2 bullets, 3 inch hook and a nail in pecan tree

[woodshop]

Was helping my Dad mill up this huge pecan tree we dropped this summer and are just now getting to. Middle of the woods... but 50 years ago it was somebody's front yard. We found their clothesline hook, along with a few other things they left us in that tree. Not 2 inches from that hook we hit a 10d nail, and right next to that I sliced through two lead .22 bullets in the same pass. Sheeeeeesh. No I did not have my metal detector with me as I should have. Only good thing is I hit it with the csm, just had to swap out chains. If I had ran into that with the Ripsaw, toast one blade for sure.

We wanted 8 inch wide quartersawn boards, so milled an 8 x 24 inch cant with the csm:

This is what I found about 50 years deep into that tree. Sliced through another nail and two .22 bullet slugs also.

Some days are diamonds, some days are stone. I did end up with about 200 ft of quartersawn pecan boards though. All but 2 boards were FAS grade so not complaining.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Isnt that a B WS!!!

Ive run into a few bullets too, I believe the biggest has been a 12 gauge slug.

 

[flht01]

Nice, be sure to post a picture or two after it's dry enough to run through a planer.

If it'll quit raining long enough I'm going to start on the pecan I drug up a few days ago, just wish it was big enough to qs.

BTW, thanks for mentioning the metal detector. I've got one but always seem to forget to use it.

 

[Adkpk]

Nice job. Sorry about the chains.

 

[OZDOG]

it's amazing that you found so much history in a tree. it's an awful feeling when you turn over your piece of wood and you see metal...the other day i came across some wire, it looked like someone had used it as a clothes line when the tree was younger. i only have one shot of one bit of the wire but there were 3 bits on the one pass.

 

[olyman]

woodshop--ive spoken of metal detectors for guys sawing--but have never bought one--and suggestions on brand--or such--oly

 

[Stihl056Paul]

My favorite metal detector

I just got a FISHER 1212-X metal detector I bought on ebay and am VERY happy with it! Cost: $159. Saved me three chains on one tree! Unfortunately, I bought it after trashing one chain on a 20d nail, and another chain on a large eye bolt. Both times, I only had one sharp chain on hand, so hitting the metal put the whole job on ice! The good thing about the Fisher, is it don't matter how fast I scan down the log, if there is metal there, it will find it! The worst thing, however, is after I find the metal, I have to buck the nice long log shorter to cut out the section in question, and I always hate to turn a 12 foot board into two five foot boards, but I hate even more trashing chains or worse, planer knives!

- Paul W

 

[Lee Bradley]

Have found/hit a 12" half-round file and a glass telephone wire insulator almost in the center of a 42" fir with a 52" circle saw; bits and keepers everywhere, lost 4 sections of the saw and most of the crew's underwear.

 

[Adkpk]

Most of the crews underwear.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[jonnygorgo]

Do bullets dull a saw? Being that they are lead and the chain is high quality steel I wouldn't think that it would have that great of an effect. Funny you mention the insulator- I would rather saw nails all day then hit another one of those...

 

[jonnygorgo]

Adrpk- where is your camp?

 

[woodshop]

Do bullets dull a saw? Being that they are lead and the chain is high quality steel I wouldn't think that it would have that great of an effect. Funny you mention the insulator- I would rather saw nails all day then hit another one of those...

no, bullets don't do much to the chain. Not only are they lead vs hard steel, but a bullet is so small that I wouldn't think that many teeth would even get a chance to go through it. I have even cut into aluminum with minimal damage also, at least I could finish the cut and then some if I wanted. But iron or steel, even though softer than the chain, often dull my chain to the point where I can't even finish the cut. On the Ripsaw bandmill, you can tell the diff right away when you hit something, as the saw noticeably slows down if not stops dead in it's tracks and you have to change blades.