Sweetgum/tulip poplar

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TN woodcutter

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Hello everyone. Since it's been greening up, I took my tree guide for a short walk, and realized I had a ton of both Sweetgum and Tulip poplar trees. Are these worth falling and taking to the mill, or should I just drop em to open up the woods for some pine and cedar? Thanks in advance!
 
Sweetgum is worthless. Tulip-poplar is a nice "utilitarian" wood. It dries straight, is easy to work with, takes paint well...Not too exciting to look at. It is relatively soft.
 
TN Woodcutter:
If they are big enough Sweetgums can be milled into R/R Crossties.
TU. Poplars makes some nice lumber. Most mills will take them.

David
 
Thanks all, very helpful! I've got some really nice ones, actually. One is at least over two and a half feet, though I need to take a tape to it. As for the cedar, I haven't actually thought about it. I was just rattling something off the top of my head. I'd probably cut all of the poplar and sweetgum in one go, and then plant a shade intolerant tree in its place. The poplar takes up about one acre, so I'd kinda like to get rid of it since it''s less valuable.
 
Get a Forester out....they'll help you figure out which trees will do best on a given site and give you some ideas to get those going.

x2 He can also mark the ones that need to be cut with paint, Some of them will even figure out your board footage.
 
Okay....I was planning on falling and hauling them myself. Like I said, it's just an acre or so, and wouldn't be worth the cost of hiring out. I probably will consult with a forester about the trees to plant.
 
Okay-not too much 18" DBH of the aforementioned sweetgum and poplar, but loads and loads of white oak/white pine. I just got an MS260 (really pumped about that) and I'm really excited about getting out in the woods. Thanks all for the info!
 
Back in the early 80's my Dad sold his big Poplars to a logger. He had a five acre lot with about 2 acres of mature Oaks and Poplars. All of the trees taken were about 36" at chest height. We had loaders and trucks, but the logger wanted to pick his cuts on the logs, so we put everything on the ground, to keep him from tearing up the rest of our woods, and he skidded the logs. Dad got over 2K for the Poplars. Remember that grading logs is a bit of a sorcerers game. If you have a 12 foot log with a big knot on the end, the mill will only give you low grade ditch planking for it. After he pays you, a guy walks up with a saw and cuts four feet with the knot off, and has a high grade 8' Veneer log. You should at least have someone come give you a price to "BUY" your logs. You'll still have the mess to clean up, Joe.
 
That's a good word, thanks. I'll definitely keep it in my mind. The mill near me buys sweetgum, so it looks like I'll be taking a load soon.
 
A lot of places there is a state employee who is a forester whose job is to advise people wanting to improve their timber stand. I have had 2 of those 10 year plans on my own property now, that a state forester provided me.
 
Hello everyone. Since it's been greening up, I took my tree guide for a short walk, and realized I had a ton of both Sweetgum and Tulip poplar trees. Are these worth falling and taking to the mill, or should I just drop em to open up the woods for some pine and cedar? Thanks in advance!
Ko
I grew up in NE TN pop trees are a good money tree there grow quickly shade tolerent bring good money at a mill. Lots of ppl grow them just for that.
 

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