# How to remove metal from trees?



## allthingsoutdoors (Oct 30, 2010)

I have several large hickory and maple trees that I need to cut down and mill on my uncles Woodmizer bandsaw.
My farm was cross fenced in the 70's and the fence wire was removed several years ago. i have checked the trees I plan on milling with a Garrett metal detector and there is metal in a few of them. The metal is several inches deep in the tree and not on the surface.
Is there an easy way to remove this, or should I just let these tree grow?


----------



## Roger Newby (May 26, 2009)

First thought is to cut the log just above the fence wire, provided the log has some good length to it.


----------



## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

If you think it is just nails in the logs and since you have a metal detector you could chop out the nails with an axe and pull them out with a pair of vise grips. We do it all of the time. If it is wire, forget about it, I would cut that whole section off. Another nail option is, after you cut those trees down you will most likely see blue spots in the end of them. The location of those spots will be a good indicator of which side the metal is in. I would save those logs until last and start sawing on the opposite sides of the metal and then when you get close you have several options. You can quit sawing that log, cut it back, chop down with an axe and remove the metal or saw it up with an old blade. Either way you will still more than likely hit something, we always use an old blade when we are suspect of metal.


----------



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Fell the trees well above where the top strand fence of the line was. You'll lose half or better of the butt log but there's nothing that can be done about it. You'll also still hit metal here and there, but every mill has a built-in metal detector that costs about $20. 

You just have to go in knowing full well you're going to sacrifice some blades but if the timber is good enough and you don't get greedy by trying to fell too close to where the top strand was you can come out just fine. What if you trash 10 blades? Are "several large Hickory and Maples" worth that? Could very well be only you can decide, and trashing 10 blades in only several trees is not likely. You might lose 2 to 4 and you might not lose a single one. It's a crapshoot but if they're nice trees I'd roll the dice. 

If you keep hitting metal on one, toss it aside and put another one up. Take it one tree at a time. Whatever you do post some pics if you mill them!






.


----------



## allthingsoutdoors (Oct 30, 2010)

It looks like it is barb wire and it is at least 4" inside the tree. I think my best bet is to cut them off a few inches about the top strand and just loose 4 or 5' of the trees with the wire in them.


----------

