# Is it just me



## caspa (Sep 15, 2010)

Or do all you guys also notice every tree when driving around town, i see all these awesome trees on other peoples properties and find myself picturing what the grain will look like etc....

damn the woodworking bug has bitten..:laughing:


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## cody.sheridan-2008 (May 23, 2010)

Nope not just you. Though I preffer to keep my imagination on dead trees. This way there may be a chance of me getting a look!


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

There are a few big burls I lust for.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

I only worked at a mill a short time, but when I'm out mushroom hunting in the Spring, I find myself looking more at the trees than at the ground.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Almost had an accident the other day trying to get a look at a tree that someone had cut down in their front yard. It was about 30"+ in diameter and if it wasn't for (what looked like) a whole lot of rot inside of the trunk, I probably would have stopped to ask if I could have some. Nope, you're not alone.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

I've been doing it for years, it is a sickness. I have gotten to the point I can calculate board feet on a 20mph drive by.



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## garryswf (Aug 17, 2009)

Now that was funny Daren, but as you sid it is a sickness.


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## K Rex (Nov 23, 2010)

My wife and I did a soap-selling gig at a historic home in Virginia Beach this week, and I'm now in the process of trying to convince the management to allow me to take out a small, very ugly and very burled black walnut tree from the front entrance. It is dying... they've already hacked off several large limbs as they hung over a walkway and apparently posed a threat to people underneath. I gotta have it. The nice little ladies don't understand. They did say it wouldn't be long before they "took it out". I wonder if they'll call me first like they said they would? I'll probably pester them as I have been...:thumbsup:

I've been bitten by the bug very recently, too... If I cut down every tree I've eyed in the past two weeks Virginia Beach would be a desert wasteland. 

I'm going in a few minutes with my son to cut off a number of maple burls for handcarving. Good day to all!


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## Allen Tomaszek (Dec 11, 2010)

I used to look at every tree but now I find myself looking at what people waste. That runs from full logs to people cutting up awesome logs into firewood size pieces and placing them on the curb. Crotches dumped at the landfill. It's amazing how much is wasted. I'm buying a sawmill in the spring to start salvaging some of this stuff. That will be a whole new level of sickness for me.


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## caspa (Sep 15, 2010)

Daren said:


> I've been doing it for years, it is a sickness. I have gotten to the point I can calculate board feet on a 20mph drive by.
> 
> .


Lol, how long did it takes to get to that level of an addiction?


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## wwinsauer (Dec 7, 2010)

I've been eying a massive mesquite burl here in San Antonio. The tree is dead and its is in the front yard of an abandoned home. I am so tempted to look up the owners and ask if I can cut it down but... 

I would need a huge flatbed truck (the burl is about 4' diameter and about 12-15' high! Basically the entire trunk!

And, I would need a milling machine or someone who would give me a few board feet if I did some of the leg work..... Anyone? Anyone???


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## Chad (May 10, 2009)

I make my wife drive that way I can look, although she gets mad when I make her slow down or turn around for another look. But my three year old daughter can spot a downed tree by a tree service a half mile off.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Yeah you can take the old 60's song "I'm a girl watcher . . ." and substitute tree for girl and that describes all sawyers. 




wwinsauer said:


> I've been eying a massive mesquite burl here in San Antonio . . . the burl is about 4' diameter and about 12-15' high!


I'd be happy just to see a picture of that. 






.


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## Jfore (Dec 26, 2010)

I usually go home to visit and stand over my dad's firewood pile with tears in my eyes.........


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

*"The Disease"*

You all are blessed you've only seem to have ONE. The Lord :thumbsup: Blessed me with Multi talents and making this disease greatly multiplied !!!!! Don't take this wrong It can be a good thing But it's hard to concentrate in conversation or mentally when everything spins the "cogs in my head" as my wife says.

I do carpentry as the main income (mastered all but a few of the trades involved....websters def . master : one who is a highly skilled workman/craftsman in a trade whom can follow through his trade independently...KEY word HIGHLY SKILLED.... not "fly by night" under radar:furious. 

Mastered photography (nature and wildlife) and welding. Enjoy art, furniture building, historical items, mechanically inclined( definitely doesn't help disease), own "farmboss 36" sawmill (love milling) and mechanical design/fabrication to name a few.

When I go (all the time) places my mind gets to bouncing... drool.. look at that walnut standing there,clear 16' @ 22" min and the crotch not split... the furniture and quality lumber.. and the barn behind... is it possibly log or timberframe oh man somebody made a mess repairing at the roof....but this whole scene would make a awesome photo or painted print and my mind starts laying the layers of back to front paint of the art.....oops I forgot the farmhouse... is it victorian or georgian style.. log main structure??? or timberframe or plain stick built???? and the trim work.. was it cut and milled from farm centuries ago by hand or manufactured away??

But my hardest is to enjoy my deer hunting, there's TOO many sawable trees to concentrate any more...beautiful dead reclaimables.. up rooted stumps...how much spalting boards....

Everyone have a Blessed day....I've got to go back to work,
Tim


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## Rick C. (Dec 17, 2008)

Tim, how long did it take to get your truck outta the ditch?:laughing:
That's where mine would have been.


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## reberly (Jan 9, 2011)

I actually landed one the most beautiful spalted maple burls by just stopping by and asking if I could mill half of it in trade for half. He wanted it for fire wood but he reluctantly agreed. The owner told me he just wanted the straight grain on the inside and none of the curly crap on the outside. 
Rich


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

That's what that BUMP was :blink::huh::shifty::thumbdown:.F-650 crewcab has no mercy.... stay outta the way, we're drooling!!!! :thumbsup:
Have a Blessed night/day,
Tim


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## Fly Fisher (Jun 22, 2010)

I find myself hoping for windstorms. I then drive the neighborhood and check on all the trees i've been eyeballing for a few years. I live on 5 acres that is loaded with Maple, Cherry, Plum and Walnut. I wont cut any down but after those windstorms. . . . . . . . lol.
I just ran across a piece of Maple on the backside of the property, 6ft,
spalted, wavey. Gold, baby, gold. lol


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## joasis (Sep 15, 2006)

The tree service companies are the worst...at least in this area. Small guys who run one man shows will save and give up the good logs if you simply ask them...maybe pay firewood prices, but the larger outfits with contracts for the POCO's chip everything they cut....I have seen a lot of beautiful walnuts recently turned to chips.....


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## wwinsauer (Dec 7, 2010)

joasis said:


> The tree service companies are the worst...at least in this area. Small guys who run one man shows will save and give up the good logs if you simply ask them...maybe pay firewood prices, but the larger outfits with contracts for the POCO's chip everything they cut....I have seen a lot of beautiful walnuts recently turned to chips.....


:icon_cry: (tear drop)


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## burkhome (Sep 5, 2010)

joasis said:


> The tree service companies are the worst...at least in this area. Small guys who run one man shows will save and give up the good logs if you simply ask them...maybe pay firewood prices, but the larger outfits with contracts for the POCO's chip everything they cut....I have seen a lot of beautiful walnuts recently turned to chips.....


 Paper companies pay good money for those chips. Chips are easier to handle than logs. Right or not, it's the American way. When I used to work for a mill, the paper companies begged us to cut pulpwood. The company refused, prefering to manage the trees so that trees could be harvested every 10 years. They didn't believe that it was good to cut the little stuff no matter what the paper companies were willing to pay.


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## bugman1954 (Apr 1, 2008)

*fantacies*

You fellow log lovers are sick, that is a good thing though. I am a mailman by trade and I have my eyes on two trees. The 48" soft maple I have nearly given up on. The lady says it has sentimental value even though it has had the complete limb system cut off and the 20 ft standing log is completely dead with the bark is falling off.

The second tree is a 30" hard maple. I've talked to the lady who owns the rental property but she said she was going to call a tree service and get a bid for the removal. I had a friend who worked for a tree service said he would take it down for $150 bucks but I had to remove all of the tree including all limbs. Still dreaming that tree will be mine. 

While I am walking my route if I hear a chainsaw running I am just about ready to leave my route and go investigate.


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## wwinsauer (Dec 7, 2010)

Went to one of the local lumber stores yesterday morning. First time visiting this particular shop. II could not believe the prices. Highway robbery if you ask me! 2.5 bf mesquite $46!? Not even Burl and it's indigenous! 
Needed Spanish cedar for humidor, rough cut $11.75 bf! 
Figured maple, not that figured btw, 5 bf for $140 !!! That's $24 per bf !!!
The whole time I was there all I could think about was buying a saw mill. Looked at a small walnut crotch 5/4, bookmatched, and again not that special, seen way way nicer pieces, $340 PER SIDE!!! 
That's it man! After my move, I'm buying a mill, building a solar kiln and hunting down dead trees! Enough is enough!


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Dang those do seem like high prices. Sounds like a good store . . . to stay out of! 



wwinsauer said:


> . . . That's it man! After my move, I'm buying a mill, building a solar kiln and hunting down dead trees! Enough is enough!


Sounds like a good plan but instead of a solar kiln, for your purposes one of Daren's DH kilns would be a much better choice. Faster, more control, better quality wood and much easier to add supplemental heat for the species that need bug killin' which is most of them btw. 

I don't know what your time frame is but I am planning on selling my LT40 Super mid to late fall and I'm just up the road a piece. 






.


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## Texas Sawduster (Apr 27, 2009)

*Same Here.*



Allen Tomaszek said:


> I used to look at every tree but now I find myself looking at what people waste. That runs from full logs to people cutting up awesome logs into firewood size pieces and placing them on the curb. Crotches dumped at the landfill. It's amazing how much is wasted. I'm buying a sawmill in the spring to start salvaging some of this stuff. That will be a whole new level of sickness for me.


Unfortunately, I don't have a place to keep the mill or I would have one.


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## Texas Sawduster (Apr 27, 2009)

TexasTimbers said:


> Yeah you can take the old 60's song "I'm a girl watcher . . ." and substitute tree for girl and that describes all sawyers.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That would make a great centerfold. :thumbsup:


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## wwinsauer (Dec 7, 2010)

Hey Texas Timbers,
I'm on my phone and can't do quotes easily so I addressed you directly, sorry.

I'd be interested in learning more about dehydration. I've studied a bit on other forms of drying and stacking but still have yet to look into this. If you have any good links or another thread please let me know.

Man I'm drooling over the idea of having a mill but I'm afraid I'll have to be patient. I will be moving to Portland Oregon in a couple months and the expenses are going to set me back quite a bit. I will probably start looking for one once I get settled in and recoup some of my money. If the price is right I may entertain shipping it up there somewhere down the road if you still have it available.

I know they have walnut, cherry and maple but it's going to be hard to find through all of the pine and fir. Im not sure what else they have but I'm crying inside that I won't get to play with all the hardwoods we have here ; mesquite, oak, Texas persimmon, Osage, pecan, huisache, Texas ebony. Oh man I think I just made myself sick. I'm gonna go hide under a table somewhere now.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

wwinsauer said:


> . . . I'd be interested in learning more about dehydration.


We refer to it as drying in the lumber industry. There's plenty of great sites to learn most of what you need to know to start out. This one is a great primer without a bunch of technical data. I like to point people to it first because I think it paves the way for the more technical but still easily understood USGov Pub which is about as good as any I know of for a more in-depth single site overview. 

I need to find a way to finangle some Texas Ebony out of you before you move. C'mon win what's it going to take? 







.


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## wwinsauer (Dec 7, 2010)

Just got through looking at your dovetail jig.man that's sexy!

I've read up on drying I thought you had some new ingenious way to rig up a dehumidifier for drying wood. I've heard of it just haven't looked it up yet.

There are two woods here referred to as Texas ebony. I forget the scientific name of the first but it's thorny and makes a long thin bean pod. The other is Texas persimmon. No thorns, and makes a fruit that dear love to eat. The heart wood is pitch black and is extremely hard. After drying the soft wood also becomes very hard and is a marbled gray. See pictures in my micro milling thread.

I have a little bit of it left if you want it but I'm afraid you will be limited to small projects or accents. Texas persimmon will inevitably split down the middle when drying leaving a modicum of usable wood. Also ants love to bore out the hard wood even when the tree is alive. After drying the wood is relatively stable. I have two halves of a 3" diameter log about 3.5' long that I zealously split with my Japanese pull saw. The cut isn't even but with some creativity you will be able to find a good use for it. The main advantage is that it is dry and acclimated to our climate. If you can figure out a way to pick it up I'll give it to you. 210-204-6024
Wayne


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Wayne, 

Daren is the man to see about kiln plans. Here is the info. I don't believe he has ever had a dissatisfied customer. 



wwinsauer said:


> There are two woods here referred to as Texas ebony. I forget the scientific name of the first but it's thorny and makes a long thin bean pod. The other is Texas persimmon. No thorns, and makes a fruit that dear love to eat. The heart wood is pitch black and is extremely hard. After drying the soft wood also becomes very hard and is a marbled gray. See pictures in my micro milling thread.


Texas Ebony (_Pithecellobium flexicaule_) is the one with the pods and the one I am interested in most. Want to hear something funny? It grows where you're moving to as well. :laughing:









I haven't seen your micro thread I'll go peek . . . . oh yeah that is good stuff too. Keep in mind that Common Persimmon which grows here in abundance also can be blackheart, and it is also a true ebony. One of my neighbors gave me the largest one I have ever seen a couple years ago and then the wife got cold feet in summer and decided to keep it "just for the summer." I haven't been pressing the issue but I have not given up either. You can read about it here. You can also see my own learning process in action. :blush: 

Another good thread to read about persimmon/ebony is this one. Especially look at post #14 where jeffreythree straightens things out a bit for us. But in a nutshell, there's 3 types of ebony in this region that are all desirable. 

Texas Ebony
Texas Persimmon
Common Persimmon

I'll call you later to what kind of horsetrading we might do. 





.


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## wwinsauer (Dec 7, 2010)

*TX Persimmon*

Here are some pics of the log I have.

In my opinion this stuff falls into the category of wood ****. (Moderators forgive me if I'm not allowed to say that and feel free to remove if necessary.)

The trunks here never get much larger than about 8" diameter and those are fairly rare. Most that I see are about 4"-6" dia. I like that this stuff is hardly used in many wood working projects. Mainly due to its size, and ant damage. For me that makes it just so much more alluring.

Well, with out further adu, here are the pics. Enjoy!

P.S. I have a friend that is clearing land in central TX that is apparently falling these trees by the truck load. Its been a while since I last spoke with him but I could make a call and see if we could arrange something, considering he is still taking them out. Good luck drying though. The sapwood is so wet I cant tell you how much weight was lost on my log after it dried. And like I said if you dry the entire log it will split straight down the middle. I don't have any experience drying TX Persimmon in planks but I would expect to see two pieces after they dry.

Look forward to hearing from you,


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## crazytiki (Jan 25, 2011)

Not the only one I love to go hiking out in the woods near my house and just starting at the trees. So wounderfull when you can just see the things you can make in your head with evertthing around you :icon_smile:


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## sawing/poolman (Feb 2, 2011)

Not only a tree but i check out the bush a lot also.


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