milling how much $$

[David_c]

I have some beech trees and i was wondering how much i can expect to pay to have milled. i was wondering if they make good flooring and what else they would be good for. i.e bookselfs cabinets just curious. or would i be better off using oak (red).

[woodbeard]

$.20/bf seems to be a typical rate, but I'm sure it varies from place to place. Beech should make very nice floors, but like any flooring, it should be kiln dried.

[David_c]

how much for kiln drying. i'm glad you mentioned that because i ment to ask. also how many board feet for about 500 square feet.

[Brian_Bailey]

David_p,  Have some of your beech quartered sawed. The ray flecks give it a nice visual effect. Brian...

[Jason_WI]

Kiln drying can vary by region. Local guy has a Nyle DH kiln and charges $.16 a bf. It has to be air dried though. I have seen it as high a $.50 a bf with minimum quantities.

As for flooring, it depends on if you want random width rustic flooring or a fixed width flooring. With random width you can get the most out of the log by making 2, 3, 4, and 5 inch wide flooring. Also log quality and size has a factor in this as well. Beech also likes to warp bad so sticker every 16" and pile lots of weight on the stack.

I would say at least 625 bf of material to cover 500 square feet or 25% over. You don't want to run short..... With beech 25% might be cutting it too close.

Jason

[David_c]

Thanks Brian i'll keep that in mind what have you made from beech.

[David_c]

i have several really nice trees havent measured but about 12-15" diameter. clean first 16' or so with no branches or scars some of the beech look real nasty with some kind of disease or scars dont really know what it is.

[Brian_Bailey]

David_p,  I just started to use beech. This spring I was sawing some survey stakes out of beech and was intrigued with the ray fleck that I was seeing. So I got some logs and QS'd them. Took the lumber out of the kiln about a month ago. Haven't had time to do much with it, but I have a few projects in mind for this winter.  I did use some of the QS Beech for the rails in a frame saw I just made to do some neanderthal resawing  :D !

Here's a pic of the saw resawing some Butternut.




Close up of QS Beech rails. The ray fleck are the lite spots in the wood and are quite striking when seen as a whole.

[David_c]

gotta say Brian you have me intriqued i was just thinking about the beech because i rememberd seeing somthing on the forum in my wonderings and then when i was out yesterday doing some of my clearing i noticed the beech looked nice i kinda thought i'd put it to you guys see what you thought. originally i was going tro leave all big & healthy beech for deer & other critters because everything else but the hemlocks will be coming down. i have about 5 acers and what to open up. surounded by woods not much open space around here.