Utilization of extremely large, downed pine

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clinchscavalry

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We experienced severe storms in our area yesterday, and we personally lost 20 pecan trees in our orchard, a large red oak in the yard and a very large loblolly that fell on the tractor shed destroying my cow pasture fence, planer, woodsplitter, and probably pto chipper. Luckily the tractor was in the pecan orchard or it would have been crushed.

This pine is around 115 years old, based on the age of its neighbor that was cut several years ago. The last time I measured it the dbh was about 42 inches. I am more saddened by the loss of this old pine than the damage to the shed and tools, but I want to saw it up and get lumber out of it. My local sawmill said I'd probably have to split it, which I must do anyway just to load it on a trailer.

I have a 7900 Dolmar with 28 inch bar. I need suggestions. Should I go ahead and get the largest bar available, a ripping chain and Alaskan sawmill to do this myself or can I use what I have to get it to the mill ? I have zero experience with sawmill lumber making attachments and wanted some input from this group.

I'd attach pictures but they would be too depressing for me and probably for y'all too!

The weather folks predict even worse storms tomorrow. As a road dept. employee my job is to clear public roads. I've run the chainsaw more than I want to, and there's no end in sight.
 
Sorry to hear of your loss. To reach thru 42" would require 48" bar since the clamps on the PH end and out at the tip take at least 4 " from cut length. Ripping chain is a little slower than square chisel skip which is harder to learn how to sharpen with a file. I have taken a couple of loops of ripping chain & removed every 3rd cutter and raker. The skip cuts better and clears chips better so I want to experement with the rip which is easier to sharpen buts seems to clog up in wide cuts. No volunteer logs yet.
I have used my ms-460 with a 42" bar & the skip chisel. That is a 72cc saw in my avatar that pulled skip chisel around the 60" bar on the alaskan that cross cut the stump to get the table top. I only say that to place a perspective on your saws power . Read milling 101, in particular BobL with chain sharpening, for the best source of info for people just beginning to mill.That is what I would recomend for cutting fat logs in half lengthwise. I would never try to free hand a log in half due to inaccuracy and danger factor. If you buy a mark 4 alaskan mill frame I will buy it from you when you finish halving the logs. I already have a marklll but the heavier unit may be assist to me since my6 foot bar should be here next week.
My 460 has milled 38" hardwood w/skip chisel, softwood (pine) is easier on the saw, chain and bar. If you need a larger power head for the red oak or other hardwood milling you might consider the trading post for temperary ownership of a saw for this occurance. I've bought three saws from there and been happy with each one. If I need to sell them I don't expect to lose any more than the shipping cost for the few hours I use them in a year. (unless we get high winds) Tho there are 3 tree services w/my # if they come across a fat tree that my milling saves labor costs for them.
My new 2 me 661 is faster by a bit than the 046 or ms-460 which may be a consideration in what power head to choose to use. I hope you stay safe while you learn milling and that some part of my rambling words help you.
 
Tony, thanks for the advice. If I just want to split the log so I can physically get the tree to the mill, what's the best way to do that?

BTW, if anyone wants free pecan wood for heat, cooking or lumber, come and get it. I'll cut up the 20 trees, pile and burn them all (that is if I live long enough):(
 
I've just got off the phone with madsen's rep about a cannon bar that is prepping for ship from madsen. I asked about granberg mills.while confirming the rest of my order. Unfortunately both cannon and granberg are filling orders way down the road,cannon could be november is about as early as they would have today's order ready.
Wasn't as specific about alaskan mills.
My recomendation is to study mills that other members have built and make your own with a cut depth of at least half the diameter of the largest log you will slice in half. My alaskan posts will allow about 12" max depth.
The idea is relativly simple just a matter of using stout enough materials to hold the bar steady going into and thru the slice. An upper support for the mill to ride on needs to be stiff & hold steady on the log thru the milling cut. I've got a 6' bit of ladder and extension ladder pieces that are 13' and 19' long to allow for what may appear. I use pipe hanger straps across the rungs too steady the ladder in place on the first cut. Measure from the pith on the large end to approximate the height above center for each end. Some use cross bars on each end at the right distance to hold ladder up on each end. For center support I place blocks or wedges of wood under rungs or rails as indicated by situation in front of me. that is to prevent any flex throwing the cut lower in the middle.
If I was a few years younger or those logs were within 150 miles I'd come down with my stuff to give you a hand since i just found out what pecan looks like a few weeks ago. I'd like to have a bit more of it.
Found an on-line store w granberg 48" mill only (part that bolts on bar) for just under $250, free ship in about two weeks from granberg themselves. Found Granberg site and they get $280 for the same marklV 48". The thickest cut it will guide is claimed at 13" so an addition of some sort would be needed to reach close to the center of your largest logs. A splice that fits inside the upright tube (if it is the same as the mark lll) and then cross drilled for a pin to hold in place would work. The portion above the stock square would need to be the same size/shape to continue & work effectively. I'm making new uprights of 1" square aluminum each 2' long for my use. Also the sprocket ends on my bars have been center drilled to ease chain swaps. the 2' pieces will be attached to cross bars which will have 2 holes drilled to match the holes to be drilled in my new bar. the AL squares have to be rounded down apposing corners to match the rounded shape of the original for easy slide.
My bit of advice is based on my limited experience & what I tried or learned here @ AS. For that reason I try to always recomend milling 101 which provides so much more info than I can.
Take your time in the beginning, stay safe & a bit more speed will come with experience
 





One picture is the 9 ft. butt cut. The cant hook is just decoration since I couldn't budge the log with it. The tacks in the stump are placed at 10 year intervals, making the tree around 110 which is very old for a loblolly. Hopefully, the six logs will be at the mill this weekend before blue stain sets in.

It's interesting that the best wood, that with the tightest grain is near the outside. This tree was smoking until about age thirty, and then by age 70 it was just marking time.

Incidentally, it took me many attempts, but I finally got pictures on here. Stand by for more when I tackle the 27 blown down pecans this weekend.:(
 
Are you sure you want to invest your effort in to producing pine lumber? If your are going to make furniture or flooring for your home there are many other ways to get great results. For sure cutting it in place will be the most simple. When I want some slabs I set up a portable mill then haul them home to my planer. I took out at least 30 logs like that off my properties a few years ago and most went to firewood. I milled enouph to make 2,000 sf of dog eared fencing, but it was not easy. Thanks
 
Sorry to hear about the loss of such great tree's!

I love pine, I wish I had a few of those pine logs here, to mill. Pine makes great lumber, so maybe you can take some of the lower grade lumber from them to rebuild your shed...

SR
 
I took three of the six logs to the sawmill yesterday, one at a time, and it was quite a chore just to get them on the trailer. My tractor could only pick up one end slightly, and then the rear tires would come up so much I had zero traction. Then the skid steer at the mill barely could lift the butt cut, and it did a reverse wheelie anyway.

Three of the logs will have to be split before the sawyer can cut them. He told me he "burned up" one of the biggest saws Husky makes splitting a pine about that size. It's not worth it to ruin my 7900, but I want lumber out of the old (and sentimental) tree.

I guess I'll make a chalk line down the middle and through each cross section and follow up with spray paint, then see if I can noodle and/or rip the nine foot logs.

Does anyone have any tips for doing this efficiently? I know we had a discussion about a Granberg mill (thanks for that), but I was really hoping my sawmill would tackle these logs whole. I recently noticed the tree is developing fatwood/heart pine, which will do two things. First, it will be very rough on the saw. Second, it will make some gorgeous lumber.

This is a real dilemma. I just can't see wasting this old tree, but the potential expense and time required to split these logs is something to think about. It'll take me half a day just to load the last three logs and get them to the mill:dumb2:
 
Take your chainsaw and go to the middle of the log, push the tip STRAIGHT in, to the middle of the log.

Take a heaping cup of blk powder and put it in a Sammy bag, with a long cannon fuse in the powder and tape the bag/top good. Shove the bag to the BOTTOM of the hole (with the cannon fuse hanging out of the tree/hole) you just made with the saw and pack the hole full with sawdust...pack it tight.

Clear everyone from the area, light the fuse and get back... The blk powder will take care of the rest and your log WILL get split...

Yes it really works!

SR
 
Hm, someone I know has been hoarding some nipack, fuse and caps for a while. Maybe a slightly larger hole made by several saw insertions would be enough to accommodate the approx. 1 inch stick.:chop:

I'm assuming SR is serious, so will this work only with relative straight grained wood free of knots, etc.?
 
No, it will split anything, but if you want the splits to be straight you need straight wood.
 
The sawmill owner was all over this idea, and I am too. I'd hate to ruin a brand new chain and bar, not to mention the power head.

However, that acquaintance of mine with the nipack might not want to part with much of it, being that it's hard to come by these days:rolleyes:

Maybe I can get some decent pictures, from a safe distance that is.
 
The test subject, a very large log with huge ring knots, was guinea pig this afternoon. No pictures yet, but after 1 single charge that started a fault line, then two charges together, it looked like it had been struck by lightning. The split went around one the big knots and then clear to the ground on both ends. However, there was "trauma" to the rest of the log with separation along some of the growth rings.

We might not get any lumber out of that piece. I purposely picked the worst one first, and it probably wouldn't have yielded much lumber anyway even without our help. I think the butt cut will split nicely.

Pieces of wood went 100 ft. into the air hitting a shed about 100 yards away.:omg:

This weekend, when the sawmill is closed, I'll go back and work on the other five logs. As the mill owner said when I commented on how much fun we were having "it's different, I'll say that".
 
Bar tip straight in 12", fill gash up 3/4 full black powder, insert cannon fuse, drive in wedge tight, light fuse and throw old tarp or similar over wedge and watch the fun!
 
No Joy! I tried the best and most straight grained log of the bunch and the one with what should be premium wood. I noodled both ends down to about the center with the 42 in. bar. My "bored" hole was not deep enough apparently, and the two sticks of nipack caused severe trauma to the middle of the log but did not split it.

I'll look for some sort of drill or auger bit that will make a relatively small hole to the center. Otherwise, there's no need to try this any further. Loblolly pine does not split like white pine or even oak. It's much tougher.

What a waste of material and time so far, not to mention my nice logs. :(
 
You don't do the ends, do the center of the log. We do oak logs all the time 3-4' dia.
 

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