log pile pics

[eyeinstine]

hey Guys,

I'm going to post a couple pics of some logs and stuff i have piled in my yard.. This stems from a discussion myslef, woodshop, and someothers have going on a thread at the chainsaw forum.. I felt it would be more appropriate to move it over to this forum since where now discussing logs and lumber..

Short story on it;
i cut down a pretty big walnut about 4 years ago.. the 25' long log is still on the ground.. good chance is worm food now, but surprisli a smaller log that came from the same tree was on the ground next to it, and i cut and split that for firewood, and it was in fine.. Then there is about 4 more logs from a couple more walnuts i took down a couple months ago.. Those should be fine, and they are sitting up on some big locust logs.. in the pics i will post, most of the logs that appear darker at the cut, or have the dark ring, are the walnuts.. the lighter colored cuts are the locust.. I pushed them all into one ugly pile with the excavator assume i was just going to use 'em for fire wood..

the longest log in the pictures, with the bark coming off on one end, is the 4 yr old log. the rest are all recent..

disclaimer: i know squat about logging or milling, so if these logs appear useless; go easy on me!

Enjoy,
Ron

 

[eyeinstine]

one more log pile pic. the second pic is what look to be the start of a burl??? I dont hink it was a stub from a limb.. But the burl is only about the size of a softball..

Ron

 

[eyeinstine]

Here's two pics of a funky maple growing just outside of my property line.. it looks like it is full of growths or burls or something.. Also, looking closing at the bark, some portions of the tree and bark appear to be growing upward in a spiral-corkscrew pattern.. strange...
I wonder what the grain would look like after milling???

Ron

 

[woodshop]

Yes, you do have a pile of logs there. Hard to say not looking at them up close with a penknife or small axe in my hand, but it looks like the sapwood in most of the walnuts is toast, which would be expected after 4 years. Hard to believe they are not full of beetles by now, but seeing is believing. I found that unless I can get at least a 10" heartwood cant in walnut after slicing away bark and sapwood, I don't go home with a lot of usable lumber. The center of a walnut log contains a large pith, which degrades that board. You get some nice boards from there out. I usually mill 1 or 1 1/8" to get 3/4 s2s lumber eventually. That means in a 10" cant, you will walk away with maybe 7 good boards. I would like to stop and see your logs. I get down your direction couple times a month on my way down to the Jersey shore where our tide gages are. PM me with address and details if you want and we can get together.

I too like to speculate figure in some of the twisted trees I see. My favorite is old Sycamore I see growing along rivers, with huge bulges all the way up the trunk. You can almost SEE the curly figure before you even slice it up. Downside of that though it drying figured wood has its complications. Especially crotch figure, it often cracks and leaves large gaps as it dries. From a woodworking perspective figured wood also presents its own set of problems. That pretty figure comes at a price. Tools need to be super sharp, machines dialed in dead on or you get tear out. Very curly wood often breaks off when planing, with the end of the board shooting out the infeed. Makes for some beautiful stuff though. Some of my most beautiful nut/bolts were made from dark colored heartwood of a curly figured silver maple. Eye candy.

PM me if you are interested in getting together and I can assess whether that pile is worth the time.

Dave

 

[eyeinstine]

Howdy Dave,

actually, only one log is 4 years old.. in one of the pics, there is a log to the side, on the ground, longer than the rest, with the bark coming off at one end.. that is the 4yr old log.. the rest of the logs in the whole pile have only been down since late fall.. And by accident, most of the walnut is sitting on top off the locust logs, so hopefully they're still in good shape..

I will PM you with some directions and contact info.. It would be great if they are of lumber quality.... I was thinking maybe I can snap a bunch of pics while your in action with your milling setup, and we can post em' here and keep the great milling thread you have going.. You created quite a conversation this past week!
Maybe if anyone else is close enough to central NJ, (and this wood is worth while!), we could have a small milling demo/get together.. Just a thought....

have fun,
Ron

 

[MasterBlaster]

 

[eyeinstine]

WOW!



did you get to open that one up!?! bet not! what kind of tree is it and where is it located???


Ron