Bonus Milling Weather in WNY

[John TenEyck]

Earlier this week it was about 75F here near Niagara Falls. I milled this red oak log that had some surprisingly nice lumber in it, better than I expected. These boards are 13" wide x 9 ft long.



Then yesterday my arborist friend called to say he was taking down a nice walnut tree about 10 miles away. I got two 9 ft logs from it, the butt log being 23" dbh. This guy is 57 years old and still climbs, although he's using a lift for this tree. He has amazing skill, a testament to his longevity at this most dangerous of trades. Anyway, it was another shirt sleeve day.



After bringing the logs home I milled the butt log today. Clear except for one large knot in some of the boards. I got 12 boards 13" wide x 9 ft long.




It wasn't quite as warm today as yesterday, but I still only needed a light fleece. This most amazing late milling season is about to end, though, with rain and cool temps starting tomorrow. it was great while it lasted.

John

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I am using walnut for my first ever dining table. Beautiful stuff to work with and seeing this makes me absolutely jealous! Congratulations on the wood and the weather!

[Ron Barnes]

Beautiful Oak.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

A good job done well! That is satisfying to see. I gave away some logs from yard trees this summer. I was surprised that the mill wanted them. The Sawyer said he would metal detect them and saw very carefully. I would like to see how that is done. I sure wish I had asked him for a metal detector recommendation.

[John TenEyck]

I use a cheap Harbor Freight metal detector, looks like the Lumber Wizard I think it was called. Anyway, trying to detect metal is an exercise in frustration. For surface metal it works well, and the stuff you find is pretty easily dug or cut out. The problem comes when you find something you can't see. Do you cut the log off, do you try to just cut out where you think the metal is? I've mostly given up on trying to find anything more than surface metal. The blade will find any metal that's in the log, but usually be able to finish the cut. When I take that board off then I'll know where the metal is and generally be able to make a more informed decision about what to do. Blades that hit metal typically can be resharpened w/o much ill effect. Only when the culprit is a drywall or deck screw, an electrical insulator lag screw, or old wire fencing, does it ruin the blade.

John

[John TenEyck]

Probably isn't any walnut out where you are I suspect. We are blessed with lots of it where I live, almost like weeds. Still, it's not always easy for me to come by free logs since a lot of people try to sell them and I don't play that game for residential trees. Walnut is a love/hate relationship. It is America's noble wood, as one of my friends calls it, but the logs are exceptionally heavy due to the high MC, and the yield is terrible after you cut away all the sapwood. The log in the photo weighed around 2000 lb and had about 175 BF of wood in it, but only about 100 BF of heartwood. Guys who started the live edge thing did it for good reason. On the other hand, walnut dries easily and generally with few defects and is a joy to work with, as you said. it's definitely one of my favorite woods.

John

[Jim Reffner]

Nice score as usual John. Thanks for sharing.