# big black cherry tree



## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Hi all. I have a massive black cherry tree that came down in the frankenstorm. The base of the tree is 36-48" (hard to measure just yet because of the vines and thorns) for the first 12 feet or so, then splits into 2 leaders which have long straight sections of 30" down to 20" diameter. 

I have the tree stabilized for now (it was leaning against another tree which was a hazard to the jogging path it's over... now it's firmly on the ground but I haven't cut it yet), and have a couple of guys who do milling coming around to look at it. 

My first question is: any ballpark on how much this monster is worth? I had always intended to get the tree down and milled someday, but had hoped to do the research on this beforehand.

The second question is what thickness to get it milled. I have connections to some artists and woodworkers that I have to chase down, but haven't had time this week (I'm an arborist, so as you can imagine it's been awfully busy!). 

Thanks.


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## Da Aardvark (Oct 11, 2012)

Tenn Tim is your go to guy on this one.


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## qbilder (Dec 19, 2010)

Going north to Ohio this spring and will be milling some big cherry logs my brother has set aside. We are going to quarter saw them. I believe he's selling them to a cabinet maker. Quarter sawn cherry is stunning.


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## Da Aardvark (Oct 11, 2012)

I suggest you look at the 2 posts below 'Burnt Cherry Stump' and 'Burnt Cherry Stump #2' , and go through them a tad.
Many will waste (to me) some of the good stuff that most consider burn pile or bulldoze under kind of wood. There are many of us out here that could care less about beautiful knot free pure boards.
We deal with the Gnarly stuff and things with 'bark on' or 'natural edge' wood. 
Tennessee Tim is a cutter that does both but sees (Through a God given eye) things I can only be in awe about.
Yes many cabinet builders are after the straight grained beauties, but some of us like the odd and unique pieces.
Examples:
Go to the bottom of this page
http://gnarlywooddesigns.weebly.com/-rough-design.html


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Get me some pics mostly the crotches it has (several angles) and is the stump available???? I've started cutting most of mine at 8/4 but would go 10/4 if I was a bigger kid LOL and didn't handle most myself. I've learned I can recut it thinner if it dries twisted but I can't make it thicker to clean up the flaws.
Mmmmmmmm what a cherry, this tree (if as described) can be great for both cabinet/furniture grade lumber and rustic thick pieces.

VALUE.......depends on the cut BUT mostly what 2 can agree upon.
A cherry that size could have some veneer value in the first cut PROVIDED no wire in it....was this a yard or Boundary tree???

My Blessings and Prayers go out to the storm victims,
Tim


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Tennessee Tim said:


> Get me some pics mostly the crotches it has (several angles) and is the stump available???? I've started cutting most of mine at 8/4 but would go 10/4 if I was a bigger kid LOL and didn't handle most myself. I've learned I can recut it thinner if it dries twisted but I can't make it thicker to clean up the flaws.
> Mmmmmmmm what a cherry, this tree (if as described) can be great for both cabinet/furniture grade lumber and rustic thick pieces.
> 
> VALUE.......depends on the cut BUT mostly what 2 can agree upon.
> ...


Thanks Tim!

I hadn't thought about being able to cut it thinner, I'll talk to the man with the mill about that. He's very impressed with the tree (will be his largest cherry ever).

Wire or bolts is a slim possibility... it's growing at the base of an old raised railroad bed (a defunct spur of the old Reading RR). The good news about that is that the tree didn't crack or split when it fell, because it only fell to about 45 degrees, and is resting on the hill now (the very top branches got caught up in some ashes on the other side, but I cleared that).

I had thought about veneer, but don't know who to call about that, and tbh I hate veneers. 

The stump is still attached (the tree didn't break, it uprooted). Should I paint that too? My neighbor happens to have an excavator parked about 50 yards from it, so getting it out of the ground wouldn't be a problem . I'm not clear on what stumps would be used for (I'm not a woodworker, unless you count making shelves and chicken nest boxes out of pallettes). 

I've gotten a lot of interest about the wood after posting about it on facebook, but there should be plenty to go around if anyone is near PA (I'm near Boyertown, PA, which is sort of right in the middle between Philly, Reading, and Allentown).

My plan for the moment is to just cut it into sections (the man with the mill suggested 13 feet), and put it up on some other trunks to keep it off the ground (I had a bunch of ash come down too). He can pick it up whenever I'm ready, but I want to make sure I know which cuts to make first!

I'll try to post pix later, phone is on the charger now.


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Da Aardvark said:


> I suggest you look at the 2 posts below 'Burnt Cherry Stump' and 'Burnt Cherry Stump #2' , and go through them a tad.
> Many will waste (to me) some of the good stuff that most consider burn pile or bulldoze under kind of wood. There are many of us out here that could care less about beautiful knot free pure boards.
> We deal with the Gnarly stuff and things with 'bark on' or 'natural edge' wood.
> Tennessee Tim is a cutter that does both but sees (Through a God given eye) things I can only be in awe about.
> ...


Thanks! That's certainly some food for thought. Of course, who knows what we'll find when we cut into it.


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## Da Aardvark (Oct 11, 2012)

Welcome.
And if you wonder what root can be used for look at "Tenn Tim's postings" and the finished piece on "the site page" I gave you them in my previous post (#4).
Tenn Tim salvaged a "burn pile Cherry rootball" and cut some beautious stuff from it. I was in the position to purchase a small piece, (I want more) and get it UPS'ed up and I'm thrilled with what i got. I'm absolutely shocked at the coloring, and gangly graining he cut.
As you will see from my site (if you take time to peruse it) I don't deal with ANY normal graining. There are a number of us out here that mess with stuff like that.


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Heh, well, I'll see what I can do with it... the root flare is seriously huge so I'm not sure how it could get milled.

Speaking of which, I'll ask Chris (the guy with the mill) to keep the bark on where he can, but I think he can only take 36" logs, so he will probably have to remove the bark and outer part from the main trunk and crotch. 

One other question: he said to just paint it with whatever I have sitting around. I have a big can of deck sealant... would that do?


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Here's the pix: 

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/members/sweetbj-25499/albums/big-black-cherry/


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## Da Aardvark (Oct 11, 2012)

It'll do 
It is not optimum according to some folks standards, but I use clear latex.
Talk to Tim about how to saw that root.


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Yeah, sawmill guy #2 (who doesn't have a kiln but *is* a woodworker, so leaning toward him) said to stick with latex. I have plenty of old paint to get rid of anyway.


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## Da Aardvark (Oct 11, 2012)

You can kiln your own with little expense and effort or can take select portions to a kiln as you see fit.
There are postings on how to set up a kiln. One woodcutter around me dries his in a attic, which gets hot. I use a blue tarp and space heaters to dry small portions as I need them.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

OOOPS!! I didn't seperate my trades apart....VENEER log to a logger (as I used it) is usually the first prime cut on a tree that large, I didn't mean to saw into thin pcs as the woodworkers know it as. If it's what's called a veneer log (hard to tell from pic) it's worth checking with local mills or veneer buyers but will need to be done soon or value can drop fast due to degrading.

Rootball/stump normally has good turning stock in it.

Keep us posted. Great tree.

Have a Blessed and Prosperous evening in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Well, managed to get the tall part down today, totally clean, using a boring cut with a 30" saw (definitely a first for me). Arms still recovering from that one.

One more question about the painting (I'm just using plain old leftover latex): should I paint the end of the "standing" trunk that's left? It's still connected to the root, and still conducting sap.

I'm getting the upper parts milled by a local guy with a 36" towable, but have to send the main trunk to a big mill. Cut the thorns and giant poison ivy away and found that the main trunk is about 4' diameter for about 7-8 feet between the flare and where it splits into 2 leaders. The root flare itself is easily 5', probably more (hard to see it still).

And hey, anyone ever mill poison ivy? The base of the vine is a good 7-8"...


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Holy cow man that sounds like some tree! I'm not far, just over the Delaware, and I'd be interested in some boards if available.


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Shop Dad said:


> Holy cow man that sounds like some tree! I'm not far, just over the Deleware, and I'd be interested in some boards if available.


There should be plenty to go around (there's also a second black cherry and a decent sized sassafras getting milled too). I'll post the end results here when it's all wrapped up.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

BJ,
Anything that has an open end and is possibly going to get milled I'd seal. I've read here alot use the latex....I haven't and probably won't (didn't say wouldn't....had to eat words before...LOL).....there's so many different latex type paints and hardness that I'll pay the differ for the anchorseal.....I'm NOT disagreeing with them on whether it works or not....and if your sawyer says it's ok then it's great. The flat latexes usually dry with a harder/chalkier finish and I would be concerned it might damage/dull my sharp blade teeth quicker.

That is a great size tree and the pics don't do size any justice. If you get a chance take us a pic of someone standing beside the ends....that'd be awesome. We here in Tennessee don't see cherry trees that size much. Starting a post on a Sasafras supposedly that large(r)

Have a blessed and Prosperous evening in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Tennessee Tim said:


> That is a great size tree and the pics don't do size any justice. If you get a chance take us a pic of someone standing beside the ends....that'd be awesome.


This has been a bit of a project for me and the tractor, so I didn't have a human to put there. I did finally clear the damn vines and thorns away today though, so my saw was willing to model for me: 


















That's a Stihl 066 with a 36" blade on it... if you look close you'll see that the trunk is buried into that hill.

Huh, forum software is failing me... pic here: http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/memb...n-available-scale-but-thats-stihl-066-36-bar/


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

WOW BJ,

That's going to be nice cherry lumber. I just picked up a 38"x 12' Chinkapin Oak. Logs that big are different to handle, just can't load them with or haul on just anything.....might mash a toe...LOL. 

Keep us informed as and how the sawing goes. With that amount of cherry you'll get a great variaty of lumber.

Have a blessed and Prosperous evening in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

That log looks to be covered in poison ivy vines. Better go to the drug store and get a bottle of Tec-Nu soap to remove it from your skin. There's enough ivy on that tree to put you in the hospital. Gary


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

HomeBody said:


> That log looks to be covered in poison ivy vines. Better go to the drug store and get a bottle of Tec-Nu soap to remove it from your skin. There's enough ivy on that tree to put you in the hospital. Gary


Heh, no worries... slathered myself with the stuff before and after (I work with P.I. all the time, it's pretty much the Pennsylvania State Vine). There's actually an even bigger vine on the other side, which I'm going to ring count just for fun. 

Maybe I should mill it and make anti-dowry boxes for divorce presents? :laughing:


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Tennessee Tim said:


> WOW BJ,
> 
> That's going to be nice cherry lumber. I just picked up a 38"x 12' Chinkapin Oak. Logs that big are different to handle, just can't load them with or haul on just anything.....might mash a toe...LOL.
> 
> ...


Well, the good news on that is that the next door neighbor has a hauling and excavating business, so I'll have a hand picking it up and hauling it. Anyone know how much black cherry weighs per cu ft?


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## J Thomas (Aug 14, 2012)

According to:
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/weigt-wood-d_821.html
It weighs 45# per cubic ft green..
..Jon..


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## dat (Nov 11, 2010)

ya got a big ol chunk of wood to work with there, not many times a stihl 66 looks small


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

J Thomas said:


> According to:
> http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/weigt-wood-d_821.html
> It weighs 45# per cubic ft green..
> ..Jon..


Ah, thanks, Jon... bookmarking that. 

That's a bit too heavy to throw on my truck, but I think I can just about roll it onto a trailer. 

Finally got a mill picked out, so now it's just a matter of what thickness to do the slabs. Anyone have suggestions? I'm paying hourly (so thicker is cheaper), but I would like to sell most of them, so curious what the woodworkers prefer. 

I'd like to have 3 slabs that would make nice tables for my mother, mother-in-law, and father-in-law (the in-laws would know what to do with them, I'll have to hire a woodworker for mom).


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## qbilder (Dec 19, 2010)

I'd think 3" will be good. It gives room for a little cupping, twisting, or warping so you can resurface to 2" or so. Thicker would be ok, too, but will take a long time to dry. Even 3" thick will be slow drying. 

Here's some cherry I milled last year about this time. Not nearly as large as yours but good table/bar slabs anyway. I milled them 2.5" thick, which are now dry at a bit over 2".


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Well, finally got the top of the tree milled up today, a mix of 5/4, 8/4, 10/4, and 3/4. Completely clean so far, including to right above the main crotch. 

It was 6 straight hours of milling, setting up, and milling some more. The biggest log was 12' by about 30"... 1200lb ballast on the tractor wasn't quite enough, so my helper had to sit on the ballast to keep the tractor from endo-ing into the guy's trailer. 

Feeling pretty good about the base log, though it's going to be interesting getting it cut from the stump and onto the trailer. If anyone wants the stump, it's not going anywhere .


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## hautions11 (Nov 19, 2012)

I just started cutting this up last week. It fell in my front yard after a storm. 32" diameter down to 28" and 36' long. A friend with skid steer helped drag them on the trailer, one at a time as they were real heavy.


http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...389549834450792_1685770932_n.jpg&size=453,604


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## Da Aardvark (Oct 11, 2012)

Q
Ya got the bookmatch to that board? 2 side by side would make an excellent kitchen/conference table. I like to build them 36" - 44" wide.

I also agree on cut thickness. It is inevitable that finish dried slabs are going to need planed down to get any cupping or warpage out. That (in my limited experience) generally will chew off a 1/2" + on the final product. The thinner the slab, the more they move on you.


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## qbilder (Dec 19, 2010)

Da Aardvark said:


> Q
> Ya got the bookmatch to that board? 2 side by side would make an excellent kitchen/conference table. I like to build them 36" - 44" wide.
> 
> I also agree on cut thickness. It is inevitable that finish dried slabs are going to need planed down to get any cupping or warpage out. That (in my limited experience) generally will chew off a 1/2" + on the final product. The thinner the slab, the more they move on you.


Yes I do have it's bookmatch. Either going to be a table or side walls to a gun cabinet.


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