About three and a half years ago I got the opportunity to acquire several cypress logs that were being removed from a building site near my regular job. At first I planned to mill them into lumber myself using a chainsaw mill but I soon reconsidered that plan and they just sat in my yard waiting for me to decide what to do.
Here they are, waiting…
About the same time I also acquired several logs from three sycamore trees that were taken down in the neighborhood. Initially I had them on the ground under some shade trees but after a couple of years I staged them up off the ground also.
Early this spring I contacted a sawyer who owns and operates a portable sawmill and got him to come to my location and mill the logs into lumber.
Here’s sawyer Olen Barfield sawing into the first cypress log.
Most of the cypress was milled into 5/4 boards which I plan to use for decking and outdoor furniture. But some of it was milled into thicker slabs because of the special character of the logs.
At the end of the first day there was a good sized stack of cypress lumber.
The second day we finished milling the cypress and began milling the sycamore. There was quite a bit of spalting in some of the sycamore. This is a poor picture but you can see some of the spalting.
Some of the sycamore shows good ray flecks when it is quartersawn.
The end result of the milling is approximately 2000 BF of cypress, most of it 5/4 in widths from 4” to 12”.
And more than 1000 BF of sycamore, much of it spalted.
Now I just have to have the patience to wait for it to dry properly.
Herb
-- Herb, Florida - Here's why I close most messages with "Be Careful!" http://lumberjocks.com/HerbC/blog/17090
8 comments so far
PurpLev
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7814 posts in 1845 days
#1 posted 1053 days ago
those are some nice stacks! and the spalting is fantastic
-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
RonPeters
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709 posts in 1077 days
#2 posted 1053 days ago
Did you treat the ends with anything? Wax?
Know anything about the saw? It looks like a band saw on a track?
Also, curious, what does it cost to have a sawyer cut wood?
-- “Once more unto the breach, dear friends...” Henry V - Act III, Scene I
HerbC
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782 posts in 1056 days
#3 posted 1053 days ago
Ron,
I should have end-sealed the logs immediately after they were felled but failed to do so. I considered trimming the ends off and sealing the fresh-cut end but decided not to do so since it would be guessing on how much to trim. I do have some checking but not nearly as bad as I anticipated.
The saw is a Wood-Mizer bandsaw sawmill. I believe it’s a LT-30. If my memory is holding up I believe Olan said it is a 1995 model. And yes, it’s a gasoline powered bandsaw on a track system.
It was about 30 cents a BF…
Herb
-- Herb, Florida - Here's why I close most messages with "Be Careful!" http://lumberjocks.com/HerbC/blog/17090
Eagle1
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2042 posts in 1261 days
#4 posted 1053 days ago
Wow!!! Looks like you are going to be a busy person, with all of this wood. Where did you say you live at? I hopw you sleep sound. I’m sure I can get a few outher LJ’s to travel down there and take care of it for you..
-- Tim, Missouri ....Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the heck happened
HerbC
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782 posts in 1056 days
#5 posted 1053 days ago
Tim,
My house is easy to find. Just follow the blood trail back from the Emergency Room <grin>
Herb
-- Herb, Florida - Here's why I close most messages with "Be Careful!" http://lumberjocks.com/HerbC/blog/17090
RWJones
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126 posts in 1073 days
#6 posted 1034 days ago
Thanks for adding me as a buddy. I know that sawyer very well. I have been close friends with Olen for more than 20 years. Our families spend a lot of time together, he lives about 30 minutes from me. If fact he and his family were at our house this past weekend. He helped me hang a porch swing that I finally finished. I will be posting pictures of it soon. He is a gem of a fellow, works hard and is HONEST!!
Layton
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28 posts in 1656 days
#7 posted 650 days ago
Hi Herb,I’m looking to purchase some spalted sycamore with lots of ray figuire? Is your sycamore dried yet?
Please contact me ASAP as my project is almost due, I will pay shipping and of coarse the value of the lumber.
Take a look at some of my projects on here and at Laytonscott.com. Thanks Herb hope to hear from you soon. Layton
HerbC
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782 posts in 1056 days
#8 posted 649 days ago
Layton,
I’ve responded via the email address listed on your website.
Herb
-- Herb, Florida - Here's why I close most messages with "Be Careful!" http://lumberjocks.com/HerbC/blog/17090
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