Firewood or lumber?

[RichardZ]

Hi.. first time here, was recommended this site by a gentleman at www.tractorbynet.com.

Long & short... how might I decide if this is worth splitting for firewood or paying to have cut to lumber, or simply sell?

Tree fell in windstorm, I now have 2 logs, one maybe 10 feet, second one maybe 12. both are about 22 inches diamater throughout. (I have not actually measured anything yet, this is all seat of pants). It is an oak tree, straight, no limbs/knots...just the vertical trunk section. Just how much lumber would this create (approximately)???

I am splitting a bunch of wood for my uncle who is 80+ and lives next door, but have enough that he won't be able to use this for 3 years probably, soooooooooo, the reality of it maybe being worth something hit me.

How might I figure out it's value (it has a reddish tinge to it if that helps/matters)

Is it better to take to a sawmill, or have someone drag portable mill here? (this is the ONLY wood I'm considering processing). I DO have means of lifting it to a trailor should it be sold outright, or trailored to sawmill.

If it IS cut into lumber, I in fact, have NO use for the pile of oak that this would make...NONE.

If logs would fetch me, say $200, then I'd think they are worth burning... if on other hand, they would bring in ??$$$......

What might I do, and more specifically, HOW would I do it? (who am I gonna call...Ghost Busters?) lol...

Thanks for any thoughts, and I sincerely hope this is the correct forum as I've only been here 5 minutes prior to posting this.

Regards.
Richard
Knoxville, TN

 

[treeclimber165]

Why does everyone think $$$$ when they see a broken tree? I'm only 700 miles from you and this is what straight, clean oak logs are worth here.

Most mills do not like residential logs. Too high of a chance that there are nails or other metal in it. If you know how to get $200 out of a couple oak logs, I'll gladly hire a fleet of semis and loaders so I can bring you every oak log in Orlando.

 

[StIhL MaGnUm]

Well first off I would like to welcome you to the Arboristsite and yes this is the correct place for your thread,now as far as splitting or hauling to the mill it really all depends on what the log would scale out in Board Feet and I personally don't know what they use for log rule down that way so the first thing I would suggest is if theres a mill close by I would either go down there and talk to someone and maybe have them come and look it over or I would load it up and bring it to them..I would'nt recommened splitting it for cordwood just yet it may bring you some $$$ if you get lucky and it's not full of steel or cracks etc..you may sell it as veneer but thats unlikely since it's residential..

later Rob...

 

[RichardZ]

Thank (you) Rob, for the cordiality.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Like they said. I can sell high grade urban hardwood logs for around $40 each if I can get them to a guy with a portable mill.

If you do some wood working, maybe find one of these guys in your area and have it milled down for you.


BTW measure the log dia on the small end, inside the bark when giving dimentions, not average.

As otheres lament, many people see the value of finnished lumber and thing there is big money in a log. Lumber is a value added product; graded, sawn, graded again, kiln dried and milled to get the S2S KD 4/4 stock that gets $5/bf.

 

[rbtree]

Richard,

Assuming your logs average 21 inches in diameter, measured inside the bark, you have 397 board feet using Doyle scale. If the logs have no defect- rot, crook, etc, and are each at least 4 inches over the 10 or 12 foot length, they might bring you $200 or so.

Start calling around, you should be able to locate mills.

I'm in Seattle, not much oak here. But alder, maple and birch all bring up to $600 per 1000 board feet. Oak should be between 400 and $800 for medium grade, I'd guess.

Out here, I have no problem selling residential timber. All the buyers have metal detectors. And, I have only had metal problems a couple times- in 20 years of occasional log selling.

Roger

 

[herminthegoose]

word of the sawer

Been following the thread, all have very good points. Wind storms uproot trees, down side blister them bad. Been down wind storm alley, sawed the timber. Have seen it so bad it come off the mill as fire wood. If red oak, it might not be pretty when opened up +(who knows what is intombed in there)- the worst are the egg insulators from long ago.
Portable sawmill would be the cheapest, if the yeild will out way the cost
ron

 

[Newfie]

Hey Richard,

Welcome aboard. As you have probably already surmised you are going to get very differing answers from different parts of the country. Unless you have some exceptional specimens it is probably a wild goose chase. If you feel it is worth your time a logger, a mill, a log broker or a portable mill owner may be willing to give you a few bucks for them (probably not as much as 200) especially if you are willing to take them to their location and the logs are clean, with trim allowance.

Open the phone book and call around. You may just end up giving it away for free to be done with it.

Why did it blow down? That may be an indicator of some internal defects that will make your logs little more than pallet wood.

 

[johncinco]

wood mizer

You can call woodmizer, give them your zip codeand city, and they will supply you with names and locations of people near you, who have mills that cut for money. Some charge by the hour, and have a minimum. As long as you dont have a immediate need, and they can schedule it with others near you, they are pretty reasonable. I looked into this and found a couple for around $40 an hour to come to me. But if it is residential wood, they will probably make you agree to pay for any damaged blades, and that can get a bit more expensive. if you really have no need for the finished wood, and do not have an outlet to sell or put it to use, it will be better as firewood. I had a big stack of logs that I thought would make great wood, The guy took 1 minute to look, pulled out the two best and told me to take the chainsaw to the rest.

 

[My2cents]

Rbtree, nice fell!! What other aids did you use that I can't see. Tell me you just cowboyed that tree with only one line!!

 

[My2cents]

Rbtree, nice fell!! What other aids did you use that I can't see. Tell me you just cowboyed that tree with only one line!!