# How Much should I Pay For This Log?



## James04

*200 Year Old Maple (heavy pics)*

I have posted this in another woodworking forum. I received a few comments that suggest this log is worth paying for. However I am currently unemployed and it will be tough to come up with the amount that some are suggesting.

So I am posting here as another member on the other woodworking forum suggested. Since there is a milling section here.

This is a maple that is 200 years old. Most of it has been chunked into firewood length. However there is an app 32" x 9' section left. The photos are of that section.

The entire tree has been offered to a neighbor for firewood. I was thinking of offering him some money for the 9' section that is left. Some are suggesting a cord or two of wood to the new owner. But a cord around here is about $175 and I still will need to rent a trailer.

Would you offer that much for this log? I know the photos are not great but I only had my cell phone with me. Three of the photos are of the 9' section.


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## Daren

Oh my  There is about a cord (400 bft) if that thing was to be bucked for firewood...but, and this is going to sound rude, only a FOOL would cut _that_ for firewood. That is a burled and spalted beauty IMO. Sucks you are unemployed, I know cash must be tight. As far as an exact $ figure I am not going to put one on it, but yes it is worth trying to get--however you can. This is risky business buying logs, things can go wrong. Let me just put it this way if that is as sound as it looks and it hit my sawmill yard I would expect to make several hundred dollars after it was milled out. Maybe tell the guy who owns it you want to work with him in some way ? Like you take the log and have it milled and sell some of the lumber and pay him a fair amount after you can sell some ?


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## Old Skhool

It's really hard to tell what you're looking at fom the pictures. What is the diameter of the trunk? You are wanting a 9' length *and* several shorter pieces? Do you know someone that has a mill? I'd show him you pictures and find out what he would charge you to mill it, and how many bd ft of usable wood he would estimate you could get out of it. What would you be willing to pay per board foot? The lumber could be valuable or junk, and you really don't know until it's sawn. It looks like your going to have knots and unusual grain. It could be a curse for a cabinet maker, unless they could resaw some of it for veneers, or for a special piece. For some one that does very low production work and is always seeking unusual woods, this could be a find. You'll really have to gamble a little on this one. Could be worth a lot to the right person depending upon what you get when you open the package. I'd think of my costs first, before deciding to gamble.


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## James04

Hi,

I live in CT and I have a band mill(Norwood). I just never have milled anything unusual like this. I think I will try offering $75 or some of the lumber that is produced. I do not think I am in a position to gamble. If I had a trailer and did not need to rent one I could offer to pay for a cord of wood delivered. About $175.

Old School,

I am only interested in the 9'x32" diameter log.

James


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## Daren

James04 said:


> I just never have milled anything unusual like this.


We can help you with that too , snag it ! If he will take $75 do it...in the morning.


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## Old Skhool

*Daren, you type faster than I do!*



Daren said:


> Oh my  There is about a cord (400 bft) if that thing was to be bucked for firewood...but, and this is going to sound rude, only a FOOL would cut _that_ for firewood. That is a burled and spalted beauty IMO. Sucks you are unemployed, I know cash must be tight. As far as an exact $ figure I am not going to put one on it, but yes it is worth trying to get--however you can. This is risky business buying logs, things can go wrong. Let me just put it this way if that is as sound as it looks and it hit my sawmill yard I would expect to make several hundred dollars after it was milled out. Maybe tell the guy who owns it you want to work with him in some way ? Like you take the log and have it milled and sell some of the lumber and pay him a fair amount after you can sell some ?


 Just got back from picking up my daughter. I wanted to agree with you that this wood should not go up in smoke! I 2nd the idea about working with the owner, and it could be beneficial to both parties. You're right it does look very sound, and I'd want to get it sawn soon to avoid unnecessary cracking and splitting.:thumbsup: 

I'll be waiting for the after pictures!


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## Julian the woodnut

I sure hope you get that log! It looks like it will yield some beautiful lumber. I feel you though as I am nearly unemployed at the moment and see so many deals that I can't go for.......


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## James04

Well I was able to get in touch with the new owners of the tree. It turns out the wife is a horticulturist. They never wanted to cut the tree into fire wood but didn't have access to a mill. I offered a couple of options to them. Share the lumber, I cut other lumber for them in the future, oak that I already have milled and dried, or my labor for any other things they may need. They are going to discuss it and get back to me. Ill be keeping my fingers crossed. It sounds promising though.

James


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## TexasTimbers

Sounds like to me they are smelling money. Have you showed any cards? I'm not inferring you should be underhanded - I don't do business that way, but ethical negotiation for this log does not require you to educate them. I hope you get it.


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## carlis stephens

Even the best maple logs in this market is only going for .30 bd ft. That log there most mills wouldnt even want for lumber. Specialty market only, but it will produce some high Quality stuff.


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## TexasTimbers

That's the great thing about "defects" in a log. If you know where and how to market it, many if not most "defects" increase the value.


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## DRB

Well that scales about 400 board feet with luck you could get 200 board feet of stuff worth $5 a board foot. I would offer $200 in cash or $300 in trade on lumber or saw it for 50%.


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## James04

I will be meeting with the owner on Saturday. We hit it off pretty well. Seems the son who I believe is in charge of the fire wood. Is new to woodworking and would love access to a mill and the parents would like to build a green house and would also appreciate access to a mill. They have a farm in the family with good lumber on it. So we are yet to work out a deal but I feel confident that we will.

James


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## dirtclod

I see a cut across the log in your pictures. How long is the longest uncut log?

Out of that $175 cord of firewood the seller has considerable labor, plus fuel, transportation, saw and splitter maintenance, storage space for drying, etc. They can only afford to pay a small amount, if any, for the wood. Futhermore, that maple is spalted some. This would probably be rejected at most commercial firewood operations as it would spalt more while air drying (maple is bad about that and since it has allready started...) and end up so low grade that it would have to practically be given away.

In a good economy, unusual pieces like potentially will come from this log (hope it is as good as it looks), will move in a reasonable amount of time. If you are not allready known as a supplier of this kind kind of product and dont have a pool of buyers, etc., you could find yourself spending a lot of time ($) marketing it. I wouldn't let the tail wag the dog. A generous offer in this economy is $30.00 - that is unless you allready have it sold for a high profit, then you can afford to be generous. If the buyer balks then let them assume some of the risk and offer to cut it on shares, with them getting no more than 30% of the net profit. Besides, it will be you that incurs the transportation, sawing, drying and marketing cost up front. Charging typical rates for each step would put the cost +/-$.90/bf. depending on your area.


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## James04

Thank you all for your guidance so far. I will keep all of these things in mind when negotiating.

I am starting to wonder how the heck I am going to mill this sucker.The Norwood has I think a 30" log capacity with a 24" cut. I don't have a big chain saw. I only have a Sthil 270c with an 18" bar. My neighbor has a big Makita that I can more than likely borrow. If I buy some chain as compensation. I am sure this will require some fresh ripping chain.

James


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## Daren

If you can get it on the deck you can mill it. You may have to make a few 'barrel cuts", sacrificial cuts rolling the log until you get it whittled down closer to size. Chainsaw is the last resort. It looks like the burls on the surface are pretty much gone anyway so if you are just taking the outside off with the mill and not producing much "lumber" you are not hurt on this log IMO.
Most burl logs the burls are just on the surface, but I see indication (circled in yellow) that these go all the way to the heart. I see swirled burl grain and the spalt is in a weird pattern. I have milled many burl logs and like I said once you get the burls knocked off the rest can be pretty plain, I have my fingers crossed for you this one is not. 
One defect I see you have to watch I circled in red. There is, at least in this piece some ring shake. You want that "crack" parallel with blade when you start final milling, that way the shake is contained to just a couple boards.
And you want to level the log on final milling so the pith (very center of the log) is also parallel with the blade, that will show off the spalt better.
If you can pull a stack of 24" wide boards off that dude :thumbsup:


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## TexasTimbers

I agree the chainsaw is a last resort, but add on top of that you're borrowing it to _mill _with, try to mill it with band mill first. I think Makita makes a Dolmar 6900 equivalent and milling is asking a lot of a chainsaw, never mind one too small like that. Dolmar made and private labeled for Makita for quite a while so it is a good brand, but I don;t think Makita has a saw bigger than the 70cc range but I don't know for sure. You really need to know what size saw it is. 

Just be prepared to make any repairs to his saw, and if something goes wrong milling with a chainsaw it is often major, like pitting the top of the piston or even burning a hole through it, to scoring the cylinder to even "burning it up" i.e. locking it up. Depending on what kind of shape it's in will play a factor. 

Not trying to paint a doomsday picture but just know going in that milling is very tough on a saw, and though the possibility of trashing it from just the one milling may be slim, it's not slim at all compared to just cutting firewood with it.


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## James04

*Update*

Ok I sort of left you guys hangin. I agreed to 8 hours mill time in exchange for the log I have mentioned plus the 4' butt that you can partly see in my original post. That and a full day of the gentleman's time and his trailer. I will need to give him $50 for the trailer use or a board or two from the logs. I think I got a good deal. Nice guy I hope we will do some more things together. He is only 18 but has a good head on his shoulders.

Well it took us just about a full day with an hour for lunch. I have a 9k winch that I have never been able to stall yet and did so three times trying to get this beast on the trailer. Sorry no pics of that. But I did snap a pic of the butt section going on the trailer. This was after dropping off the 8' section at my place.

I spent part of yesterday and part of today squaring up the 4' butt. I must say again these things are heavy. My loader can lift 2k and was unable to lift this without the back wheels going off the ground even after I got down to 32"x32"x4'. The first cut on the mill was 6.5"x24" slab in order to get the cant down to 24" which is the max cut on the mill. I had to cut two notches one on each side in order to make this first cut. I will take some photos before going any further. This first slab shows some promise but nothing spectacular. Mostly a flame type of pattern with a couple of inclusions. Perhaps they are the roots of some of the burls or what ever those bumps all over this log are.

What is the most desirable thickness to make these slabs. I was thinking somewhere just over two inches. Perhaps 2-3/16"?


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## Daren

A picture of what you saw when you opened it would help us sawyers. I see no benefit in sawing it thick if it is highly figured. My figured/burled/spalted stock get sawn out 80% 4/4 (maple I would saw 1 1/8") and 20% 8/4 (2 1/4" wet dimension) and heck most of that gets sold and resawn for veneer anyway to instrument makers and the like. _IF_ this thing looks like I think it does inside you are not going to be building fireplace mantles with it :no: And since it is spalted that will turn off people like gunstock makers who need thicker stock. This is going to sell to furniture makers. Don't throw anything away you would be surprised what a pen turner may give for a little box of funky blanks (and game call makers, custom fishing rod makers...)


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## TexasTimbers

You've worked hard for it and I hope you get great lumber from it. I reckon you will. 



James04 said:


> What is the most desirable thickness to make these slabs. I was thinking somewhere just over two inches. Perhaps 2-3/16"?


I dunno. I'm thinking you ought to allow for some machining and such, so maybe you should mill it 2 7/32 just to give yourself some room for error. :wacko:

It depends on what you want to do with it. If you're just cutting it up for general purposes I always like to take something like that apart with 4/4, 6/4, 8/4 and maybe some 16/4 if you have some outside stuff with a little wane and no desirable "defects". However you do it, have a plan.

Edit: daren we have got quit meeting like this. :laughing:


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## Daren

And I forgot to say :clap: for getting the log...I think you have more there than you may know, since self admittedy,you don't have much experience with "funky".


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## DRB

I think you did great there is going to be some super nice stuff in there! That 4 foot butt section looks awesome. I would pay money to help you saw it just so I could see what comes out of it. But I live a little far away to come help.


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## James04

I forgot to mention that the spalting did not make it up to this portion of the trunk. One side of the cant may have a little though. The spalting you see in my original post is on one of three cookies that came from the very base of the tree. So this 4' piece was somewhere around 4' from the very base of the tree. I have two of those cookies. I am going to try and get the third. Boy I have a major photo shoot today if I want to show you guys and gals (if there are any present) everything in order to get the "big picture".

Edit: The 8' log may have some spalting as there were some pockets from limbs that had fallen off. In fact one of those pockets is full of water now. Should I drill a hole and drain it?

James


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## Daren

James04 said:


> Boy I have a major photo shoot today if I want to show you guys and gals (if there are any present) everything in order to get the "big picture".
> 
> Edit: The 8' log may have some spalting as there were some pockets from limbs that had fallen off. In fact one of those pockets is full of water now. Should I drill a hole and drain it?


I for one am looking forward to it. You will be glad (after all the hard work) you documented it.

Nah, just mill it out, it'll drain.


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## James04

Ok lots of photos. I hope it is not a problem. Here is the first 6.6"x24" slab with the two notches from its flanks. Then facing up on the mill is its book match. That is how it is on the mill now.


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## James04

On the mill now. If you look close you can see that I have numbered all sides of the cant. I need to take another six inch slab off. I can do side 1 or side 3. I like both sides. But they both have inclusions (bark) and side three is full of ant tunnels (the dark area). Surprisingly it it pretty sound in that area. Opinions?


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## James04

Cookies and cut offs to get it down to size. I do not know what to do with the cookies just yet. I will concentrate on getting the logs milled and stickered first. The cut offs are just crazy. They are hacked pretty bad. It is very difficult to mill these off when they are so narley (no reference for strait) with an 18" bar on an underpowered saw with an inexperienced operator at the helm. While I have lots of time on a chain saw. Milling with one is a whole different animal. I will have to put them on the mill shim them level and slice off all of the hack marks. Or are the burls (I think that is what they are) worth more sectioned out now without removing a slab?


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## James04

The 8' section. This goes on the mill next. You are welcome to study it and make some suggestions. It is about 36" square at the flared end. Again all shots have numbers but they are very hard to see on some of them that are were the limb stubs are. It has to be taken down to 32" square in order to get it on the mill and that would have to be perfect for the carriage to pass it. The third shot is the flared end with side one to the right and side two facing up and on clock wise so side for is facing the ground and is the flattest side.


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## James04

last two


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## Daren

James04 said:


> I need to take another six inch slab off. I can do side 1 or side 3. I like both sides. But they both have inclusions (bark) and side three is full of ant tunnels (the dark area). Opinions?


I would take the slab off side 3. Save it and resaw it all 6/4, bookmatched it should look killer. The inclusions are not a problem, someone (the right kinda guy) will eat that stuff up.


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## Daren

James04 said:


> Or are the burls (I think that is what they are) worth more sectioned out now without removing a slab?


If you have room in out of the weather I would stick chunks like in the second picture back for now. It could either be dissected with a chainsaw to just cut off the burls whole and those be sold (for like $5 a pound) to bowl turners. Or they could be flipped cut side down and slices sawn at a later date.


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## Daren

The very first picture with the edges sliced off and laying beside the cant. I would reckon a turner would love to get his hands on chunks of those. I would let them dry just like that, stick those off cuts back.

Man overall that is a heck of a pile of funkyness :icon_smile: I would like to see a close up shot of a fresh cut made on the sawmill like where I circled in black. I can obviously see figure when I circled yellow, but from a distance I know I am missing things.


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## Daren

After looking at the inside now I would probably cut more 6/4 in the mix. I originally said all 4/4 and 8/4, but did not think the inclusions went so deep. Sawn 6/4 will help keep those pieces with heavy inclusion together. So if I was doing it, still heavy on the 4/4 with a little 8/4 on anything solid. Probably 6/4 on most of the included stuff instead of 4/4. If you already had an established market for turning stock I would knock off a 4" and 6" thick slab of the figured wood and then section it out later into bowl/platter blanks (like 8"-10"-12"...squares in those thicknesses)


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## James04

Well I had a good day. After taking off the second 6 inch slab and flipping the cant to finish squaring it up. The very first cut yielded something really special. Lots of inclusions, beautiful colors and a great pattern. I figured with all of the inclusions I will go 9/4 just to be sure it holds together. Cut that off and low and behold its even nicer on the other side. Well I need to make a book match pair now. Take off another one and I am still impressed. What the heck Ill try for another book matched set. I was on a roll and didn't want to chance anything by switching horses mid race. One more matched set for a total of 3 set. They were jsut screaming thick table top to me. I couldn't be happier. Flip the cant and finish up with some spalted 4/4 heavy x9.5" boards. I still have the two 6 inch slabs to do tomorrow.

How much do you think I can get for one of these sets. I know it is all about finding the rite buyer but what would be a good ball park number? I was amazed at the price of a book matched set of 6/4x12x48 maple at Woodcraft in Road Island for $400.







-


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## James04

Daren said:


> After looking at the inside now I would probably cut more 6/4 in the mix. I originally said all 4/4 and 8/4, but did not think the inclusions went so deep. Sawn 6/4 will help keep those pieces with heavy inclusion together. So if I was doing it, still heavy on the 4/4 with a little 8/4 on anything solid. Probably 6/4 on most of the included stuff instead of 4/4. If you already had an established market for turning stock I would knock off a 4" and 6" thick slab of the figured wood and then section it out later into bowl/platter blanks (like 8"-10"-12"...squares in those thicknesses)


Daren,

I didn't see this post till I got in the house. I am a fan of thicker stock to begin with. But I felt with all the inclusions and wild grain I would be safer going thick. Then I really liked what I saw so kept on going with it. Sort of like when you bring someone to a casino for there first time and start getting lucky playing the slot machines. Before they get to wipe the drool from their chin their out of money.

I am please with what I got. I hope I can find a buyer who has the talent to turn this in to a real work of art. I'll probably keep the lesser of the three sets for myself. Although I am not to big on the artsy stuff. I just don't have an eye for that sort of thing.

James


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## Daren

James04 said:


> Daren,
> I didn't see this post till I got in the house. I am a fan of thicker stock to begin with. But I felt with all the inclusions and wild grain I would be safer going thick.


:thumbsup:, yep that is the sawyer on the spots call...and you made the right one from looking at those slabs  AWESOME dude !!!

You are doing that big ugly pig justice, like I said in a previous post you have a whole big pile of funky there. Fun ain't it ?


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## Gene Howe

I knew that log was going to yield some fabulous figure. I love the inclusions. I can see lots of Turquoise and silver inlaid box tops/table tops there. 
I have no idea of it's selling price. Out here, it wouldn't be cheap! No matter, it's gorgeous!
Thanks to you for showing us. 
And thanks to Daren for his comments. I learn more about wood in reading Daren's posts than I have learned in 30 years of working with wood.

Gene


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## Daren

Gene Howe said:


> to Daren for his comments.





James04 said:


> I just never have milled anything unusual like this.


James comment early on in this discussion is the only reason I have been blabbing on, I kinda though he was asking for advice on "how to"...After seeing his fine work on the mill I can be silent now :shutup:, with the exception of the occasional "ooh" and "aah" at the hidden treasure revealed :smile: I have a feeling there is more to come.


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## James04

Daren,

Don't you dare keep silent! I am here to learn and that I have. You and TT have been giving little gems here and there that certainly have guided me. Even if it does not seem that way. My intent was to make a post thanking you this morning but it seems I was beaten to that. But that is ok. You deserve more than two thank yous.

If you recall I was already familiar with your web site. Also your degree of confidence against the nay sayers in regard to using a home dehumidifier for kiln drying(you probably know what I am talking about). Help me in deciding to go forward in building a kiln. I have dried over 2000 bf of red oak and am still on my first dehumidifier and I never even treated to coil. So thanks for that.

I hope you will continue to share your thoughts as I go forward with the next monster. Also I appreciate the fact that it is quite difficult to be an arm chair quarter back in this case. Because although a picture is worth a thousand words. They can never compare to being there. For instance one of the faces of the cant had a nice pattern that I was going to take my first boards off of but on closer inspection found that that would include a vain of punky wood in my widest boards! So as you alluded to before the sawyer has to make the final call as you progress through the log and that is what makes this so exiting! I sometimes think I enjoy milling more than woodworking even though it can really kick your butt after a long day.

James


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## Streamwinner

I know absolutely nothing about milling, but this is _so_ interesting and I'm learning a lot. I've been following this thread; it's like my little soap opera. Can't wait to see what happens next.:nerd:


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## James04

These are the boards that came out of the two six inch slabs. Two more matched sets and two other boards. One is still on the mill and not in the photos. I couldn't help myself and had to send two boards though the planer just to get an idea of what they will look like. All I can say is that I am in love!

James


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## Daren

James04 said:


> . All I can say is that I am in love!


:laughing: I am sure you're not the only one, it's just lovely.


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## James04

Thank you Daren. Here are two more shots of the same boards.

James


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## Julian the woodnut

James, all I can say is that I am glad you took my advice and came over to this site! I am digging the pics...

Looking at all that wild color and grain has my mind going crazy about what I would do with it if it were mine to work with. Do that wood justice, and please keep us posted on what you do with it!


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## James04

Julian the woodnut said:


> Looking at all that wild color and grain has my mind going crazy about what I would do with it if it were mine to work with.


Julian,

I suppose this subject could be a thread of its own. But, I am open to any suggestions. As I have limited "artistic vision". So far, all I can see are table tops coming from the sets. But I wouldn't know what the legs should look like (color,species,style). Then the individual boards. I just draw a blank because individually they are asymmetrical and that just throws me. One of the boards that is at the bottom of yesterdays haul is an individual plus one other that has a punky vain in it. But is still very nice.Also If, there is desire, the sets can be broken up.

James


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## TexasTimbers

James I'm proud of you. You did your research, formulated a plan, stuck to it like a bulldog, and executed the plan flawlessly. You deserve that log and man did it ever deliver the goods. That stuff is Bee-Yootiful. Can't wait to see some pictures of projects from it. :thumbsup:


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## Daren

I know you were asking Julian, not trying to butt in here. Don't let asymmetrical mess with your head...Look into the woodworking of George Nakashima for example and his daughter Mira. Many people (including myself) copy their style of work, picture below. I personally am stumped when presented with a stack of perfectly edged boards on what to do with them that would be pleasing to _my_ eye. I now make almost exclusively live edge furniture from slabs. Not everyones taste for sure...but that makes pieces like you are showing more valuble to the people who do seek them. I mean you can't go down to Menards and buy some wild and crazy slab to work with. And most mills don't stock them, they may have a huge selection of species but not funky stuff.


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## Gene Howe

It's been said earlier, but I can't help but thank every poster to this thread. It has been an absolute delight and a very educational experience to see and read about the process of turning this monster into some of the most beautiful wood I've seen.

Thanks again, James, Daren, TT and everyone else.

Gene


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## James04

*Sawn In Half*

This section has proved to be unwieldy as a whole. So I decided to saw it in half with my little Stihl270c which has an 18" bar on it. Not too bad. I thought that I would never be able to keep the two kerfs aligned but I did pretty good.

I think this will yield more sapwood and burl and just make life much easier. I think I would have hurt my back trying to maneuver this thing on the mill. I am not out off the woods yet as far as that goes. But I think the odds are more in my favor now.

James


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## ACP

I have been eagerly following this post, without interjecting because my knowledge of milling is nill, but I know beautiful when I see it and you are a lucky man. I see some custom bartops in that log. I also like Daren's idea of Nakashima work. A connoid bench maybe. I have been looking at classical designs and have been thinking about trying them with a live edge. I think that wood would look cool in, say, a Morris chair with the live edge retained on the armrests. Whatever you do, please let us know. Great stuff.


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## JP Sinclair

*Great thread!*

James - Awesome thread, loved every pic on there. What a killer bookmatch! You'll get addicted quickly to logs like that after that experience. I hunt out logs like that all the time and would have jumped on that big daddy in a heartbeat. Here's some pics from my mill this weekend, this is a 6/4, 10 foot long bookmatch in an old growth sugar maple with taphole streaks and blister figure. The scale is a 3 foot log scale to get an idea of the width. Love bookmatches!:thumbsup:


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## James04

Daren,

Thank you for the encouragement regarding asymmetry. 

ACP,

Thank you for the comments.

John,

I am a relatively new New Englander( Three years in CT formerly from LI NY). But the idea of tap hole stains is very appealing to me. Lots of my neighbors "sugar".

One negative aspect of this whole thing is the width of cut on my mill is only 24". Which has nearly eliminated all live edges. However with my latest approach I hope to get at least one live edge on each slab yielding at least a book match with live edge. We will see. After taking care of some obligations I am heading out rite now.

PS: John,

Shot #3 shows some fabulous curl!

James


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## TexasTimbers

James, you can still get right at a 48" wide book matched natural edge table top you know. That's not exactly tiny.

Nice find yourself JP.


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## Daren

James04 said:


> One negative aspect of this whole thing is the width of cut on my mill is only 24". Which has nearly eliminated all live edges.


I was not suggesting only live edge stock is going to bring big $, but if possible I would cut them as wide as the mill will allow. I was just saying don't let the live edge stuff throw you on the mill down, there _is_ a market for it. 
I personally would bookmatch all the wide stuff I could, even edged lumber. Here is a set off my mill (cruddy picture) 24" wide x 6' long sawn 4/4...I sold it for $400 rough sawn ($16.50 + a bft since you brought up pricing before)









And really that was a good deal for the buyer IMO, this is the stock sanded.









I guess I am saying, and you seem to be trying-having to work around defects like the punky spot you mentioned, cut them as wide as you can.


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## James04

TT,

The problem is that the log is so wide that I need to saw off the edges in order to cut it. Unless I do like I did today. which will yield a few boards with one live edge until I get down to the wider part. Then I will need to flip the log and take some more off.

Todays yield was very small. I got a bit of a late start. But this thing is just so difficult to work with(heavy). I have had oaks as big as this that never gave me so much trouble and I believe that oak is supposed to be heavier. I think this tree is exceptionally dense. After all it has a fairly small diameter for its age. In fact the scant amount of sap wood may be a good indicator that this is indeed exceptionally dense.

Daren,

That is some real purty wood!

PS:The Oh MY! and Burly Robot pieces have some very nice spalting. Ill have to get some better photos in the morning. The hoes are from a brand that fell off and only healed part way. Hence the spalting from water pooling in that pocket (see Oh my).

Todays photos:
Maxed Out
Oh My!
Turners?
Big Burly Robot 1 and 2


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## Daren

James04 said:


> Maxed Out


I reckon so...looks to be rubbing the guide rollers and the frame :w00t: I like the burly robot ! You are just going to keep peeling off fantastic stock from this log and we are eating the pictures up, thanks for taking the time to photograph your progress.


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## Chad

Keep the pics coming.


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## OpaDC

This is one fun thread. I rarely post here, but I just had to say how awesome the help has been in here and how much I have enjoyed this. You guys are great. 

p.s For you urban loggers out there, aren't there a lot of trees up the Eastern Seaboard right now blown over by the storm? No answer needed, don't even want to think about hijacking this thread. Just awaiting more pics. :yes:


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## TexasTimbers

James,

I haven't been able to mill much the past month or so. Been busy making serious upgrades to the jig business, still working on the house, and then there's been all the rain except for about one nice week. My skid steer is also still blowing seals like a pressure cooker. But this thread has me itching to go log so bad I can't stand it. I've got to drag something out of the woods and cut it open even it ain't pretty. I do have some sycamore spalting in the field next over but I know it ain't ready. I might have to mill it anyway cause I can;t get to the box elder until it dries out some more. I dunno though. 

Daren milled in the rain yesterday so maybe I better up my game; I can always take the 4WD tractor in and drag out some muddy logs. Between Daren milling in the rain and you methodically taking apart this masterpiece of a log, I'm going stir crazy and about to do something even if it's wrong. 

Keep the pictures coming. They're holding me over until I can get my own fix . . . . . . .


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## frankp

Oh My! indeed... great pics!


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## James04

Just got in from milling. Long day. No energy left to upload any photos. I got a few more nice boards. This half of the log that I thought would be better than all the rest turned out to be on the less spectacular side. I guess I was getting spoiled the last few days.

TT,

I know what you mean about getting the bug. I can leave my mill for months and then start reading on some of the forums about others milling logs and I get the bug bad. I hope you have your own sharpener if your going to start dragging stuff through the mud.:blink:

I think woodworking is one of those things that you can live vicariously through these forums and get lots of pleasure. No doubt why we like seeing lots of photos. I also really like watching some of the pod casts like the Wood Whisperer. I wish there was a new episode every day. I also wish these tv networks would get there heads out of there butts and put something interesting on. Not even Norm anymore. 

James


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## Richard

I just read through your post and swiped off the drool from my chin. You got some nice looking lumber in your hands. Now what are you going to do with all that great looking lumber??

Thanks for the great pictures

Richard


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## James04

Ok I took a better photo of the Big Burly Robot's grain pattern. You can see the spalting and curl much better and the color is more correct. The next set off the log is more to my liking. It is more uniform in width and not so radical. One more set after that. Still very nice.

Then the one on the mill perhaps should have been cut up into turning stock. If you see the back it is lots of burls. It still has about 5" of thickness at the bottom edge but some of the burls are fairly thin.

James


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## James04

The one with the burls.


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## dirtclod

Oh, better than you could hope for. You're doing a good job breaking that log down and handling that beast. Looking forward to your drying and marketing. You're putting a lot of effort into this one but it should be worth it. Good luck and keep the posts coming.


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## JP Sinclair

Love the look of that last bookmatch, what a killer table that could be

Here's a mongo birch dropped off by my tree service pal-What a beast to get on the mill but the bookmatch wasn't bad, not near as nice as James' but still cool old growth stuff


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## JP Sinclair

few more


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## FellForWood

Good grief. What a great find! This thread actually prompted me to join this forum.


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## Gene Howe

This thread has caused drool to puddle on my keyboard.


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## Daren

Welcome FellForWood, that is quite a log eh ? Wonder how James is doing with it, he has not reported for awhile.


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## FellForWood

No kidding. I'm hoping he'll come back to this thread because I want some of that wood!


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## James04

Hi Guys,

It seems there have been a few post to the thread that I was unaware of. I have instant email notification on but I haven't gotten any emails in a while.

Well the lumber is all stacked and stickered in my back yard. I will be giving it at least a month probably more to air dry. Seems the weather is perfect for a gentle dry. I have been meaning to get out and take a photo of the stack to give some temporary closure to the thread but never got around to doing it.

James


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## Cordless

Very nice! You did a great job on that log. As Daren says, you did it justice.


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## James04

Just giving this a bump for a friend who couldn't find it.

I am hoping to get this in the kiln this month. If not I may just leave it air dry a bit longer.

James


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## mics_54

I gotta find me some rotton wood!

actually I have a large birch log with a huge burl on it that might be about ready to saw up. I'm not sure how to attack it.


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## James04

*Eye Candy*

Some eye candy.
I finally got around to taking some photos of the dried maple. I have more that I will post when I have some more time. I just wanted to get this up. Since some of you are probably wondering how things turned out.

I intend to sell some of this. So I will likely post them on a photo site. So that they can be viewed full size. If anyone is within driving distance of North Eastern CT and is interested. Please pm me and I can send you some photos.

James


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## jeffreythree

Thanks for following up, because that is some sweet looking wood. definitely has some character :yes: . I think those top bookmatches would look great built like Daren's dad built one not to long ago with a glass top so all the voids and inclusions can be seen and not filled.


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## slatron25

That is some gorgeous wood. Even with the evil bunny face in the third pic.


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## Daren

That sure shined up pretty 




.


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## TexasTimbers

That's really some incredible wood. What are the sizes? 





.


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## djg

Wow , I wasn't around here when this was originally posted, but it's been a fantastic read. Beautiful lumber.


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## James04

jeffreythree said:


> Thanks for following up, because that is some sweet looking wood. definitely has some character :yes: . I think those top bookmatches would look great built like Daren's dad built one not to long ago with a glass top so all the voids and inclusions can be seen and not filled.


Jeff,

I just had a look at Daren's dad's table. What A great idea! The first set in the photos will need something like that.

Evil Bunny? Oh no, that is clearly a wicked owl! Because evil bunnies = bad nightmares.

Daren,

Ya sure did. I am very pleased. That is only whetted with alcohol. I cant wait to see it with some sanding and a finish.

TT,

Most pieces are in the 1 3/4"x19-23"x45-50". These have been face jointed on an 8' planer sled and then planed on the other side. So they are pretty much close to there final thickness. I also have some 8' pieces that range form about 19-23. But so far one of those milled out to a full 2".

James


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## Richard

Hi James

Where abouts are you in CT?

Thanks

Richard


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## James04

Richard said:


> Hi James
> 
> Where abouts are you in CT?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Richard


Richard I sent you a private message. I am an hour south west of Framingham Ma.

James


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## BigJim

Reading this thread just made my day, that is some gorgeous wood. Thanks for sharing with us.


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## mdlbldrmatt135

TexasTimbers said:


> That's really some incredible wood. What are the sizes? .


 
I second Kevin's statment... I know a few people that live out that way that'd be able to get it to me.....


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## gemniii

Well I just joined this forum because of this thread.
I did notice early in the thread someone warned against using a chainsaw.

I beg to differ. A CSM is a good addition to a BSM,


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## Daren

gemniii said:


> Well I just joined this forum because of this thread.


Welcome aboard. We like pictures. :icon_smile:










.


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## caspa

gemniii said:


> Well I just joined this forum because of this thread.
> I did notice early in the thread someone warned against using a chainsaw.
> 
> I beg to differ. A CSM is a good addition to a BSM,


gemniii, what Stihl is that?


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## Davenet

Wow, wow, wow. 

I have two large cherry burls that I will hopefully get milled this weekend. It will be the first time attempting a project like this. I joined up to try to find everyone’s personal preference of the best way to finish them when I came across this thread. Holy cow, what a find. 

I'm definitely with Daren & TT when it comes to 'ugly wood'. I LOVE it. And this is a masterpiece of wood.

Cheers,

David


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## gemniii

caspa said:


> gemniii, what Stihl is that?


That's a 660 w/42" B&C.


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## James04

I have finally gotten around to editing and posting some more photos of this maple. These are for sale so please PM me if you are in or near Connecticut. I will post an ad in the classified section if I am allowed. I will be pricing these at $8BF that works out to about $100 per slab. 

Any photo with BK in the name is the back side of set.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157625378326511/

James


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## Mizer

Wow!! I would like to just have a poster of that first set.


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## Daren

James04 said:


> I will post an ad in the classified section if I am allowed.


Not just allowed, encouraged. Thanks for sharing your milling of this log with us. And $8 bft is flat givin' it away...











.


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## Streamwinner

Yowza! Pics 3 and 4 are killer.


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## cody.sheridan-2008

Daren said:


> Not just allowed, encouraged. Thanks for sharing your milling of this log with us. And $8 bft is flat givin' it away...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


 :yes:


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## BigJoe16

You said fire wood is $175 a cord/ Thats way to much i get mine delivered for about 85-90 a cord. All hardwood split. If he is going to use it for firewood you could probably get it cheap.


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## fromwood

James04 said:


> I have posted this in another woodworking forum. I received a few comments that suggest this log is worth paying for. However I am currently unemployed and it will be tough to come up with the amount that some are suggesting.
> 
> So I am posting here as another member on the other woodworking forum suggested. Since there is a milling section here.
> 
> This is a maple that is 200 years old. Most of it has been chunked into firewood length. However there is an app 32" x 9' section left. The photos are of that section.
> 
> The entire tree has been offered to a neighbor for firewood. I was thinking of offering him some money for the 9' section that is left. Some are suggesting a cord or two of wood to the new owner. But a cord around here is about $175 and I still will need to rent a trailer.
> 
> Would you offer that much for this log? I know the photos are not great but I only had my cell phone with me. Three of the photos are of the 9' section.


 :thumbsup:


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## fromwood

*can be milled for powder*

:wallbash: you can make them powder


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