Is this tree good for anything

[Tom Sweeney]

And before you say it - I don't have a fireplace:p

I don't yet know much about trees & wood properties so I thought I'd put it out to the group.

I cut this tree down about 3 years ago - Almost sure it's maple, I forget what the leaves looked like. As the pics show it was rotting from the inside. 2 of the huge limbs fell off in storms & ruined my neighbors fence so I cut it down. This thing was huge - about 50' high - missed my house by about 5' when I finally felled it - that was a hairy couple of minutes :eek:

Anyway I think I'll finally have time to finish the job & clear that whole part of my yard this summer. I wish I was more into this when I first downed it, I might have cut it up & dried it properly to save from all the check marks & cracks.

Just looking at it I'm thinking there is some beautiful spalted & figured wood in there but don't know if any of it is useable due to the cracking. Or if there is a certain way to cut it. Might be good for turning - but I don't have a lathe so If any of the SE PA turners want some let me know - as long as I can't make anything flat from it that is :D

Just thought I'd check before I cut it up & drag it all back to the woods to finish rotting away.

I loaded several pics on my web site if you want to look:
<a href="http://www.realtymarketing.com/wood/tree.htm"target="_blank">Click Here</a>

<img src="http://www.realtymarketing.com/wood/curlytree1.jpg">

[Jim Becker]

That's definitely something that we turners would be interested in...there are at least three local chapters of the American Association of Woodturners (http://www.woodturner.org) in SE PA...Bucks Woodturners, Keystone Woodturners and the Lehigh Valley club. You can get contact information at the site above to find someone to look at it. As long as it's not too punky from sitting for a few years, it may yield some wonderful turnings. That's my biggest concern from looking at your pictures...

(If you don't turn, it's often the custom for you to get a piece in exchange for the material)

[Jim Young]

Tom, Since you are not a turner, i would suggest before handing it over get to bandsaw and cut some slices. If the wood is already cut into smaller pieces you may still be able to use the sliced pieces for boxes and other small projects.

[Tom Sweeney]

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Jim said:
That's definitely something that we turners would be interested in...
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That's good to know - I'd hate it to go to waste.
If Mr. 5 barns is having his gathering this year & if I'm invited I'm going to try & make it. I could bring some with me.

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And another Jim said:
would suggest before handing it over get to bandsaw and cut some slices. If the wood is already cut into smaller pieces you may still be able to use the sliced pieces for boxes and other small projects.
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That's kind of what I'm hoping for Jim. I don't have a bandsaw so I'll have to find someone that does. A friend of mine has a small craftsman, but I don't know if it's big enough.

Small boxes & stuff is what I like to make right now so that would be perfect.

Thanks again - I think I'll do some exploratory surgery with my small chainsaw & see what it looks like.

[Jim Becker]

Tom, you can use a chain saw to break the log down and see what it might yield. There is an excellent article on Bill Grumbine's site (http://www.enter.net/~ultradad/logcutting.html) that deals with this, too.