are these logs reclaimable?

[jimmy hopps]

I am requesting thoughts on if the logs in the photos are useable or if you all think the cracking is too bad for further woodworking projects. I am hoping to make a table out of one of these. someone has offered to chain saw a few slabs out of them for me (nominal cost). given that they have been sitting open w/o any paint on the ends i don't know if they would be usable or not.



the first photo is an elm log. 6+ ft long and about 35 inches wide at center. any guess as to how deep cracks like this go? it has been sitting open about 2 yrs.
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this is a walnut log, 4' long and 4' wide. also sitting for about 2 years. i couldn't see too many cracks in it. the bottom 1/4 of the log may be under dirt.
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[Richard Coers]

The walnut is a much better log, except for the guy with the chainsaw. Dirt on the log will eat the chain in no time. Pressure washing is advised. I once sawed a walnut that had sat so long the sapwood powdered off. It has the best color I had ever cut. The elm shows that big check which is no big deal, but the checking around the outside will reduce the size of boards you will get. I think you will loose about a foot off the ends of the elm, less on the walnut. Coated ends on logs only does so much. If they had been painted or coated, you will still have had checking. Unless if it's under water, all sitting logs check. Too much drying stress.

[Cody Colston]

I agree with what Richard said. The Walnut log will likely have the sapwood rotted away but the heartwood should be as sound as a dollar used to be.

The Elm should be spalted by now and result in some stunning slabs. That crack probably runs through the pith which you don't want, anyway so it's not a show stopper to me. I would definitely open them up and have a look.

[Ole Anderson]

I was drooling over some logs this week while kayaking in upper MI. 12-24" dia logs 8 feet and up just lying on the bottom of a river that had once been used for transporting logs. Could be 50 or 100 year old logs, or more recent if someone was just clearing deadfalls over the river . MDNR frowns on salvaging those logs as far as I know, otherwise they would be gone.