Alaskan Mill

[burrell_]

im thinking off buying a Alaskan Mill to do a job. i've been asked if i can mill 5 oak trunks into 2 1/2 inch planks, now the 5 trunks are 2ft round at the bottom and all 5 are as straight as a die and are about 15m tall. The thing i want to know is and i know it might sound stupid but here it goes. The oak trees are dead so will they still have that nice oak colour once milled?

[Ben Ballard]

should do might even look better , it would be hard going on the saw with them been dead

[Rob D]

You'll have to put some pics up of the oaks to be sure. If you cut the end off one does it seem nice and sound inside?

[burrell_]

i ent cut them yet they sound nice and hard iv hit them all with a nice big hammer they died at the end off last year and hes just decided to have them out 3 out the 5 have some black spots on them that look like this

http://www.treecouncil.org.uk/files/images/Booth-wood-profuse-LR.preview.jpg

[Ben Ballard]

looks like bleeding canker phytophthora might have a cool affect on the wood i never milled any like that it the risk you take with milling you wont know till you looked in side:001_smile:

[burrell_]

i know that mate thought i would ask as i want to invest in a mill but dont want to invest if the wood is no good as it will cost me money if the wood is good it wont cost me much with the job thought i would see what info i could learn

[niftysteve]

i know that mate thought i would ask as i want to invest in a mill but dont want to invest if the wood is no good as it will cost me money if the wood is good it wont cost me much with the job thought i would see what info i could learn

 

doesnt josh own a mill

if youdo mill some of the oak and want to sell a few boards let me know

[Ian Flatters]

i know that mate thought i would ask as i want to invest in a mill but dont want to invest if the wood is no good as it will cost me money if the wood is good it wont cost me much with the job thought i would see what info i could learn

 

Its a great investment IMO i bought one and have got a few jobs over the other guys as i told them why not mill the timber as it would be such a waste just as firewood. Oaks always pretty good you'll need a ripping chain if its dead oak!! I milled some large boards the other week off a dead oak took a bit longer than i thought but the end product is worth it.

 

Buy one, go on they'll pay for themselves within the first paid milling session. Also id buy bigger rather than too small, 36" would be the size i recommend.