Burr Oak questions

[Big Beech]

Hi guys,

 

thanks so far for all your help. Whilst wandering a clients woodland a few days ago, i spotted an old burred oak.

At its widest point (though not measured) its around 36" at its very widest, tapering off slightly to around 30". Given my new mill and saw will struggle due to the width would it be best to slice some of the burrs off first therefore reducing my width down to a more manageable size. The tree is dead, so i would remove the crown and fell on to barers to allow rolling. But i dont know if i will be able to role to box the heart, though it is on a slight slope.

 

so first question, does it look worth my effort of doing this?

second question, is the above methodoligy correct or what would you Experts suggest?

Edited January 16, 2013 by Big Beech

[bobh]

That looks nice, will be interested in the answers to this one.

[Rob D]

I would say just go ahead with your plan as it's a good compromise... I know what Jon is saying but you'd have to calculate additional cost of extraction to a mill and then cost of milling balanced against the additional timber produced... I'd say for one tree not worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Big Beech]

hi guys,

 

the terrain in is most awkward, and whilst i have a multitude of tools available for extraction, it would make a mess!! and i know the client wont have that in his back garden.

though i may be able to get a skid steer in, but then the issue is the boggy bts on the way out. I can get the landy close in the summer when its dry but certainly not this time of year.

so, let say i amgoing the CM route, any suggestions?

 

s

[ucoulddoit]

Who says 'money doesn't grow on trees' Reminds me of a similar quote 'wood like that doesn't grow on trees!' I think I read that in a book by George Nakashima, The Soul of a Tree - A Woodworker's Reflections. Coincidently he discusses a problem with milling a six foot diameter English Walnut. It was too big for the mill to handle in one piece so he 'considered calling several hand sawyers from Asia to execute the sawing'. I saw a post by Nick 1854 mentioning hand sawing a log so I thought I'd take a picture of my two handed six foot saw which I've been wondering about sharpening.....

 

 

Andrew

[pro bros]

Fell it, assess it and if it's good, wait for a frost.

 

The tree in the picture isn't quite of the same quality, but there is a 36 inch diameter burr oak near us that 100% burred for about 6ft 6". I had a timber grader value it at £3000 as it stood there - it's sawn for veneer. A log like the one above should attain at least £12 a hoppus, if not £15, which (IMO) means it's worth trying to extract whole.

 

Jonathan

 

done a burr ash the same way last week similar size and it fell just fine it is not good inside hence the need to fell .what value on ash burr big j?

[pro bros]

can you give me your mobile number and i will send you them as i dont know how to put them up here thanks

[tuttle]

I cut some well seasoned oak today, dead off the fallen tree.

 

the one piece was small, 12" x 5ft....would that have any value?

 

it was ready to be worked, had a nice grain, no burr.

[agg221]

I cut some well seasoned oak today, dead off the fallen tree.

 

the one piece was small, 12" x 5ft....would that have any value?

 

it was ready to be worked, had a nice grain, no burr.

 

If it was dead straight and perfectly round you would just squeeze an 8" x 8" out of it, which at 5' long would be a shade over 2 cu.ft, so it might be £40 as a cut beam. It would be about the right size for a fireplace lintel. Also, assuming it's a branch rather than the main stem, it's likely to be stressed and move around a bit, but should be fairly stable if left as a big section like this.

 

Setting up to mill it would take pretty much the same time as setting up to mill something bigger, but will only yield the one piece. If you factor in someone's time travelling to get it, fuel etc, then to recover anything like a sensible hourly rate they would need to pay no more than £10 for it, even if local. This is about in line with the typical £5/cu.ft level (without me bothering to calculate Hoppus feet which would be more accurate).

 

So in summary, probably not worth it, but if you had the option to do it yourself, you might just decide to mill it - I've done small bits like this sometimes when they're with something else.

 

Alec

[ucoulddoit]

I wondered if another thread could be started from this one. Pictures of trees/logs suitable for milling and graded something like:

 

Fencing grade

'Craftwood' grade

Furniture grade - small user

Furniture grade - manufacturer

Green oak framing

Veneer grade

Other

 

It is not something that I could do, but perhaps if people post pictures, opinions could be given by those experienced at milling?

 

Andrew