BIG BURR

[SW_IOWA_SAWYER]

I made a trek up to the northern realm to pickup some Butternut logs from a sawyer. On my return trip I ran across two Burr Oak logs that a tree service had not to far from me. They are big (going to measure them tonite) bigger then I can fit on my mill. I want to qtr saw them so I will need to split them into qtrs log ways. My question is "They are big, they are Burr, am I nuts for thinking this is a workable plan? I can buy White Oaks logs from my logger but they are not cheap, and this is free. Any others gone thru this ordeal and lived to tell the tale?

[Norm]

We have a lot of Bur Oak around our place and every so often one gets blown over with a big wind. The wood is a little browner than white oak but is real pretty q-sawn. The main problem is getting it down to reasonable size. We have one down in our back 40 that I can't lift with the tractor. Guess I'll have to get out the ripping chain and quarter it where it sits.

If they are free I think you'll get some nice q-sawn boards that you'll be happy you went to the trouble for.

[Tom]

There's a lot to be said for "Free'.

Best check for nails or stuff that will get into your pocket.  Find out where he got them to give you an idea if you want to mess with it.

[Jeff]

I saw this thread and thought it was going to be a place where I could tell about it snowing and sleeting here today.

[Ed_K]

 Jeff,   you are, kidding  : right ?

[Jeff]

I wish I was. :-/  It snowed and it sleeted and rained and was more like November today.

NOBLE? IS MY SPOT ON THE LAWN TAKEN YET?

[Corley5]

It's still snowing, sleeting, ice pelleting and just plain raining here. :( >:(  I guess it's that time of the year

[Jeff]

We bought one Burr oak tree about 10 years ago from a farm down the road from the mill. Ray sold it to the veneer buyer for 1300 dollars for one log and 600 for the other. He gave the landowner 100, another guy 50 to knock it down and buck it and me $15 dollars to drive the loader down and get the logs.

Turns out Ray hunts back there and the veneer buyer saw the tree before it was cut and ray knew what he was going to get.

Another raped landowner if you ask me.

[Larry]

Sounds like Ray is a professional and the rest of the players were amateurs.  If you don't know what your doing get some help.

[Tom]

We can't all be experts at everything.  That's why we depend on knowledgable people in fields where we have less expertise.  When that other "expert" has only his own interests at heart then you are going to get hurt.

When an Air Conditioning repairman charges you $200 when all he did was replace a fuse ......You got burned.  If the legal community finds out he might pay with some of his time.

Sounds like Ray ripped off a land-owner who put his trust in an "expert".

[Jeff]

I was not a player. But an employee told to go get the logs at an hourly wage. What I saw was not professional. It was a landowner that did not know what the tree was worth. He thought he was dealing with a professional. The guy let ray hunt on his property for free.

Professional? Give me a break

[Jason_WI]

I have fixed many electronic circuit boards and electrical stuff for farmers for just the cost of parts and some beer money. I could have charged a lot more but these are all neighbors and help out one another if something goes wrong.

I know what the replacement parts cost. I fixed, a few months back, a Universal automatic washer for a milking system. The battery backup for storing the time and all the wash cycle settings went bad. The service center wanted $700 for a replacement circuit board when all that was wrong with it was a $12 nicad battery pack. I fixed it and charged the farmer 25 bux and half of that was the parts cost. My time in it was about an hour. A lot of my friends said I should have charged more. I asked them if they all like to eat ;D ;D ;D

Jeff,

You should have given your share to the farmer......

That Ray guy should be hung. Farmer lets him hunt on his land for free and he has the courtesy to screw him like that.

Does Ray sleep at night??

Jason

[Norm]

When you take advantage of someone who has shown you kindness you show what your made of. Good deeds not money will make the difference when you leave this world.

Bur oak is under rated for it's uses. If you stain it, you can not tell the difference between it and white oak. Most of ours gets used for trailer beds.

[SW_IOWA_SAWYER]

I checked on the logs last night. They aren't quite as big as they looked from a distance :'(. They both measure 30" on small ends. I still think I am going to have to use a chain saw but we shall see. I did end up getting some butternut logs on my trip to the northern realm.  I also bought 1000 bd ft of carving stock at a good price, only problem is I don't carve :D
I guess I better get to know some wood carver type folks
Thanks for the encouragement!