# Is this oak worrh milling into slabs?



## Don1962 (Dec 11, 2013)

I have a chance to get this tree. It is 4 feet in diameter is it worth the cost to come and get it and then milling it down Into possible slabs just and I need your opinion?


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Do you have a mill yourself? Are you going to do the work yourself? How long have the logs been down? Need to know much more to try to answer your question.

George


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## Travico (Dec 25, 2012)

Four feet in diameter, should have enough good wood, even around the bad areas. I don't know of a home mill that will cut that big in diameter. There is a site, that you can calculate the weight of the tree, per type. My 40 HP tractor would have a time lifting the tree, that big, of any good workable length.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Worth it????? That's all in a matter of opinion. I enjoy the challenges....but I saw to please ME...and that log fits in that category....it's gotta please you to be worth it. A log larger than 36" most mills can't handle AND it takes some extra heavy equip to move or it has to be sliced into qtrs and bookmatched sawn. I'd saw it but it's a huge gamble.

What goal are you trying to reach???? use for personal use, resell??? IF your gonna make a project there's a lot of things to consider....cost of sawing...drying time AND drying costs...for best results in stabilization your looking at air drying a min of 1 yr per inch thickness...kiln drying AFTER that to kill the bugs AND get MC to an usable indoor level.

The tree appears to be white oak which should be good still....it appears to have been cut down a while or was a standing dead tree according the end grain colors. There's crotch wood in it but with multiple limbs in same log it gets real tricky and more risky BUT if all turns out right can be rewarding. Check out my website www.tsmfarms.com for odd logs I've cut.

Good luck and keep us posted with progress pics.

P.S. I have a 54 hp John Deere and it WON'T even think about moving that chunk of wood.


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## Allen Tomaszek (Dec 11, 2010)

I'd mill it just to see what it looks like inside. But that's just me. Moving that log will be difficult and time consuming. If you don't own a mill it will also cost you some money to saw it up which will also be time consuming because of it's size. 

Best bet would be to find someone with a chainsaw mill who can saw it where it sits. Then all you have to contend with are the slabs which will still be very heavy but much more manageable than the log. Then you just need to dry them and store them after that for a couple of years.

In the end I think you'll find this will be a very tough and time consuming project that may or may not yield you what you're hoping for.


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## Don1962 (Dec 11, 2013)

*thanks*

Thanks for all the input. No I do not own a mill so I think it will be cost prohibitive to attempt. It is a shame that this tree will lay there and rot. Thanks again.


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## abetrman (Mar 18, 2011)

*How about turning blanks*

You could mill it to size for bowl/turning blanks and such. Check over in the turning section to see their thoughts on the potential.


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## tewitt1949 (Nov 26, 2013)

saw mills in my area won't custom cut for anybody.


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## Tom the Sawyer (Sep 4, 2012)

tewitt,

What is your area? Mills that custom cut are probably more difficult to find but we are out there. Listing your location in your profile will really help when others are trying to answer, or understand, your questions or comments.

Augie,

An 8' bur oak log, 48" in diameter would scale out at around 7700 pounds. That's assuming you had a saw that could cut it to length. That size exceeds the capacities of any portable bandsaw mill. Assuming you could get it cut to length, you would need either a swing blade or a chainsaw mill to mill it on-site. If you could cut it into quarters, they would still be big but it would be easier to load and a bandsaw mill could handle it. 

From the end shot of the butt log the prospects don't look encouraging. There appears to be extensive decay, in several locations. There are quite a few branch stubs which means erratic grain patterns. If you are looking for a quantity of good lumber at a reasonable price - I would pass on this one. If the challenge and the 'character' of the log hold special meaning to you - then take it on (if you have the equipment to saw it, load it, and someone to mill it).

Note: I had nothing to do with any hyperlinks that might appear in the body of my comments.


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## FishFactory (Nov 8, 2013)

Augie1962 said:


> Thanks for all the input. No I do not own a mill so I think it will be cost prohibitive to attempt. It is a shame that this tree will lay there and rot. Thanks again.


Cut it up for firewood rather than let it rot.


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