Copper Beech

[Nikko]

Well - x-cut chain's on the saw (need to buck the log before we mmill the pieces) - saw fired on the 3rd pull, it's loaded - tools are loaded, spare chain loops are loaded, peavey's are loaded, come-along/chains/straps/ropes are loaded, mill's loaded, ladder's loaded, axes,sledgehammer/maul/wedges are loaded, bar oil's loaded, cordless drill's loaded (with extra battery and drill bit case), chain grinder's loaded, extension cord's loaded, gas is fresh and ready to be loaded, chaps/helmet/gloves are loaded, water/food's ready to be loaded..

did I forget anything?

the Beech tree? Part of a house reno - arbourist was good enough to let us have a crack at it. 08:00 tomorrow morning, there will be four guys on two Alaskan mills and two Husky 2100's hopefully taking this tree apart...let's hope the saws last the day!

Nikko

EDIT - I added a Google Maps picture of the house before the tree was cut (beech_1) - this thing was huge!

 

[woodshop]

Looks like you're ready to roll... take a few pics of the action for us if you can. Beech mills like maple, hard, but doable.

 

[DRB]

What a great way to start a long weekend.

Man everything is bionic at the coast. Nice hardwood log.

Look forward to the picsopcorn:

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:

 

[Nikko]

Not a great day - but a good day

Ended up killing a 357XP, and two other saws were cranky - but we did manage to cut a little over 500 bd ft of beech today, and it was 90° out all freakin' day!. Each slab is 30" wide, 3" deep and 100" long.

 

[Nikko]

Few more pics

Enjoy!

All going well (and depending on the construction schedule for the house) we're going back - there's this much again

 

[wdchuck]

 

[peterrum]

Great photos and a great way to spend the long weekend. Any closeup photos of the boards.

 

[BobL]

Nice work!

 

[slabmaster]

Hope you drank plenty of liquids. You sure deserved it. I know it's rough work in that heat. Great job! Mark

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Very cool!

 

[Nikko]

I went through almost 8 litres of fluids (not including what I dumped over my head ). For the first part of the day I was drinking a mix of Sqwincher (concentrate) and water. When I ran out, I switched to straight water. I knew this stuff (Sqwincher) made a difference, but man - I had NO idea how big of a difference. My energy level when drinking the Sqwincher was noticeably higher than when I was straight water. I'm totally sold, on this stuff - even use it for the kids water bottle when they're playing baseball or hockey.

No close-up pics of the boards - yet. We were supposed to go load the rest today, but none of us can move. So tomorrow it will be

Nikko

 

[woodshop]

Great job, thanks for all the pics. Beech is a dense heavy wood, so those planks are pretty heavy. Do you have a place to dry them? Any particular plans for them? How did you "kill" your 357?

 

[Nikko]

Plans? A few woodworking workbenches probably - not sure yet. the pbig planks are on the high side of 300 lbs. The others are just under. The wood's soaking wet - it was throwing water when we were cutting it. We'll be stacking/stickering the slabs tomorrow after we pick the rest of the them up. Ends are already painted.

We think the 357 leaned out. It ran like a banshee, sounded a bit off, but then it seized solid - I mean solid. It's a resurrected saw already - I guess it'll get a new top end and seals now.. It sure was a nice saw..

Nikko

 

[olyman]

I went through almost 8 litres of fluids (not including what I dumped over my head ). For the first part of the day I was drinking a mix of Sqwincher (concentrate) and water. When I ran out, I switched to straight water. I knew this stuff (Sqwincher) made a difference, but man - I had NO idea how big of a difference. My energy level when drinking the Sqwincher was noticeably higher than when I was straight water. I'm totally sold, on this stuff - even use it for the kids water bottle when they're playing baseball or hockey.

No close-up pics of the boards - yet. We were supposed to go load the rest today, but none of us can move. So tomorrow it will be

Nikko

gatorade, or similiar drinks as such do make a large diff--i was in the basement of the house we moved, and was leveling the dirt to get ready for cement floor--93 deg day, and about the same humidity----!!!!!! and i never tired all day---of 8 hrs in the basement!!!!!!!

 

[lmbeachy]

Beech is a heavy wood when it is green, sap will run right out of it when you cut it. I cut one Sat. not quite as big as the one you worked up, mine was about 24 to 26 inches in dia. Had quite a time, it hung up in a big oak tree. Had to cut the oak and when I started cutting found out it was hollow. Made me nervous for a while till I finally got them down on the ground. Started cutting the beech up into fire wood for next winter. Didn't take to muich split wood to really make the trailer squat. Over all a good day. Lester

 

[Nikko]

The stack

Here's the slabs.

bottom ones (white paint) are a full 30" across, others are about 25" - 28" across.

Nikko

 

[dustytools]

Nice!!

 

[English Oak]

watch for checking and fungus growth on the beech slabs

Fantastic slabs, what an amazing set of pictures. thanks for sharing them.
I cut alot of beech in the u.k and the top surface of the boards checks like mad if left in the sun. but if they don't dry quick enough you get some fungus growth, but I nomally wash them with a light solution of anti bacterial before stacking.

Whats the grain like?

 

[Nikko]

Funny you should ask! We just loaded the beech onto a truck today and took it out to the kiln. The slabs do have some end checking, but that was to be expected, there is NO surface checking and there is a wee bit of mold, but none to worry about. And we were pleasantly surprised to find:

a) the slabs are still relatively flat and straight (amazingly flat actually)
b) they weigh about 50 lbs less than they did!

Grains's nice. If the kiln does a good job we'll end up with some nice wood out of this. I'll post pics when there's some to post.

EDIT: Here's the link to the other post I did when we finished the tree:
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=69079

Nikko