# How to mill this



## Chippin-in (Feb 4, 2010)

Ok. Now that I have the kiln done, I am getting closer to cutting down the burled oak in my neighbors yard. They want it gone, but don’t have alot of money to spend. I figured I could help them out by cutting it down and hauling it off.

I have some questions though. I will probably take the bottom portion in a 7ft length (I looked a little closer and its about 4 ½ ft in dia at the bottom, but more like 3-3 1/2ft straight up for a while) (maybe 12 ft or so). I have a friend with a flatbed wrecker that I have talked to about hauling it to the mill less than a mile away, even though hes kinda expensive (hes close and knowledgeable about milling). 

The smaller parts I was thinking about maybe pen blanks and selling them on ebay or something, I don’t know. Maybe yall can shed some insight on that as well.

My big question is. I thought about cutting a slab from the large log for a dining table, but I cant really deal with a large slab like that. I don’t have that much room and am inexperienced with a hand plane and really don’t want to learn on something like this. I would hate to waste it. Is it possible to have the sawyer cut it in about 7” wide pieces that I could piece back together to look pretty close to original. I know there will be portions missing from the blade/cut, but can it be done to look good?

While I am probably going to use the bulk of this wood for myself, as I mentioned, I may sell some. I want to give the family some money for the wood even though they would probably just be happy to have the tree removed free. If I removed the tree (not the stump) and gave them a few hundred bucks, does that sound fair…for both of us?

Thanks for any help and advice,
Robert

I posted pics of the tree awhile back in this thread One beautifully ugly tree


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

It may be possible to have a mobile miller slice it up on the spot with a bandsaw or chainsaw mill , if there is the room to do it .


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

Chippin-in said:


> . If I removed the tree (not the stump) and gave them a few hundred bucks, does that sound fair…for both of us?


That would be great for them but not so much for you. Get a quote from a tree service for how much they want to remove that tree. I think you will be surprised at how much they would charge.


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## slabmaster (Mar 30, 2008)

*oak*

I run a chainsaw mill and like the option of milling on site they provide. Alot cheeper to do and boards are easier to remove instead of a log.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Why would you pay them for a service they are getting which they would have to otherwise pay for???

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


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## Chippin-in (Feb 4, 2010)

firemedic said:


> Why would you pay them for a service they are getting which they would have to otherwise pay for???
> 
> I know what your saying, but they are friends and I figure if its really good wood a few hundred $$ is cheap, and they need the money. I havent discussed this with them so we will see. If I sold some of the wood, I would prolly split it with them.
> 
> ...


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Ditto what the others said about $ to the owner of the tree before you even see the inside of the log...You never know what you have until you open them up, you may be buying ''a few hundred bucks'' worth of firewood that you had to work your butt off to harvest. (while saving the homeowner several hundred in tree service expense) After you mill the log (and all that entails felling/hauling/milling/drying)... and_ if_ you get something spectacular and come out well on the deal and feel obligated to flip them a couple bucks, maybe, for your conscience sake...NEVER on a standing tree, trust me 9 out of 10 times that will come back to bite you (right in the wallet).

As far as milling...big trees give you the opportunity for big slabs, why waste that ? A guy can get all the 7'' wide lumber he wants from puny trees. Wide lumber will bring a big premium if you decide to sell some. Have the sawyer mill as wide as he possibly can. The lumber can always be ripped narrower at a later time if desired. I am biased, I like wide lumber, so do my customers. I don't like to have to joint and glue 3-4 boards together to make something I could with 1 board, plus I just like the look of wide lumber in a piece it's more uniform and attractive to me (people may chime in and say glue ups are more stable with expansion/contraction...BS, there I said it)

As far as not having the tools to work with a really wide slab to make a table top or something...I can't plane/thickness sand anything over 25'' wide, neither can 80%+ of my customers. You have a sawmill close, I bet you have some small cabinet shops close too...For a couple bucks (literally, just had 8 wide slabs thickness sanded at a local Amish shop for a $20 bill I handed the guy as I slipped them in the side door) let someone else do that part. No worries there.

Overall and to sum up looking at that tree again, you may or may not get many wide slabs anyway. The one side, or face, has a pretty deep chasm from what I said in that thread was probably a healed over lightning strike (and who know the butt log may be as hollow as a sewer pipe, another reason not to offer the owner $) The sawyer should know how to deal with what he sees once he gets it on the sawmill.

Good luck and keep us posted.

EDIT: I see you posted while I was posting/making a sandwich/shoving said sandwich in my face...You are thinking right on the $, only if you do well, then share fairly. I thought you were going to ''invest'' in a standing tree, risky business...


.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

If you truly want to show your appreciation to your neighbours, make them something from the wood once the wood dries.


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## Chippin-in (Feb 4, 2010)

You are thinking right on the $, only if you do well, then share fairly. I thought you were going to ''invest'' in a standing tree, risky business...


.[/QUOTE]

Im dumb, not stupid. Although I have done some stupid stuff :laughing:..Thanks Daren. The mill Im going to use had some interest in the lumber as well, depending on how it comes out. 

Ill keep yall posted.

Robert


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

Chippin-in said:


> firemedic said:
> 
> 
> > Mobile Mill? Well, its a regular neighborhood, not too much room and that's alot of mess to clean up. I know they put down tarps, but you still got dust blowing everywhere and I dont want the other neighbors gettin hacked off.
> ...


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## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

A giant pen?? Someone has wayyyy too much time on their hands.:laughing: Gary


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

HomeBody said:


> A giant pen?? Someone has wayyyy too much time on their hands.:laughing: Gary


 You wanna see the big bowl they made :yes:










http://www.proserpinewoodturners.com/The_Big_Bowl.html


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## jim douglas (Feb 8, 2010)

That's one ugly tree allright. There may or may not be some beautiful wood in there. You won't know until you open her up. 
My advice would be to tell the mill owner that this is a yard tree. There will definitley be junk inside (metal). The cost of sawing goes up
when we hit metal. You can use a metal detector to look for junk. As far as paying for the tree, I would wait until it's milled. It may not
be worth anything. If there is value then you could compensate them. Good luck, it looks like a fun project.
Jim


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## Chippin-in (Feb 4, 2010)

Yes Jim, I know of alien piece of metal that was screwed in the side and I will let the sawyer know its "urban".

Hey Manuka, that stuff is outrageous. I wonder if they are gonna make a whole place setting? :laughing:

Thanks
Robert


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