Yard trees to lumber - Woodworking Talk

Invent_R · 06-25-2007, 02:04 PM

I just cut down a (newly) dead apple tree and a very large, old Juniper bush in my yard. I kept the straight parts of the trunks in roughly 24"-36" sections. The cross-sections show some beautiful coloring in the Juniper heartwood and the apple seems quite hard and dense. Is it crazy to think about having these sawn into planks for use in small projects like, perhaps, a jewelry box or other small, decorative items?

**Daren** · 06-25-2007, 02:12 PM

Nope, I have my own sawmill, but I still saw out little pieces on occasion on an upright shop bandsaw. (or rig something up on my mill) Apple is a wonderful wood for small projects like you mentioned. I obviously would prefer a whole log, but have found little jewels (in peoples burn pile for example

) that were too good to let go to waste and at least trying to make something from them.

Go for it

As a side note, if you get bored sometime visit my website I use exclusively "yard trees". I am an urban logger, not one thing on my whole site came from "the woods". None of the lumber I sell, or anything in the pictures of stuff I have made. It is all yard trees and "waste" wood from urban expansion etc.

coffeetime · 06-25-2007, 11:46 PM

Careful there, cutting your own lumber from trees can get addicting! Once you cut a few logs into lumber you will never be the same person again.

Mike

Invent_R · 06-26-2007, 11:42 AM

Thanks for the encouragement. I already visited your site, Daren. That's what inspired me! I applaud your commitment to not wasting urban lumber. It's a crime how wood is wasted today. Next step - find someone in DuPage County, IL who can saw my small logs...

**Daren** · 06-26-2007, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Invent_R

find someone in DuPage County, IL who can saw my small logs...

Yea, little shorties like that are harder than great big logs, just too hard to clamp to the mill. Here is a link to some sawyers, scroll down to Illinois there are a few up north listed. All it costs is a phone call to see if they will mess with them or not. http://www.woodweb.com/Resources/RSSDGsawyers.html

If you don't already have one, look for a shop bandsaw and try it yourself. I usually see them cheap here http://chicago.craigslist.org/tls/

Just cut them thicker and plan on planing. I am not familiar with juniper, but apple wants to move when it dries (cup, bow, twist). Paint the ends of your little loggettes to keep them from cracking, some old latex house paint will work-put a few coats on. That should keep them in better shape until you figure out what you want to do with them.

Invent_R · 07-11-2007, 02:03 PM

Thanks for the advice. I found out that Juniper is also known as "Eastern red cedar" so I guess it's going to be like working cedar.

**Daren** · 07-12-2007, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Invent_R

Thanks for the advice. I found out that Juniper is also known as "Eastern red cedar" so I guess it's going to be like working cedar.

Well sorta, and maybe. Juniperus virginiana http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrol...heet.cfm?ID=97
Is Eastern Red Cedar, and it is a juniper. But there are 13 other junipers native to the US, and some non native species. All ERC is juniper, but not all juniper is ERC

. That is why I said I was not familiar with juniper when you mentioned it, because that is a generic term for a wide range of plants, mostly ornamental evergreens of little value.

Quote:

old Juniper bush in my yard.

Having said that, here in Illinois it is most likely to be cedar if it is in tree form . ERC I am familiar with...this is a picture from my gallery here of a little cedar

**TexasTimbers** · 07-12-2007, 10:33 PM

Nice Daren. That stuff looks awful familiar.

Priemsy · 07-17-2007, 06:14 PM

Hmmm. Exactly the prolbem I have with the offcuts from my mill. It is so hard to condem them to firewood. I do end up with quite a few pieces for the lathe and nick nacks.

Paul

bigdogpc · 08-09-2007, 03:41 PM

Looking for a sawyer, you might try www.forestryforum.com as there is a bunch of sawmill folks there and you could probably find one close to you. I cut smaller stuff on my bandsaw.

**TexasTimbers** · 08-09-2007, 03:52 PM

Yep and in all fairness there is also a sister site to this one at www.sawandtimber.com

jacksimpk · 08-09-2007, 04:13 PM

If you have shorties you don't have to have a mill. I'll never forget my wood working instructor at junior college. He brought in a walnut log, split it into quarters with and ax, slapped it on an 8 inch joiner and damn if he didn't have some nice pieces quarter "sawn" walnut in no time. This is a great technique if you are looking for turning blanks for instance. Obviously the longer the log the trickier it gets. But if your a turner or looking for accent pieces it works good.

**Daren** · 08-09-2007, 05:07 PM

Yes splitting, or riving short pieces is a very old trick (any Roy Underhill fans here ? His books are very entertaining and educational. He could fill up the "show us some damage" thread here, he cannot do a thing without cutting his finger

). I do it too, riving short logs, not cut my finger. It produces strong little piece of lumber because you are "making" them with the natural grain intact. I just rived out a piece of osage orange (hedge apple, horse apple, Bodark...) a couple days ago to make a side handled night stick for a cop buddy of mine, the handle is walnut also rived out of a little piece. That stick will never break

, if you have ever worked with osage you know what I mean. Here is a link about it, splitting wood and building with it. http://www.greenwoodworking.com/

jacksimpk · 08-09-2007, 05:11 PM

beautiful Daren .... who knew it was called riving. That's what's great about forums!

**Daren** · 08-09-2007, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacksimpk

who knew it was called riving.

I bet your wood working instructor at junior college did

, most likely even told you. Just funning with you, it is I guess not a term used so much anymore, but I am somewhat old school (by choice). I know what a glut and a froe are too, but you guys sometimes talk over my head with your fancy smancy power tools.

**TexasTimbers** · 08-09-2007, 05:43 PM

Hey Daren that's a nice looking billy club.

Some poor deserving bar-brawling troublemaker will probably wake up in the crossbar hotel one day after having gotten the 'ol Bodark Broadside, upside the head. he might wonder how in the world that wooden club could have felt just like steel.

Welcome to the wonderful world Bois D' Arc.

**Daren** · 08-09-2007, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasTimbers

he might wonder how in the world that wooden club could have felt just like steel.

Welcome to the wonderful world Bois D' Arc.

My buddy is a very cool cop. He is a talker, problem resolution is most always handled with rational discourse. But the saying "Speak softly and carry a big stick" is not lost on him either. It would be a last resort for him to pull that club on someone, but once it was out it will do it's job fast I would think. It is 24" long and 1 1/4' diameter, and it feels like an iron pipe in your hand. Very dense and heavy wood, he handed me his old one for comparison (hard maple I think) it felt 1/2 the weight.

**Daren** · 09-10-2009, 10:02 PM

I dragged this old post up for a couple reasons. I was searching old posts for something and came across this in general discussion before we had a "milling" section, so I moved it. And I guess the real reason I was looking for it is because I saw the nightstick again today. Same cop still carrying it 2 + years later. He got promoted and moved I had not seen him for a good while. ...it has seen some "action".

Julian the woodnut · 09-10-2009, 11:04 PM

I use my bandsaw with 6" riser block to cut up short logs with great success. I am in southern cook county, and might be able to help you out.