Anybody cut their own trees down for lumber?

Sounds like fun (and a lot of work) – if you can mill it on site, you’ll have an easier time of it – and be able to conserve the length of the logs…

I wrote a blog on milling some maple HERE

There are several parts that you can follow through the process.

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

I just recently had an alder taken down in my back yard, and with the help of Dorje, we milled the logs into viable lumber. Part of the process of milling the logs was the “unknown” of what the wood would look like on the inside. Some logs and cuts were better than others, but all in all I am really happy to have the lumber for next to free. Now I just have to wait a year or so (no way am I lugging the wood to a kiln).

I agree it would be easier to mill on site, then move the individual boards.

-- 10 fingers, 2 eyes, and healthy lungs. for now. :P

I recently took away some lumber from a neighbour who had felled his fruit trees.
The timber I’ve got from it is a mixture of fruit trees – I’m enjoying the experience and learning quite a lot at the same time.
I’ve put some in my workshop where quite a lot has split – must be too dry in there. The pieces in the garage and garden shed where there is no heat are doing much better. So, don’t try and rush the drying process – leave it to nature.

I would mill it on site if you can. This will save you time and money. Seal the ends asap. Try to find someone that needs firewood. This way they can come and help you cut up the trees and the will take most of the smaller stuff and you will not have to deal with it. My best freind does this with me. He gets anything I can not use and he does most of the work.At the end we are both happy as he get the wood for free(minus labor) and I get nice(sometimes) lumber out of it.

You can get a dehumidafier and kiln dry them your self.

i have had to remove so many trees from friends yards that i purchased a woodmizer last year. it is old and used etc but it gets the job done.

previous to buying it i had about 10,000 feet of lumber cut by various people with a portable sawmill, and let me tell you not all mill owners are the same the prices vary from 20-40 cents per foot and the quality of the lumber varies with the knowledge and ability of the sawyer.

b4 you have your lumber sawed go inspect some of the wood the mill owner has cut. with a bandsaw the boards should not deviate from the set with by very much 1/8 – 3/16 and that should be around particularly bad knots.
check out his mill, you can tell a lot about a mill owner by the way he cares for his equipment, if he doesn’t take care of his mill he will not take care with your lumber.

the woodmizer site can direct you to a sawyer in your area www.woodmizer.com

jay angel

-- "not all those who wander are lost" JRR tolken

Two years ago I cut down a huge maple tree. my wife actually bought me the chain saw and allowed me to used it unsupervised…little did she know i trimmed a few other trees while I was at it. I let the tree sit a year, and then had a friend with a portable mill cut it up for me. I don’t know how many board feet we got, but he charged me 20$ and I have enough maple to last the rest of my life. Now anytime a tree has to come down, or I help it down they all get milled up. I’ve been eyeing an oak tree in town..

-- Ray

I want some! Man, I’m going to look into this. Think of how much you’ve saved & it’s MAPLE

-- Jason, AL

milling your own trees is a great way of saving money. But don’t throw away the small crotches there some pretty wood there . you can rip them on a larger band saw. back to the lumber. don’t forget to sticker it . drying it can take a few months to a year. i use to manage a sawmill . if you have a shed to put it in it will better . but you can wrap in black plastic make 2 cuts in it on each end so air can flow through. the sun will draw moister out through the cuts .it works like a mini solar killan

I work with a local mill near my home, he will mill up the figured wood for 50% of the lumber. Of course if the wood is more common he will want a higher %, but he is great to work with. Another option for moving the larger pieces or logs is the flatbed tow trucks, I can usaully get a super deal if i have the logs cut and accesible and let him deliver them when it’s conveneint. I’ve never sat down to figure out the price per BF, but I just picked up about 620 bf of mango and Jacaranda and the only cost I have thus far is the two trips for the tow truck which ran me $340 for this paticular wood. Once again, I don’t rush these guys, just let them work it into thier schedule.

-- If knowledge is not shared, it is forgotten.

i recently got some nice really straight and really circular logs that i am going to use for turning when i get a lathe. any free lumber that i can get my hands on i will take. if it is a log i either save it for turning or take it too a mill. if its old boards i just resurface them. I’d say go for it. even if you’ll have more than you need. I’m sure you can find something to use it for.

-- if you haven't already check out my blog http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/teenagewoodworker/blog/3961

When we moved into our hosue we took down a 200 year old Burr Oak, it is in the white oak family, we got 2600 board feet out of it. I had a sawyer come to my house and set up his saw out back, he cut the whole tree up right here on the spot. I stored it outside under a tarp for over a year and now its in my shed. I’ve only milled up a few boards so far, but they are beautiful, and very very stable. I have a friend who claims to have a 36 inch in diameter walnut that he wants to take down… I plan to somehow get that tree if possible. I enjoyed the process so much, I’ve been trying to figure out a way to start a business doing it.

-- Chuck [Elgin, IL]