30inch wild cherry trees /Pennsylvania

[old pardner]

Does anybody have experience with sawing boards from wild cherry, I’ve heard they warp Easy if not sawed right. The saw mill guy doesn’t have much experience and wanted to cover my bases thanks for any insight

 

[Mad Professor]

I've never had any problems with cherry warping and that was 5/4 up to 20" wide. That is without the pith in the boards and most of sapwood edged off.

 

[djg james]

Milling pictures?

 

[Mad Professor]

Milling pictures?

Here is a stack of 5/4. No warp or twist in the whole stack.

 

[djg james]

That stack wasn't milled yesterday as inferred? Looks like too much checking and mold going on?

 

[Mad Professor]

That stack wasn't milled yesterday as inferred? Looks like too much checking and mold going on?

That was stacked as it came off my CSM, has not been re-stacked, ever. Boards were not trimmed prior to stacking (checks), logs were end sealed with anchorseal. Checks are very minimal overall. Everything is flat with no warps or twist.

It has been outside and covered ( ? YEARS) but I've not got around to using the boards. Stack is outside under a stand of white pine, so rain does get on boards where coverage is not 100%, but there was never mold, from drying.

Green tint is from getting wet from windblown rain, see what's on top of cover, those were first outside cuts and a 6 X 6" that was full of knots. Those be a little green too? From same logs..........

With ends trimmed and a skim plane most would be FAS. No knots or pith, all most all edged to remove sapwood/wane.

Even logs all flatsawn I've not had problems with cherry. In those, the couple widest boards in the middle of the log, I halve, rip out the pith, and get two boards that are "quarter sawn"

 

[LoneMadrone]

I'd be damn proud of that stack.

 

[Mad Professor]

One other thought.

The cherry trees I've milled were woods grown ~ 30' before any branches, straight, usually 4 good faces. Any bends/defects removed when bucking up logs. I usally buck to 8, 10, 12' with generous trim ( + 6") for any checks later.

A big cherry grown on a fenceline/yard, will have BIG branches on sunny side, tension stress from the branches, knots, and maybe metal. Leaners are trouble too, tension wood up slope side.

On a + side heartwood cherry is very rot resistant. Downed trees/logs will have bark/sapwood rotted and heartwood will make fine lumber.

 

[tater_51]

I've never had any problems with cherry warping and that was 5/4 up to 20" wide. That is without the pith in the boards and most of sapwood edged off.

This cherry was milled about 6 weeks ago, 10/4. It's in the center of the stack. Couldn't get a good picture of the ends but the split is where the tree was branching. Seems to be pretty straight.

 

[old pardner]

Thanks for all the replies. I had to cut the tree shorter than I wanted the 40 hp tractor with me and a rototiller on the back couldn’t get it 2 ft off the ground. The saw is a poulan 3300 20” bar. The trees make it look like a 30 cc woodsman poulan.
Gotta say that saw (3300) is mint and would give my 036 a run for its top selling dollar, especially with 30$ invested in it as it sits, gas lines hooked up wrong for 30 years. Practically brand new p&c , and I was all partner before this site

 

[Mad Professor]

View attachment 833625View attachment 833626View attachment 833627 This cherry was milled about 6 weeks ago, 10/4. It's in the center of the stack. Couldn't get a good picture of the ends but the split is where the tree was branching. Seems to be pretty straight.

MIlliing up "stange" stuff works , somtimes.......That came from a fugly log. Big knot on far end , knot in the middle, then a fork. That would be firewood at my house

What good wood? Straight, 4-clear sides?

That is fUgly firewood!

 

[old pardner]

I got offered 45cents board ft. Last year but there’s a lot more than then the two logs on trailer around 4 hundred dollars but my yard never dried out enough to get equipment in.
I just heard wild cherry warps but it’s a 30” tree so maybe it’ll b ok. I do flooring for a living that’s why I’m milling it plus it’s a 80 year old tree, you just don’t chop up and burn something that old. At least that’s how I feel.

 

[Bmac]

I mill ugly cherry a lot, I get mine usually from hedgerows. But in the end I get a lot of real pretty wood out of some trees that many wouldn't mill.
I've milled a ton of cherry, a ton, and it doesn't seem to me to warp worse than other woods. Of course you might get some warping and as mentioned above the less straight the log the potential for more warping. If you mill it on the thicker side that helps a lot in working around any warping. What I see with the cherry I mill is the pith area has a lot of cracking, so when you mill you need to take that into account in the direction/way you mill the wood.
By the way, seal the ends ASAP!!

 

[tater_51]

I guess I'm a fugly type of guy. I'm getting ready to mill a sugar maple that has all kinds of issues, can't wait. I'm not looking to lay down a floor or build a barn, looking for the unique twist, turns, knots, goofy grain. I've got plenty of nice straight oak, pine, and cherry I could mill but I'd find that rather boring, will take a backseat to this gnarly stuff.

 

[square1]

I'm just here for the pics! Cherries get about 12~13" and die here.

 

[andy]

Here is a stack of 5/4. No warp or twist in the whole stack.
View attachment 833511View attachment 833514

Yeah that’s a nice stack of Cherry.

I’ve received air dried units that look like that in the past.
Just a pass through the planer usually does it for most boards.... more for others.
You can end up with some residual “sticker stains” as the algae effects exposed areas color wise.
Your 5/4 can end up being 4/4 If you need two good faces.
Anyway... well done air dried stack... looks super flat... just don’t let it sit too much longer.

 

[old pardner]

Thanks guys. Just seal the ends with a deck sealer or what would u recommend, I do flooring but I don’t use any exterior sealers except poly. Thanks again. I thought of making tree into tongue and groove flooring just because the trees about as old as the house so I’d like to incorporate it, plus I have 5 more at least 30” trees. I would guess there almost as old as house 1917.

 

[Mad Professor]

Thanks guys. Just seal the ends with a deck sealer or what would u recommend, I do flooring but I don’t use any exterior sealers except poly. Thanks again. I thought of making tree into tongue and groove flooring just because the trees about as old as the house so I’d like to incorporate it, plus I have 5 more at least 30” trees. I would guess there almost as old as house 1917.

A product called Anchor Seal is made to end seal logs.

Anchor Seal

 

[andy]

A product called Anchor Seal is made to end seal logs.

Anchor Seal

Anchor Seal or Red Guard are superior products but expensive overkill imo. (I’m a cheapo!)
I buy a gallon of elmers wood glue and reduce it with water about 50% and then roll it on.

Two coats..... the first one gets sucked into grain quickly... the second closes up Remaining torn fibers. I seal one end then go to the other and come back.... no dry time between coats.
Hit any larger knots or branch cuts too.

An old timer gave me the idea to reduce the glue for this application.
Has worked really well and is super cheap compared to Red Guard.

I’ve heard of folks using latex paint as well... seems like it would work.
Anything to close off air to end grain.

 

[tater_51]

Opened up an old maple that had been sitting for years, some neat spalted areas. Much larger section to mill later this week. Just fugly wood.