Almost ready to go

[Semi-Hex]

Hello All!
I am also new to milling, but have been working with logging for years. I help manage a Scout camp with a little over 600 acres of oak, redwood, madrone and fir. We have a logging company who comes in, grabs all the good wood and leaves a considerable amount of timber laying around for me to mill. This has an added benefit of reducing the fire hazards and ladder fuels.
I now have a timberjig, chainsaw and other equipment ready to start ripping up some lumber to use for Scout crafts. These will be birdhouses, feeders and simple projects that the youth build, then leave the camp, with a project, that was grown, milled, built and branded with the camps name.
I have been planning this for a couple of years and am starting this project out of pocket. Having some interesting oak, redwood and madrone I'll be cutting special pieces of crotch wood and burls to help defray some of these expenses.
I'm looking forward to having a great time working with this project.

Jim.

 

[wdchuck]

Welcome to AS, sounds like fun, if you can, post some pics of the start to finish process, we like pictures here.

 

[stonykill]

That Really Sounds Great. If At All Possible It Would Be Great If You Held A Short Class Each Session Where The Scouts Could See How You Mill. Just Have Them Observe And Ask Questions. It Could Spawn A Whole New Generation Of Millers. I Know Every Kid Who Sees What I Do With What Looks Like A Piece Of Firewood Is Amazed. Good Luck And Have Fun>>tom

 

[Semi-Hex]

Just a quick update. Of course it started raining when I was set to go, Then work hit really hard. So, here it is a month later, I finally get a chance to get out there and there are about eight trees broken off about 30 feet up. (mostly fir). Since the ground isn't even close to level I spent most of the day limbing and bucking the downed pieces into about five foot long chunks and tried to roll them to flatter spots. I now have about 18 logs between 16" to 20" across. I managed to forget my camera, so no pictures yet. (But I haven't started milling yet either). Also forgot my paint, which is why I cut them at 5' instead of 4'. At least I got started and will be back up there hopefully doing the milling Sunday.

 

[dustytools]

Looking forward to the pics. Loweecey. Sounds like you got a nice weekend ahead of you. Good luck.

 

[Adkpk]

Forgot the :camera: ? Let's not do that again.
I have memories of being a scout. Haaa, to be young again.
I was an "Order of the Arrow" recipient. They took us to the Adirondacks for an orientation and make us paint picnic tables with linseed oil. Sure wish they made us mill some downed timber, darrnnn.

 

[Semi-Hex]

I am also in the OA and have been active in Scouting for 30+ years. Being able to lumber this wood in the camp for these projects has been an idea of mine for over a year. We have Sudden Oak Death (SOD) in this area, so the wood cannot leave with the bark on. Instead of cutting the 50-60 cords of firewood a year I normally do, I now can do something useful with this, as well as having an opportunity to teach these city slickers something about this forest.

I did cut a couple of pieces of Madrone yesterday. These trees (along with some others) die standing up. Cutting snags is never fun when they hang up, but I feel I am experienced enough to do these safely. Anyway, after a couple of years they develop some really nice colours inside the wood. This has the added bonus of having dried while standing so all of the twisting and checking that it's so notorious for is done.