Saturday milling, cedar - Woodworking Talk

**Daren** · 07-05-2008, 01:19 PM

Not my log. I am milling some cedar for a guy today, his logs. I am far enough behind I am turning down custom sawmilling work right now (and for the rest of the summer maybe ?). But this guy I have known for 20 years, used to work with him as a pipefitter, really good dude. So I knocked these 4 logs out real quick this morning for him. A 17" wide board is not all that common in Illinois eastern red cedar, usually when they get big (if they get big) they are rotten in the middle. These logs where perfectly sound, no heart rot. Yard trees...not a nail one either

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dirtclod · 07-05-2008, 06:37 PM

That's big for around here also. I just milled a 16' cedar Thursday into 4- 4x4's, 4- 6x6's and assorted shorter 4/4's. It was only ~12.5" at the small end. Had to accept some wane to pull it off. Still it was a nice cedar. I had to saw off about 3.5' from the butt to get rid of the flutes and their inclusions, and ~2.5' from the small end to make it fit the mill.

Yours looks nice...no heart rot. That's rare for large cedars around here. And to yield an 18" board without inclusions or heart rot would be exceptional around here.

Neighbor has one he wants to put on the mill. Seems his cows like to hang around it too much. It has a 2' deep pond that has formed around it simply from the cows taking shade under it and carring away the dirt on their hooves. I measured it a couple of years ago. I think it was ~ 33" at the butt. It had little taper and the second most character of any cedar I've ever seen.

The one in the photo below had the most character. Sorry I lost the other photos I took of it. If I remember correctly, measured ~44" just below those blooms.

When I first saw it from ~100' away, all I could see was the base below the canopy of trees. It looked like Euorpean Beech from that distance. It suprises me that it's even alive. See any bark? The owner has senimental reasons for not cutting it.

Terry Beeson · 07-05-2008, 09:02 PM

Just bought about 60 bft of rough cedar today. Can you come plane it for me Daren? Please?

**joasis** · 07-06-2008, 08:33 AM

Nice looking boards Darin. I have some 20 inch wide boards stashed for cedar chest tops...I milled them 6/4, and they look great as well.

I guess I inhaled too much cedar dust last winter during the Christmas projects...the aroma of ERC makes my chest tight now.

**TexasTimbers** · 07-06-2008, 09:27 AM

Those are nice for any part of the country anymore Daren. Did you get (or want) to keep any of it?

**Daren** · 07-06-2008, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasTimbers

Did you get (or want) to keep any of it?

No, he just called and is on his way to pick it all up (8:00 on a Sunday morning, boy I love dealing with the public

) I have my own little stash of 15" wide boards...just no time to do anything with them. I have 5 woodworking projects scribbled down right now I can't find the time to start. I may get to mess with a walnut crotch table I have been wanting build today...unless I get sidetracked.

clarionflyer · 07-06-2008, 10:44 AM

Hey Daren,
How do you steer clear of those nails? I've seen some of the giant logs you cut and wasn't sure how deep the detectors would go.

**Daren** · 07-06-2008, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clarionflyer

How do you steer clear of those nails?

Sheer luck, either good or bad. I have a detector, but to really do the job right I should scan after each cut (or at least every couple). I just hit a bunch of nails

, part of the game urban logging, I am not crazy about it but have grown numb of it I guess. I will jinx myself here and say I have only hit 2 nails this month, I am on a lucky streak...I have hit 10 in a single log before.