot, because to get it, my tractor will rut up her yard and mentioned something about getting it moved before our winter rains.
Wish me luck, I will need it.
hugs,  Brandi

[TimW]

It was a rain out.  I thought the front would come through faster and it stalled over her house and half way to her house.  I turned around after 11 miles.

I am thinking now I really want these logs, as they will go straight onto the mill for slabs.  I have decided to diversify and deal with more hardwood customers.  I have found they are a little harder to deal with.

But with no income other than the mill and my retirement account, I need more $$$ contribution from the mill.  What with the economy the way some people ran it into the ground.
hugs,  Brandi

[VB-Milling]

Hopefully it turns out ok.  Good luck on your next trip

[metalspinner]

I think that stalled out weather front was a message from a higher place? 

Please remember it's just a yard tree red oak. They are everywhere. If I was going to look at it, the conditions would be - "I'll haul it out of here free." Anything other than that and I would wish her a good day. 

I had a red oak tree in my own backyard growing right next to my lumber piles. It was 42" DBH. It died and I had a tree service come in, take it down, and haul it off. I didn't want to deal with another red oak log. They are everywhere. 

One about as big as mine fell in the front yard just two blocks down from me and took out powered to the whole neighborhood. Would be an easy pickup. I've been driving by it for almost 12 months now. Red oaks are everywhere. And unfortunately, they are dying because of these past several years of drought and the stress of being a yard tree. 
This  particular one, a fella has been chipping away at it with an Alaskan mill. He has worked his way down to the butt log. But it's been a looo g time since he's been back. I'm wondering if he lost interest??

[TimW]

I think that stalled out weather front was a message from a higher place?

Please remember it's just a yard tree red oak. They are everywhere. If I was going to look at it, the conditions would be - "I'll haul it out of here free." Anything other than that and I would wish her a good day.

I had a red oak tree in my own backyard growing right next to my lumber piles. It was 42" DBH. It died and I had a tree service come in, take it down, and haul it off. I didn't want to deal with another red oak log. They are everywhere.

One about as big as mine fell in the front yard just two blocks down from me and took out powered to the whole neighborhood. Would be an easy pickup. I've been driving by it for almost 12 months now. Red oaks are everywhere. And unfortunately, they are dying because of these past several years of drought and the stress of being a yard tree.
This  particular one, a fella has been chipping away at it with an Alaskan mill. He has worked his way down to the butt log. But it's been a looo g time since he's been back. I'm wondering if he lost interest??

I've told her I only will haul it off for her.  At this point, she just wants it out of her yard.  I told her to let folks cut it up for firewood.  She replied all the limbs have been cut off for firewood.  Guess she doesn't realize tree trunks can be cutup into firewood.  I gather if I don't get it, it will be drug out to her pasture and left to rot.

Maryville, Tenn.?  I flew there once to repair a tie down on a Bell 206L.  Stupid pilot forgot to untie the tiedown on the other side and almost flipped the bird over.
           hugs,  Brandi
hugs,  Brandi

[charles mann]

I think that stalled out weather front was a message from a higher place?

Please remember it's just a yard tree red oak. They are everywhere. If I was going to look at it, the conditions would be - "I'll haul it out of here free." Anything other than that and I would wish her a good day.

I had a red oak tree in my own backyard growing right next to my lumber piles. It was 42" DBH. It died and I had a tree service come in, take it down, and haul it off. I didn't want to deal with another red oak log. They are everywhere.

One about as big as mine fell in the front yard just two blocks down from me and took out powered to the whole neighborhood. Would be an easy pickup. I've been driving by it for almost 12 months now. Red oaks are everywhere. And unfortunately, they are dying because of these past several years of drought and the stress of being a yard tree.
This  particular one, a fella has been chipping away at it with an Alaskan mill. He has worked his way down to the butt log. But it's been a looo g time since he's been back. I'm wondering if he lost interest??

I've told her I only will haul it off for her.  At this point, she just wants it out of her yard.  I told her to let folks cut it up for firewood.  She replied all the limbs have been cut off for firewood.  Guess she doesn't realize tree trunks can be cutup into firewood.  I gather if I don't get it, it will be drug out to her pasture and left to rot.

Maryville, Tenn.?  I flew there once to repair a tie down on a Bell 206L.  Stupid pilot forgot to untie the tiedown on the other side and almost flipped the bird over.
          hugs,  Brandi
hugs,  Brandi

That dynamic roll over sure will tear a heli up fast and in a hurry. Same for ground resonance. I had about 5hrs in a S-269, touched down a lil to hard and the instructor immediately yanked the up stick to get us out of gnd resonance. 

[TimW]

I think that stalled out weather front was a message from a higher place?

Please remember it's just a yard tree red oak. They are everywhere. If I was going to look at it, the conditions would be - "I'll haul it out of here free." Anything other than that and I would wish her a good day.

I had a red oak tree in my own backyard growing right next to my lumber piles. It was 42" DBH. It died and I had a tree service come in, take it down, and haul it off. I didn't want to deal with another red oak log. They are everywhere.

One about as big as mine fell in the front yard just two blocks down from me and took out powered to the whole neighborhood. Would be an easy pickup. I've been driving by it for almost 12 months now. Red oaks are everywhere. And unfortunately, they are dying because of these past several years of drought and the stress of being a yard tree.
This  particular one, a fella has been chipping away at it with an Alaskan mill. He has worked his way down to the butt log. But it's been a looo g time since he's been back. I'm wondering if he lost interest??

I've told her I only will haul it off for her.  At this point, she just wants it out of her yard.  I told her to let folks cut it up for firewood.  She replied all the limbs have been cut off for firewood.  Guess she doesn't realize tree trunks can be cutup into firewood.  I gather if I don't get it, it will be drug out to her pasture and left to rot.

Maryville, Tenn.?  I flew there once to repair a tie down on a Bell 206L.  Stupid pilot forgot to untie the tiedown on the other side and almost flipped the bird over.
          hugs,  Brandi
hugs,  Brandi

That dynamic roll over sure will tear a heli up fast and in a hurry. Same for ground resonance. I had about 5hrs in a S-269, touched down a lil to hard and the instructor immediately yanked the up stick to get us out of gnd resonance.

Ah, 3 bladed helicopters.  Never touched one until Heliflight starting working on customer's Twin Dauphins.  Can't say I like them either.  Give me a Bell or even (gasp) an Sikorsky S-76.

Wait, I remember it correctly now.  The Maryville chopper had a chip light illuminate and the pilot sit it down safely.  The guys trucking it back to the hangar secured it wrong and the belly tie down got ripped out.
 It was an Air Logistics L model that had one tie down left secured on takeoff.  It went over on her side and into the safety net (fence) on the rig.  The pilot told his passenger to untie his side and the guy didn't hear him.  That chopper came back to shore on a supply boat. Ah, the good old times.  I loved rebuilding helicopters! 8)
hugs,  Brandi

[WDH]

There are also a whack of big nasty water oak yard trees around here that people offer me, both on the stump and on the ground.  I pass on them.  

[LeeB]

It went over on her side and into the safety net (fence) on the rig.

Was it actually salvageable after that? How did they get the smell out of it?

[TimW]

It went over on her side and into the safety net (fence) on the rig.

Was it actually salvageable after that? How did they get the smell out of it?

Oh yeah.  I rebuilt it, then off to the paint shop it went.  It is not a fast process.  It would take a month or two for me to rebuild.  Depended on how bad the damage and how much corrosion she had.   They all had corrosion.  They were supposed to get a fresh water rinse off every night at the field bases along the coast.
Back in the early 80s, we would rebuild to new when company's bean counters said no new capital equipment purchases.  I remember rebuilding a Bell 206 for Mobil Oil for that exact reason.
Here is a photo replacing the aft tub, aka, fuel cell.  The helicopter is bolted up in the rebuild fixture. The fuel was contained in a rubber bladder inside the tub.

 
The worst smells I found were when the pilots flew back open buckets of shrimp on the floor in back.  The shrimpy salt water would get into the floor panel (we called it the forward tub).  It was aluminum honeycomb and it would be a stinky, fine, corroded powder when I cut them open to repair them.
hugs,  Brandi

[handhewn]

 

 

 


 

Two loads of cants (24"x16"x9')  that had to be cut down in a deep, rough canyon. Too big a log wants to turn the truck over backwards, even with 4 people on the front bumper. These are beetle killed trees too nice to leave to rot. These cants were sawn to produce the book matched ceilings in my cabin.

[TimW]

Nice ceiling.  Wow oh wow would I would like to have that truck! Is it a Power Wagon?
hugs,  Brandi

[TimW]

Between when the photo of the log was taken and today..................someone cut it up into 5 foot long chunks.  I told her I couldn't use them, as they were cut too short.  She didn't understand (me cutting them for slabs), that 5 feet was too short.  I told her I cut them at 7.5 feet for tables, bars, or mantles.  

Three of them chunks could fit my mill.  It was the fork that was 48 or more inches.  But it was narrow enough to turn upside and trim it down.  The lowest piece was cut about 4 foot long and MM was right............it had metal sticking out.  About 1/2" wide strap sticking out.

Now they have to try dragging them with a 20hp Kubota.  Looked more like a lawn tractor than a log pulling beast.
hugs,  Brandi

[handhewn]

Truck is a 1943 1 1/2 ton Chev. I'm just finishing up a rare three axle open cab power wagon (WC62). If you like that kind of truck, look in my photos album. These trucks bring some nice wood out of very rough lava terrain bordering the ISHI wilderness. Took years to dynamite my way down into those canyons. Untouched forest down there but beetles are killing off my Yellow Pine. Measured one a few days ago, 14' 6" circ. ABH. To nice to waste but hard to get out. Need to whittle them down first.

[doc henderson]

pretty cool @Bindian 

[Stephen1]

Each log is an individual and will generally tell you how it wants to be sawed.  Here is a 43" butt log that I only squared up:  LINK

I agree one needs to listen to the log especially big uns.  But more and more I get tired of what I am hearing from them.  : : :

I only like those logs now when there is heavy equipment to help move the logs and the slabs, as everyone up here wants slabs. 

[TimW]

pretty cool @Bindian

Ok Doc.  I will bite.  What's pretty cool?  Me finding 5 foot chunks of Red Oak or my helicopter rebuilds?
           hugs, Brandi

[Tacotodd]

Me personally, da choppa's! :D

[doc henderson]

well the chopper builds of course!   usflag

[DennisK]

pretty cool @Bindian

Ok Doc. 

helicopter rebuilds had  with hot landings I'll will bite.  What's pretty cool?  Me finding 5 foot chunks of Red Oak 'c




Med vac's tore the S**t out of the early gear, sparks on gravel runways were impressive at night at 60-90 Knots
           

My heli rebuildes had to do 

[TimW]

Thanks guys.  Maybe more rebuild stories later.
hugs,  Brandi