possible wood motherload

[Tom Sweeney]

There is a county park near my job. They are doing some kind of major construction there & they cut down dozens of trees - some of them are huge. I think most of them are maple - but I'm not to good with tree ID'ing. I'm talking thousands of board feet of raw lumber here. 1 log I saw is about 20' long & probably 3' diameter. I also saw a smaller log that has ripples all over it where the bark has fallen off :D

This lumber has been down for a few weeks now - there is some checking just starting on some of the logs.

I stopped to talk to one of the workers today & he says they just had a meeting & are going to offer the wood to anyone that wants it :D :D :D :cool:

I got the name of the company I need to contact. I don't have a clue what I'll do or how I'll do it but I'm definately taking my chainsaw & getting that ripply log if nothing else - unless someone beats me to it.

What are those portable sawmills called & where can I find out if someone in my area has one? I might try to get more depending on what the company says when I call them tomorrow.

Anybody have any other thoughts or ideas on what I should do?

I don't consider this a gloat as I still have to call the company to get permission & see what I am able to do. I'll try to run down at lunch tomorrow & take pics & post them before I head to 5 barns.

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

Tom, get that phone busy and score that Wood! :D The most popular Portable Sawmill nowdays is the WoodMizer. They have a website, but I am not sure if they have a database of owners there, but they may. Here is the link to their website:

www.woodmizer.com (http://www.woodmizer.com)

That wood with the nice Ripple under the bark is more than likely Maple. I have cut down many Maples that have had that rippled cambium wood, sometimes it goes deep into the tree, and sometimes not. Maybe a quick look in the Phone Book would yeild a source for a Portable Sawmill Owner. Or, maybe a local wood supplier could provide some insight for you. Good Luck, let us know how it sorts out...........I think this qualifies for at least a "Visual Gloat"? :D

[Todd Burch]

Along with Woodmizer, you can call TimberKing. They also keep a zipcode list of sawyers that have their bandmills. Go to
TimberKing Resource Page (http://www.timberking.com/html/sawyers-directory.html) and click on your state.

Also, go you can go to the Portable Sawmill Exchange website and view their Links to Portable Sawmill Manufacturers (http://www.sawmill-exchange.com/links.htm) and just start calling.

After you cut your wood, or before, go to the Woodweb Saw & Dry Forum and read until your heart is content...

I've cut a lot of wood, and it's a blast. Figure that you will probably spend about (out of pocket) $0.50/bf to cut and dry quantities of wood (sawmill fees, end sealer, stickers, covers, hauling, etc., etc.,etc.). It certainly isn't free, and it's a lot of work, and fun too!

Todd.

[Mark Hulette]

Congrats Tom-

By now I'm sure you've gone to the Woodmizer site. It's new since the last time I visited and they did have a list of sawyers to contact in a given area. Couldn't find it on the new site- hope you did. Let us know how it comes out and be sure to post pics.

[Scott Neblung]

Congrats Tom-

By now I'm sure you've gone to the Woodmizer site. It's new since the last time I visited and they did have a list of sawyers to contact in a given area. Couldn't find it on the new site- hope you did. Let us know how it comes out and be sure to post pics.

Tom,

Start callin' and line up a woodmizer asap.

Since they have been down for a few weeks, time is of the essence.

I have not gotten any maple (yet)....but if you are a refugee of BadgerPond (and I think you are right?)...
...you surely remember my adventure in getting several thousand bf of white and red oak,cherry,walnut.

This is a chance of a lifetime...FREE WOOD.

Be advised though....you will be expected to help the woodmizer dude or line up 2 people who will be loading and offloading the lumber.

Good luck...feel free to email me for in depth questions as needed....

Scott

[Monte Bloyd]

That sounds like a lot of wood, and I can guarantee it's a lot of work. I have a local tree service saving logs for me right now. A gentleman with a woodmizer bandsaw mill has cut twice for me this year. He charges me $35 an hour and we have put in 7 hours each time we cut, so it's some money but a lot of lumber. About 50 cents a board foot or less. The or less is because the tree service lets me use their bobcat to lay logs on the mill, and I'm hustling to get boards out of the way as the man cuts. So far 2 large oaks, 2 honey locust, 1 catalpa, 2 pines, ? # hackberry, 1 ash and a nice cedar. Doesn't look like much on this page but we worked our tails off.

I leveled off ground for cement blocks, put heavy landscape timbers across those and used 1X2 firing strips for stickers. Make sure you line up your stickers and use enough weight on top of the pile.

Getting lumber this way is a hoot and the trees don't end up as eighteen in. logs in a fireplace or chipped at the landfill.

[Noah Alkinburgh]

Well Tom if you need to line up a friend or two to help out with the woodmizer you give me a holler. I would be happy to help load some of that in my I mean your trailer.

Noah

[Patrick Smith]

Tom,

Don't forget to use the yellow pages and Internet to search for a local sawyer as well. When I had to cut up a 26' oak log last spring I called Woodmizer and they gave me a few phone #'s. Only one called back after 4 or 5 messages. Ended up there were a bunch of mill owners that were much closer and I found them by looking in the phone book... which, admittedly, is the last place I usually look but it saved me this time.

Patrick

[Tom Sweeney]

I was finally able to track down the right phone number to call so I can find out what I'm allowed to do with the wood - if anything.

I talked to another worker today & he said they will be working for another 4 + weeks & I'd probably have to wait till they were finished to come into the work area & get any of the wood (they're tearing up a gas line for about 10 miles) - assuming the headquarters says it's OK. If I can go the whole 9 yards then I'll order some Anchorseal & sneak in & spray the ends of all the logs - taking a chance that no one else will steal "my lumber" before I get it.
I'll call the company shortly & depending on what they say - I'll start tracking down sawmill options.

Here's a few pics -the piles looked smaller today - don't know if it was just my imagination though. There is another smaller pile that you can't see in these pics also.

The first pic is one I'm definately going to go & get tomorrow night with my chainsaw.

What do you think - is it worth all the effort?

<p><img src="http://www.realtymarketing.com/wood/curlytree.jpg">
<p><img src="http://www.realtymarketing.com/wood/trees1.jpg">
<p><img src="http://www.realtymarketing.com/wood/trees4.jpg">

[Ed Falis]

Sure looks worth the effort, Tom. But if you do, you got some big work in front of you. Keep us posted.