# What is this tree



## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

This tree is behind my house in pasture. Just for learning sake. What is it, and would it be a good tree for lumber. I guess they are all burls?
Chris


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

That there is a catalpa. They get funky like that some times (not really burls, just odd growth). A good straight catalpa makes very nice lumber :thumbsup:. I would let that dude stand. If it did fall over dead, catalpa also makes good turning stock.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

I've lived here 15 years and today is the first time I really noticed that tree. I was walking in the pasture. I went up the hill to look at a tree that's been on the ground for probably 8-10 years maybe. Then I saw that tree and got excited. This is what I went to look at. It looks like it's still in good shape. I don't know what it is either?
Chris


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

You got me on the big dead one, I can't positively ID it :no:. I would guess oak or elm...but would expect more checking on the cut ends on the log if it was oak. If the limbs around it are from the same tree, they look like cherry limbs ? Take a hatchet or chainsaw out there and clean up an end for a better grain shot some day. I don't know what it is, but it looks lightning struck to me.


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## Marko (Feb 11, 2008)

Could it really be Prunus serotina?:thumbsup: or "not":thumbdown: some of those limbs appear to not be "scaley bark" like the dead one.Only tree I know of that sheds its bark is Sycamore and that tree aint no Sycamore...:huh: Now we have a "Mystery":yes: Mark


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

I brought a log in the house. I'm letting it dry out a little. I don't know if it's because Daren said it, but it does look a little like cherry inside. If your really interested I'll post more pictures. I'd say it definitely was a lightning strike. Being in the middle of a field would make it a good target. We have had storms big enough to knock it over if it was dead, but not strong enough to snap it like it is, if it was healthy. I guess I need to invest in a chain saw. It bugs me to see good wood rot. It surprises me how good a shape the log was I brought in the house. There in another tree down about 100 yards from that one, with a few logs next to it. I grabbed one of then also. It was rotted clean though. I think the main trunk is still good though. If had a saw and the ability there are 2 good tree's less that 100 yards from my house. I've always relied on my buddies chain saws when I really needed one, but I wouldn't feel right asking for this.
Chris


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

I would get a chainsaw. The more I look at it the more it looks like cherry to me even on the outside. I guess if it looks like cherry on the inside...it may be cherry . Another picture would of course be cool.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

That little patch of unfungused bark looks like cherry to me also. We don't have cherry here indigenously but I have one out in the yard I got doing what little urban logging I do, and it looks exactly the same.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

Here are a few more pictures
















I wet this one.


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## stuart (Jan 20, 2008)

nice


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I'm no expert on Cherry. Not even close to one, but that don't look like the few cherries I have opend. The grain does but not the color. Daren ought to know for sure from that picture though.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Sure looks like cherry to me. It should have a distinctive sweet smell, unmistakable ? That would be for me the dead give away. I am kinda surprised there is not more ring separation, cherry does not rot easy but it will separate between the growth rings if it lays a real long time (and that one looks like it has). I am still saying black cherry. As tortured as that trunk looks I would not be at all surprised to see some figure in the butt log.
Well while you are looking at chainsaws...might as well look for a chainsaw mill attachment :laughing:. A couple hundred extra bucks and you can mill that dude right where is lays and bring the lumber to the wood shop.


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## Marko (Feb 11, 2008)

looks like a cherry to me too(with what looks like alittle curly figure to boot in the 2nd pic,hardest figure to see is curly cherry),now if BigRed cut that chunk off the part of the log thats up in the air it might have somtin to do with the lack of separation.....eh?


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Looks exactly like the thousands of board feet of cherry I have milled too. :laughing: 

(did I just jump on board?)


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

Well I split the log to look inside, and also so it would fit my found wood jig. I made the thing a while back and never had to use it. It's definitely Cherry. It smells sooo good when I was cutting it. I checked the moister. It's at 20-22 %. Will it dry out fast since it's been cut for so many years. Just guessing I would think it's only wet from the weather so it should dry faster. Or is it all the same as drying out a fresh cut tree? That one little log made a lot of wood. I'll talk to the guy that boards his horses in that field, so I can drive my truck up there and get the rest of the cut stuff. Then I guess the best thing for now would be to get it off the ground. That will be a project in itself. 
Chris


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

COOL. I think I see curl there too like Mark said. A log will stay wet for years so it will still take the wood awhile to dry, but small pieces like that should dry faster.
I would try to snag the whole shooting match, winch that big log up onto a trailer and make it "disappear" , it's just going to rot away.


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## Marko (Feb 11, 2008)

yeah....like Daren said!!:thumbsup: if your at 20%-22% now, your closer to EMC than you might know. 12-14% this time of year is considered stable in my area...You should be able to dry that quickly in those little pieces.I was whacken up some Cherry myself today(didn't see anything close to "curly" though)It's one of,if not the hardest domestic wood to see the curls in as it comes of the deck in it's rough sawn form...I literally have to go through the stack with the sun over my shoulder and tilt the board and look for the shadow of the uplifted grain.
So,seeing "curls" in your chunks coincide with it's dryness.Nice find BigRed :yes: . Mark


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

I can definitely have it. I don't want to just drive into the pasture without telling Pete the guy that owns the horses. We know each other. He's a little funny about his horses. I'll have all the small stuff by the end of weekend. Back to the wet thing. When you cut a tree down, and it needs to dry out. Aren't you also drying out the sap? Is that all gone by now. I guess the tree is like a sponge. It does have millions of pours. Daren do have a web page up your sleeve about how a tree dries out. Like the science of it. If not I'll look for something. I just know your way into tree's. thanks
Chris


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## Marko (Feb 11, 2008)

Big Red,check out this link http://owic.oregonstate.edu/pubs/for55.pdf
I know your not drying a pile of boards but it's all related whether your drying shorts or piles.I've posted this in other threads and a few have commented on it's content.It's well written and explains the hows and why's pretty well(there are other writings/publications,this one is shorter and easier reading).There is a chart in this publication that shows EMC's at different Relative Humidity.This will let you know at which point Hardwood in your area where you live will stabilize.Now that you've got that chunk cut up it'll start drying even faster.:thumbsup: Mark


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

bigredc said:


> Aren't you also drying out the sap? Is that all gone by now. I guess the tree is like a sponge. It does have millions of pours.


Yep, the sap looks long gone. The sapwood is the living part of a deciduous tree (evergreens are a little different). Think about it when a tree gets bigger around, it is up and out. Most of the osmosis from the roots to the leaves,water/nutrients up, solar energy down is how they live happens in the sap. So it is porous. The heartwood (I am no biologist, so take this as you will) is just fibrous support for the living part of the tree, roots/sap/leaves. Some trees have more rot resistant heartwood, less porous/offensive to insects...cherry being one of them. 

I got off on a tangent...a heartwood log can lay for several years without drying. So no that one is not likely "dry". But no biggy, drying wood is easy. Drying a free _possibly_ curly cherry log is a no brainer, take a shot :thumbsup: Or leave it lay and give Pete's horses something to poo on :laughing:


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

I finally got the cherry tree cut up and off the ground. I gave up on my $10 garage sale saw. On Fri. I borrow a chain saw, then on Sat I find a nice 18" Polan for $50. It's weird the way that stuff works. I think it looks pretty good. The one has some rot in the center. From what I've heard a cherry sitting on the ground for any length of time will be worthless. the bugs love it. So I guess now I figure out how to get it on my truck, or borrow a trailer. The guy at work trying to sell me black walnut for $6 a bf said he has a guy that did his for $2 a bf. I don't know how long ago that was. Does $2 sound good. It would be nice if they came to the wood. I imagine that's got to be a lot more. Is the little limb walnut? Is that worth having it milled?
Chris


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## Marko (Feb 11, 2008)

My GOD!!! Somebodies' been busy!!!! I can't answer any of your questions Big Red.I kinda blew in just to say hey!! So.......hey!!:thumbsup:
Now I gotta get back to it....behave yourselves!!!


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

Make sure you at the beginning of the thread. The tree had been down for 10 years or more. All I did was cut the about 25' long piece into manageable pieces, and get it off the ground. Of course I waited till it was almost 90 out. This one back there also. I don't know what it is. It looks like it has a nice strait section. there is evidence of bugs. And a ton of poison ivy.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

bigredc said:


> he has a guy that did his for $2 a bf. I don't know how long ago that was. Does $2 sound good.


Are you asking if $2 bft sounds good just to have it milled ? That sounds GREAT . I am moving to your neck of the woods...I charge $.35 bft (the local Amish charge $.25) Of course that is brought here to the mill. Heck I have 2000-3000 bft of kiln dried cherry 5/4 right now I cannot even sell locally for $2.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

Maybe that's to bring the mill to the wood?


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

Daren
I never even though about how much it would cost to do everything. I just assumed it would be worth it since I have the wood. If one log is 32" at the big end and one is 24" at the big end. They are both 8'. Is that like 200 to 300 bf. Am I close? Gees at $2 a bf that's $400-$600. That isn't happnen. Hell I'd rather drive to ILL. and spend the money on gas. Something can't be right. Maybe I'll make a jig for my chainsaw. I also just remebered.they are tearing down a 100 year old factory about 10 min. from me. They have a portable mill there to cut up all the old giant beams. I think they are done now. I don't know if it's still set up. That would be great if they would do it for me.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

bigredc said:


> If one log is 32" at the big end and one is 24" at the big end. They are both 8'. .


We measure on the little end (simple geometry, you can only get the biggest square from the smallest end, make sense?) one 24" x 8' log is 200 bft., there is a calculator on my site...also links to sawmills nation wide. It may take some digging, but I bet you can get it sawn for $.50 ? That would be well worth it. I mean jeez, the thing laid for years what is another couple weeks while you do your research. The logs look nasty laying on the ground, but I swear I saw curl in the limb pictures you posted months ago. Even a little bit of that in decent sized boards is worth the effort/expense.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

When I was measuring the ends, it occurred to me it would be better to have the other end. I was pretty beat. I didn't feel like walking 10 feet. Sounds funny now. I found one guy near me through your home page. He's about 45 min. to an hour. away. I'll call him, and see if there are any others. What is that small log? My first guy was walnut because it's so dark?. Do you have a book to recommend with lots of pictures of leaves, bark, wood, on identifying types of tree's. 
Chris


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

bigredc said:


> What is that small log?
> 
> Do you have a book to recommend with lots of pictures of leaves, bark, wood, on identifying types of tree's.


The small log also looks like cherry to me.

I don't have a book myself, that is a good question. I am sure there is a field guide to identifying trees, I just don't have one. I have most species I would ever come in contact with just memorized. There are some links to study in this thread, I posted several tree ID sites http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2598.


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## dirtclod (May 7, 2008)

Cameras don't allways capture the texture. You need to post some shots from the side of the logs showing the bark. But the bigger logs don't look like cherry to me. They appear more like maple. 

The shot of the single small log is cherry. The one you said had poison ivy on it looks a bit like cherry, but can you get a shot of the bark from maybe 5-10' away with the sun shining on it? Try to keep the sun at 90 degrees to your camera.


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## bugman1954 (Apr 1, 2008)

For tree id there is a web site that I refer to but I can't figure out the home page but this is the link for looking at white oak and you can navigate from there. I love the smell of fresh cut wood and coffee.
http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/qual.htm


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

The tree that is cut up is definetly cherry. It smells so good you want to take a bite. I know there is everything I want to know on the web, but I'm a book person. It would also be nice to be able to keep it in the truck. I'll learn much faster if every time I see something I can look it up right away. I'll go to the Barnes and Knoble they should have a good selection. The people that work there are usualy pretty helpful on some subjects. Here is a close up of the poison ivy tree. It's got critters living in it. That's why I took this picture. On a scale of 1 to 10 how hard will it be to cut that tree up. I've helped drop trees hundreds of times, but I'm always the helper. Then there's the pison ivy. I get that stuff bad. That alone might be a reason to leave it alone.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

What's a good guess at what the 8'X 24" pieces weigh. Do they weigh to much for the old style kind of square smowmoble trailer, that's might be rated for 800 to 100 lbs? That trailer is close by. My buddy with the heave duty trailer is about 45 min. away. Dam gas makes so many thing a pain.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

bigredc said:


> What's a good guess at what the 8'X 24" pieces weigh. .


1291 lbs according to the calculator I use.


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## dirtclod (May 7, 2008)

The poison ivy tree is cherry. I'm still not convinced of the big one. You'll have to show me some cherry bark.

The real issue is: is it worth it to mill the poison ivy tree? There may be one or two sections that could be recovered. Are they big enough to offset the cost of transport and milling? Can you DIY in your shop?

$2.00/bf should include transport both ways, milling, drying, and surfacing. Would that sound more reasonable?


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

Is 1291 lbs for one or both? I'm assuming one. There is a picture of the big one that started this on the first page, post # 3. Unless there's something that smells exactly like a cherry but isn't a cherry, it's safe to say it's a cherry tree. I just cut some more in the shop. It smells sooo good. 
There's no way I could mill it right in my shop. I have an 18" band saw that will re saw 9" and a 12" planer. If it's more than I want to spend, plan B will be to see if I can find someone to split it with. I may do that anyway. Worse case, I'll cut it down to 4' then I could probably 1/4 it with a chain saw maybe? I might be able to handle that. 
This is a firewood size chunk of a cherry limb, that I cut up over the winter. I just ran it through the planer.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

I got one guy that get's $100 an hour. That guy is about 45 min. east from me closer to the city. I bet if I find someone 30-40 min. west it will get much cheaper. That's Amish country that way. How much can you do in an hour?


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## dirtclod (May 7, 2008)

That would depend on the mill. Most doing mobile milling use hydraulic band mills or swing mills. 1-2000 bf a day is typical of those types. I use a manual mill and it takes some good sized straight logs that are set up well and no nasty suprises to get 1000 bf a day. Short, crooked, dirty logs and poor setups can drop that to 500 bf or less. 

We'll charge 35.00 an hour for friends and easy jobs but may go 45.00 an hour for more difficult jobs. Typically we charge by the bf (.25) but that may change. We have Amish in the area that keep our prices below the cost of (when you include a decent pay wage for yourself) doing it or we'd be charging 45-60.00 an hour or .35/bf. We're trying to get the Amish to raise their rates.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

I found a guy that will do it for $.35 a bf. He said if he hits metal, I have to buy a new blade for $35. That sounds fair to me. I got one other name that's a little closer. I don't even know how I should get it cut up. 4/4 or 5/4, maybe get a few thicker ones? 
Chris


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## dirtclod (May 7, 2008)

$.35 sounds more reasonable. Does he also have a setup/travel charge?

Since you don't have a plan for the wood getting it cut in mixed sizes seems like a good idea. If the log will yield a few wider boards I would cut them thicker so you have a bit extra to work with if/when you have to plane out some cup, etc. And you can resaw some of the wider/thicker ones. 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 8/4 are popular sizes. Just try to get enough of one size so you have enough to complete a project.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

The $.35 guy, I have to bring the wood to him. I figure that's going to be the cheapest way. Now I just have to do some rigging to get it on the trailer. This is all new to me. It's an adventure. I've moved around 5000 lb transformers and big pieces of electric gear, so I'm comfortable rigging. I cut into the poison ivy tree. The top inch or 2 is infested bad. I'm not going to mess with it.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

dirtclod said:


> We're trying to get the Amish to raise their rates.


:laughing:


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## dirtclod (May 7, 2008)

:laughing: On reflection, that's funny. But one of them told us he was considering it. Of course we avocated a raise was long overdue. Found out later he indeed raised his rates. 

I haven't talked to another group of them (worse offenders) in a while, but if I do I'm going to be sure to tell them what their counterpart in the other county is charging.:yes:.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Not to highjack Chris's thread here, but about the local Amish :furious:. They use kids and illegals to do all the hard work. One Amish runs the headrig (and collects the money) That is the way all their businesses run. I used to be in construction, plumbing contractor. Every "Amish" subcontractor be it flat concrete, masonry, framing...all had one Amish-one dude who could speak English and drive the Amish guy around and tell the workers what the Amish just said-the labor was all done by guys who did not even speak the language. I have nothing against immigration . I am a mutt from European/some native American blood, my wife grandparents are all from Puerto Rico...but these dudes are not legals. They are getting busted all the time, and just go right back to it (the Amish employers) I can't compete with that :no:. They got guys who will work all day for a drink of water.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

I didn't realize the Amish were all over I thought they were only in Pa and Ohio. When you say illegal's do you mean from south of the boarder? It had to be maybe 20 years ago now, but we did a lot of work for a GC that had one head carpenter that ran the show and then about 10 Amish or Menanite guy's working for him. It wasn't as bad as your talking about. There goal was to make enough to eventually buy a farm of there own. I'm in the union now, so I don't run into it that much, but it's very common now for there to be a crew of sheet rockers, or tapers that only one guy speaks English barely. It has nothing to do with the Amish that just happens to be the people involved in your trade. It's going on everywhere with a lot of trades. I was doing a big job a few years ago. They would show up 8-9-10:00. In a van. About 10 or 15 would pile out and they would literally be almost running with full sheets of sheet rock. There's to much to explain everything that went on, on that job alone. They buried about 300 of my electric boxes. Nothing was done. We made calls, trying to get immigration out. No one cared. One thing that made me feel a little better. I stared looking for my buried boxes with a piece of 2" conduit. After smashing some big holes in the walls, all that did was get the GC to have one of his guys start looking for the boxes for us. I could go on and on. It makes me sick.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

bigredc said:


> When you say illegal's do you mean from south of the boarder?


:yes: Si. 
They did not do _bad _work (or the Amish would have run them right down the road) Same deal as you saw, show up in a van at sunrise and work till sundown. I was also union as a plumber, 3rd generation, and did not work around any of that then. It was when I went out on my own and was working as a plumbing/heating sub to GC's who subbed _everything_ out. They just bid the jobs and marked all the subs up, worst part was non coordination between the subs because the general was a "paper contractor" . Lowest bidder was usually the "Amish". Sorry, didn't mean to turn your thread into contractor talk, but we have both been there. Back to woodworking...same in the "Amish" woodworking shops around here. An Amish foreman and kids and illegals in the shop, Granny out front in a bonnet with a jar of apple butter...people come from miles around to buy "Amish crafted" furniture :furious:.
I am done now.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

I was on the other forum I go to for old machines. I made the mistake of saying I thought it was funny that Amish covert there electric machines from electric to pneumatic, then just run a gas powered compressor to power it all. Boy did I ever here it. By the end of it they were saying it was attitudes like that, that caused that guy to go to that Amish school and shoot all those girls a few years back. Believe me I'm not like you. I haven't been effected by them like you. I can't say I have anything against them. I just thought it was funny. Not funny bad, just plain funny. The moderator ended up having to close the thread. I guess we should stop now. Back to the wood. There's no reason to 1/4 saw cherry is there? I'm all set up to borrow a trailer Friday and drop off the wood Saturday. It's going to work out good. My buddies trailer wiring is kind of messed up, so I'll get it all fixed up for him, then I won't feel bad borrowing it from him in the future. I have 2 friends with big wooded lots. I bet If I just take a walk I'll be able to find more free wood. This hobby keeps expanding into other area's. I'll be looking for a little crane for the back of truck next. 
Chris


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

bigredc said:


> Believe me I'm not like you.
> 
> There's no reason to 1/4 saw cherry is there?


Yes you are.

No there is not.


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## dirtclod (May 7, 2008)

Here's a picture http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/perso..., quartersawn flaky veneer 1 s100 q60 plh.htm of q-sawn cherry showing large ray fleck. You may need to click on it to enlarge it some more. It's rare for it to be this pronounced. Most q-sawn cherry doesn't show ray fleck, or shows very small ray fleck.

Since q-sawn cherry rarely looks as good or better than flat sawn, most cherry is flat sawn. Q-sawn is a bit more stable say for making the frames of raised panel doors. 

The quick and dirty method that yields both flat and q-sawn is to take the jacket boards off the log to form a square cant, then "through-saw" the cant. The jacket boards will be flat-sawn. While the cant will yield a mix of flat, quarter and rift.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

I was tired last night and gave the short answer. Like dirtclod said, most 1/4 sawn will just show small ray fleck. But that is on a dead straight log and near perfect sawing. The crooked logs you have there just won't saw out right trying to 1/4 it. It would make the lumber more stable, but cherry is not really a problem flat sawn with much movement (except small logs while drying)


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

I'm sure it cost's more for 1/4 sawn also. It's nice to have the info. Since this tree has been down for 10 or more years. If it's not dry it would just be from weather, so it should dry out quick right? Is it possible that it will be dry enough to use right away? I don't have anything in mind, I'm just fishing for knowledge. Does that make sense?


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## dirtclod (May 7, 2008)

Except for flitch sawing a log, the through-sawing technique I mentioned earlier is probably one of the least costly techniques for sawing. Flat/grade sawing would take a bit more time and yield all flat sawn lumber. While through-sawing yields a little of everything. But for the highest yield of q-sawn lumber one of the true q-sawing techniques are better. But you're right about the true q-sawing techniques taking longer and yielding less than the other methods.

The log looked as though it was off the ground a bit. Still it will have moisture gradients in it due to sun exposure and gravity. You're right about it taking less time to dry. And in this hot weather it will dry fast. But drying times will also vary by thickness and starting moisture content. So all is speculation. A moisture meter will tell you when it's ready.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

Well the logs are at the mill. Yes mill. It's real live saw mill, with a tractor PTO driven blade. The place had mountains of logs. They told me about a guy down the road that will dry them for $.60 a bf. I think I'll pass on that. Maybe build one with Darens plans. I got a guy splitting it with me. I'll see what he want's to do. The guy at the mill said even though it's been dead so long, they still let it sit about 3 years. It took me about 4 hours to get the logs on the trailer. I guess I should of got some help, but I like doing things myself.


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## dirtclod (May 7, 2008)

Too bad you couldn't find a thin-kerf band mill to increase the yield. 

You must live around a lot of $,$$$,$$$. $.60/bf for kiln services is the highest i've ever seen (by at least .10) posted. Some around here when they're hungry charge .10/bf. Typical charges run .25-.45/bf.

3 years????????????? Contrary to popular belief, 4/4 lumber will reach EMC in as little as 3 months in warm weather, 6-10 months in cold weather. 14 months for 6/4 is sufficient for cherry to reach EMC in southern Penn...a little more for white oak/hickory/locust, ect.


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

I have heard 1 year per inch for drying. As soon as I saw the blade, I thought o well less wood, but there price was the cheapest. To be fair, the father wasn't there, it was one of his son's, and he said he wasn't sure, but he thought the guy down the road got $.56 a bf. For the kiln. That's such an odd #, I figured he was probably remembering right. Why wouldn't they make it 55 or 60. Hopefully he was remembering wrong. I would think the kiln's prices would be in line with the mill. It was odd. They have a family business with the mill and selling wood. I actually think the mill was secondary to the lumber. He couldn't tell me any prices. He kept saying my father this and that. You would think he would be involved enough to at least have an idea what they sell wood for. I wanted to look at some. He said they way they normally do it is you tell them what you want and the father digs it out for you. That makes me think the prices are based on how much you buy and how well they know you, or like you. I'm sure the prices will be good. All I had was Woodcraft. 
Chris


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

I got my cherry logs milled. 








I checked the moisture. It's about 15% to 20%. What's the % of a normal live tree right after it's cut up? I'm going to start building a kiln this weekend. Is it necessary to paint the ends of the boards since it's already at 15%? If I should paint then ends what should I use? I have some regular house paint. Can I use that? Just since this past weekend with the wood still in the truck, I saw evidence of something boring into the wood. So there is definitely critters still living in the wood. I cut out most of the wood tonight that looked bad with a lot of holes. I hope to kill them as per Daren's plans. 
Chris


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

You got me on the moisture content of live/fresh sawn cherry, maybe someone else knows (hey, I guess I don't know it all :shifty But under 20% you are pretty safe . You do have some end check there. I personally would have bucked that off (4"-6" off each end) before I milled it and coated the "fresh end". Painting already dry and checked ends will not do anything. If it was my wood I would still take a circular saw and cut the boards off just past the cracks before I kiln dried it. I know that seems like a waste of wood/work...but that 6" could easy turn into an 18" crack :thumbdown:. Not the best product on the market, but yes _exterior_ latex paint will work as an end sealer (2 coats).

Looks like you had a fair amount sawn 8/4, got plans for it ?


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

The ends where hacked up from me cutting it up. I wasn't thinking. I should have cleaned it up the cut and painted it then like you said. I will cut off the ends and paint them. I figured I wanted some 8/4 for legs. I was just looking at that last night, noticing how much they cut at 8/4. I told them I wanted some. I would have liked to been there. I forget who said it earlier, they where right about the big blade. It was probably almost 1/2" tooth and the boards are so rough I'll probably loose a good 1/4" to get the blade marks out. That works out to about an inch of loss per cut. How does that compare to your band saw? I can't complain. I didn't spend anything on the wood and when they asked me what I wanted at the mill I just said a little of this and little of that. 4/4, 6/4 and 8/4. I just got offered a strait 8" standing dead hickory. Is that worth getting and having milled? I read today in the book on wood I bought a couple weeks ago that fresh cut wood can be 80 to 200 % moisture. I was picking the guy at the mills brain, and he said you have to be very careful drying oak in a kiln. He said it checks easy. Any thoughts on that? He let me dig through his scrap pile. I got a few nice pieces of 6/4 oak.
Chris


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

bigredc said:


> That works out to about an inch of loss per cut. How does that compare to your band saw?
> 
> and he said you have to be very careful drying oak in a kiln. He said it checks easy. Any thoughts on that? He let me dig through his scrap pile. I got a few nice pieces of 6/4 oak.
> Chris


My bandblade eats 1/8 inch. I attached a couple pictures of "rough sawn" cherry from my mill, just like it came off the log...I don't know ? 1/16 per side and it is surface planed smooth ? Sucks that circle mill butchered you so bad :icon_sad:.

Oak can check, worse in a solar kiln than a d/h like you are building. I have some oak (unknown white oak species) air drying right now that is surface checking. Just the 8/4, the 4/4 is not so bad. The rest of my oak is ok. It is 90 degrees here, 100 in the drying shed and 25% humidity. To be honest the wood would be safer in the d/h kiln, it is a controlled environment with higher RH so the surface would not dry as fast (that is what surface check is, the center of the board is still wet, but the outside dries faster and splits)


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

Is there a type of cherry that doesn't smell like cherry, or can it loose it's smell after it's dry, even when cut. I came across some wood that looks like cherry but has no smell.
Chris


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## dirtclod (May 7, 2008)

Where did you find this wood? How do you know it's cherry?


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## bigredc (Sep 1, 2007)

I found an add on CL for a belt sander, a lathe and some other stuff. I when to check them out. I didn't get all the details, but the guy was selling his grandfathers woodworking stuff. There was some wood there also. I was thinking about going back and make him an offer for it. It's just a couple boards. I'm in Pa. I got my field guide to tree's. I'm trying to learn how to identify wood. I kind of want to figure it out on my own. I was just wondering if cherry lost it's smell. 
Chris


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