Sawmills

Woah... thanks Tom D, great info, I'll have to giver-a-go. Just a thought... It's nice that wood such as walnut can sit for so long and still be millable. Do you guys know how Blue Oak might do??? I've got this log maybe 50 inches across, 8 foot long, it's been sitting for 6 years now. The outside looks pretty rotten, but could the inside still be worth the effort?

...also, milling some Sugar Pine tomorrow. 9ft long, 30" wide. The tree has been standing dead for at least 2 years now, likely much longer. I took her down today and pulled her to the landing, looking forward to ripping the 090, it's like going back in time.
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Any tips?
 
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Bixler,

Nice photos! Black walnut? I use an Alaska chain saw mill to break down logs too big for the mill. I put a chain saw engine on each end of the bar-- a Husq 372 on one end, and a Stihl 066 on the other. It takes two people to run, but it does chew through the log. Thanks for posting.

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Love to see a picture of that one.
 
Do you ever get any really big Sugar Pine cones? I saw some at an REI once that were close to two feet long. I'd love to have some for my collection.
 
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Do you guys know how Blue Oak might do??? I've got this log maybe 50 inches across, 8 foot long, it's been sitting for 6 years now. The outside looks pretty rotten, but could the inside still be worth the effort?

...also, milling some Sugar Pine tomorrow. 9ft long, 30" wide. The tree has been standing dead for at least 2 years now, likely much longer. I took her down today and pulled her to the landing, looking forward to ripping the 090, it's like going back in time.
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Any tips?

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Blue oak? Never heard of it. Is it in the white oak or red oak group? You'll know for sure whether it is worth milling when you put your chain saw into it. As long as the wood isn't too punky, go for it! Don't be fooled by the outside of the wood. Sapwood often rots off while the heartwood is still good. I've noticed this especially with walnut and white oak. Sugar pine should mill nicely with a chain saw. Keep the blade sharp and don't push it too hard. With a little luck it will have blue stain and some woodworker will pay you three times the normal price for it!
 
Thanks for the info Oakie...
I may just give that ol' blue oak a rip one of these days...
The sugar pine was interesting. It had some blue streak in it, after all the dreaded bark beetle got at it, and it was left dead standing for quite some time. I did learn to knock off the bark of the log, as it had been skidded up hill and was quite dirty, had some rocks stuck in there too. :head pop:

The ripping chain seemed okay on the first log... but starting with the second butt log it really became a lengthy process getting through that bugger. I guess as with any saw, a sharp chain in soooo crucial. Either way, the slabs turned out nice... I went thick with them... 5" fat, and 9ft long. It was fun.
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Another thought... also if the bleeder valve to the gas tank of your 090 cracks and falls off due to wear, then scrounge up a little drip line from a plant nearby, stick it on in its place and your good to go.

Any tips on sharpening those ripping chains? Hitting the rakers?
 
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Do you ever get any really big Sugar Pine cones? I saw some at an REI once that were close to two feet long. I'd love to have some for my collection.

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Yes PrimalApe, they get huge. This particular job was littered with them. I haven't seen them at REI yet... I do know they make for some great fire starters. I'll send you a box if you really want.

Also pitchwood, as I've heard it called. It's described as the, short dead stubs on pine trees that you cut off (which are loaded with sap), take a hatchet to them and splinter them up, take a match to it and it will stay lit like a torch. Neat huh?
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I'd love to have some really big and complete ones for my collection. I'd pay the shipping.
Fat Lighter or Lighter Knot is what we call the mineralized hard pine wood. My wife and I always carry some when we camp.
 
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Any tips on sharpening those ripping chains? Hitting the rakers?

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Check with Baileys (baileysonline.com) I believe they carry Granberg file guides and raker guides. That's where I got mine. Some days it seems like I spend more time working on the chain that I spend cutting with it. Hope the pine gave you some good lumber.
 
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I'd love to have some really big and complete ones for my collection. I'd pay the shipping.
Fat Lighter or Lighter Knot is what we call the mineralized hard pine wood. My wife and I always carry some when we camp.

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PrimalApe, I sent you a big box of those sugar pine cones, you must have gotten them by now. I felt like a real fairy prancing around the yard bagging those cones, but I did it for you...

Hey since your in Florida, any chance you can snail mail me some Alligator???
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I heard they were good eaten'.
 
"Give me six hours to chop a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe"-Abraham Lincoln..

You know when your done sharpening your happer then a kid in a candy store
 
Now I’ve got it, what do I do with it? This black oak log is 44” diameter, 10’ long, and weighs about three tons. I salvaged it after the 2011 Joplin, MO tornado. The plan is to slab it with my chain saw mill, then cut the smaller pieces with my Norwood <a href="norwoodsawmills.com" target="_blank">portable sawmill</a> . Should make some great table tops. While I hate to see the destruction, I like the idea of being able to build something from it.

BigOak_1.jpg
 
Really nice log there Oakie. I've had one on the ground about that size, maybe twice as long, for about a month now... how do I make the most out of the value of the log. If I get creative I may be able to find a place to stack and store wood. Tough though around here you can not find flat land!

I'm leaning towards bar slabs or table top slabs, but sending the log to the mill is still an option. Thanks
 
Hey Oakie, I met a guy locally here that has a Norwood as well. With a big black oak like that, would you want to slab it all? Or, would you want to cut it with the Norwood into boards? Is it just personal preference? ... Did you roll that log up there all by yourself?
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I had a chance to travel to the north woods of Ontario (ok, southern Ontario, but it was still pretty far north of Missouri). Thanks to Bigwood, I met Jonathan Arnold of Shady Lane Tree Care. He's got a Norwood sawmill, and has milled himself some pretty incredible flooring, and a 9' solid walnut counter top. Now that's what I'm talking about! Norwood founder Peter Dale and I interviewed him for a promotional video. Here is the result. If this doesn't come up as a link, you may need to copy it and paste it in your browser. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUTa4wWCl08
 
Well look who's back... you had us scared half to death! I was wondering where you went off to!

Sounds like a great time... I thought Jonathan did a great job describing the Norwood and wood-recovery.

Oakie, I've got a black walnut trunk to slab up on tuesday. The bottom 4 feet of the tree is black, then it's all English Walnut on top. The tree is 100 years old, 30" or more at the base, I'm thinking of doing some pretty thick slabs. I'll have to take some pictures.
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The graft would be the section about 4 ft off the ground when the wood turns from black to white. Correct? I'll be sure to take some photos evo.
 
10-4 from your discription it should be. I had one last year with the graft on the root flare, i split it open but never cleaned it up to look at the transistion. I keep thinking about making tables and benches out of wood with old ocluded toping cuts, sealed pruning cut, and grafts. It would be like furniture straight out of New Tree Biology.
 
I have seen pictures of guitars that were made using the graft of English and Black walnut. The guitars were very interesting. Just Google it and see for yourself.
 
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