Free Maple

[Mike Turner]

I have recently cut down a big maple (stump base is 25" at all points)..(Well a friend of mine did) Anyhow I have the tree down and cut into manageable pieces but it is not sliced where I can get the pith out and prep it for bowls...If anyone is near me with a chainsaw and wants some of this wood all I ask is that what I keep be cut for me...The ends are coated with anchorseal. I am in Laurinburg NC 28352
262048262049. I will make sure to give a good load of wood for the help !

[Jack Gaskins]

Hi Mike, Nice big logs. Sorry but I live a good long ways away up here in Indiana so I cant swing down to cut the wood up for you but just wanted to say though that the second and third items I purchased after I bought my lathe was a Husqvarna gas chainsaw and a Makita electric chainsaw. Can't live without either of them. Good luck with the wood and if you have room when you do cut the pith out I would recommend that you cut at least 1 1/2 inch on either side of the pith. This will give you a nice 3 inch slab then you can cut just the pith out of that piece and you will have wood for patters or small spindle turnings. Jack

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ditto what Jack said. Get the pith cut out and anchorseal the ends. I do the same thing when cutting out the pith is I use that piece for platters.

[Dennis Nagle]

I sure wish I lived closer. That front log would fit nicely, as is, on my lathe.

[Bob Bergstrom]

A sledge hammer and some splitting wedges will work pretty well. if you have a band saw, you can cut some big wedges from some good hard wood and hammer them in the bark edge once the metal one starts to split on the bark edge. i have seen 8' logs split this way. you may lose some wood but splitting beats having those rounds cracking. Once split, seal the ends with paint, glue or sealer.

[Mike Turner]

Hi Jack
I do have a nice Makita electric and it cuts good. I have been cut some on this with it but it wasnt made for these big logs....Maybe I can get my friend to come back and slice them up for me...

[Dennis Nagle]

A sledge hammer and some splitting wedges will work pretty well. if you have a band saw, you can cut some big wedges from some good hard wood and hammer them in the bark edge once the metal one starts to split on the bark edge. i have seen 8' logs split this way. you may lose some wood but splitting beats having those rounds cracking. Once split, seal the ends with paint, glue or sealer.

I'm with you on this. I think we have forgotten the simple things at times. I can spill a big round in a 10th the time it takes to saw through it. That includes the gnarly pieces as well.

[Mike Turner]

Well I have about half of it split and so now I have to try the splitting wedges...Thanks guys !