Help cutting maple crotch piece

[WoodPirate]

Hi guys! I scored a maple crotch that's 24" across, 14" thick, and 3.5' long. It's about 250 - 300 pounds. Got a feeling this thing's gonna render some pretty wood, but I want to do this right.

Should it be cut right away or kept to dry a while first? Also, should I cut thick or go for veneer slices?

I have a local sawyer that can slice it, but don't know when to take it. Any advice would be appreciated.

[JimD]

Steve,

Maple tends to have nice grain effect anyway and the crotch should be particularly so. If the mill can handle it, I would probably have them mill it into boards across the crotch - maximum width. I think that will give the most interesting figure. The thickness would depend on what you want to use the wood for. I would count on extra distortion as it dried, however. The crotch will be very non-straight grained which tends to lead to warping. If you want one inch boards, you might have the rough cut at 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 rather than the normal 1 inch. I would not try to cut it into veneer until it is dried. If you air dry, it will take about a year per inch of thickness in the boards. If you want thick lumber, you will have to wait longer. Seal the ends to minimize checking. The best figure will be right where the two limbs join so if you have to reduce the size of the crotch to mill it, I would cut off some from the outsides and leave the point at which the limbs join - the crotch - intact.

Jim

[WoodPirate]

Thanks Jim! I'm on it!!!

I'll post pics after cutting.

[Stick]

I sure wish I had a sawmill anywhere near me. I burn maple as firewood on the farm. The trees get so big the roots can't support them and they fall over. I've got one of the last stands of what's likely original growth in the area.

[rg32]

Stick I have is what is believed to be an original growth maple that borders my property. Some day I should measure the girth of the trunk, it is huge. I heat with wood and can almost depend on getting a partial or so cord of wood from it annually from blow downs and breaking off branches.
The day it becomes in real danger of up rooting it would yield an enormous amount of usable lumber.

[tfischer]

Wow, reading the subject I had something completely different (and much more disturbing) in mind! [)]

-Tim

[Jim-Iowa]

quote:Originally posted by Stick

I sure wish I had a sawmill anywhere near me. I burn maple as firewood on the farm. The trees get so big the roots can't support them and they fall over. I've got one of the last stands of what's likely original growth in the area.

Stick: You may have and are not aware of.
Here in the states Department of Agriculture tracks those things.
I did a Google search for "Saw Mills in Iowa".
I got a list and map of every operating mill in my state.
And discovered 4 within 50 miles of me one of which was a portable that could be brought to your site.

So you might have a mill in your area if you do a bit of searching?

[BobSch]

quote:Originally posted by tfischer

Wow, reading the subject I had something completely different (and much more disturbing) in mind! [)]

-Tim

Oh, good, it wasn't just me. I was trying to figure out who'd want a wooden codpiece [:0]

[Stick]

quote:Originally posted by Jim-Iowa

quote:Originally posted by Stick

I sure wish I had a sawmill anywhere near me. I burn maple as firewood on the farm. The trees get so big the roots can't support them and they fall over. I've got one of the last stands of what's likely original growth in the area.

Stick: You may have and are not aware of.
Here in the states Department of Agriculture tracks those things.
I did a Google search for "Saw Mills in Iowa".
I got a list and map of every operating mill in my state.
And discovered 4 within 50 miles of me one of which was a portable that could be brought to your site.

So you might have a mill in your area if you do a bit of searching?

That was a heck of a thought! I did a bit of searching and found that the closest one is 450 km away. Too far to make it profitable unless I took a semi load up there. Thanks for the idea though!

[twistsol]

Stick,

Chainsaw mills can be had for a couple of hunder dollars or less. The kind where you nail a 2x4 to the log and the chainsaw uses it as a straight edge They're alot of work, take forever, and you have to wharpen your chainsaw about every 2nd log but they yield essentially free lumber. I used one of these for years with an 18" McCullouch. My borther has a tree service and would bring me straight clear logs. Since I moved I now have two mills within 5 miles of my house.

http://www.hud-son.com/chainsaw_mill.htm

At the bottom of the page is one like what I have.

[Stick]

quote:Originally posted by twistsol



Chainsaw mills
http://www.hud-son.com/chainsaw_mill.htm

At the bottom of the page is one like what I have.

I like that one! Cheap enough to try. Thanks!