County Champion Cherry

[MemphisLogger]

We sawed our County Champ Cherry yesterday.  8)

It had been cabled up by the homeowner for years, allowing it to grow much longer (and bigger) than most Cherries in our wet Loessel soils.

The tree was a good 6' in diameter at breast height but split into 2 trunks just above that. We got 2 logs out of it, both 12' long. One was right at 31" at the small end and the other 33".

Pictured here is the 33" log . . .













This log pushed the absolute limits of our LT-30 (and our cant hooks).  I haven't tallied yet, but I'm guessin' we got 650-700 bdft out of this one log.  8) :D ;D  
  

[Tom]

Where is the wood destined?

[MemphisLogger]

My shop  :D ;D

[Paschale]

That's beautiful stuff!  So how'd you land that beauty anyway?  I bet you had your eye on it for awhile!   ;)

[oakiemac]

Nice log. I was just cutting Cherry yesterday- I love the smell of fresh cut cherry wood. It always makes me hungry for some pie. ;D

[Tom]

You're a lucky fellow. ;D

If you are going to make stuff out of it and sell the stuff, keep in mind what Historical trees nursery inc. does and it might help to sell your "stuff".

A mention that the wood came from the county's Champion Cherry and a little history printed up and attached to the "stuff" will give your "stuff" another dimension to make it interesting for the customer. ;D :P :D  Got pictures of the tree standing?  That will look good on the history paper.

[MemphisLogger]

Thank you, thank you  ;D

I was in the middle of woolin' out an oil finish on this table for my wife's new midwery office (which, incidentally is made of wood from the first Cherry and first Walnut, I ever sawed).




Anyhow, another very accomplished woodworker who used to run an alaskan called to tell me that a fella he knows has a "rotten" Cherry down in his yard that he might be able to get "something" out of.

I went over (across the street from the Memphis Country Club) took one look at the tree and went straight back for my trailer--got back before the treeman (arborist) got there, let the insurance man take his pics and bucked out the 2 big logs and 4 more 20" or better uppers.   8)  

Treeman loves us, since he'd already bid full removal and haulin the night before  ;) He's since turned me on to 2 nice walnuts and a huge Port Orford Cedar.  ;D

Tom, thanks for the tip on the historic angle. I already include a little "portfolio" of pics, etc. with all the furniture I make from trees I saw. I just can't wait to get some trees from Graceland--I imagine I'd be on to somethin' with some guitar blanks from the trees that "The King" frolicked under  :D

[WV_hillbilly]

   Wow that is one impressive stick of wood . Did you leave the boards wide or did you make them narrower .

 Nice looking table also . I like the contrasting legs .

[Fla._Deadheader]

 Oooooooooooo----Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

  Niiiice Wood.  8) 8)  I like Cherry wood. It's real nice to work with.  Guess ya didn't get the butt cut ???  I would have sawn that too. Cherry here is near non-existant. :

  We work the "historical angle" also. Don't do much good though  : :, but, we are workin on it.  :D :D  Nice table, also.

  Couldn't believe ya knocked off the sapwood. I love contrast between heart and sap, MOST of the time.  ;) ;D :D

[MemphisLogger]

hey deadhead, we gotta burn something!  :D

Butt log was all rot  :'(

You wait--that historic/reclaimed market's still growin'. I figure layin' it up now is better than the stock market longterm  ;)

[Fla._Deadheader]

  I fully agree about the savin the wood.  Someday, the State will stop the salvaging and we will be in the drivers seat, IF we aren't broke and gone.  ;D :D :D Still wooda sawed that Butt. I'm like Arky, we will stick a blade into anything  8) 8)

[Larry]

I have found a use for some of that cherry sapwood.  I'll take all I can get. :D :D :D

[MemphisLogger]

VERY nice, Larry, but I'm going to have to hide that pic from my wife  :D

[Larry]

It's sorta funny Scott.  I cut several mbf of cherry last winter.  A lot of it was FAS but none as nice or as big as what you cut plus we have a lot of gum spots.   The good boards developed wings and pretty much flew out of here no matter what the price. ;D  Any of the boards with sap just sat :( so I figured out a couple of things to do with them.  ;D

Since your keeping the good stuff for yourself take plenty of pictures.   You can show us the end product as I am sure you will do an exceptional job. 8)

[sandmar]

Ok Larry
Tell this dummy how you got that beautiful piece together.....I am more of a Tinker-Toy kind of guy, who needs all the help he can get :P

Sandmar

[Furby]

 : I just LOVE cherry!  ;D