Woodsurfer
ArboristSite Operative
Here is a case of mill it or lose it. This big old maple was leaning for years and finally fell down summer 2009. Maple gets buggy and rots pretty fast left on its own. Fortunately, the huge root ball kept the trunk out of the water that pools here every spring. About a month ago, I cut it and dropped the end on a crib- a nice height for milling. It was cool to see the root ball fall back - should have taken a movie!
Water poured out of this rot hole.
Set up for the first cut, a 9 foot section. Took a few 2.5" slabs, used the full 28" capacity of the mill with a 36" bar.
Getting down to the rotten center, here I increased the depth to 6". Lots of spalting and worm holes, but solid wood. Good for turning table legs...
Getting started on the second section - so nice to mill at a comfortable height! BobL was right!
Here Dad helps with a little pull on the mill riser.
First of five more thick, heavy slabs off this section.
A quick break. Weather was OK, saw some snow flakes drift by!
Water poured out of this rot hole.
Set up for the first cut, a 9 foot section. Took a few 2.5" slabs, used the full 28" capacity of the mill with a 36" bar.
Getting down to the rotten center, here I increased the depth to 6". Lots of spalting and worm holes, but solid wood. Good for turning table legs...
Getting started on the second section - so nice to mill at a comfortable height! BobL was right!
Here Dad helps with a little pull on the mill riser.
First of five more thick, heavy slabs off this section.
A quick break. Weather was OK, saw some snow flakes drift by!