Worth it to mill short maple logs?

[ryan paulsen]

My neighbor recently took down a red maple. Unfortunately, they have already broken it down to ~2' logs. I was thinking i could snag a couple of them and mill them...does a short board like that have much use? I was thinking of making a couple cutting boards, might be ok for that. I understand the basics of stickering and air drying, but any considerations for stacking short boards? I'm guessing the answer is "go for it," but wanted to see if there are any obvious flaws here. Thanks.

[Steven Wheeler]

Hi Ryan,
Two foot pieces are really too short to go through all that work. If you get checking on the ends of the boards, you could wind up with a bunch of one foot pieces. I generally won't bother with Oak, Maple, Ash or Walnut as there is a ready supply at the local lumber yards.

Steve

[Wade Lippman]

I did a 3' walnut log once. It was worth it for the experience; until you have grown your own, you can't really appreciate woodworking. So go for it.

[Cody Colston]

...does a short board like that have much use?


Yes, for smaller projects like boxes.

I was thinking of making a couple cutting boards, might be ok for that. I understand the basics of stickering and air drying, but any considerations for stacking short boards?

Seal the ends to preserve as much length as possible. Place some weight on top of the stack to help control warping, then wait. A moisture meter will tell you when the boards have reached EMC.


I'm guessing the answer is "go for it," but wanted to see if there are any obvious flaws here. Thanks.

If the logs are free, you have lost nothing but time.

[Ted Calver]

It depends....if you're a turner they are nice size pieces. If you do flat work, set them in the shade and let them spalt first, then slice them up. You could have some really nice wood for boxes or other small items. Really not worth the trouble for just plain lumber IMHO. The tops of these little boxes came from the size log you are contemplating. Spalted maple and sweetgum:

313246313248
313247

[Jesse Busenitz]

split a piece open and see what you have on the inside..... might have some interesting character to it.

[Mike Cutler]

Ryan

About ten or so years ago, the guy that delivers my firewood dropped off a cord with some of the most highly figured choke cherry I've ever seen. It literally shimmered laying in the pile. It was stunning. It was also only 22" long.:p
I made a few cutting boards out of it, and a small box or two, but also filled up the bed of my truck with a bunch for a turner friend. You won't be doing any cabinetry with it, but you can certainly make some nice things.

He did the same thing a few years later with some Ash.:eek:

[Roy Harding]

I make a lot of small boxes and cutting boards - that length is perfect for this application. I also use pieces this size and smaller for inlay work and small decorative carvings. Not to mention that handling anything much bigger can be problematic for one man with a band saw.

Others have already mentioned the basics of doing this, all I'll add is "go for it".

[ryan paulsen]

Thanks guys, I decided to let them be firewood. At this point I already have more stacks of wood than time/projects, but it's always nice to have an excuse to make some sawdust! Maybe next time I'll try to get to them before they're all chunked up.

[Rod Sheridan]

It will work just fine Ryan.

Seal the ends of the boards well and you won't have any checking.

I often mill logs in the 2 to 4 foot range on my band saw.

here's a link to me milling logs.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?182034-Making-Lumber-on-a-Bandsaw&highlight=lumber+on+a+bandsaw


Regards, Rod.